Celeb Nutritionist Keri Glassman Answers Your Diet Questions
Nationally acclaimed RD Keri Glassman, is a great resource for all things nutrition and is offering a new destination for those burning health and diet questions! She is now sharing her expertise on Access Hollywood Live every other week and will be answering questions on Access Hollywood Live’s Facebook page! Each week, Keri will answer one great question in Thursday’s Access Hollywood’s Healthy Hollywood blog and may even answer yours on one of her TV segments. Tune in and ask away for your chance to nab a celebrity physique and spot on Access! xx Melissa
Happy National Nutrition Month! Half of the battle when it comes to healthy eating and nutrition is simply knowing which questions to ask in finding solutions that fit your personal needs and lifestyle. Have you ever found yourself standing in an aisle at the grocery store, facing countless choices and wondering where to start? Where’s a handy FAQ Section when you need one? With so much information (and misinformation) out there, doing your health homework means sifting through all of it to find the most informed and reliable sources of advice.
How do I really know how many calories to eat?
Is there a danger in consuming too many Omega 3s?
What’s the best thing to eat after my hard workout?
Does drinking out of a straw really make me bloated?
Everyone will have an answer to these questions– your personal trainer, the nutrition-related infomercial you saw on TV, your fitness-magazine-reading best friend. Remember that nutrition is a health science, which requires years of study and experience to achieve true expertise. And despite the information you receive from its many sources (chefs, writers, food bloggers, doctors, nutritionists) sometimes what you really need is to go straight to a nutrition expert, a Registered Dietitian. Registered Dietitians (RD) are nutritionists, but not all professionals operating under the title nutritionist are RDs, who meet the gold-standard in professional nutrition.
Submit your question for me at the Access Hollywood Live facebook page and check out their blog updates every Thursday!
 Nationally recognized nutrition expert and published author Keri Glassman is the founder and president of Keri Glassman, Nutritious Life, a nutrition practice based in New York City. For years, Keri has been a leader in advancing a “whole person” approach to health and wellness.She has dedicated her career to creating services and promoting education through her Nutritious Life brand. She has authored two books; the most recent is The O2 Diet. The Cutting Edge, Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin and Beautiful. (Rodale, December 2009.) This book translates complex scientific research on antioxidants and the ORAC scale into useful and usable tools that everyone can benefit from. It empowers people to live a more Nutritious Life by combining a nutrient dense, high antioxidant diet with the other components of a Nutritious Life. The O2 Diet follows the Snack Factor Diet, (Crown, 2007.)Keri is a contributing editor and advisory board member for Women’s Health Magazine, and was the first registered dietitian to create a real food based snack bar, KeriBar.Additionally, Keri is the Nutrition and Health contributor for NBC’s New York Live, and is regularly featured on national television programs including NBC’s The Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, Access Hollywood Live, The View, Dr. Oz, The Doctors, The Wendy Williams Show, MSNBC and The Fox News Channel. Keri resides in New York City with her children, Rex and Maizy. |
Summer Sips: Low Calorie Cocktails
With the summer heat at an all-time high, why not cool off with some of these fruity cocktails? Margaritas and daiquiris are often loaded with sugar and unnecessary calories that leave you hungover or bloated, so we’ve searched for the best of the best low calorie, low sugar and low-carb drinks. Whether your poison is a mojito or sangria, one of these is sure to tantalize your taste buds!
White Sangria
adapted from NYTimes.com
Combine fresh fruit and chilled wine to create a lighter version of traditional sangria, perfect for a hot summer afternoon.
1 small green pear or green apple
1 small navel orange
1 bottle cava, moscato d’Asti or other sparkling wine
1 3/4 cups apple juice
1 1/3 cups Cointreau
1 cup club soda
Slice fruit into thin bite-size pieces. Place in large pitcher. Pour in sparkling wine, apple juice and Cointreau. If possible, refrigerate an hour or two to draw out sweetness and floral aromas of fruit. Add club soda, and stir. Spoon some fruit pieces into glasses filled with ice, and pour.
Berry Dream
Created by The Cocktail Guru, Jonathan Pogash
Enjoy creamy drinks like pina coladas but are watching your calories? This drink perfectly blends coconut, berries and milk together with a fitting Acai-Blueberry vodka.
2 oz. Van Gogh Açai-Blueberry Vodka
1 scoop sugar-free raspberry sorbet
1 tsp. coconut cream
3 oz. skim milk
Add to blender and blend. Pour into hurricane or tall glass. Garnish with coconut flakes and fresh seasonal berries.
Low-Carb Cosmopolitan Cocktail
By Laura Dolson, About.com Guide: Low Carb Diets
Take a spin on the classic cosmo by making it with diet cranberry juice and fresh lime juice instead of that sugary bottled stuff!
1 jigger (1.5 oz or 3 tablespoons) Citron vodka or regular vodka
1 oz (2 tablespoons) diet cranberry juice (NOT “light” — it must say diet)
OR 2 teaspoons unsweetened cranberry juice and 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lime juice (fresh preferred)
2 to 3 drops orange extract
2 to 4 teaspoons sugar equivalent in artificial sweetener (to taste), liquid preferred
Put the ingredients in a cocktail shaker half-full of ice. Shake well. Taste for sweetness if using unsweetened cranberry juice, which is highly variable. You may need to add sweetener. Strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a small lime wedge or curl of lime peel.
BLUE Skinny Lemonade
Lemonade has always been a summer staple, and Crystal Light has a portion of the sugar and calories as other mixes, so stir some up and add a splash of vodka to make this childhood drink more adult-friendly.
2 oz of Van Gogh BLUE Vodka
4 oz of Crystal Light Lemonade
Combine ingredients and shake vigorously in shaker with ice. Strain into glass and enjoy!
Blueberry-Lime Margarita
From Eating Well, as seen in Fitness Magazine
Instead of making a margarita out of syrupy mix, take a cool approach by blending frozen blueberries and limeade for a unique refreshing drink.
2 cups ice
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup blueberry nectar
1/4 cup seltzer
2 tablespoons frozen limeade
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 ounces tequila, optional
1 lime wedge, coarse salt
Combine ice, blueberries, blueberry nectar, seltzer, limeade, lime juice and tequila, if using, in a blender and blend until smooth. Rub rim of 2 glasses with lime wedge and dip in salt. Divide the margarita between the prepared glasses and serve.
Watermelon Gin Fizz
From Eating Well, as seen in Fitness Magazine
When you think of the summer, watermelon usually comes to mind. This delicious drink combines fresh watermelon with gin, lime juice and ginger ale for a sweet and sour cocktail.
5 cups diced watermelon, divided
6 ounces gin, divided
8 tablespoons lime juice, divided
1 1/3 cups ginger ale, divided
Lime wedges, for garnish
Freeze 1 cup watermelon for garnish. Puree the remaining 4 cups watermelon. Strain; divide the juice among 4 ice-filled glasses. Top each with 1 1/2 ounces gin, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1/3 cup ginger ale. Garnish with the frozen watermelon and lime wedges.
Strawberry-Citrus Vodka Cocktail
as seen in Fitness Magazine
Made just like a mojito, this cocktail branches out from the original combination of rum, mint, lime juice and simple syrup to take on a fruitier approach. Made with strawberries, citrus vodka, lemon juice and mint, you still have some of the same flavors but with a sweet twist.
2 strawberries
1 sprig of mint
3/4 ounce light agave nectar, such as Wholesome Sweeteners
1 3/4 ounces citrus vodka
3/4 ounce lemon juice
In a shaker, muddle together mint and strawberries, then add the remaining ingredients. Shake vigorously with ice for 20 seconds. Pour entire contents of shaker into a tall glass. (Include all of the mint and strawberry pulp.)
Bombshell X
Created by Kevin Baker at the Isla Cantina in West Hollywood, California
This unique liquor is flavored with blood orange to be both sweet and tangy. By blending it with cucumber and grapes, you’re sure to have a fun drink that’s healthy at the same time.
2oz X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
2 slices of Peeled Cucumber
12 Red Seedless Grapes
Blend all ingredients with ice in a blender. Garnish with slices of cucumber.
Ask Melissa: No or Lo-Cal Refreshing Drinks
I know how important it is for both my skin and body to stay hydrated during the summer, but I don’t like the taste of plain water. Any tips on easy-to-drink beverages that won’t pack on the pounds?
It is certainly very important, especially in the summertime, to drink lots of water. I am not a huge fan of plain water as well, so I need to get creative to make sure I get the recommended daily amount (.5 oz multiplied by your body weight in pounds). Below are several options for refreshing, healthy, and great-tasting drinks that won’t increase your waistline!
My go-to drink is a cranberry and club soda. You can vary how sweet you want it by adjusting the amount of club soda (I like it with half of each). Try using Ocean Spray Light Cran-Rasberry Juice, which is lower in calories and tastes delicious. Cranberry juice is known to have various health benefits – it can help prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, and urinary tract infections.
Buy Now, White Rock Club Soda (Pack of 12), $16.89
Buy Now, Ocean Spray Light Cranberry Rasberry Juice Drink (Pack of 8), $53.52
A new favorite of mine is Skinny Water. The Raspberry Pomegranate Crave Control flavor is zero calories and contains electrolytes and Super CitriMax, which is known to curb your appetite. It reminds me of the days when my mom used to make raspberry Jell-O in the liquid form… only this is cold and tastes better!
Buy Now, Skinny Water Crave Control Raspberry Pomegranate (Pack of 12), $18.75
Vitamin Water has been very popular for a while now, however, I prefer the newer zero calorie version. Naturally sweetened and packed with antioxidants from acai berries, blueberries, and pomegranates, Vitamin Water Zero’s “XXX” is my favorite. It’s super refreshing and energizing with vitamins A, B, C, and electrolytes.
Buy Now, Vitamin Water Zero XXX (Pack of 24), $37.32
Coconut water is extremely hydrating and tastes delicious! It’s perfect to drink after a workout because it has more muscle-soothing potassium than a banana, plus electrolytes. I prefer it fresh from the coconut, but they can be difficult to find, and you need a machete to cut off the tops. An easier option is to drink ZICO Coconut Water. I always keep several bottles in my fridge – It’s 60 calories for one 14 fl oz bottle, and fat-free, too!
Buy Now, ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water (Pack of 12), $25.31
Tasty and full of antioxidants, Honest Tea’s Passion Fruit Green Tea with Maqui Berry is zero calories and naturally sweetened. This drink is sweeter than most of the other Honest Tea drinks, so it’s great if you have a sweet tooth.
Buy Now, Honest Tea Passion Fruit Green Tea with Maqui Berry, $15.99
My best-kept secret of all is SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia in Vanilla Crème flavor. Just add three-five drops of this all-natural sweetener to 12 oz of water. The concentrated drops are available in a variety of flavors, but my personal favorite is the vanilla. Try adding it to club soda and you will make yourself a healthy crème soda!
