The Dirty Dozen - 12 Foods You Should Always Buy Organic

Go into any grocery store these days and you will see the word "Organic" plastered everywhere you look, from organic fruits and vegetables, to organic crayons, and even organic toilet paper. The word is about as over-exposed as a Tiger Woods mistress, and can send any discerning shopper into a tail spin on which products to fork out the extra dollars for and which ones to save money and just buy regular. Well did you know there is a list known as "The Dirty Dozen"? It's a list of the top 12 fruits and vegetables that The Environmental Working Group says are so pesticide ridden and contaminated, that you should buy them organic no matter what you do.

Lets count them down;

12. Grapes

Grapes have an incredibly thin skin, so all those pesticides that get constantly sprayed over the vineyards get absorbed by the grape, and no amount of scrubbing or peeling by you is going to get those pesticides out. And what do we all love to drink that is made from grapes? Wine. That's right. Our favorite beverage has been reported to contain anywhere up to 34 different pesticides.

11. Potatoes

Whether you like to roast 'em, boil 'em, or cut 'em up and fry the hell out of 'em, potatoes are the most popular veggie consumed in the US. But did you know they also use more pounds of pesticides per acre than other crops, and can be laced with up to 37 different pesticides? So much so that McDonalds, the largest buyer of potatoes in the US, has taken steps to reduce this by exploring buying their spuds from organic farmers.

Health Food Impostors - Vitamin Water

Vitamin. The word just makes you feel healthy doesn't it? It makes you want to tie those shoe laces extra tight and go bounding out of your front door at 6am in the morning to break in those never worn Reeboks and sweat out that McValue meal you ate last night. It makes you think that any item in the grocery store that displays the word must be good for you and sees you throwing them in your shopping cart faster than Bravo can release another Real Housewife series. But did you know that one of these so called "healthy" products can contain nearly as much sugar as a can of soda, and even more than a slice of chocolate cake?

Yes I'm talking about Vitamin Water. The product that has been heavily marketed as a health drink over the past few years, and marketed so effectively that you see people guzzling them after they hop off the treadmill, consuming them after an hour long spin class, and buying them in bulk at the supermarket to stock in their refrigerators to have on hand as a substitute for those unhealthy sodas. But I'm here to shed some light and advise you that these "healthy drinks" are nothing more than sugary water, and if you do guzzle one after exercise, you have basically derailed all the hard work and effort you have just put into burning those calories.

Last Chance To Win

Don't forget you only have a few days left to win THIS great health and wellness supplement package from Kroeger Herbs.

Simply sign up for email updates from The Healthy Boy.

Entries close this Friday 30th April 2010, and the winner will be notified and announced shortly after

For more information click here

Fat Wont Make You Fat

Unless you have been living in an underground bunker for the last 10 years, stock piling tins of green peas and hoarding every last enquirer magazine you can get your hands on in preparation of the return of the evil aliens in 2012, or simply because you couldn't bare the thought of watching another Paris Hilton my new BFF MTV reality show, you have probably heard that eating fat isn't as bad as we were first initially told.

Yes, after all these years of inaccurate research and propaganda convincing us to eliminate fats in our diets, leaving everyone to commit carb-o-cide, sending our insulin levels popping higher than an over-heated Jeremy Piven thermometer, and our waist lines consequently wider than the gap between Madonna's two front teeth, researchers and health experts have finally put two and two together and come back to fat. Yes that's right, recent research shows that not only should we not be avoiding fat, we should be actively consuming it to help us lose weight and increase muscle size and strength.

Don't Know What To Eat When Dining Out?

Want to know whether that restaurant meal you're digging into is a healthy option or considered a well rounded meal? Could you be making a better choice but not even know it? Like it or not it's hard to tell what the best options for your hips are and some of the dishes you think are good for you are about as balanced as Mel Gibson walking a sobriety test, and wont be of any value to you in your effort to lose fat or gain muscle.

So what can you do?

Follow Healthy Boy on Yelp! Thats right your favorite healthy living crusader has joined Yelp and you can now follow me as I go from restaurant to restaurant exploring healthy vs unhealthy options and advising you the best decisions to make along the way.

Become my friend and follow my reviews at http://thehealthyboy.yelp.com and tell me where you are eating and ask me questions about your meal options.

Healthy Boy x

Recipe

Santorini Lemon Feta Dip with Kalamata Relish

As promised in my post yesterday, below is Christine Avanti's tasty recipe for her Lemon Feta Dip. We didn't have time to make the relish, but the dip was just as good without it. 

Lights, Camera, Cook! - TV Guide Shoot

When I think of Gluten Free foods, images of hippie stoners in under washed clothes playing wooden flutes come to mind. I imagine them sitting in circles in remote areas of grassy hillside, holding hands whilst they pick daisies and sing acapella versions of Wilson Phillips songs. Imagine my surprise when I found that not only are Gluten free foods and recipes gaining popularity due to increasing diagnoses of gluten intolerances and Celiacs Disease, but they can also be great healthy alternatives to traditional meals for everyday non flower-wielding folks like you and me.


In between writing articles for my blog and Queerty, spending ridiculously large amounts of time trying to grow my tiny biceps at the gym, and even more time flexing them in the mirror, I've been working as a research assistant for celebrity nutritionist Christine Avanti. Christine wrote the awesome book "Skinny Chicks Don't Eat Salads". She has been featured on Rachel Ray, Fox News and E-News just to name a few, owns her own meal delivery service, and has worked with countless celebrities such as Chelsea Handler, Jeremy Piven, Giulianna Rancic...the list goes on.

Today we filmed a healthy cooking segment for TV Guide Channel with Dancing with the Stars beauty Kym Johnson. Kym killed it with Donnie Osmond to win last season and take the crown, leaving all the other contestants hanging from their sequin lined tight pants. Kym is a self professed novice in the kitchen, feeling more at home on the dance floor than with a skillet in hand, so Christine taught her some nutritious gluten free recipes that can be whipped up easily and with little effort, so she can impress her friends whilst still being able to squeeze into those bright and revealing dancing costumes.

Im Ready For My Close Up

No posts today Healthy Boys and Girls - Im off to shoot a segment for TV Guide with celebrity nutritionist Christine Avanti.

We are going to be creating and filming gluten free recipes for the channel with Dancing with The Stars winner, hottie, and all-round cool chick Kym Johnson. Kym rocked it last season when she won with Donnie Osmond.

Stay tuned for some pics and I'll let you know when the segment will be airing on TV Guide...

In the meantime, don't forget to sign up for email updates to win that great multivitamin and supplement pack from Kroger Herbs.

Healthy Boy x

You Could Win This Awesome Supplement Pack

Just sign up for email updates from The Healthy Boy.

You can sign up using the email subscribe button on the side bar  ==>>

Take a look at what's included;

AMINOS PLUS

Anyone who works out at the gym should consider taking an amino acid supplement. Aminos are the building blocks of protein and help you repair and recover after exercise.

Aminos Plus is a supplement of essential amino acids, but Kroeger takes it one step further with the inclusion of basil, which has been reported to carry aminos into your cells more effectively

3 Tablets Contain:

L-Taurine	125 mg
L-Glutamic Acid	125 mg
L-Lysine HCL	100 mg
L-Methionine	100 mg
L-Phenylalanine	100 mg
L-Proline	75 mg
L-Leucine	75 mg
L-Valine	75 mg
L-Isoleucine	62.5 mg
L-Threonine	62.5 mg
L-Glycine	50 mg
L-Histidine	50 mg
L-Alanine	35 mg
L-Arginine	35 mg
A base of Basil leaf

ANTI - FATIGUE

Burning the candle at both ends? Feeling run down? It could be because of your adrenal glands. 

Our adrenal glands are the seat of our physical power. In dire or dangerous circumstances adrenaline is secreted, giving the body extra strength.  Anti-Fatigue is a unique vitamin formula designed to nourish your hard-working adrenal glands.

2 Tablets Contain:

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)	500 mg
Pantothenic Acid (D-Calcium Pantothenate)	490 mg
Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine)	5 mg
Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin)	5 mg
Niacin	5 mg
Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine)	5 mg
Vitamin B-12 (Cobalamin)	1,000 mcg
Calcium	53 mg
A base of Licorice root

OKRA VITES

Who doesn't take a multivitamin these days? We all live busy lives and often don't eat the right foods necessary to obtain all the vitamins and minerals we need, so supplementing with a multi helps.

Okra Vites is a multivitamin your body can utilize. Okra lends support to the lymph system so that vitamins can be carried to wherever they are needed. With its unique high-absorption traits and high-grade ingredients, it is a nutritional supplement far above the rest.

Each Tablet Contains:

Vitamin A (Palmitate)	25,000 IU
Vitamin D-3	100 IU
Vitamin E (Acetate)	50 IU
Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine)	25 mg
Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin)	25 mg
Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine)	25 mg
Choline (Bitartrate)	25 mg
Inositol	25 mg
Folic Acid	200 mcg
Vitamin B-12 (Cobalamin)	100 mcg
Biotin	25 mcg
Calcium	49 mg
A base of Okra fruit

Want to feel energized, gain muscle and improve your overall health for free? Well you're in luck because Healthy Boy has partnered with Kroeger Herbs and Hannah's Herb Shop to offer you a chance to win this awesome supplement stack valued at over $30. All you have to do is sign up for Healthy Boy emails, and we will send you an email confirmation where you can join Hannah's Herb Shop Facebook Fan Page, Twitter, or email list.

This offer is only available for US Residents. Current Healthy Boy subscribers are automatically in the draw and will receive a confirmation email.

Entries close Friday April 30th 2010.

If you want to know more or further information about Kroeger Herbs or Hannah's Herb Shop, continue reading...

Are You Kidding Me KFC?

Just when you thought that Fast Food companies were becoming slightly more socially conscious by introducing healthier and nutritious menu items, along comes KFC and destroys all the progress with the introduction of the Double Down.

This walking heart attack on a plate takes two saturated fat-loaded pieces of fried chicken, and uses them to replace bread to create a sandwich that will leave you with clogged arteries, greasy pimply skin, and blood pressure that will see you signing up for the next season of The Biggest Loser.

KFC's Double Down heart stopper contains two pieces of cholesterol popping bacon as well as two slices of stroke inducing Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheeses to gorge out at 540 Calories, 32 grams of fat - 10 of that being saturated - and a bloating 1380mg of sodium.

There are worse options out there, like the Burger King Quad Stacker, but the design of this new food item is just nutritionally irresponsible as it appeals to people for all the wrong reasons. A big "No, No" from the Healthy Boy.

Double Down? More like doubled over being sick.

Hot Product

Wow, it turns out that my Healthy Boy readers love their peanut butter. In response to my first Hot Product post the other week about PB2, the fat free powdered peanut butter, the company that makes it have completely sold out and are on back order. 

My next Hot Product is one my mom and I discovered back in Sydney about six years ago. Its available in many countries, at many online stores as well retail health and vitamin stores such as Whole Foods here in the States. It's going to make your skin glow and hair thick and beautiful like you belong on the cover of In Touch Weekly.

HUBNER SILICA GEL

Remember all those old wives tales you've been told that supposedly make your skin healthier and younger and your hair thick and shinny? Yep, there are a lot of them, and needless to say I've tried them all in my desperate attempts to hold onto my youth and satisfy my insatiable vanity. I've cracked eggs on my head, soaked my hair in beer and ended up with nothing other than smelling like Amy Winehouse serving brunch at a brewery. I've smeared avocado on my face, stuck masking tape between my eyes and temples and yet i still end up with skin that would qualify me for a senior's card at TJ Max.

Hubner Silica gel however is one product that I love. It's a supplement that's used to support healthy skin, hair, nails and connective tissue. We all have silica in our bodies, in fact it is in all living things and is essential to humans. When you take it in supplement form, it helps the production of collagen in your system making your skin glow, hair thick and nails strong just to name a few benefits.

Healthy Boy Recipe

WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA

Who doesn't love pizza? That crunch you get as you bite into a crispy crust followed by an overflow of cheese and sauce is enough to make you roll your eyes into the back of your head with enjoyment. The problem is however we all know that our favorite piece of pie comes with a whopping load of calories and sodium, white processed refined carbohydrates, not to mention more saturated fat than what is recommended to be consumed in an entire day. Yes just one piece can potentially ruin any healthy eating plan and could see your figure go from the size of a lettuce munching Kate Moss to french fry fanatical Tyra Banks in just a few bites.

Lets take a look at the calories and nutritional information in some of our favorite pizzas:

Large Slice    Calories     Total Fat     Sat Fat     Sodium       Carbs

Meatlovers        480             28g           10g         1190mg       37g
Cheese              360            17g            7g          740mg         37g
Pepperoni          380            19g            7g          850mg         37g
Supreme            420            22g            8g          890mg         38g

But who can stop at just one slice?

Whole Pizza    Calories     Total Fat     Sat Fat     Sodium       Carbs

Meatlovers        3,840          224g          80g        9,520mg       296g

Cheese             2,880          136g          56g        5,920mg       296g

Pepperoni         3,040          152g          56g         6,800mg      296g

Supreme           3,360          176g          64g         7,120mg      304g

Throw in a large soda, some hot wings or some bread sticks, and you could potentially be eating the equivalent of two to three days worth of calories in just one sitting. Maybe you only down a couple of pieces of pizza or aren't that concerned with calories, so then lets take a look at the ridiculously high levels of sodium. Our bodies only need around 500mg of sodium per day to survive, and the maximum recommended daily intake is 2400 mgs per day. As you can see just two slices of cheese pizza will well and truly have you almost reaching this limit in one sitting.

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Healthy Boy x

Carbohydrates - Friend, Foe, or Frenemy?

I got lost once. In a shopping mall. Well not so much that I got lost, I knew exactly where I was going. My mother, on the other hand, did not, and so proceeded to recruit all of the available shopping mall employees and half of the people in the small town I grew up in to look for me, not to mention announcing over the PA system that a young boy wearing a Lady and the Tramp T-shirt had gone missing. They eventually found me with my greasy little cheeks pressed up against the glass windows of the nearby donut shop, eyeing off all of the options, unsure of which one to choose, just like Madonna at a third world country orphanage.

You see, even since I was a young child I've had a soft spot for carbs. A soft spot right on my hips that is. Whether you love to dig into a big bowl of bolognese pasta, scoff down a plate of blueberry pancakes, or in my case inhale a box of chocolate donuts in one sitting, we all love some carbs now and then, yet we have been told by numerous health and diet gurus that if you want to lose weight, that we have to cut these favorite past times out of our lives faster than you can delete a clingy ex's phone number. But is that really the case? Well not exactly. You see I have discovered that carbs don't have to be your foe, but can actually be your friend and help you in your fat loss and muscle building efforts. Its just a matter of eating the right carbohydrates, at the right times, and knowing how to use them to your advantage.

Where Does Your Food Come From?

When I sit down to eat at a restaurant with friends, I have a lot of things going through my mind; how am I going to manage to sit down in these skinny jeans? Who is that hottie my friend has brought along and I wonder if they're single? And what sort of dirty looks are going to come my way when I order a cosmopolitan - not to mention the nasty remarks; "Who do you think you are Adam? Sarah Jessica Parker? Sex and the City was so 5 years ago."

The last thing I have on my mind is any consideration where the food on the menu is really coming from. But if i were to think about it, I would imagine as I slice into my fillet mignon with over polished cutlery, that the cow it came from lived in a lush green and over spacious pasture where on Wednesday afternoons it would catch up with the rest of the gals for a spot of tea and reruns of desperate housewives season two. Or as I sink my teeth into my grilled chicken sandwich at my local fast food joint, I imagine my chicken in a previous life, sleeping in on Sunday mornings and clucking away happily in some farmer's large, clean and cozy chicken pen. It would be able to roam freely at lunchtime, running up the hill and swinging around to the background orchestral version to the sound of music. Both animals, when their time had come, being leisurely escorted down a path to a farewell ticket tape parade, smiling and waving farewell to their friends, as the sun sets behind them, being happy to fulfill their destiny...

...Um, yeah, not so much. You see I watched a documentary recently called Food Inc. You may have heard of it. It was nominated for an Oscar this year, appeared on Oprah, has gotten a ton of press and has a pretty huge following. It was one of the most powerful things I have watched in recent years and jolted me out of my animal daydream and catapulted my into a reality that's about as unpleasant as watching Kate Gosselin on Dancing with the Stars.

Health Food Impostors

YOGURT

So you're trying to eat healthy. You're on a diet (aren't we all these days). You've been eating low fat salads and fiber rich vegetables like you're Bugs Bunny on crack, and you have been working hard to avoid any bad foods in an effort to shift that spare tire from around what used to be classified as your waist.

Would you then reach for a candy bar? How about a cupcake or cookie? Of course not because you know they are about as bad for your weight loss plans as a vodka cranberry is for Tara Reid's sobriety. Well what if I told you when you head down to Pinkberry for a "healthy" yogurt, you will actually be consuming more sugar than if you ate your favorite candy bar? How about if i told you it has more sugar than two cans of Coca Cola? Yep, that's right. Yogurt is the first of Healthy Boy's Health Food Impostors because consuming it will not only make all that salad and vegetable munching worthless, it will leave a taste in your mouth that is more sour than sweet.