John Cox

Blogs · @wyome

Tagged healthy eating · everything

Good Housekeeping

Nutrition Experts Share the Surprising Health Benefits of Dates

A Good Housekeeping rundown of why dates earn their "superfruit" billing, drawing on a Johns Hopkins physician and a dietitian. It argues that despite their high sugar and calorie counts (about 266 calories and 64g sugar per four Medjools), dates have a low glycemic index thanks to fiber, and they supply polyphenol antioxidants that may support heart and bone health, though their calcium, magnesium and phosphorus are too low to count as "good sources" (copper is). The practical takeaways are a serving of two or three Medjools a day and a list of ways to use them, such as stuffed with nut butter, in oatmeal, salads, energy bites, smoothies, or blended with cacao for brownie bites.

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www.goodhousekeeping.com

20 Best Snacks for People with Diabetes, According to Registered Dietitians

This article presents a comprehensive list of 20 snack options recommended by registered dietitians for people with diabetes or prediabetes, emphasizing foods high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats that help stabilize blood sugar levels. Each snack includes expert commentary explaining its nutritional benefits and practical tips for preparation or pairing—such as roasted chickpeas with spices, Greek yogurt, nuts, eggs, and plant-based options like hummus and edamame. The dietitians also emphasize that blood sugar-friendly eating doesn't require sacrificing cultural or traditional foods, encouraging people to enjoy flavorful snacks while maintaining stable glucose levels.

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Eating Bird Food

Easy Protein Boxes (4 Ways) - Eating Bird Food

The article provides four simple, high-protein snack box recipes (27-35g protein each) that can be assembled during Sunday meal prep and grabbed throughout the week, including a budget-friendly Starbucks copycat option. Each box combines a protein source like eggs, cottage cheese, or chicken with complementary fruits, vegetables, and crunchy extras, designed to fit in divided meal prep containers for convenient grab-and-go lunches or snacks. The guide includes storage tips, customization swaps for dietary restrictions, and instructions for assembling boxes that stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

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Camille Styles

High-Protein, High-Fiber Smoothies to Fuel Your Day

The guide argues that the key to a satisfying smoothie is combining protein (20-30 grams for a meal) with fiber-rich ingredients (8-10 grams), healthy fat, and produce, since fruit and liquid alone won't keep you full. It provides a flexible formula for building smoothies—choose a protein source like Greek yogurt or protein powder, add 1-2 cups of fruit or vegetables, include concentrated fiber from seeds or oats, add healthy fat, and incorporate liquid—along with specific ingredient swaps and six recipe examples to show how the formula works in practice. The piece emphasizes that individual nutritional needs vary, so these targets are starting points rather than universal rules, and that pairing carbohydrates with protein, fiber, and fat creates a more balanced meal that sustains hunger longer.

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camillestyles.com

A Nutritionist’s 5-Day Meal Plan for Balanced Blood Sugar

A nutrition consultant breaks down the mechanics of blood sugar—how carbs raise glucose, insulin's role in bringing it back down, and why the real goal is a gradual rise and fall rather than avoiding carbs entirely. It lays out practical levers beyond food (post-meal walks, sleep, stress management, consistent meal timing) and cautions against intermittent fasting for women, then delivers a concrete 5-day meal plan built around pairing protein, fat, and fiber at every meal and snack. Worth keeping for the ready-made meal plan and the actionable, non-restrictive framework for taming energy crashes and cravings.

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camillestyles.com

A Nutritionist’s Guide to Spring Produce (Plus the Easiest Ways to Cook It)

A nutrition consultant's seasonal-eating guide for spring, arguing that cooking becomes simpler and tastier when built around what's freshest right now rather than following complicated recipes. It runs through fourteen spring staples—strawberries, artichokes, fennel, asparagus, arugula, and more—with practical tips on how to pick each one at peak quality and quick, low-effort ways to use it, from roasting to raw salads. Worth keeping mainly as a reference cheat sheet for farmers' market or CSA shopping trips.

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www.womenshealthmag.com

This Is Exactly What Should Be On Your Whole30 Shopping List

Whole30 is a 30-day diet eliminating processed foods, grains, dairy, legumes, added sugar, and alcohol to "reset" your body and reduce inflammation rather than focus on weight loss. The article provides comprehensive shopping lists across protein, fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and compliant condiments and beverages to make the restrictive diet less monotonous. It also notes important caveats: the diet is difficult for vegetarians since legumes are banned, it can be expensive due to specialty product requirements, and dieters should avoid developing an overly restrictive mindset that could lead to poor eating habits after the 30 days end.

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www.bhg.com

37 Cheap, Healthy Meals That Cost Less Than $3 Per Serving

[[Better Homes & Gardens]] article presents affordable, heart-healthy dinner ideas that make it easy to eat well without overspending, focusing on budget-friendly proteins, whole grains, legumes, and vegetables; it offers simple recipes, swaps and meal-planning tips to reduce saturated fat, sodium and added sugars while boosting fiber and healthy fats. Recipes feature pantry staples and versatile ingredients like [[salmon]], [[beans]], [[lentils]], [[quinoa]] and [[sweet potatoes]] alongside vegetables and whole-grain pasta, with suggestions for batch cooking, one-pan preparations and slow-cooker meals to save time and money. The piece emphasizes portion control, flavoring with herbs and spices instead of salt, and adaptable formulas so cooks can use what they have on hand; it aims to help readers make sustainable heart-healthy choices that suit varied tastes and tight budgets for everyday eating.

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www.acouplecooks.com

50 Mediterranean Diet Recipes: Rice Bowl & More

This is a recipe roundup from A Couple Cooks author Sonja Overhiser, compiling dozens of tested Mediterranean-style lunch and dinner recipes (salmon, shrimp, lentil soups, grain bowls, salads) organized around olive oil, seafood, legumes, and whole grains. It frames the collection with credentialing context—her Harvard lifestyle-medicine coaching certificate, an upcoming cookbook with husband Alex, and physician endorsements—plus a plain-language explainer on what the Mediterranean diet actually entails, its lifestyle components beyond food, and cautious notes on its links to cholesterol and blood sugar management. Worth keeping mainly as a reference hub for specific weeknight recipe ideas rather than for any single argument.

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www.acouplecooks.com

28 Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan

This free four-week Mediterranean diet meal plan from A Couple Cooks organizes dinners into weekly sets of three recipe options rather than a rigid daily schedule, letting readers pick which nights to cook and fill remaining days with leftovers or eating out. It covers fish, shellfish, chicken, vegetarian, and vegan dinners with make-ahead prep notes for each, plus simple no-recipe suggestions for breakfasts and lunches so cooking energy stays focused on dinner. Worth keeping as a flexible, low-overwhelm framework for sustainable healthy eating rather than a strict day-by-day menu.

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cleanplates.com

19 Healthy Cold Lunches That Actually Make You Excited To Pack For Work

A roundup of nineteen no-heat lunch ideas aimed at office workers bored with sandwiches, ranging from jarred Mediterranean chickpea salads and sesame noodle bowls to DIY poke and sushi bowls, curry chicken collard wraps, and bistro-style apple-and-cheese boxes. Each entry emphasizes make-ahead convenience, ingredients that hold up or improve overnight in the fridge, and swaps like lettuce or collard wraps for bread and riced cauliflower for grains. Worth keeping as a grab-bag reference for varying weekday meal prep without relying on reheating.

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chicago.suntimes.com

The Mediterranean diet recipes to help you eat healthy

The article highlights the health benefits and practicality of the [[Mediterranean diet]] and offers recipes from [[America's Test Kitchen]] to incorporate its flavors at home, whether or not readers follow the diet strictly. Standouts include a sturdy, flavor-forward [[Pasta e Fagioli]] made with pancetta, orzo and a Parmesan rind shortcut; a balanced [[Shakshuka]] with piquillo peppers, tomatoes and runny eggs; a crunchy [[Mediterranean Chopped Salad]] built on escarole, chickpeas, Kalamata olives and walnuts; and easy [[Marinated Artichokes]] simmered in olive oil, lemon and herbs for a versatile pantry staple. The piece emphasizes fresh vegetables, legumes, healthy fats and bold seasonings, and gives practical tips for ingredient substitutions and time-saving techniques to make Mediterranean cooking accessible on weeknights. Each recipe includes clear instructions and practical substitution tips.

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Camille Styles

I Could Eat These Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes for Dinner Every Week (and I Do)

The article describes a two-step cooking method for exceptionally crispy roasted sweet potatoes: first roasting halved sweet potatoes cut-side down until tender, then searing them in a cast iron skillet with butter and honey to create a caramelized, golden crust. It offers serving suggestions centered around building customizable topped potatoes with Greek yogurt, avocado, fresh herbs, and other toppings, and notes the technique works well for family meals where different diners can add their preferred ingredients.

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