Freshen Up Your Exercise With Peppermint!

CC Flickr image courtesy of SummerTomato

Peppermint, a common flavor added to gum and other products can do a lot more for you than just freshen your breath. It is in the family of the mint herb, also known as mentha. Menthol and menthone are the main parts of peppermint oil.  

In dietary supplements, peppermint oil has been used to relieve mild digestive problems like nausea, heartburn, indigestion, and irritable bowel syndrome, to name a few. Its powerful aroma has been used to relieve anxiety, improve memory, and increase physical activity endurance. 

A recent study on twelve male university students shows how ingestion of peppermint oil might improve exercise performance. Before taking the peppermint oil, the students’ blood pressure, breathing rate, and heart rate were tested followed by a treadmill exercise test to measure their respiratory function and performance. Then they each drank a bottle of mineral water (500 ml) with .05 ml (about a drop from an eye dropper) of peppermint oil for ten days and repeated the same tests. 

The second series of tests showed a significant increase in respiratory function and the amount of calories they burned while exercising. Their lung function, distance run, and stamina significantly improved. Their heart rate and blood pressure were also lower. 

A possible theory for their improved endurance is that peppermint oil reduced lactic acid, which is a product of the breakdown of carbohydrates for energy when the body is low on oxygen.  

Besides improving exercise endurance, you can also benefit from peppermint by:

• Drinking peppermint tea if you’re feeling nauseous or have heartburn
• Rubbing a little peppermint oil on muscle pain
• Taking a good whiff of peppermint oil to relax

Study source: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2013; 10:15.

5 "Healthy Snacks" that Can Make You Gain Weight

Snacking can be a great way to give you energy and fuel in between meals, but even snacks thought of as “healthy” can be loaded with hidden calories that make you pack on the pounds.

1. Kale chips have been a big trend lately and they now come in several varieties and flavors. Kale, itself, is a very healthy, low-calorie, leafy green full of vitamins and nutrients. Unfortunately, what you find pre-packaged as a chip is often loaded with salt, oil, and some are even covered in cheese or ranch flavor. This significantly increases the calories and decreases its healthy status.

Many brands of Kale chips have 150 calories per 1 oz serving (about 2 handfuls) and with the typical two servings per container you’re up to 300 calories, as much as your average Joe potato chip! An ounce of plain kale is only 15 calories!

For a healthier and cheaper alternative, make your own low calorie chips in 3 easy steps:

1. Place Kale on baking pan lined with parchment paper.

2. Coat with a little non-stick cooking spray or olive oil.

3. Bake in the oven on 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (or until crunchy). 

You can punch up the flavor by adding cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, or regular black pepper!

2. Our second misleading healthy snack is juice. Even juices marketed as natural or 100% fruit juice can be loaded with calories and sugar. For example, Naked Juice or Odwalla brands can go up as much as 400 calories per bottle! Even if they don't have added sugar, you would not normally eat as much fruit to equal the amount of sugar in those drinks.  

3. Granola is a good source of protein and fiber, but it is also high in calories. One cup of granola can have as much as 400 calories! For a healthier way to indulge, choose a brand without added sugars and limit the serving to 1/3 of a cup. If you have it with milk, opt for skim or 1% fat.

4. Almond butter is a good source of vitamin E and is a healthy fat, but it is still high in calories. In 2 tablespoons, there are 190 calories, same as peanut butter. If you eat a few crackers with it, you're up to over 300 calories! If you enjoy this snack, consider getting natural almond butter without added ingredients and cutting down the portion to 1 tablespoon. The same goes for other nut butters.

5. While nuts are full of healthy fats and vitamins, they're still high in calories and when you have chocolate and dried fruit pumping it up in trail mix, you're up to about 130 calories in 1 oz (about 1 handful). Most small packages have twice that amount. For a healthier trail mix, cut it with some unsalted, air popped popcorn. The volume will make you feel full and you can still enjoy the flavor. If you have no other choice, go for plain trail mix that’s mostly plain nuts and watch how much you indulge.

Remember to pay attention to your total calories for the day. Even healthy foods can cause weight gain if you don’t watch the portion size. Try to limit your snack to about 10% of your calorie needs for the day. An average adult male needs 2000 Calories a day, so a good target for each snack would be about 200 calories or less. Happy snacking!