If you think having a glass of orange juice is a healthy way to start the day, think again. A growing number of experts are warning that 100 percent fruit juice is as bad for you – and will make you just as likely to become obese – as starting the day with a can of Coke.

According to a great LA Times article on the topic, written by Karen Kaplan, a leading scientist at UC Davis has found that people who consume high levels of fructose (found equally in both juice and soda) increases risk factors for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. In fact, glass for glass, juice usually has even more sugar-packed calories than soda. A cup of orange juice, for example, has 112 calories whereas the same quantity of Coke has 97.

In 1997, one study on the effects of drinking juice found that kids who drank at least 12 ounces of juice a day were more than three times more likely than other kids to be overweight or obese. Not all studies have found this link, but scientists say the link is logical.

Whole fruit, however, is great health-wise. Full of water, fiber and vitamins, when a person consumes fructose in the form of a whole piece of fruit, the sugar enters the body relatively slowly so the liver has time to convert it into energy. But a single glass of apple juice has the fructose of six apples, and can be consumed in a single (large) gulp.

The moral: replace that morning glass of OJ with a whole orange. We will.

Last year, an 88-year-old woman was taken to the NYU Langone Medical Center practically unconscious, unable to walk or eat. Though she had never had a history of thyroid problems, she was diagnosed with a myxedema coma, which is related to a low functioning thyroid. They found out her problem was due to eating too much raw bok choy, which contains glucosinolates, stifling the thyroid’s function. She was having two to three pounds a day for several months! According to Dr. Michael Chu, who worked at the hospital where the woman was admitted, this wouldn’t have happened if she had cooked the bok choy.

Moral of the story is: too much of a good thing is not a good thing. So if you’re thinking about eating tons and tons of only raw bok choy, don’t… or at least cook them first. Remember, the key to health is a balanced diet.

If you know a New Yorker, ask them about their walking abilities. Most likely, the response will be, “Psh, I’m an expert,” or something along those lines. All that skill can be attributed to one thing, the subway! In fact, a study at University of Pennsylvania analyzed the effects of a new light-rail line in Charlotte, North Carolina. They surveyed the people who stopped driving to work and took the light-rail, and after six months, citizens lost on average 1.18 BMI points, walking around 1.2 miles during their commute. Think of taking the subway as a work out plan. New Yorkers have it all figured out, which is probably why they live 4 years longer then the average American. Too bad, here in Los Angeles, cars rule transportation. Well, at least if parking is bad, we get a little exercise.

BMI calculator:

Over the next week post a picture on our facebook wall with your YouBar (or our logo) and we will randomly choose one of them to be our profile picture! The winner will also get a free box of YouBars! [Logo: Here]

Generally, athletes eat carbohydrates prior to working out. This is logical. Nourishment leads to energy. Unfortunately, if you eat too soon before physical exercise, cramps arise. Hmm… If only there was a way to get energy without actually having to eat. Surprise! There is. Recent studies at University of California, Berkeley have shown that rinsing your mouth with a carbohydrate solution can prompt your brain into believing it’s eaten. So next time, instead of cramping up with your sugary beverage, rinse your mouth with it… or maybe just have a YouBar 30 minutes before.

Click Here To Buy!

By Dennis Flynn

During the holidays, there’s no sweeter gift for your loved ones (and yourself!) than a luscious tin of home-baked cookies. But these days, who has the time to fold fresh flour, real butter, whole eggs and all their favorite treats (think white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts and dried cranberries) into delectable Custom Cookies?

So, we here at You Bar have pioneered a way to give you all the fun and personalized perfection of baking your own cookies without the time or mess! You Cookie, the fully customizable cookie bakery, allows you to craft your very own cookies from scratch… online!

You can now create your very own cookies - choosing from over 70 ingredients including half a dozen chocolate chip varieties, numerous nuts, seeds, dried fruits, cereals and infusions. Then, once you’ve finished lovingly combining all your ideal ingredients on our website, our team of passionate bakers will hand-make your cookies and send them out to you fresh in a personalized tin with the name of your choosing on it. And we won’t make you come to our bakery to help sweep up the flour on the floor!

You Cookie customers choose every ingredient of their cookie from sweeteners to flour so that every taste preference and nutritional need is met. This makes You Cookies perfect for everyone – from vegans, diabetics and people with allergies to health-conscious but time-strapped cookie connoisseurs. It also makes the ideal unique gift for this holiday season (tins are all personalized with the name of your choosing).

As always with all of You Bar’s offerings, You Cookie only uses high quality ingredients with no chemical preservatives. The nutrition facts instantly appear on the Craft-a-Cookie page as ingredients are selected so that customers can achieve the perfect nutritional makeup to fit their life. Made-to-order Popular Cookies that can be given a custom name are also available for those who want a delicious cookie that’s tried and true.

You Cookies are sold by the dozen and packaged in classic cookie tins. And, because they’re shipped out the same day they’re baked they always arrive piping fresh. Pop them in your oven before guests arrive to bring out their warmth and aroma, and no one will be the wiser that you didn’t spend the whole morning slaving away.

What’s more: each tin of You Cookies are backed by our “Guaranteed Delicious” policy. If a customer doesn’t think their cookie creation is delicious, You Cookie will bake and send out another dozen cookies (of a new recipe) free of charge.

You Cookie is the latest custom product from the pioneering folks at You Bar who have been offering custom nutrition bars, protein shakes and trail mixes since 2006.

By Katie Newton
Katie@YouBars.com

The recession is making it hard to afford pricey health foods. Here are five ways to spend less while still eating healthy:

1. Drink Water. The cheapest and most healthy source of hydration for your body is water.  Plus, tap water’s free! (And, think of all the plastic bottles you won’t be throwing into landfills.)

2. Buy Extra Peak Season Veggies to Freeze (or buy ones that are already frozen). This allows you to take advantage of peak season discounts on everything from apples to zucchinis. Enjoy luscious blueberries in the dead of winter without breaking the bank.

3. Take Bag Lunches To Work.  Cook extra for dinner every night and then just pack up your leftovers the following day for a cheap – and delicious – midday meal.

4.  Eat Vegetarian. Protein-rich foods like beans and tofu (think Indian curries and Chinese stirfries) cost a fraction of the price of beef and chicken — and are just as tasty.

5. Go to Farmers Markets. You’ll get the freshest produce, and help your local farmers through the recession too! Another bonus: by ditching the candy-laden checkout lines, you’ll pick up less bags of pricey junk food on impulse.

By Katie Newton
Katie@YouBars.com

In the latter 20th century, Americans have come to associate certain vitamins with certain foods.  We have been taught to associate calcium with milk, Vitamin C with oranges, and potassium with bananas.  But there are loads of other colorful, exotic, exciting foods that have just as much – if not more – of these fabulous qualities.

So, next time you go to the grocery store, consider the following:

• Kale has more calcium than a glass of milk.  It is rich in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K.
• One raw red bell pepper has more vitamin C than an 8-ounce glass of orange juice.
• Baked potatoes and kiwi fruit have more potassium than bananas – great for before and after exercise!
• Instead of buying fruit juice, buy the fruit itself. Whole fruits have less sugar, more fiber and a lower glycemic index.

After all, variety is the spice of life — and the best way to a long one!