Between grocery stores, farmers markets, and our favorite restaurants, we have access to a lot of food. Unfortunately, so much of it goes to waste. The good news, however, is that it's super easy to reduce your food waste. Here are a few tips on how to reduce your food waste. Buy what you need- Buy loose produce so that you do not end up with more than you need. Purchase grains, nuts, and spices from bulk bins so that you can measure out what you need and don't overbuy. Buy 'odd' looking produce- Many fruits and veggies are thrown away because they do not look how that particular food is...

If you saw ‘Natural Flavors’ listed on an ingredient label what would you think? Doesn’t sound so bad, right? How could anything labeled ‘natural’ be bad for you? According to the FDA, "The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy p...

It’s summertime and some of us are planning on going away on vacation. You might be wondering, “How am I going to stick to the GOLO plan while away?” Here are some helpful tips! Plan, plan, plan- If you plan your meals and go shopping before-hand, you will not find yourself “stuck,” and therefore more likely to grab something convenient and unhealthy. Figure out what types of food that you want to bring with you and how much you will need. If you are flying to your destination, make a list of what you will need to buy once you get there. Also, dry foods are allowed to be taken on planes! H...

At GOLO, we love spices! Who doesn’t? Without them, all of our food would be bland. You may think that the spice blends on the grocery store shelves are safe but unfortunately, that’s not the case. Believe it or not, many spice blends contain very harmful ingredients. They contain MSG, anti-caking agents, artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives, soy and corn derivatives that are mostly likely GMO. Mostly spices are also “sterilized” with small doses of radiation. (Eeek!) It’s super easy to make the blends that you find at the store and what’s better is you’ll be saving money! T...

When you think about peanuts or peanut butter, you probably think: quick snack, good source of protein and some healthy fats. On the surface, you’re right but the thing is, these little guys have some other features that make them not so good so, keep reading… First and foremost, a peanut is actually not a nut at all. It is a legume. A legume is a plant or its fruit or seed in the family Fabaceae. So, in layman’s term, it is a seed. Now, let’s talk about what happens when you eat these “seeds”. Aflatoxin is a mold that grows on peanuts. Aflatoxin-producing fungi can contaminate crops in the...

Food dyes are chemical substances that were developed to enhance the appearance of food by giving it an enhanced color. The first artificial food coloring was created in 1856 from coal tar, but today, food dyes are made from petroleum - the same component that is used to make gasoline and kerosene. Food manufacturers use these dyes to cover up the absence of natural color, offset color loss due to light/temperature/air exposure, and to make food essentially more visually pleasing. There are currently 6 food dyes that are approved by both the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the FDA...

Today, we bring you some information about what affects weight loss and why our scales occasionally fluctuate. How Much Weight Will I Lose? Weight loss can be any one of or a combination of the following: water weight, muscle weight or fat weight. While dieting, if you are just looking for the number on the scale to go down and not seeking to lose sustainable fat weight, you will be disappointed when the weight comes back quickly, because fat loss requires more time. While following GOLO, you should expect to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. (If you are losing more than that, it is most lik...

There’s a common misconception out there that soy is a healthy choice. When in fact, there are a lot of health hazards related to the consumption of soy. Soybeans contain large quantities of natural toxins or “antinutrients.” Among them are enzyme inhibitors that block the enzymes needed to digest protein. They are also high in phytic acid, which is a substance that blocks the absorption of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. In addition, it contains high levels of aluminum, which can have neurotoxic effects, and is full of lectins, which will confuse your ...

Are you still using table salt? If so, here’s why you should start using Himalayan Sea salt today! Himalayan salt dates back billions of years, basically to the very beginning of planet Earth, which I find fascinating. It comes from the Punjab region of Pakistan, which is around 190 miles from the Himalayan Mountains. It is believed that the salt is composed of dried remnants of the original, primal sea. It can be pink, red, or white in color. The salt comes from mines 5,000 feet deep below the Himalayan Mountain Range, and it is said that it is 99 percent pure. It is even mined by hand. No...

Belly fat, also known as visceral or ‘hidden fat’, is stored deep inside the belly. Some amount of belly fat, roughly 10% of your total body fat, is normal and helps protect your organs. However, too much of it can be dangerous for your health.