Articles by Maggie Moon, MS, RD

Young couple eating burger and chips outdoors

10 Ways to De-Junk Your Diet

Published Jan,22 2019 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

Unfortnuately, the standard American diet is full of junk food — it's everywhere. But here are some simple ways to junk the junk and replace it with healthy alternatives.

7 Healthier Alternatives to Your Favorite Cozy Holiday Drink Recipes

Published Dec,19 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

We give you an honest look at how much sugar, fat and calories your favorite holiday drinks are packing, along with LIVESTRONG-created healthier holiday drink recipe alternatives that will leave you feeling warm, cozy and healthy this winter.

7 Healthy-ish Recipes for Christmas That Are Anything But Boring

Published Dec,18 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

These healthy Christmas recipes will let you celebrate in style without ruining your nutrition goals. There are actually a ton of richly colored, nutrient-dense vegetables and healthy proteins that you can bring to the table during the holidays.

10 Steak Recipes That Any Carnivore Will Love

Published Dec,06 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

These steak recipes are irresistible, plus they're keto and paleo approved. From spicy steak lettuce cups to grass-fed steak tacos, these recipes need to be in your rotation.

The 5 Butternut Squash Recipes You've Always Dreamed Of

Published Nov,08 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

Butternut squash has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Here are 5 butternut squash recipes that will make this your favorite vegetable.

10 Worst Fast-Food Burgers for Your Waistline

Published Oct,23 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

We take a look at some of America’s biggest fast food chains to determine the highest-calorie fast food burgers, and determine how those burgers stack up in terms of fat, sodium and unhealthy ingredients.

10 Keto Fat-Bomb Recipes That Will Crush Hunger Pangs

Published Sep,25 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

The secret to keeping keto? Flavorful fat bombs that deliver a combination of high fat and protein for some fat-burning boosts. Here are ten recipes for you to try.

The 5 Worst Chain Restaurant Meals (and 5 Better Options)

Published Aug,15 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

It’s time to take a closer look at some of the nation’s biggest chains and name names on the worst offenders and smart alternatives.

Costco's Best and Worst Summer BBQ Foods

Published Jun,25 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

If you love a good summer BBQ get-together, you’re not alone. We got nutrition experts from across the country to give you the scoop on the best picks (and what to avoid) at Costco when you're planning a summer barbecue.

Contrary to popular belief, eating cholesterol doesn’t raise blood cholesterol.

7 Myths About Cholesterol Debunked

Published May,03 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

There's good and bad cholesterol, but how do you know which is which? Dietitian Maggie Moon cuts through the noise and debunks cholesterol myths.

From Cabbage Soup to Keto: The Most Popular Diets Through the Decades

Published Apr,12 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

The Most Popular Diets Throughout the Years - a look at the triendiest diets from the 1960s to today.

14 Legit Ways Coffee Can Boost Your Health

Published Mar,29 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

While many of us drink coffee to perk up, it just so happens that our daily java packs a few additional benefits as well.

7 Signs Your Gut Is Out of Whack

Published Mar,29 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

It’s time for a gut check -- literally. “It’s not as easy as one would think to figure out if your gut is healthy or not,” says Kristi King, M.P.H., RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Read on for some surprising signs it's imbalanced -- and what to do about it.

Broiled Heirloom Tomato and Rosemary Frittata

7 Brain-Boosting Recipes That Will Keep Your Mind Young

Published Mar,15 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

What you eat can save your brain from years of cognitive aging and reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

16 Expert-Recommended Steps to Spring-Clean Your Kitchen

Published Mar,15 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

Be honest with yourself. When is the last time you took stock of your fridge, pantry and freezer? If you answer six months (or longer) then the time is now.

10 Worst Foods to Eat When You're Stressed Out of Your Mind

Published Mar,08 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

From struggling with deadlines to not getting enough sleep, plenty of situations can lead to stress-induced overeating. This pleasure is fleeting and can spell bad news for your weight, immune system and heart health.

Delicious chocolate Easter bunny, eggs and sweets

The 10 Most Dangerous Easter Candies for Your Health

Published Feb,27 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

As tantalizing as they may look, Easter candies are typically full of added sugars and artificial colorings. Here are some of the worst to watch out for this April, in order of least to most unhealthy.

The 10 Most Dangerous Valentine’s Day Candies

Published Feb,12 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

It’s about that time of year when Valentine’s Day candies start popping up in stores everywhere. And while the colorful treats may look innocent and sweet, most of what’s on display is overly processed, packaged foodstuff loaded with added sugar, artificial ingredients and saturated fat.

The 10 Worst Things to Eat at a Salad Bar and the 10 Best

Published Jan,26 2018 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

If you thought the salad bar was a safe haven for healthy eating, you will be disappointed by how quickly things can go south. The truth is it only takes a few missteps to turn a balanced, nutrient-packed salad into a bowl full of salt, sugar, saturated fat and carcinogens — not to mention a calorie overload.

20 Foods That Will Make Your Cold Worse

Published Dec,08 2017 | By Maggie Moon, MS, RD

You have a cold. You feel miserable. Tempted to reach for junky comfort foods? Think twice. Many of them will do more harm than good in your fight to get well. That’s because it’s doubly important to steer clear of foods that dehydrate, provoke inflammation or disrupt sleep when you have a cold.

Maggie Moon, MS, RD is the best-selling author of The MIND Diet (2016), the owner of MINDDietMeals.com, and a writer for Livestrong.com. Her nutrition work has taken her across the country and around the world: from NYC public schools to U.S. commodity boards, from supermarkets to multibillion-dollar global companies. Ms. Moon’s unique career has been profiled in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ book, Launching Your Dietetics Career (Eat Right Press, 2011, 2016). She completed her clinical training at New York Presbyterian Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, and holds a master of science degree in Nutrition and Education from Columbia University’s Teachers College, with a bachelor of arts degree in English Literature from U.C. Berkeley. Her culinary school training is from The New School of Cooking in Los Angeles, CA. She lives in LA with her husband and a giant shelf of cookbooks. Learn more about her at www.maggiemoon.com, www.minddietmeals.com, and connect with her @minddietmeals on Instagram.