Whether or not you’ve been duped by Nutella’s marketing team, it’s not the only option out there when it comes to delicious spreads for toast or bagels.

1. Almond butter

Instead of a PB&J, try an AB&J. Almonds are an extremely rich source of vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that helps defend your cells from all the pollutants that your body is constantly bombarbed by. Almonds can even help guard against heart attacks.

2. Pumpkin seed butter

Celebrate Halloween all year! Pumpkin seed butter may sound a little strange and spooky, but it’s delicious and a very high source of omega-9 and omega-6 fats, as well as vitamin K. Plus, pumpkin seed butter is okay for people who suffer from nut allergies.

3. Hazelnut butter

Nutella brags about its hazelnut content, but these nuts actually make up a relatively low proportion of the product. Try making your own chocolate hazelnut spread at home by combining a cup of hazelnut butter with a tablespoon of cocoa powder and a couple teaspoons of vanilla extract. Hazelnuts are high in vitamin B6 and healthy unsaturated fats.

4. Pistachio butter

Are you struggling with cholesterol problems? In various studies, pistacios have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol numbers. Try pistachio butter for a nutty, rich alternative to standard nut butters.

With the right changes, your salad can be a nutrition powerhouse rich in minerals, phytonutrients and fiber.

Popular folklore dates the invention of the humble Caesar salad to the early 1920s. Approximately 90 years later, it’s time for you to move beyond this salad bar staple. Swap out the romaine lettuce for some exotic greens, throw in a few out-of-the-norm toppings — croutons are the definition of salad drudgery — and show the vegetable world who’s boss.

Start with anything but lettuce. There’s nothing wrong with lettuce, which can be a rich source of vitamins — two cups of romaine lettuce provides more than 150% of your RDA for vitamin A — and fiber. But non-traditional greens can add yet another layer of flavor complexities and nutrients. For example, you could try:

• Spinach, which is high in calcium
• Shepherd’s purse, a member of the cruciferous family that’s high in carotenoids and glucosinolates
• Purslane, a source of more healthy omega-3 fats compared to every other leafy vegetable
• Dandelion greens, which are endorsed by French chefs for their unique flavor but also boast high levels of electrolytes like potassium

Add some heavy proteins. This, combined with the fiber in the greens, turns your salad into a legit meal that keeps you feeling full and happy for a long time. For carnivores, choose lean meats such as tuna, sirloin steak or chicken breasts. For plant lovers, try dicing up some marinated tofu or adding a can or two of your favorite beans.

Toss out those fancy and fattening bottled salad dressings. A single two tablespoon serving of your average ranch dressing can often net you 300 to 500 calories — and many people douse their salads with more than just a couple tablespoons. Instead, mix a lightweight homemade dressing using healthy ingredients like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard or lemon juice, and herbs such as oregano, pepper and basil. Too much trouble? A second-best option: Lighten your commercial salad dressing by blending the dressing with an equal amount of olive oil.

Add color — as much as you can manage. Chase a rainbow of colors harder than a unicorn at a rave. In general, foods that are colorful are richer in phytonutrients that have a litany of health benefits, such as fighting cancer. Example options include yellow bell peppers, red onions, radishes and beets.

Go nutty. Nuts add crunch and new textures to your salad while also boosting its fiber and protein quotient. Even better, nuts are a top source of heart-healthy fatty acids. For even more flavors, roast them before tossing them into your salad.

Sprinkle on the seeds. Hemp seeds and flax seeds are optimal sources of protein, add a  layer of visual interest and also increase your intake of fiber and omega-3s.

Know the perfect number when it comes to cholesterol, vitamins and…sex and sushi.

Some numbers are best left forgotten or unknown. Like, the number that girl scrawled on a bar napkin last night. Or the number of kids Michelle and Bob Duggar currently have. But other numbers are important to know, track and control — for your health, well-being and general state of happiness.

1. Cholesterol: 120-130 mg/dl

The most recent survey conducted by the National Center of Health Statistics found that 32 million Americans take statins to control their cholesterol. The first thing to do: buy stocks in those drug companies. The second thing to do: get your cholesterol levels tested. The ideal, healthy adult should have a total cholesterol number of approximately 120-130 mg/dl, and an LDL of 70 mg/dl.

2. Vitamin D: 400 IU

Vitamin D has benefits for everything from heart disease to depression. You may be woefully under the recommended daily intake of the “sunshine vitamin” if you live in an igloo or basically all of Canada. General studies have found benefits for daily intakes of 400 to 800 international units per day.

3. Sushi: 3 Rolls

If you’re pregnant or a child, step away from the all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. Due to mercury contamination, many doctors and agencies recommend complete avoidance of sushi. If you are an otherwise healthy, average adult, many doctors recommend a maximum of one meal if the sushi is made from swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish or shark. If you’re enjoying low-mercury fish, such as salmon, many recommendations come in at around 12 ounces a week. Unfortunately, that’s like, just three average-sized sushi rolls. May I suggest the cucumber rolls instead?

4. TV: 0

In a 2011 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, doctors found that your risk of developing heart disease or type 2 diabetes increased by 15 percent and 20 percent, respectively, for every two hours of TV you watch per day.

5. Exercise: 20 Minutes

The American College of Sports Medicine suggests a minimum of 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as running or swimming, three to five times a week. Of course, more is usually better.

6. Sex: Lots

Apparently what feels good is good for you, too. A Duke University research report followed a group of Americans for 25 years and concluded that “frequency of intercourse was a significant predictor of longevity,” while a British study found that men who had two or more orgasms per week had a 50 percent reduction in their death rate over the course of a decade compared to men who had sex just once per month.

7. Blood Pressure: 120/80

A whopping 50 million Americans have high blood pressure. Scarily, 30 percent of them have no idea they do. High blood pressure numbers increase the risk of everything from kidney damage to heart failure. Ideally, your blood pressure should ring in at 120/80. One of the easiest ways to reduce your blood pressure: reduce dietary salt intake, lose weight, quit smoking and avoid alcohol. Speaking of which…

8. Alcohol: 1-2 Per Day

If you drink, doctors typically recommend a maximum of two drinks a day for men and one drink for women. But here’s the kicker: most people underestimate how much they’re drinking. To put it into perspective, one drink is a 12-ounce serving of beer (not a pint) and a 5-ounce serving of wine (and note that many wine glasses hold much more than this).

The next time you go shopping, make a difference for the planet while making less of a difference in your wallet.

If you feel like more of your friends are trading their Great Value generics for fair trade/organic/slightly-more-dirty products this year, you aren’t going crazy. In 2011, a Reuters study in the United States discovered something that most readers will have noticed for several years: young people are the driving force behind America’s push for more sustainable, greener consumer products and food.

While more than a third of general Americans said they try to buy organic food, a whopping 63 percent of Americans under age 35 said the same thing. Go ahead, it’s okay to pat your back. Now, pat your wallet. Feeling a little light there? The dilemma: while young adults have a greater penchant for sustainable goods, this demographic is also the one that has a higher chance of being a little less sustainable in the bank account. Entering a Recession-tinged job market, fresh from a student loan-funded college experience, the under-35 crowd often doesn’t have the bankroll to fund an excursion down the gleaming aisles of Whole Foods.

But you can have your [whole grain, gluten-free, vegan] cake and eat it, too. By shopping smart and knowing where it’s worth it to splurge, and where it isn’t, your next hippie-friendly shopping trip will leave a few more bucks in your weekend beer fund. (Maybe only enough for cheap MGD, but still…)

NO, don’t splurge on this hippie stuff:

• Bottled water: While bottled water companies are doing a good job of greenwashing their products, there are two big problems: environmentally friendly  bottled water simply doesn’t exist, and bottled water carries a significant price premium. Put the Fiji Water back on the shelf and instead grab a water filter and a reusable BPA-free canteen. It’s just as healthy for you and is actually a greener choice in the long run.
• Deodorant: There’s the fancy eco-conscious stuff, like Tom’s of Maine, and there’s the not-so-fancy stuff. Both do their job just as well. For eco-friendly smell-busters, try those generic mineral salt deodorant sticks found hidden away in pretty much every health food store out there. They may not have all the nice packaging as the nicer stuff, but less packaging is yet another environmental win!
• Cleaning products: I love Method, and in terms of hippie-factor they’re pretty hippie. They also cost a pretty penny. Using traditional standbys (that are also natural and safe for you) like vinegar, baking soda, salt and a pinch of elbow grease, you can tackle pretty much every nasty mess that your roommate/sibling/dog/extra-shot-of-tequila might throw at you.

YES, do splurge on this hippie stuff:

• Fruits and veggies: Some vegetables and fruits are inherently higher in pesticides and chemicals due to factors like their fragile nature or their propensity to attract bug pests. But some kinds of produce, such as avocados, eggplant and mushrooms, are hardier and thus lower in pesticides, even in non-organic versions. If you’re watching your budget and your diet, buying organic versions of notoriously high-pesticide fruits strikes a good compromise. These include lettuce, most kinds of berries, spinach, apples and bell peppers.
• Meat: If beef’s what’s for dinner, a side of cancer might be, too. Most meat products are rich in more than just cholesterol and fat, but also hormones, pesticides and other chemicals. Organic meat is a better choice, though it is admittedly pricey. Better yet, make one day a night a meatless night (e.g., meatless Mondays). This saves you big bucks on your overall grocery budget, and is also ridiculously planet-friendly.
• Reusable shopping bags: More and more stores are charging for plastic bags, so you’ll often start saving money right off the bat. Plus, need I say anything more about plastic?

Running is as much about eating the right foods as it is about pulling on the right pair of shoes and choosing the right running route. Knowing what to eat and when to eat it can give you that run-enhancing boost you need to defeat a bad case of the Mondays — or Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays…

1. Watch the clock. Avoid eating large meals four hours or less before running. Also avoid eating high fiber, high fat, high protein or spicy foods. Such foods can create stress in your digestive system and make running — or any kind of intense physical activity, for that matter…swimming, sex, shuffleboard with grandma — difficult.

2. Carbo-load…correctly. Everyone knows that carbohydrates replenish glycogen stores in your muscles, giving you the fuel you need when exercising. But many people do it wrong, and I know several people who actually eat chocolate candy bars before their run because they think it’s “healthy.” While a Snickers bar might work for Betty White, it won’t work for you. Start carbo-loading 72 hours before your run, and aim to eat four grams of carbohydrates for every pound that you weigh.

3. Fuel up in the middle of your workout. Typically, you’ll need to eat 60 grams of carbohydrates and hour before you run for runs that last up to two hours. For anything longer than that, you’ll need to refuel during your run so you can  complete your workout as strong as you started it. Try an energy gel or energy chew. You can also make your own portable, natural energy drink by swirling 24 ounces of filtered water with a teaspoon of lime juice, two teaspoons of honey, eight teaspoons of cane sugar and 1/3 teaspoon of sea salt.

4. Chow on recovery foods. Many people focus on how they eat before they train and pay no attention to their recovery meal. This post-workout meal is critical because it can improve your fitness returns, battle fatigue and pain, and speed up total recovery time. The less time you need for recovery, the more time you can spend pounding the pavement. Try a protein- and carb-rich meal that’s alkaline-promoting, such as a hemp protein shake. Or, have some lean protein like a chicken breast. Whatever you choose, try to chow it down within 60 minutes of completing your run.