About Us

What makes Health eCooks® recipes healthy?

Health eCooks® recipes are designed to make favorite foods healthier. They contain less fat, sugar, sodium and calories than similar foods available from fast food, quick serve and commercial restaurants. They also may be healthier than many recipes found online or in cookbooks.

Our recipes help people follow the 2020-2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which includes the following recommendations for adults and children over 2 years of age:

• Limit saturated fat to less than 10% of calories per day
• Limit added sugars to less than 10% of calories per day
• Limit sodium intake to less than 2,300mg per day (or less if under age 14)

Health eCooks® recipes feature the following ingredients to increase their healthfulness:

• Lean proteins (less than 10g total fat, 4.5g saturated fat, and 95mg cholesterol per 100g)
• Low-fat or nonfat dairy
• Whole grain ingredients
• Limited added sugars

What do registered dietitians analyze when approving recipes?

Registered dietitians review and approve every Health eCooks® recipe to ensure it helps people follow dietary guidelines for healthy eating. Before a recipe is labeled as appropriate for any health diet (heart-healthy, diabetic, gluten-free, etc.), they also certify that the recipe supports specific nutritional recommendations for the diet.

Our team of registered dietitians performs a robust nutrition analysis on each recipe. Nutrition facts are posted along with all recipes and include:

• Calories
• Fat
• Saturated Fat
• Cholesterol
• Sodium
• Carbohydrates
• Fiber
• Sugar
• Protein

Our Heart Healthy recipes help people follow these recommended dietary guidelines from the American Heart Association®*:

• Limit saturated fat (no more than 5-6% of daily calories from saturated fat)
• Avoid foods containing trans fat
• Aim to consume less than 2,300mg of sodium daily, preferably less than 1,500mg daily
• Eat healthy sources of protein, including legumes, nuts, fish and seafood, low-fat or nonfat dairy (3g of fat or less per serving), and lean meat and poultry that is unprocessed
• Choose whole grains over refined grains
• Include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables
• Minimize intake of added sugar, salt and highly processed foods

Health eCooks® recipes designated as “Heart Healthy” have been identified by our registered dietitians as being appropriate for people trying to meet these guidelines.

The American Diabetic Association®* recommends that people with diabetes eat a balanced diet of non-starchy vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and fruits that follows what they refer to as the ‘Diabetes Plate Method’. These recommendations suggest you fill your plate with:

• 50% non-starchy vegetables
• 25% lean proteins
• 25% carbohydrate-rich foods, including whole grains and fruits

Since research shows that people respond differently to different types of foods and diets, there is no single recommended diet for diabetes. Following the diabetes plate method helps people build meals with a healthy balance of vegetables, protein and carbohydrates to better manage blood glucose levels. Limiting added sugar, sodium, saturated and trans fats, and highly processed foods is also suggested.

Health eCooks® recipes designated as “Diabetic” have been identified by our registered dietitians as being appropriate for people trying to meet these guidelines.

According to Celiac Disease Foundation®*, a food may be designated as gluten free if:

• It does not contain rye, barley, wheat or derivatives of wheat, such as durum, semolina, kamut,farro, and spelt
• It does not contain crossbred hybrids such as triticale (a cross between rye and wheat)
• It does not contain brewer’s yeast or malt
• It does not contain oats, unless specifically labeled as gluten free
• If there is a gluten-containing grain or an ingredient derived from a gluten-containing grain, such as wheat starch, it must have been processed to less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten

Health eCooks® recipes designated as “Gluten Free” are reviewed by registered dietitians to ensure they are free of any gluten-containing ingredient listed above.

According to the Vegetarian Society*, a vegetarian diet is one that does not contain any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, insects or by-products of slaughter. A lacto-ovo vegetarian diet may include eggs and dairy.

Health eCooks® recipes designated as “Vegetarian” are reviewed by registered dietitians to ensure they do not contain any ingredient that goes against this definition of a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. Recipes may contain the following:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Grains
• Legumes/Pulses
• Nuts/Seeds
• Eggs
• Dairy
• Honey

According to the Vegan Society*, a vegan diet is one that avoids exploiting animals for any purpose. To this end, a vegan diet does not include any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, insects or by-products of slaughter. It also doesn’t include any products derived from living animals, including eggs, dairy and honey.

Health eCooks® recipes designated as “Vegan” are reviewed by registered dietitians to ensure they do not contain any ingredient that goes against this definition of a vegan diet. Recipes may contain the following:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Grains
• Legumes/Pulses
• Nuts/Seeds

Our Bariatric recipes are appropriate for most weight loss surgery patients once they have been medically approved to eat solid food. However, each person’s post-weight loss surgery eating plan is unique and patients should consult with their physicians for individual guidance.

Health eCooks® recipes designated as “Bariatric” are reviewed by registered dietitians to ensure they include the following features:

• Less than 400 calories per serving
• High protein (with the exception of some side dishes and desserts)
• Low bulk
• Low saturated fat
• No more than 600mg sodium per serving
• Small portion sizes

Our Healthy Kids recipes have been developed to help children eat healthfully while still enjoying their favorite foods. Many recipes are similar to popular fast food, quick serve and “junk” food favorites of kids but have less fat, sodium, sugar and calories. Since the foods are made at home, they are also minimally processed.

Health eCooks® recipes designated as “Healthy Kids” are developed by professional chefs along with registered dietitians to create flavors kids crave that follow healthy eating guidelines. Many of the recipes in this category are perfect choices for family meals because they appeal to people of all ages.

*Does not imply endorsement by these organizations.