If there is one thing nutrition experts agree on, it's that we need to eat more vegetables. The Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad makes the task easier than ever. It contains "7 Superfoods," not just any veggies. We're talkin' nutrient-rich leafy greens and their cruciferous cousins, as in (shredded) broccoli, brussels sprouts, green cabbage, kale, chicory, dried cranberries, and roasted pumpkin seeds. It comes with it's own package of poppy seed dressing. For variety, there is also a Ginger Bok Choy Vegetable Salad Kit available. Look for various brands at your grocers produce aisle. Each serving (1 cup) provides 150 calories, 2 g. fiber, 70% the daily amount of vit. C, 20% of vit. A, and just 150mg. sodium.
To find these products in your area, visit eatsmartsalads.com
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Whey Cool
Yogurt
is one of humanity's oldest processed foods, with evidence of its
creation potentially going back 7,000 years. It’s made and used in a
variety of ways in societies from India to Europe to the Middle East to
Africa. All these varieties of yogurt share a few things in common. Each
is made with live cultures, which are a kind of good bacteria that
transform liquid milk into the sour taste and thick consistency of
yogurt. And all
yogurts contain important nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, protein,
potassium and B vitamins.
The whey is the liquid that can pool at the top of a yogurt container, and it is the source of much of yogurt's calcium.Whey (actually the absence of it) is key to Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt has most of the whey removed through a process of straining, leaving a product that is thicker, with more protein, but less calcium — unless calcium is added back. Read the ingredients to see if calcium has been added. Whey is also the "protein of choice" for muscle tissue, as it is the most readily absorbed by the cells. To get more whey protien, stick with the traditional yogurts.
For people with lactose intolerance who don't want to give up on dairy's nutritional benefits, yogurt can be a good option. Yogurt contains less lactose than ice cream and milk because the introduced bacteria – also called "live cultures" with names such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, L. reuteri and Bicfidobacterium bifidum (or Bifidus) — help digest the lactose. Even for people with no problems digesting lactose in other forms of dairy, live cultures in yogurt are still beneficial. They promote overall gut health and immunity. To make sure the yogurt product you're considering has these cultures, either look on the ingredient label for the bacteria listed above, or the National Yogurt Association's "Live and Active Cultures" seal.
The whey is the liquid that can pool at the top of a yogurt container, and it is the source of much of yogurt's calcium.Whey (actually the absence of it) is key to Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt has most of the whey removed through a process of straining, leaving a product that is thicker, with more protein, but less calcium — unless calcium is added back. Read the ingredients to see if calcium has been added. Whey is also the "protein of choice" for muscle tissue, as it is the most readily absorbed by the cells. To get more whey protien, stick with the traditional yogurts.
For people with lactose intolerance who don't want to give up on dairy's nutritional benefits, yogurt can be a good option. Yogurt contains less lactose than ice cream and milk because the introduced bacteria – also called "live cultures" with names such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, L. reuteri and Bicfidobacterium bifidum (or Bifidus) — help digest the lactose. Even for people with no problems digesting lactose in other forms of dairy, live cultures in yogurt are still beneficial. They promote overall gut health and immunity. To make sure the yogurt product you're considering has these cultures, either look on the ingredient label for the bacteria listed above, or the National Yogurt Association's "Live and Active Cultures" seal.
Spa Water
Looking for a truly refreshing summer beverage with nothing artificial added? Make it yourself! Fill a pitcher with ice water. Add some thinly sliced citrus fruit (lemons, limes, oranges), thinly sliced cucumber, and a few sprigs of mint. Store in the refrigerator over night. Top with ice as needed, and you'll have a healthy cool drink on hand all day.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Not All Studies Are Created Equal
Headlines in the March New York Times announce "Butter is back" because a new study doubts saturated fats are linked to heart disease. While in Nov. of last year, the American Heart Assoc. and the American College of Cardiology issued their statement: "cut saturated fat to half the earlier target level." So, what gives? Look at who did the study and wrote the publication. A study undertaken or reviewed by a commercial entity, as in, someone with something to sell, could just be shaky science. A less biased publication would come from a university study, non-profit organization, or a government agency not affiliated with a for profit organization. Though fraud may not be involved, the methodology or variables involved would produce different results.
The meta-analysis in question included a trial that fed people a margarine high in trans fat to compare to a group of people who were given butter. Trans fats, being the root of all evil, raised the LDL of the margarine group, so it was deemed that the folks in the "polyunsaturated" group had a 19% higher risk over those who ate butter (the "saturated " group). The error was omitted from the final report, so it did not make the headlines.
With so much controversy over what is good to eat and what is not, it is no wonder Americans are confused to the point of apathy. Look beyond the headlines. It is safe to assume that our billion dollar food industry has much riding on their advertising campaigns, and is not above assembling scientists sympathetic to their cause and encouraging them to make statements on their behalf.
~ Prof. Martijn Katan, University of Amsterdam, 2014
The meta-analysis in question included a trial that fed people a margarine high in trans fat to compare to a group of people who were given butter. Trans fats, being the root of all evil, raised the LDL of the margarine group, so it was deemed that the folks in the "polyunsaturated" group had a 19% higher risk over those who ate butter (the "saturated " group). The error was omitted from the final report, so it did not make the headlines.
With so much controversy over what is good to eat and what is not, it is no wonder Americans are confused to the point of apathy. Look beyond the headlines. It is safe to assume that our billion dollar food industry has much riding on their advertising campaigns, and is not above assembling scientists sympathetic to their cause and encouraging them to make statements on their behalf.
~ Prof. Martijn Katan, University of Amsterdam, 2014
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Quality Fats
Healthy, high quality fats from foods are necessary nutrients. They help build cells and maintain brain function. With infants and toddlers, whole milk fats are necessary for kidney and central nervous system development. Our bodies don't make healthy fats, so we need them in our diets. Since fats yield high amounts of calories, a little goes a long way. The average daily diet should include a ratio of 25 - 30 % fats; 10% being saturated fat, and 20 % unsaturated fat. If you have a medical condition such as diabetes or heart disease, these ratios will differ some. Follow the diet plan prescribed by your healthcare team.
Good fat, bad fat. How to tell the difference? Fats that are good for you contain monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oils and are plant based. Tropical oils, such as coconut oil however, contain high amounts of saturated fat and are NOT healthy, regardless of the trendy marketing claims. Sources of good polyunsaturated fats are avocados, seeds, and nuts. Healthy monounsaturated fats include olive and canola oils. These fats are associated with better blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol control and reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease. One animal based polyunsaturated fat is the Omega-3 which comes from dark fish meat, such as salmon or tuna. Omega-3's have shown to reduce inflammation in arthritis, heart disease, COPD, and various allergies. Note: the fish itself should be fatty, not the way it is prepared. Deep-frying destroys the Omega-3 properties.
Fats to limit are in animal-based foods. These contain mostly saturated fats and include fatty meats, full fat cheeses and other dairy products such as whole milk and butter. Ways to reduce the fat without losing nutrition include: Trimming visible fat from meats before cooking. Select lean meats, avoid processed meats (lunch meats, sausage, bacon), Use fat-reducing methods of cooking, such as grilling or broiling. Use cooking spray or small amounts of cooking oil. Use low-fat dairy products, skim milk (for children over the age of 5 years) and use full fat cheeses sparingly.
Trans fats are man-made fats that are the most evil of all fats. They add shelf life to processed foods including baked goods, snack crackers, processed cheeses, margarine, shortening... Also listed on ingredient labels as partially hydrogenated oils, they are constructed by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats to make oils more stable or "solid" as in margarine and shortening. Trans fat raises total and LDL cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease.
Bottom line: Butter is "better" than margarine containing trans fat, but even butter has it's limits. Moderation is key when it comes to "bad fats". Read labels. Many margarine products now-days do not contain trans fats.The general rule is: the softer the margarine, the less trans fat it contains. Avoid processed foods; they are high in "empty calories" and yield little nutritional value. Healthy fats are good, but in small amounts.
For a more complete list of foods in the "healty/unhealthy" categories see the ADA/Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics booklet Choose Your Foods: Exchange Lists for Diabetes ($3.25 including shipping; shopdiabetes.org)
~American Diabetes Assoc., 2014
Good fat, bad fat. How to tell the difference? Fats that are good for you contain monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oils and are plant based. Tropical oils, such as coconut oil however, contain high amounts of saturated fat and are NOT healthy, regardless of the trendy marketing claims. Sources of good polyunsaturated fats are avocados, seeds, and nuts. Healthy monounsaturated fats include olive and canola oils. These fats are associated with better blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol control and reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease. One animal based polyunsaturated fat is the Omega-3 which comes from dark fish meat, such as salmon or tuna. Omega-3's have shown to reduce inflammation in arthritis, heart disease, COPD, and various allergies. Note: the fish itself should be fatty, not the way it is prepared. Deep-frying destroys the Omega-3 properties.
Fats to limit are in animal-based foods. These contain mostly saturated fats and include fatty meats, full fat cheeses and other dairy products such as whole milk and butter. Ways to reduce the fat without losing nutrition include: Trimming visible fat from meats before cooking. Select lean meats, avoid processed meats (lunch meats, sausage, bacon), Use fat-reducing methods of cooking, such as grilling or broiling. Use cooking spray or small amounts of cooking oil. Use low-fat dairy products, skim milk (for children over the age of 5 years) and use full fat cheeses sparingly.
Trans fats are man-made fats that are the most evil of all fats. They add shelf life to processed foods including baked goods, snack crackers, processed cheeses, margarine, shortening... Also listed on ingredient labels as partially hydrogenated oils, they are constructed by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats to make oils more stable or "solid" as in margarine and shortening. Trans fat raises total and LDL cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease.
Bottom line: Butter is "better" than margarine containing trans fat, but even butter has it's limits. Moderation is key when it comes to "bad fats". Read labels. Many margarine products now-days do not contain trans fats.The general rule is: the softer the margarine, the less trans fat it contains. Avoid processed foods; they are high in "empty calories" and yield little nutritional value. Healthy fats are good, but in small amounts.
For a more complete list of foods in the "healty/unhealthy" categories see the ADA/Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics booklet Choose Your Foods: Exchange Lists for Diabetes ($3.25 including shipping; shopdiabetes.org)
~American Diabetes Assoc., 2014
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