The Six Super Foods Every Woman Needs
The foods you really need to stay you healthy and strong
By Colette BouchezWebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
From the food pyramid to the Internet to your local bookstore, there is certainly no shortage of advice on nutrition and healthy eating. But with all the media hype surrounding many “health foods,” it can be hard for a woman to tell the nutrients from advertising ploys.
“We are sometimes led to believe that a specific food is healthier than it really is,” says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, MS, RD, author of Age-proof Your Body. “Or that you need some exotic or expensive form of certain nutrients to gain benefits -- and most of the time that’s not true.”
Moreover -- as happened in the '90s when low fat cookies made everyone temporarily forget about calories -- Somer says some of today’s advertising sways us toward one healthy aspect of a food to keep us from noticing other, less healthy attributes. “A product may advertise itself as ‘no cholesterol’" she says, “but it still can be loaded with bad fats or tons of calories. You have to look at the total food to know for sure.”
NYU nutritionist Tara Miller, MS, RD, agrees. “You have to read the whole label, look at all the ingredients and the portion sizes, before you know for sure just how healthy a food is.”
Or you can let us do the work for you! To help you zero in on the healthiest foods that women can eat, we asked a panel of experts for their advice.
What follows is a description of the six super foods they say every woman needs. While these foods won’t cover all your nutrient bases, incorporating them into your diet as often as possible can help give you a wide range of protection.
Super foods for women: What you need
Super Food # 1: Low-fat yogurt
Goal: 3 to 5 servings a week
What it does: As a health food, yogurt is almost as old as, well, good health itself. But experts say evidence continues to accumulate that reveals its benefits in many new and exciting ways. And not just yogurt. Somer tells WebMD that any fermented dairy product -- including kefir -- contains healthy “probiotics” -- bacteria with the power to protect you in myriad ways.
“There is a suggestion [that yogurt] may decrease the risk of breast cancer,” Somer says. ”And there’s very strong evidence it can reduce problems associated with irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory digestive tract disorders -- both conditions that impact women more than men.” Additionally, she says, yogurt can help reduce the risk of stomach ulcers and vaginal infections.
Enjoy a cup of yogurt at breakfast, lunch, or snack to help meet the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommendation for three servings of low fat dairy each day. “It’s loaded with bone-healthy calcium -- something every woman needs more of at every age,” Somer says. One cup of yogurt has about 448 mg of calcium, compared to just 300 for eight ounces of skim milk.
The key, according to Somer, is to choose a low fat yogurt with live cultures -- like Lactobacillus acidophilus. And do check the label, Somer advises. Some store brands may not have the level of cultures found in more established brands.
Also important: Skip the fruit-on-the-bottom or other flavored varieties. “Too much sugar,” says Somer, who also reminds us that, no, those two blueberries on the bottom of the container do not constitute a serving of fruit!
Super Food # 2: Fatty fish -- like salmon, sardines, and mackerel
Goal: 2 to 3 servings every week
What it does: The healthy factor in fish is omega-3 fatty acids, and specifically two types known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).
“Fatty fish not only plays a vital role in the health of the membrane of every cell in our body, it also helps protect us from a number of key health threats,” says Laurie Tansman, MS, RD, CDN, a nutritionist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.
Some of those threats include heart disease, stroke, hypertension, depression, joint pain, and a number of illnesses linked to inflammation, including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Somer says fish may even offer some protection against Alzheimer’s disease.
While many foods -- such as walnuts, flaxseed oil, and some mayonnaise brands -- claim the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, Somer cautions that only the DHA or EPA forms of omega-3 can be directly used by the body.
“What you get in foods like walnuts and flaxseed oil is an omega-3 acid known as ALA -- alpha-linoleic acid,” says Somer. “And while it’s certainly good for you, it requires a process in the body to convert it to DHA. And that conversion process can be influenced by a variety of individual factors.”
The good news: You are likely to see a wheelbarrow full of new products supplemented with DHA slowly making their way to market in the coming year. Currently, Kellogg is reportedly developing a cereal fortified with DHA, while a company called Nutri-Kids has already launched a DHA fortified ready-to-drink milk product. You can also find eggs fortified with DHA and, says Somer, certain brands of soymilk.
Super Food # 3: Beans
Goal: 3 to 4 servings every week
What it does: Low in fat, beans are a good source of protein and fiber and may have protective effects against heart disease and breast cancer. Beans may also play a role in stabilizing female hormones, says nutritionist Susan Krause, MS, RD.
“Beans have been around so long that most people don’t view them as a fancy new health food,” Krause says. “But in fact, they are among one of the healthiest things a woman can eat.”
In studies published in the International Journal of Cancer, researchers found that beans in general, and lentils in particular, may have some protective effects against breast cancer. In research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, doctors found a relationship between a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and a higher intake of legumes. Well known legumes include peas, beans, lentils, and peanuts.
As a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, Krause says, beans can help lower cholesterol, while their level of a nutrient known as isoflavone can help in the regulation of hormones and may aid with PMS, perimenopause, or menopause symptoms. Although soybeans have among the highest levels of isoflavones, other sources include red clover, kudzu, mung beans, alfalfa sprouts, black cohosh, and chickpeas.
“Beans also contain something called protease inhibitors, which may help protect against breast cancer,” says Krause. Protease inhibitors help slow the division of cancer cells and in this way may prevent tumor formation.
Last but not least, if you are in your reproductive years, beans can give you a steady supply of folic acid -- essential if you should become pregnant.
Super Food # 4: Tomatoes (or watermelon, red grapefruit, red navel oranges)
Goal: 3 to 5 servings each week
What it does: The powerhouse nutrient in all these fruits is lycopene. And, according to Miller, while the headlines touted its protective effects against prostate cancer, more quiet research has shown it has tremendous health benefits for women as well.
“Research is starting to show that lycopene may protect against breast cancer,” Miller says. "And it’s also a powerful antioxidant that can help a woman fight heart disease.”
The very latest research shows it may also help keep you looking younger longer by protecting against UV damage from the sun.
Super Food # 5: Vitamin D fortified low fat milk or orange juice
Goal: At least 400 IUs of vitamin D daily
What it does: “Essential to helping the bones absorb calcium from the gut,” says Somer, “vitamin D helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis and may be vital in reducing the risk of diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and tumors of the breast, colon, and ovary.”
Indeed, recent studies from the University of California San Diego suggest that vitamin D has the potential to prevent up to one–half of all breast, colon, and ovarian cancer in the United States.
Somer tells WebMD that a growing body of research indicates many women may be vitamin D deficient. “A combination of staying out of the sun (which the body uses to manufacture vitamin D) and using sunscreen, which blocks the synthesis of vitamin D, has resulted in many women hitting a dangerously low level of this nutrient,” says Somer.
While Vitamin D is found in salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines, experts say fortified foods, such as milk, are the best source.
Super Food # 6: Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries)
Goal: 3 to 4 servings every week
What It Does: In a way similar to wine, these fruits may protect your body with powerful anti-cancer nutrients known as anthocyans, which are believed to play a role in cell repair. Krause says research shows anthocyans may decrease the risk of several cancers, including those in the breast and gastrointestinal tract.
“These berries,” says Krause, “are also high in vitamin C and folic acid, which is essential for all women in their childbearing years. And they offer powerful anti-oxidant protection, which not only protects the heart but also may protect against skin aging, from the inside out.” Moreover, she tells WebMD that cranberries may help reduce the risk of urinary tract infections in women, while the nutrient, lutein found in all the berries, can help protect vision.
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Sunday, March 22, 2009
8 Foods You Should Eat Every Day
Eat these eight foods every day to cover all your nutritional bases
By: Ben Hewitt; Photograph: Kenji TomaAug 22, 2007 - 4:42:57 PM
Our all-star panel of doctors, scientists, nutritionists, and chefs will tell you why and show you how.
Spinach
It may be green and leafy, but spinach is also the ultimate man food. This noted biceps builder is a rich source of plant-based omega-3s and folate, which help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. Bonus: Folate also increases blood flow to the penis. And spinach is packed with lutein, a compound that fights age-related macular degeneration. Aim for 1 cup fresh spinach or ½ cup cooked per day. SUBSTITUTES: Kale, bok choy, romaine lettuce FIT IT IN: Make your salads with spinach; add spinach to scrambled eggs; drape it over pizza; mix it with marinara sauce and then microwave for an instant dip. PINCH HITTER: Sesame Stir-Braised Kale Heat 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger, and 1 tsp. sesame oil in a skillet. Add 2 Tbsp. water and 1 bunch kale (stemmed and chopped). Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain. Add 1 tsp. soy sauce and 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds.
Yogurt
Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body, which boost the immune system and provide protection against cancer. Not all yogurts are probiotic though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.” Aim for 1 cup of the calcium- and protein-rich goop a day. SUBSTITUTES: Kefir, soy yogurt FIT IT IN: Yogurt topped with blueberries, walnuts, flaxseed, and honey is the ultimate breakfast—or dessert. Plain low-fat yogurt is also a perfect base for creamy salad dressings and dips. HOME RUN: Power Smoothie Blend 1 cup low-fat yogurt, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 cup carrot juice, and 1 cup fresh baby spinach for a nutrient-rich blast.
Tomatoes
There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: Red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene, and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Aim for 22 mg of lycopene a day, which is about eight red cherry tomatoes or a glass of tomato juice. SUBSTITUTES: Red watermelon, pink grapefruit, Japanese persimmon, papaya, guava FIT IT IN: Pile on the ketchup and Ragú; guzzle low-sodium V8 and gazpacho; double the amount of tomato paste called for in a recipe. PINCH HITTER: Red and Pink Fruit Bowl Chop 1 small watermelon, 2 grapefruits, 3 persimmons, 1 papaya, and 4 guavas. Garnish with mint.
Carrots
Most red, yellow, or orange vegetables and fruits are spiked with carotenoids—fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis—but none are as easy to prepare, or have as low a caloric density, as carrots. Aim for ½ cup a day. SUBSTITUTES: Sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, yellow bell pepper, mango FIT IT IN: Raw baby carrots, sliced raw yellow pepper, butternut squash soup, baked sweet potato, pumpkin pie, mango sorbet, carrot cake PINCH HITTER: Baked Sweet Potato Fries Scrub and dry 2 sweet potatoes. Cut each into 8 slices, and then toss with olive oil and paprika. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F. Turn and bake for 10 minutes more.
Blueberries
Host to more antioxidants than any other popular fruit, blueberries help prevent cancer, diabetes, and age-related memory changes (hence the nickname “brain berry”). Studies show that blueberries, which are rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, boost cardiovascular health. Aim for 1 cup fresh blueberries a day, or ½ cup frozen or dried. SUBSTITUTES: Açai berries, purple grapes, prunes, raisins, strawberries FIT IT IN: Blueberries maintain most of their power in dried, frozen, or jam form. PINCH HITTER: Açai, an Amazonian berry, has even more antioxidants than the blueberry. Mix 2 Tbsp. of açai powder into OJ or add 2 Tbsp. of açai pulp to cereal, yogurt, or a smoothie.
Black Beans
All beans are good for your heart, but none can boost your brain power like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function. A daily ½-cup serving provides 8 grams of protein and 7.5 grams of fiber, and is low in calories and free of saturated fat. SUBSTITUTES: Peas, lentils, and pinto, kidney, fava, and lima beans FIT IT IN: Wrap black beans in a breakfast burrito; use both black beans and kidney beans in your chili; puree 1 cup black beans with ¼ cup olive oil and roasted garlic for a healthy dip; add favas, limas, or peas to pasta dishes. HOME RUN: Black Bean and Tomato Salsa Dice 4 tomatoes, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 jalapeños, 1 yellow bell pepper, and 1 mango. Mix in a can of black beans and garnish with ½ cup chopped cilantro and the juice of 2 limes.
Walnuts
Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three. A serving of walnuts—about 1 ounce, or seven nuts—is good anytime, but especially as a postworkout recovery snack. SUBSTITUTES: Almonds, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts FIT IT IN: Sprinkle on top of salads; dice and add to pancake batter; spoon peanut butter into curries; grind and mix with olive oil to make a marinade for grilled fish or chicken. HOME RUN: Mix 1 cup walnuts with ½ cup dried blueberries and ¼ cup dark chocolate chunks.
Oats
The éminence grise of health food, oats garnered the FDA’s first seal of approval. They are packed with soluble fiber, which lowers the risk of heart disease. Yes, oats are loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because oats also have 10 grams of protein per ½-cup serving, they deliver steady muscle-building energy. SUBSTITUTES: Quinoa, flaxseed, wild rice FIT IT IN: Eat granolas and cereals that have a fiber content of at least 5 grams per serving. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed on cereals, salads, and yogurt. PINCH HITTER: Quinoa Salad Quinoa has twice the protein of most cereals, and fewer carbs. Boil 1 cup quinoa in a mixture of 1 cup pear juice and 1 cup water. Let cool. In a large bowl, toss 2 diced apples, 1 cup fresh blueberries, ½ cup chopped walnuts, and 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt.
All-Star Panel Joy Bauer, author of Joy Bauer’s Food Cures and nutrition advisor on NBC’s Today show; Laurie Erickson, award-winning wellness chef at Georgia’s Sea Island resort; David Heber, MD, PhD, author of What Color Is Your Diet? ; and Steven Pratt, MD, author of the best-selling SuperFoods Rx
By: Ben Hewitt; Photograph: Kenji TomaAug 22, 2007 - 4:42:57 PM
Our all-star panel of doctors, scientists, nutritionists, and chefs will tell you why and show you how.
Spinach
It may be green and leafy, but spinach is also the ultimate man food. This noted biceps builder is a rich source of plant-based omega-3s and folate, which help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. Bonus: Folate also increases blood flow to the penis. And spinach is packed with lutein, a compound that fights age-related macular degeneration. Aim for 1 cup fresh spinach or ½ cup cooked per day. SUBSTITUTES: Kale, bok choy, romaine lettuce FIT IT IN: Make your salads with spinach; add spinach to scrambled eggs; drape it over pizza; mix it with marinara sauce and then microwave for an instant dip. PINCH HITTER: Sesame Stir-Braised Kale Heat 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger, and 1 tsp. sesame oil in a skillet. Add 2 Tbsp. water and 1 bunch kale (stemmed and chopped). Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain. Add 1 tsp. soy sauce and 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds.
Yogurt
Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body, which boost the immune system and provide protection against cancer. Not all yogurts are probiotic though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.” Aim for 1 cup of the calcium- and protein-rich goop a day. SUBSTITUTES: Kefir, soy yogurt FIT IT IN: Yogurt topped with blueberries, walnuts, flaxseed, and honey is the ultimate breakfast—or dessert. Plain low-fat yogurt is also a perfect base for creamy salad dressings and dips. HOME RUN: Power Smoothie Blend 1 cup low-fat yogurt, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 cup carrot juice, and 1 cup fresh baby spinach for a nutrient-rich blast.
Tomatoes
There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: Red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene, and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Aim for 22 mg of lycopene a day, which is about eight red cherry tomatoes or a glass of tomato juice. SUBSTITUTES: Red watermelon, pink grapefruit, Japanese persimmon, papaya, guava FIT IT IN: Pile on the ketchup and Ragú; guzzle low-sodium V8 and gazpacho; double the amount of tomato paste called for in a recipe. PINCH HITTER: Red and Pink Fruit Bowl Chop 1 small watermelon, 2 grapefruits, 3 persimmons, 1 papaya, and 4 guavas. Garnish with mint.
Carrots
Most red, yellow, or orange vegetables and fruits are spiked with carotenoids—fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis—but none are as easy to prepare, or have as low a caloric density, as carrots. Aim for ½ cup a day. SUBSTITUTES: Sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, yellow bell pepper, mango FIT IT IN: Raw baby carrots, sliced raw yellow pepper, butternut squash soup, baked sweet potato, pumpkin pie, mango sorbet, carrot cake PINCH HITTER: Baked Sweet Potato Fries Scrub and dry 2 sweet potatoes. Cut each into 8 slices, and then toss with olive oil and paprika. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F. Turn and bake for 10 minutes more.
Blueberries
Host to more antioxidants than any other popular fruit, blueberries help prevent cancer, diabetes, and age-related memory changes (hence the nickname “brain berry”). Studies show that blueberries, which are rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, boost cardiovascular health. Aim for 1 cup fresh blueberries a day, or ½ cup frozen or dried. SUBSTITUTES: Açai berries, purple grapes, prunes, raisins, strawberries FIT IT IN: Blueberries maintain most of their power in dried, frozen, or jam form. PINCH HITTER: Açai, an Amazonian berry, has even more antioxidants than the blueberry. Mix 2 Tbsp. of açai powder into OJ or add 2 Tbsp. of açai pulp to cereal, yogurt, or a smoothie.
Black Beans
All beans are good for your heart, but none can boost your brain power like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function. A daily ½-cup serving provides 8 grams of protein and 7.5 grams of fiber, and is low in calories and free of saturated fat. SUBSTITUTES: Peas, lentils, and pinto, kidney, fava, and lima beans FIT IT IN: Wrap black beans in a breakfast burrito; use both black beans and kidney beans in your chili; puree 1 cup black beans with ¼ cup olive oil and roasted garlic for a healthy dip; add favas, limas, or peas to pasta dishes. HOME RUN: Black Bean and Tomato Salsa Dice 4 tomatoes, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 jalapeños, 1 yellow bell pepper, and 1 mango. Mix in a can of black beans and garnish with ½ cup chopped cilantro and the juice of 2 limes.
Walnuts
Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three. A serving of walnuts—about 1 ounce, or seven nuts—is good anytime, but especially as a postworkout recovery snack. SUBSTITUTES: Almonds, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts FIT IT IN: Sprinkle on top of salads; dice and add to pancake batter; spoon peanut butter into curries; grind and mix with olive oil to make a marinade for grilled fish or chicken. HOME RUN: Mix 1 cup walnuts with ½ cup dried blueberries and ¼ cup dark chocolate chunks.
Oats
The éminence grise of health food, oats garnered the FDA’s first seal of approval. They are packed with soluble fiber, which lowers the risk of heart disease. Yes, oats are loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because oats also have 10 grams of protein per ½-cup serving, they deliver steady muscle-building energy. SUBSTITUTES: Quinoa, flaxseed, wild rice FIT IT IN: Eat granolas and cereals that have a fiber content of at least 5 grams per serving. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed on cereals, salads, and yogurt. PINCH HITTER: Quinoa Salad Quinoa has twice the protein of most cereals, and fewer carbs. Boil 1 cup quinoa in a mixture of 1 cup pear juice and 1 cup water. Let cool. In a large bowl, toss 2 diced apples, 1 cup fresh blueberries, ½ cup chopped walnuts, and 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt.
All-Star Panel Joy Bauer, author of Joy Bauer’s Food Cures and nutrition advisor on NBC’s Today show; Laurie Erickson, award-winning wellness chef at Georgia’s Sea Island resort; David Heber, MD, PhD, author of What Color Is Your Diet? ; and Steven Pratt, MD, author of the best-selling SuperFoods Rx
The 10 Best Foods for Your Heart
The 10 Best Foods for Your Heart
Heart disease is often silent, hits without warning, and kills an American every 26 seconds. But you can reduce your risk of a heart attack by 80 percent. Here’s how to eat your way to lower cholesterol
By: Nicole CollinsPublished: March 2008 [ Updated: Oct 21, 2008 - 12:31:00 PM ]
1. Nuts
People who eat an ounce and a half of nuts—pistachios, almonds, and walnuts are best—more than four times a week have a 37 percent lower risk for coronary heart disease than those who seldom eat nuts, according to a recent study in the British Journal of Nutrition.
2. Fish
Two servings a week of omega-3-rich fish is all it takes to significantly reduce the risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and elcosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are the omega-3 fatty acids in fish that do the coronary dark work. Wild salmon and Atlantic mackerel are its best sources.
3. Oats
Eating an average of two and a half servings of whole grains a day (e.g., oats, brown rice, barley) reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease by 21 percent, according to a new study in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases.
4. Avocados
Chock full of monounsaturated fat and beta-sitosterol, avocados deliver a double-barreled blast to LDL cholesterol. They are also rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps lower the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can hinder the flow of blood through blood vessels.
5. Black Beans
People who eat one three-ounce serving of black beans a day decrease their risk of heart attack by 38 percent, according to a recent study in the Journal of Nutrition. Black beans are packed with superstar nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, folate, magnesium, B vitamins, potassium, and fiber.
6. Flaxseed
A recent study of people with high cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL) compared statin treatment with eating 20 grams of flaxseed a day. After 60 days, those eating flaxseed did just as well as those on statins. Sprinkle ground flaxseed on oatmeal, yogurt, and salads.
7. Green Tea
EGCG, an antioxidant that helps fight heart disease, is plentiful in green tea. Drink it like water: Five cups of green tea daily can boost your cardiovascular health, according to several recent studies. But don’t add milk, it eliminates the benefits.
8. Watermelon
High in blood-pressure-lowering potassium, a good source of inflammation-reducing vitamin C, and rich in lycopene, a slice of watermelon or a glass of watermelon juice should be part of your daily diet.
9. Spinach
The heart-health equivalent of a first-ballot Hall of Famer, spinach is replete with the essential minerals potassium and magnesium, and it’s one of the top sources of lutein, an antioxidant that may help prevent clogged arteries. Eat one cup a day of fresh, or ½ cup cooked.
10. Red Wine
Swimming in resveratrol—a natural compound that lowers LDL, raises HDL, and prevents blood clots—red wine can truly be a lifesaver. The American Heart Association recommends two glasses a day. Vin rouge is also a rich source of flavonoids, antioxidants that help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart. Not a drinker? Nibble dark chocolate. It contains the same flavonoids as red wine. A common tannin called procyanidin, found in red wine and chocolate, can keep your arteries flexible and your blood pressure low.
Heart disease is often silent, hits without warning, and kills an American every 26 seconds. But you can reduce your risk of a heart attack by 80 percent. Here’s how to eat your way to lower cholesterol
By: Nicole CollinsPublished: March 2008 [ Updated: Oct 21, 2008 - 12:31:00 PM ]
1. Nuts
People who eat an ounce and a half of nuts—pistachios, almonds, and walnuts are best—more than four times a week have a 37 percent lower risk for coronary heart disease than those who seldom eat nuts, according to a recent study in the British Journal of Nutrition.
2. Fish
Two servings a week of omega-3-rich fish is all it takes to significantly reduce the risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and elcosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are the omega-3 fatty acids in fish that do the coronary dark work. Wild salmon and Atlantic mackerel are its best sources.
3. Oats
Eating an average of two and a half servings of whole grains a day (e.g., oats, brown rice, barley) reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease by 21 percent, according to a new study in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases.
4. Avocados
Chock full of monounsaturated fat and beta-sitosterol, avocados deliver a double-barreled blast to LDL cholesterol. They are also rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps lower the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can hinder the flow of blood through blood vessels.
5. Black Beans
People who eat one three-ounce serving of black beans a day decrease their risk of heart attack by 38 percent, according to a recent study in the Journal of Nutrition. Black beans are packed with superstar nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, folate, magnesium, B vitamins, potassium, and fiber.
6. Flaxseed
A recent study of people with high cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL) compared statin treatment with eating 20 grams of flaxseed a day. After 60 days, those eating flaxseed did just as well as those on statins. Sprinkle ground flaxseed on oatmeal, yogurt, and salads.
7. Green Tea
EGCG, an antioxidant that helps fight heart disease, is plentiful in green tea. Drink it like water: Five cups of green tea daily can boost your cardiovascular health, according to several recent studies. But don’t add milk, it eliminates the benefits.
8. Watermelon
High in blood-pressure-lowering potassium, a good source of inflammation-reducing vitamin C, and rich in lycopene, a slice of watermelon or a glass of watermelon juice should be part of your daily diet.
9. Spinach
The heart-health equivalent of a first-ballot Hall of Famer, spinach is replete with the essential minerals potassium and magnesium, and it’s one of the top sources of lutein, an antioxidant that may help prevent clogged arteries. Eat one cup a day of fresh, or ½ cup cooked.
10. Red Wine
Swimming in resveratrol—a natural compound that lowers LDL, raises HDL, and prevents blood clots—red wine can truly be a lifesaver. The American Heart Association recommends two glasses a day. Vin rouge is also a rich source of flavonoids, antioxidants that help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart. Not a drinker? Nibble dark chocolate. It contains the same flavonoids as red wine. A common tannin called procyanidin, found in red wine and chocolate, can keep your arteries flexible and your blood pressure low.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Recipe Makeovers!!!
Recipe Makeovers: 10 Commandments of Healthy Cooking
'The Recipe Doctor' shares her top recipe lightening tips
By Elaine Magee, MPH, RDWebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column
When it comes to the not-so-ancient art of "making over" recipes to make them lighter and healthier, I think I can safely say that I qualify as an expert.
I've written 25 books (and counting) on an assortment of nutrition topics, but I'm certainly not an authority on all of them. Sure, I wrote about getting through menopause without hormone therapy, but I haven't spent my career researching menopause. And I've written about what to eat if you have irritable bowel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, acid reflux, and migraines. But I relied on specialists in these areas to review what I wrote, as I'm not a specialist in these very important topics.
But with lightening recipes, it's a different story. I've been doing this since I was a graduate student in the early 80s, which, according to my calculations, means I've lightened thousands of recipes!
I don't mean to brag, but I can take a quick glance at a recipe and know, with pretty good accuracy, what I can get away with changing and still end up with a dish that tastes terrific. I know off the top of my head what the magical minimum amount of fat is for most bakery recipes (muffins, cakes, brownies). To recipes you wouldn't think could be lightened (like fried chicken, jalapeno poppers, tempura, and English toffee), I've said "bring it on!" and found success. (OK, now I really am bragging -- so sorry!)
Over the years, I've changed my focus to incorporate the latest nutrition science. For example, we now know that the type of fat we cook with is important, so I switch to the "smart fats" whenever possible. I work to increase the fiber and nutrient content of recipes just as I work to cut sodium and decrease calories from fat and sugar. Being "The Recipe Doctor" is part of my professional identity, and I am grateful for (and fond of) this responsibility.
All that said, I would like to share with you what I call my 10 Recipe Lightening Commandments. These commandments are the culmination of years of recipe testing and tasting. I pass them to you in good faith.
My 10 Recipe Lightening Commandments
1. In most bakery recipes (muffins, cakes, cookies, coffee cakes, bars, brownies, nut breads, etc.) you can substitute whole wheat for two-thirds or one-half the white flour called for. Compared to 1/4 cup of white flour, each 1/4 cup of whole-wheat flour adds 3.5 grams of fiber and various phytochemicals, and doubles the amount of magnesium and selenium. The extra fiber helps slow digestion and increase fullness.
2. In most bakery recipes, you can reduce the sugar called for by one-fourth without a big difference in taste and texture. For example, instead of adding 1 cup of sugar, you can add 3/4 cup. Or, if you like using Splenda, you can replace half of the sugar called for with Splenda (or a similar alternative sweetener approved for use in baking).This cuts the calories from sugar by 48 calories for every tablespoon of sugar you take out or replace with Splenda.
3. In egg dishes (quiches, frittatas, omelets, breakfast casseroles), you can use egg substitute in place of half the eggs. In other words, if the recipe calls for six eggs, you would blend three whole eggs with 3/4 cup egg substitute (1/4 cup of egg substitute replaces each egg). You can replace half the eggs in bakery recipes with egg substitute as well. By replacing one large egg with 1/4 cup egg substitute, you'll shave 45 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1.6 grams of saturated fat, and 213 milligrams of cholesterol. If you don't like to use egg-substitute products, you can also use egg whites for half of the eggs called for.
4. In many bakery recipes, you can cut the fat ingredient (butter, margarine, shortening, or oil) in half. In other words, if a cake recipe calls for 1 cup of butter or margarine, you can usually use 1/2 cup instead. Remember to replace the missing fat with a similar amount of a moist but healthy ingredient (fat-free sour cream, orange juice, low-fat yogurt, applesauce, etc.) This change cuts both fat and calories, since each gram of fat translates into 9 calories as opposed to 4 per gram for protein or carbohydrate.
5. Cook with reduced-fat or fat-free products when available -- and when they taste good. Try fat-free sour cream, fat-free half-and-half, reduced-fat cheeses, light cream cheese, light mayonnaise, extra lean meat without skin or visible fat, reduced-fat or light sausage, less-fat turkey bacon, light salad dressings, and light margarine for frosting . Many cut calories and saturated fat along with total fat. A few fat-free products are in my arsenal as well: fat-free sour cream and half-and-half, chicken broth, wine, strong coffee, fruit purees, and fruit juice. These foods add moisture, and sometimes flavor, to recipes where you aren't using a lot of fatty ingredients.
6. Never deep-fry when you can oven-fry or pan-fry with a lot less oil. Choose canola oil or olive oil, and use about 1/2 teaspoon per serving (depending on the item). When you pan-fry or oven-fry in a controlled amount of oil, you can cut a lot of the fat and calories your food would soak up if it were submerged in hot oil. For every tablespoon of oil you cut, you'll save 120 calories and 13.5 grams of fat.
7. Use whole grains in your recipes whenever possible. We've already talked about whole-wheat flour, but you can also substitute brown rice for white rice, add barley to stews and casseroles, and look for recipes that call for oats. There are also multigrain blends and whole- wheat pastas to choose from in supermarkets now. Whole grains offer a plethora of health benefits, plus fiber to fill you up. One-fourth cup of dry brown rice contributes 2 grams of fiber and a 2-ounce serving of dry multigrain spaghetti adds 4 grams or more of fiber to your diet.
8. Extra ingredients and embellishments can often be removed or cut in half. If a recipe calls for chocolate chips, you can use less. If it calls for dotting your casserole or pie with butter, you can skip this step. In a cake recipe, you can use half the original amount of frosting (in a double-layer cake, just frost the top and middle and forget the sides). And in some cakes, bars, and cookies, you can skip the frosting in favor of a light sprinkling of powdered sugar. Using 2 tablespoons of frosting instead of 4 will shave 130 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, and 2 grams of saturated fat. Each tablespoon of chocolate chips you skip cuts the calories by 50 per serving, the fat by 3 grams, and the saturated fat by almost 2 grams.
9. Use top-quality ingredients when possible. Start with the best-tasting, freshest ingredients you can find. For example, I use fresh garlic (I buy it already minced in jars) and fresh herbs when I can -- they usually have more flavor than the dried. Use ripe tomatoes and just picked lemons for zest or juice, extra-fresh fish, the sharpest reduced-fat cheddar cheese, and so on. All this means your lighter dish will be more likely to pass muster with the masses!
10. Switch to "smart fat" ingredients when possible. Certain fats, when used in moderation, actually have health benefits! Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish and some plant foods like canola oil and ground flaxseed), as well as oils that contain monounsaturated fats (like olive and canola oil) and foods high in monounsaturated fats (like avocado and almonds) may help protect against heart disease. In recipes, you often have a choice of which oil or margarine to use. You can also add fish to some entree recipes instead of red meat. When a recipe calls for melted butter or margarine, you can often substitute canola or olive oil. Foods fortified with or containing omega-3s are starting to pop up in several aisles in the supermarket, including low-fat milk, eggs, and multigrain pastas.
'The Recipe Doctor' shares her top recipe lightening tips
By Elaine Magee, MPH, RDWebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column
When it comes to the not-so-ancient art of "making over" recipes to make them lighter and healthier, I think I can safely say that I qualify as an expert.
I've written 25 books (and counting) on an assortment of nutrition topics, but I'm certainly not an authority on all of them. Sure, I wrote about getting through menopause without hormone therapy, but I haven't spent my career researching menopause. And I've written about what to eat if you have irritable bowel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, acid reflux, and migraines. But I relied on specialists in these areas to review what I wrote, as I'm not a specialist in these very important topics.
But with lightening recipes, it's a different story. I've been doing this since I was a graduate student in the early 80s, which, according to my calculations, means I've lightened thousands of recipes!
I don't mean to brag, but I can take a quick glance at a recipe and know, with pretty good accuracy, what I can get away with changing and still end up with a dish that tastes terrific. I know off the top of my head what the magical minimum amount of fat is for most bakery recipes (muffins, cakes, brownies). To recipes you wouldn't think could be lightened (like fried chicken, jalapeno poppers, tempura, and English toffee), I've said "bring it on!" and found success. (OK, now I really am bragging -- so sorry!)
Over the years, I've changed my focus to incorporate the latest nutrition science. For example, we now know that the type of fat we cook with is important, so I switch to the "smart fats" whenever possible. I work to increase the fiber and nutrient content of recipes just as I work to cut sodium and decrease calories from fat and sugar. Being "The Recipe Doctor" is part of my professional identity, and I am grateful for (and fond of) this responsibility.
All that said, I would like to share with you what I call my 10 Recipe Lightening Commandments. These commandments are the culmination of years of recipe testing and tasting. I pass them to you in good faith.
My 10 Recipe Lightening Commandments
1. In most bakery recipes (muffins, cakes, cookies, coffee cakes, bars, brownies, nut breads, etc.) you can substitute whole wheat for two-thirds or one-half the white flour called for. Compared to 1/4 cup of white flour, each 1/4 cup of whole-wheat flour adds 3.5 grams of fiber and various phytochemicals, and doubles the amount of magnesium and selenium. The extra fiber helps slow digestion and increase fullness.
2. In most bakery recipes, you can reduce the sugar called for by one-fourth without a big difference in taste and texture. For example, instead of adding 1 cup of sugar, you can add 3/4 cup. Or, if you like using Splenda, you can replace half of the sugar called for with Splenda (or a similar alternative sweetener approved for use in baking).This cuts the calories from sugar by 48 calories for every tablespoon of sugar you take out or replace with Splenda.
3. In egg dishes (quiches, frittatas, omelets, breakfast casseroles), you can use egg substitute in place of half the eggs. In other words, if the recipe calls for six eggs, you would blend three whole eggs with 3/4 cup egg substitute (1/4 cup of egg substitute replaces each egg). You can replace half the eggs in bakery recipes with egg substitute as well. By replacing one large egg with 1/4 cup egg substitute, you'll shave 45 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1.6 grams of saturated fat, and 213 milligrams of cholesterol. If you don't like to use egg-substitute products, you can also use egg whites for half of the eggs called for.
4. In many bakery recipes, you can cut the fat ingredient (butter, margarine, shortening, or oil) in half. In other words, if a cake recipe calls for 1 cup of butter or margarine, you can usually use 1/2 cup instead. Remember to replace the missing fat with a similar amount of a moist but healthy ingredient (fat-free sour cream, orange juice, low-fat yogurt, applesauce, etc.) This change cuts both fat and calories, since each gram of fat translates into 9 calories as opposed to 4 per gram for protein or carbohydrate.
5. Cook with reduced-fat or fat-free products when available -- and when they taste good. Try fat-free sour cream, fat-free half-and-half, reduced-fat cheeses, light cream cheese, light mayonnaise, extra lean meat without skin or visible fat, reduced-fat or light sausage, less-fat turkey bacon, light salad dressings, and light margarine for frosting . Many cut calories and saturated fat along with total fat. A few fat-free products are in my arsenal as well: fat-free sour cream and half-and-half, chicken broth, wine, strong coffee, fruit purees, and fruit juice. These foods add moisture, and sometimes flavor, to recipes where you aren't using a lot of fatty ingredients.
6. Never deep-fry when you can oven-fry or pan-fry with a lot less oil. Choose canola oil or olive oil, and use about 1/2 teaspoon per serving (depending on the item). When you pan-fry or oven-fry in a controlled amount of oil, you can cut a lot of the fat and calories your food would soak up if it were submerged in hot oil. For every tablespoon of oil you cut, you'll save 120 calories and 13.5 grams of fat.
7. Use whole grains in your recipes whenever possible. We've already talked about whole-wheat flour, but you can also substitute brown rice for white rice, add barley to stews and casseroles, and look for recipes that call for oats. There are also multigrain blends and whole- wheat pastas to choose from in supermarkets now. Whole grains offer a plethora of health benefits, plus fiber to fill you up. One-fourth cup of dry brown rice contributes 2 grams of fiber and a 2-ounce serving of dry multigrain spaghetti adds 4 grams or more of fiber to your diet.
8. Extra ingredients and embellishments can often be removed or cut in half. If a recipe calls for chocolate chips, you can use less. If it calls for dotting your casserole or pie with butter, you can skip this step. In a cake recipe, you can use half the original amount of frosting (in a double-layer cake, just frost the top and middle and forget the sides). And in some cakes, bars, and cookies, you can skip the frosting in favor of a light sprinkling of powdered sugar. Using 2 tablespoons of frosting instead of 4 will shave 130 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, and 2 grams of saturated fat. Each tablespoon of chocolate chips you skip cuts the calories by 50 per serving, the fat by 3 grams, and the saturated fat by almost 2 grams.
9. Use top-quality ingredients when possible. Start with the best-tasting, freshest ingredients you can find. For example, I use fresh garlic (I buy it already minced in jars) and fresh herbs when I can -- they usually have more flavor than the dried. Use ripe tomatoes and just picked lemons for zest or juice, extra-fresh fish, the sharpest reduced-fat cheddar cheese, and so on. All this means your lighter dish will be more likely to pass muster with the masses!
10. Switch to "smart fat" ingredients when possible. Certain fats, when used in moderation, actually have health benefits! Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish and some plant foods like canola oil and ground flaxseed), as well as oils that contain monounsaturated fats (like olive and canola oil) and foods high in monounsaturated fats (like avocado and almonds) may help protect against heart disease. In recipes, you often have a choice of which oil or margarine to use. You can also add fish to some entree recipes instead of red meat. When a recipe calls for melted butter or margarine, you can often substitute canola or olive oil. Foods fortified with or containing omega-3s are starting to pop up in several aisles in the supermarket, including low-fat milk, eggs, and multigrain pastas.
Healthy Cooking Tricks
Healthy Cooking Tricks
How learning to cook can help you resolve your issues with food.
By Jenny Stamos KovacsWebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
If you feel like you're losing the fight against food -- scarfing chips and cookies when you should be munching on carrots -- maybe it's time you learned the rules of healthy eating and healthy cooking. Learning to feel more comfortable in the kitchen can help you feel closer to your food -- and closer to a healthy lifestyle.
Diet Secret: Eat at home and learn healthy cooking tricks
Americans eat a lot of food they didn't cook themselves. While three-quarters of us eat most dinners at home, less than 60% of us prepare them in our own kitchens. In 2005, the trend of combining the convenience of take-out food with the comforts of home found each American buying an average of 57 restaurant meals to eat elsewhere, up from 33 meals 20 years ago. And when we do cook, we seldom cook from scratch. Last year, less than half of main meals prepared at home included even one fresh product, according to research from the NPD Group.
Why don't we cook more often? Many of us are just too busy--and too tired to face the kitchen after a long day of work. Others don't cook because they see food as the enemy, and are afraid they'll eat what they've made--maybe even all of what they've made, says therapist Karen R. Koenig, author of The Rules of "Normal" Eating and The Food and Feelings Workbook. Another cause for kitchen avoidance is the fear of making mistakes. According to Koenig, some people see the food they make as an extension of themselves, so they worry about being judged by the outcome. Ordering in takes a load of pressure off the perfectionist's back--you can blame a lousy dinner on the restaurant it came from, instead of on yourself.
Some of us hope that, by steering clear of the kitchen, we can keep the numbers on the scale from creeping slowly upwards. But when it comes to what we eat, ignorance is not bliss. And avoiding the issue won't keep us from getting fat. In fact, studies show that we're more apt to eat too much, too fast when we don't keep an eye on what goes into our mouths. And how can we make sure our meals are healthy and low-calorie if we don't know how they were prepared?
Learn healthy cooking tricks -- and resolve your food issues, too
One of the best ways to watch what you eat is to make it yourself.
"I love shortbread cookies," says Vicki Smythe, 26, a personal trainer. "But I had no idea how much butter was in them until I baked a few batches last week--an entire cup of butter in just 1 dozen cookies! I used to eat up to 4 or 5 cookies at a time, but now I'll definitely be stopping at 2!"
There are more reasons than just a reality check.
"Cooking helps food matter," Koenig says.
Many of us are disconnected from food because we're disconnected from our bodies. Cooking helps us tune in to how food smells and looks (real food - not its fake, processed equivalent), as well as to the whole process of feeding ourselves; a process in which food is energy and nourishment--not the enemy. If your biggest food issue is speed eating (which often leads to overeating), cooking can help you slow you down and connect with your senses, she says. Tasting and smelling food as it cooks encourages you to do the same as you eat. You're also more motivated to slow down and really enjoy a meal after working hard to make it.
Food and cooking have emotional associations, says Koenig, and paying attention to how you feel as you cook you get in touch with feelings you have about the past that relate to food. Were you often urged to finish your dinner because a parent worked so hard to make it for you? Or was your childhood spent eating frozen dinners and fending for yourself? The process of cooking can help you understand why you feel the way you do about food.
Ready to get started? Here are 4 healthy cooking tricks that can help you be just as comfortable in the kitchen as you are on the couch.
Healthy Cooking Tip #1: Stock your kitchen.
Healthy cooking starts with filling your cupboards. Keep these basics on hand, and you'll be able to whip up delicious meals in less than the time it takes for pizza to be delivered.
Basic healthy cooking tools:
· good set of pots and pans
· vegetable steamer/rice cooker
· soup pot
· food processor
· grill
· crock pot
· good utensils
Basic healthy cooking ingredients:
· fresh fruits and vegetables (just an amount you'll be able to use before spoilage)
· frozen vegetables (They're fairly equal to fresh veggies in terms of vitamin levels, says Lola O'Rourke, a Seattle-based dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.)
· yogurt
· cheese
· eggs
· low-fat cuts of meat such as chicken breast or pork tenderloin (both fresh and frozen)
· rice (brown, red, black and mixed rice varieties)
· pasta (preferably whole grain)
· whole grain bread and/or pita
· beans (pinto, black, white, etc., both dried and canned)
· canned chopped tomatoes
· salsa (fresh, if available)
· vegetable or chicken stock
· garlic
· onion
· olive oil
· vinegar
· herbs and spices (fresh, if possible)
Healthy Cooking Tip #2: Plan ahead.
Simplify dinnertime prep by making as much as possible ahead of time, O'Rourke suggests. Make double or triple the amount the recipe calls for, and freeze the extra for future use. (Be sure to label and date each item). Minestrone soup is a great example of something that freezes well and thaws into an instant healthy meal, says Carol Hildebrand, co-author, with her brother Bob Hildebrand, executive chef at The Three Stallions Inn in Randolph, Vermont, of 500 3-Ingredient Recipes, 500 5-Ingredient Desserts and 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Comfort Foods.
For example:
· Clean and chop vegetables.
· Peel and chop potatoes and store in cold water in the fridge.
· Cut chicken breast into strips or bite-sized pieces for stir fry.
· Make vegetable or chicken stock to use as a base for soup.
· Prepare a basic marinara sauce for use over pasta or with polenta.
· Cook a big batch of beans for minestrone, chili or beans and rice.
· Cut up fruit for quick snacks. (According to research in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, it's just as nutritious as fruit cut directly before eating.)
Healthy Cooking Tip #3: Keep it simple, sweetheart!
Using just these basic healthy cooking tools, ingredients, and pre-made foods, you can make any of the following healthy meals in minutes:
· Stir fry. Fix quick-cooking rice or use a rice cooker (some can even be set to start on a timer, just like your trusty coffee pot), and serve with stir fry made with your pre-prepped chicken and vegetables and your favorite spices.
· Pasta. Cook whole wheat pasta and serve with pre-made marinara sauce. Round out the meal with a salad of pre-washed and prepped greens. Sandwiches. Grill chicken breast and serve on a pita or whole grain sandwich, again using pre-prepped chicken and veggies.
· Beans and rice. Cook black or pinto beans, and eat with rice, salsa and a salad.
· Soup. Here are two quick recipes from Carol and Bob Hildebrand:
o Quick chicken soup: Saute pre-cut chicken breast, garlic and onion in bottom of a soup pot with a small amount of olive oil. Add chicken or vegetable soup stock, chopped basil, and either a half bag of your favorite frozen vegetables or the equivalent amount of pre-cut vegetables, and simmer.
o Carrot ginger soup: Saute pre-cut minced fresh ginger, onion and garlic in a small amount of olive oil. Add finely chopped carrots (can be done in food processor ahead of time), saute a few minutes more, add chicken or vegetable stock to cover, and simmer until the carrots are soft. Puree the whole thing in a food processor and serve topped with a dollop of yogurt. Add a salad and some crusty rolls and you're all set!
· Dessert. Serve fresh fruit anytime for a quick and nutritious snack or dessert. For a special treat, try one of the following ideas from Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Wellness Institute in Chicago and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association:
o Quick apple crisp. Microwave chopped apples topped with sprinkled cinnamon. Serve with a sprinkle of rolled oats and sugar.
o Grilled fruit. Grill pineapple, peach or banana, and top with a small scoop of ice cream.
o Fruit 'n' yogurt sundaes. Spoon low-fat yogurt and chopped fruit into a sundae glass. Pile high, and top with a cherry and reduced-sugar chocolate syrup.
Healthy Cooking Tip 4: Fold in flavor.
Garlic and onion add flavor depth to any dish, Hildebrand says, and you can up the ante even more with spices like basil, oregano and cilantro--fresh, if possible. A sprinkle of chopped cilantro over black bean soup, for example, adds punch to the entire dish, she says. And salt, when used judiciously, brings out flavor like nothing else.
To save on fat and calories, use low-fat plain yogurt in place of sour cream or mayonnaise, and buy low-fat cheese and milk instead of full-fat versions, says O'Rourke. Add flavor to vegetables with low-fat cheese, nuts, salad dressing or margarine with no trans fat; then add herbs and spices. Blatner suggests an Italian blend on green beans, curry on cauliflower, cumin on sauteed bell peppers, and lemon pepper on broccoli.
And there you have it: 4 healthy cooking tricks for a lifetime of good taste. Bon appetit!
How learning to cook can help you resolve your issues with food.
By Jenny Stamos KovacsWebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
If you feel like you're losing the fight against food -- scarfing chips and cookies when you should be munching on carrots -- maybe it's time you learned the rules of healthy eating and healthy cooking. Learning to feel more comfortable in the kitchen can help you feel closer to your food -- and closer to a healthy lifestyle.
Diet Secret: Eat at home and learn healthy cooking tricks
Americans eat a lot of food they didn't cook themselves. While three-quarters of us eat most dinners at home, less than 60% of us prepare them in our own kitchens. In 2005, the trend of combining the convenience of take-out food with the comforts of home found each American buying an average of 57 restaurant meals to eat elsewhere, up from 33 meals 20 years ago. And when we do cook, we seldom cook from scratch. Last year, less than half of main meals prepared at home included even one fresh product, according to research from the NPD Group.
Why don't we cook more often? Many of us are just too busy--and too tired to face the kitchen after a long day of work. Others don't cook because they see food as the enemy, and are afraid they'll eat what they've made--maybe even all of what they've made, says therapist Karen R. Koenig, author of The Rules of "Normal" Eating and The Food and Feelings Workbook. Another cause for kitchen avoidance is the fear of making mistakes. According to Koenig, some people see the food they make as an extension of themselves, so they worry about being judged by the outcome. Ordering in takes a load of pressure off the perfectionist's back--you can blame a lousy dinner on the restaurant it came from, instead of on yourself.
Some of us hope that, by steering clear of the kitchen, we can keep the numbers on the scale from creeping slowly upwards. But when it comes to what we eat, ignorance is not bliss. And avoiding the issue won't keep us from getting fat. In fact, studies show that we're more apt to eat too much, too fast when we don't keep an eye on what goes into our mouths. And how can we make sure our meals are healthy and low-calorie if we don't know how they were prepared?
Learn healthy cooking tricks -- and resolve your food issues, too
One of the best ways to watch what you eat is to make it yourself.
"I love shortbread cookies," says Vicki Smythe, 26, a personal trainer. "But I had no idea how much butter was in them until I baked a few batches last week--an entire cup of butter in just 1 dozen cookies! I used to eat up to 4 or 5 cookies at a time, but now I'll definitely be stopping at 2!"
There are more reasons than just a reality check.
"Cooking helps food matter," Koenig says.
Many of us are disconnected from food because we're disconnected from our bodies. Cooking helps us tune in to how food smells and looks (real food - not its fake, processed equivalent), as well as to the whole process of feeding ourselves; a process in which food is energy and nourishment--not the enemy. If your biggest food issue is speed eating (which often leads to overeating), cooking can help you slow you down and connect with your senses, she says. Tasting and smelling food as it cooks encourages you to do the same as you eat. You're also more motivated to slow down and really enjoy a meal after working hard to make it.
Food and cooking have emotional associations, says Koenig, and paying attention to how you feel as you cook you get in touch with feelings you have about the past that relate to food. Were you often urged to finish your dinner because a parent worked so hard to make it for you? Or was your childhood spent eating frozen dinners and fending for yourself? The process of cooking can help you understand why you feel the way you do about food.
Ready to get started? Here are 4 healthy cooking tricks that can help you be just as comfortable in the kitchen as you are on the couch.
Healthy Cooking Tip #1: Stock your kitchen.
Healthy cooking starts with filling your cupboards. Keep these basics on hand, and you'll be able to whip up delicious meals in less than the time it takes for pizza to be delivered.
Basic healthy cooking tools:
· good set of pots and pans
· vegetable steamer/rice cooker
· soup pot
· food processor
· grill
· crock pot
· good utensils
Basic healthy cooking ingredients:
· fresh fruits and vegetables (just an amount you'll be able to use before spoilage)
· frozen vegetables (They're fairly equal to fresh veggies in terms of vitamin levels, says Lola O'Rourke, a Seattle-based dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.)
· yogurt
· cheese
· eggs
· low-fat cuts of meat such as chicken breast or pork tenderloin (both fresh and frozen)
· rice (brown, red, black and mixed rice varieties)
· pasta (preferably whole grain)
· whole grain bread and/or pita
· beans (pinto, black, white, etc., both dried and canned)
· canned chopped tomatoes
· salsa (fresh, if available)
· vegetable or chicken stock
· garlic
· onion
· olive oil
· vinegar
· herbs and spices (fresh, if possible)
Healthy Cooking Tip #2: Plan ahead.
Simplify dinnertime prep by making as much as possible ahead of time, O'Rourke suggests. Make double or triple the amount the recipe calls for, and freeze the extra for future use. (Be sure to label and date each item). Minestrone soup is a great example of something that freezes well and thaws into an instant healthy meal, says Carol Hildebrand, co-author, with her brother Bob Hildebrand, executive chef at The Three Stallions Inn in Randolph, Vermont, of 500 3-Ingredient Recipes, 500 5-Ingredient Desserts and 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Comfort Foods.
For example:
· Clean and chop vegetables.
· Peel and chop potatoes and store in cold water in the fridge.
· Cut chicken breast into strips or bite-sized pieces for stir fry.
· Make vegetable or chicken stock to use as a base for soup.
· Prepare a basic marinara sauce for use over pasta or with polenta.
· Cook a big batch of beans for minestrone, chili or beans and rice.
· Cut up fruit for quick snacks. (According to research in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, it's just as nutritious as fruit cut directly before eating.)
Healthy Cooking Tip #3: Keep it simple, sweetheart!
Using just these basic healthy cooking tools, ingredients, and pre-made foods, you can make any of the following healthy meals in minutes:
· Stir fry. Fix quick-cooking rice or use a rice cooker (some can even be set to start on a timer, just like your trusty coffee pot), and serve with stir fry made with your pre-prepped chicken and vegetables and your favorite spices.
· Pasta. Cook whole wheat pasta and serve with pre-made marinara sauce. Round out the meal with a salad of pre-washed and prepped greens. Sandwiches. Grill chicken breast and serve on a pita or whole grain sandwich, again using pre-prepped chicken and veggies.
· Beans and rice. Cook black or pinto beans, and eat with rice, salsa and a salad.
· Soup. Here are two quick recipes from Carol and Bob Hildebrand:
o Quick chicken soup: Saute pre-cut chicken breast, garlic and onion in bottom of a soup pot with a small amount of olive oil. Add chicken or vegetable soup stock, chopped basil, and either a half bag of your favorite frozen vegetables or the equivalent amount of pre-cut vegetables, and simmer.
o Carrot ginger soup: Saute pre-cut minced fresh ginger, onion and garlic in a small amount of olive oil. Add finely chopped carrots (can be done in food processor ahead of time), saute a few minutes more, add chicken or vegetable stock to cover, and simmer until the carrots are soft. Puree the whole thing in a food processor and serve topped with a dollop of yogurt. Add a salad and some crusty rolls and you're all set!
· Dessert. Serve fresh fruit anytime for a quick and nutritious snack or dessert. For a special treat, try one of the following ideas from Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Wellness Institute in Chicago and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association:
o Quick apple crisp. Microwave chopped apples topped with sprinkled cinnamon. Serve with a sprinkle of rolled oats and sugar.
o Grilled fruit. Grill pineapple, peach or banana, and top with a small scoop of ice cream.
o Fruit 'n' yogurt sundaes. Spoon low-fat yogurt and chopped fruit into a sundae glass. Pile high, and top with a cherry and reduced-sugar chocolate syrup.
Healthy Cooking Tip 4: Fold in flavor.
Garlic and onion add flavor depth to any dish, Hildebrand says, and you can up the ante even more with spices like basil, oregano and cilantro--fresh, if possible. A sprinkle of chopped cilantro over black bean soup, for example, adds punch to the entire dish, she says. And salt, when used judiciously, brings out flavor like nothing else.
To save on fat and calories, use low-fat plain yogurt in place of sour cream or mayonnaise, and buy low-fat cheese and milk instead of full-fat versions, says O'Rourke. Add flavor to vegetables with low-fat cheese, nuts, salad dressing or margarine with no trans fat; then add herbs and spices. Blatner suggests an Italian blend on green beans, curry on cauliflower, cumin on sauteed bell peppers, and lemon pepper on broccoli.
And there you have it: 4 healthy cooking tricks for a lifetime of good taste. Bon appetit!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The New Power Foods
The New Power Foods
Spike your diet with these powerfoods to stimulate your taste buds, boost your immune system, strengthen your heart, sharpen your brain, and trim your waist.
By: Trevor Thieme; Published: October 2008
Kale
One irony of our nation's obesity epidemic is that kale is largely used to garnish buffets. Throughout the rest of the world, however, it's recognized as a body-boosting superfood that is rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, iron, and folate. "It's also dense with carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lutein, which studies have shown fight macular degeneration and several types of cancer, including that of the lungs and mouth," says Dave Grotto, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. Serving tip: When adding kale to salad, preserve its vitamin C content by not chopping or tearing it until you're ready to serve.
Goji Berries
No need to pay $35 for one liter of goji juice. Whole berries can be bought in many Asian markets for a fraction of the price. Although they're not especially rich in any one vitamin or mineral, the bittersweet berries are packed with the phytochemicals beta-carotene and zeaxanthin, which studies have shown reduce the risk of lung and bladder cancers. "Goji berries are also unique among fruits for their ability to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol," says Grotto. Serving tip: Use dried goji berries like cranberries. Add them to your favorite trail mix or sprinkle them on top of cereals, stews, or baked goods.
Kefir
Created by culturing fresh milk with kefir grains (made from yeast and bacteria), this fermented beverage is an upgrade to yogurt. "It has a different range of bacteria than yogurt, but similar benefits, such as the ability to lower cholesterol and boost immune function," says Susan Kleiner, PhD, author of The Good Mood Diet. A recent study also found that it's more effective than fruit juice and other dairy beverages at curbing hunger. Serving tip: Use in place of milk or yogurt in a morning or postworkout smoothie.
Teff
In Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia, the word teff means "lost", which is exactly what will happen if you drop a seed. "It's the world's smallest grain," says Grotto. "Even so, it packs more heart-healthy fiber than almost any other food on the planet." And unlike other grains, it's gluten free, making it an excellent wheat alternative for people with celiac disease. Serving tip: Mix cooked teff with herbs, seeds, beans, garlic, and onions to make superhealthful veggie burgers.
Rooibos Tea
Think of rooibos as the new green tea, although it's red, made from a root, and packed with even more digestion-enhancing phytochemicals and disease-fighting antioxidants. A Japanese study found that it might even help prevent allergies and fight cancer. Serving tip: Look for Celestial Seasonings rooibos teas (we recommend Madagascar Vanilla Red), or order organic varieties online at adagio.com.
Agave
Most commonly served distilled with a side of lime, the nectar from the agave cactus is also a sweetener. "The honeylike syrup has twice the sweetness and half the calories of sugar," says Grotto, "but it is digested slowly, so it won't cause swings in energy." Agave is also one of the only nondairy foods to contain digestion-enhancing bifidobacteria. Serving tip: Drizzle on pancakes instead of maple syrup, or use in cocktails in place of simple syrup.
Flaxseed Meal
Unlike whole flaxseed, "flaxseed meal is easily digested and rich in lignans, prebiotic compounds that nourish bacterial cultures in the gut," says Kleiner. The result is healthier intestinal flora, and, in turn, enhanced immune function. Flaxseed oil does not offer the same benefits. In fact, studies have suggested that consuming the oil may increase one's risk of prostate cancer. Serving tip: Buy ground flaxseed at your local health-food store (or grind it yourself in a coffee grinder) and sprinkle it on top of cereal, yogurt, or fruit.
Spike your diet with these powerfoods to stimulate your taste buds, boost your immune system, strengthen your heart, sharpen your brain, and trim your waist.
By: Trevor Thieme; Published: October 2008
Amaranth
The Aztecs mixed this nutty-flavored grain with human blood to build stamina and strength. You can reap similar benefits by eating the cereal version (arrowheadmills.com) mixed with kefir. "Amaranth is one of the few grains that is a 'complete protein,' meaning it has all eight essential amino acids," says Grotto. "It's also rich in the antioxidant squalene, which studies have shown to inhibit prostate cancer." Korean researchers have also found that it's uniquely effective at reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol. Serving tip: Boil and serve instead of rice, or toast and sprinkle on salads.
Alligator
High in protein and packed with omega-3s, the "other other white meat" is a savory, heart-healthy alternative to steak, says Dwain Johnson, PhD, a professor of meat science at the University of Florida. The mild-flavored meat, which sits between chicken and rabbit on the taste spectrum, is still a rarity in most supermarkets, but it can be ordered online at fossilfarms.com. Serving tip: Tail meat is the most tender. Rub with blackening seasoning and then grill or pan sear.
Nori
Best known as the dark outer wrapping on sushi rolls, this sea algae is particularly high in fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc. "It's also rich in lignans, which recent studies have shown to help prevent tumor growth," says Kleiner. Look for it in the international section of your local supermarket or online at edenfoods.com. Serving tip: Grind a sheet of nori in a coffee grinder and use the powder as a salt substitute to season food.
Spike your diet with these powerfoods to stimulate your taste buds, boost your immune system, strengthen your heart, sharpen your brain, and trim your waist.
By: Trevor Thieme; Published: October 2008
Kale
One irony of our nation's obesity epidemic is that kale is largely used to garnish buffets. Throughout the rest of the world, however, it's recognized as a body-boosting superfood that is rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, iron, and folate. "It's also dense with carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lutein, which studies have shown fight macular degeneration and several types of cancer, including that of the lungs and mouth," says Dave Grotto, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. Serving tip: When adding kale to salad, preserve its vitamin C content by not chopping or tearing it until you're ready to serve.
Goji Berries
No need to pay $35 for one liter of goji juice. Whole berries can be bought in many Asian markets for a fraction of the price. Although they're not especially rich in any one vitamin or mineral, the bittersweet berries are packed with the phytochemicals beta-carotene and zeaxanthin, which studies have shown reduce the risk of lung and bladder cancers. "Goji berries are also unique among fruits for their ability to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol," says Grotto. Serving tip: Use dried goji berries like cranberries. Add them to your favorite trail mix or sprinkle them on top of cereals, stews, or baked goods.
Kefir
Created by culturing fresh milk with kefir grains (made from yeast and bacteria), this fermented beverage is an upgrade to yogurt. "It has a different range of bacteria than yogurt, but similar benefits, such as the ability to lower cholesterol and boost immune function," says Susan Kleiner, PhD, author of The Good Mood Diet. A recent study also found that it's more effective than fruit juice and other dairy beverages at curbing hunger. Serving tip: Use in place of milk or yogurt in a morning or postworkout smoothie.
Teff
In Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia, the word teff means "lost", which is exactly what will happen if you drop a seed. "It's the world's smallest grain," says Grotto. "Even so, it packs more heart-healthy fiber than almost any other food on the planet." And unlike other grains, it's gluten free, making it an excellent wheat alternative for people with celiac disease. Serving tip: Mix cooked teff with herbs, seeds, beans, garlic, and onions to make superhealthful veggie burgers.
Rooibos Tea
Think of rooibos as the new green tea, although it's red, made from a root, and packed with even more digestion-enhancing phytochemicals and disease-fighting antioxidants. A Japanese study found that it might even help prevent allergies and fight cancer. Serving tip: Look for Celestial Seasonings rooibos teas (we recommend Madagascar Vanilla Red), or order organic varieties online at adagio.com.
Agave
Most commonly served distilled with a side of lime, the nectar from the agave cactus is also a sweetener. "The honeylike syrup has twice the sweetness and half the calories of sugar," says Grotto, "but it is digested slowly, so it won't cause swings in energy." Agave is also one of the only nondairy foods to contain digestion-enhancing bifidobacteria. Serving tip: Drizzle on pancakes instead of maple syrup, or use in cocktails in place of simple syrup.
Flaxseed Meal
Unlike whole flaxseed, "flaxseed meal is easily digested and rich in lignans, prebiotic compounds that nourish bacterial cultures in the gut," says Kleiner. The result is healthier intestinal flora, and, in turn, enhanced immune function. Flaxseed oil does not offer the same benefits. In fact, studies have suggested that consuming the oil may increase one's risk of prostate cancer. Serving tip: Buy ground flaxseed at your local health-food store (or grind it yourself in a coffee grinder) and sprinkle it on top of cereal, yogurt, or fruit.
Spike your diet with these powerfoods to stimulate your taste buds, boost your immune system, strengthen your heart, sharpen your brain, and trim your waist.
By: Trevor Thieme; Published: October 2008
Amaranth
The Aztecs mixed this nutty-flavored grain with human blood to build stamina and strength. You can reap similar benefits by eating the cereal version (arrowheadmills.com) mixed with kefir. "Amaranth is one of the few grains that is a 'complete protein,' meaning it has all eight essential amino acids," says Grotto. "It's also rich in the antioxidant squalene, which studies have shown to inhibit prostate cancer." Korean researchers have also found that it's uniquely effective at reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol. Serving tip: Boil and serve instead of rice, or toast and sprinkle on salads.
Alligator
High in protein and packed with omega-3s, the "other other white meat" is a savory, heart-healthy alternative to steak, says Dwain Johnson, PhD, a professor of meat science at the University of Florida. The mild-flavored meat, which sits between chicken and rabbit on the taste spectrum, is still a rarity in most supermarkets, but it can be ordered online at fossilfarms.com. Serving tip: Tail meat is the most tender. Rub with blackening seasoning and then grill or pan sear.
Nori
Best known as the dark outer wrapping on sushi rolls, this sea algae is particularly high in fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc. "It's also rich in lignans, which recent studies have shown to help prevent tumor growth," says Kleiner. Look for it in the international section of your local supermarket or online at edenfoods.com. Serving tip: Grind a sheet of nori in a coffee grinder and use the powder as a salt substitute to season food.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
