« June 2010 | Main | August 2010 »
July 30, 2010
Something to Snack On
Planters NUT-rition Omega-3 Mix
Go ahead and munch on a handful of this tasty combo of walnuts, dried cranberries and dark chocolate-covered soy nuts. Your heart will thank you and so will your taste buds.
The perfect mix of sweet and crunchy, it contains plenty of heart-healthy nutrients like alpha-linolenic acid, vegetable protein, fiber and antioxidants.
Unlike most snack foods, it's completely sodium free. In the right portions, it's figure friendly too, with 160 calories per quarter-cup serving.
Posted by Lisa at 3:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Chia!
Chia (known from Chia Pet!) is a mild-tasting seed that is loaded with the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. It also has heart healthy fiber, magnesium, calcium and antioxidants. Try sprinkling one tablespoon on yogurt, cereal, salads or soups. You can also add them to the batter of baked goods.
Salba sells Chia at Salba.com or at Whole Foods stores.
Posted by Lisa at 11:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 26, 2010
Report Suggests 20 Possible Cancer Causes
The American Cancer Society and three federal agencies named 19 chemicals and shift work on Thursday as potential causes of cancer that deserve more investigation.
The group published a report with the backing of international experts who said the 20 potential causes they identified had fairly good evidence that they may be a danger and deserved more follow-up.
Most are familiar names, such as chloroform, formaldehyde and polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, but the list includes indium phosphide, a relatively new compound used in making flat-screen televisions.
All have been classified as possible carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer or IARC, the United Nations cancer agency.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Cancer Institute also helped sponsor the report, which names the following agents:
-Lead and lead compounds
-Indium phosphide
-Cobalt with tungsten carbide
-Titanium dioxide
-Welding fumes
-Refractory ceramic fibers
-Diesel exhaust
-Carbon black
-Styrene-7,8-oxide and styrene
-Propylene oxide
-Formaldehyde
-Acetaldehyde
-Dichloromethane, methylene chloride (DCM)
-Trichloroethylene (TCE)
-Tetrachloroethylene (perc, tetra, PCE)
-Chloroform
-Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
-Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
-Atrazine
-Shift work
Posted by Lisa at 1:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 22, 2010
Kids Can Eat Better!
Here are five common offenders and what you can eat instead:
Fruit juice and fruit drinks
Juice and juice drinks can be high in sugar and calories. Kids 1 to 6 should have no more than 4 to 6 ounces of juice a day. Kids 7 to 18 can have a serving double that, says the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Instead, try diluted juice. Give a 1- or 2-year-old an ounce of pure juice mixed with 3 ounces of water. Then, the child can drink that juice mixture four times a day. The best option is to ditch juice and eat fruit instead.
Convenience meals
Parents often turn to ready-made frozen meals for a quick supper. But preservatives and sodium far outweigh the convenience, and the meals rarely contain vegetables.
Instead, cut back on the number of times a week you serve these convenience foods, and instead cook simple meals. Baked chicken, baked potatoes or steamed carrots aren't that hard to make and are much more healthful.
Breakfast bars and energy bars
Not all bars are created alike, but most are packed with sugar. Breakfast bars like Nutri-Grain cereal bars are occasionally OK because they do have some form of grain. But these shouldn't be eaten regularly nor as a stand-alone breakfast.
Instead, opt for granola, whole-grain toast or hot oatmeal.
Hot dogs and chicken nuggets
These well-loved choices are the saviors of busy parents with picky children. But hot dogs are made of processed parts with lots of sodium and additives. Chicken nuggets also have too much of the bad things and not enough of the good.
Instead, buy preservative-free, all-meat hot dogs, like chicken hot dogs. And for chicken nuggets, make your own by rolling chicken breasts in egg whites and bread crumbs and baking.
Whole milk
We all know that milk is good for you, especially in promoting strong bones and teeth. But the saturated fat and cholesterol in whole milk is so high that the artery-clogging disadvantages outweigh nutritional benefits.
Instead, children older than 2 should drink 1-percent or skim milk. It seems watered down, but it actually has more concentrated vitamins and minerals because of the removed fat. Other high-protein milk options include soy and almond milk.
Posted by Lisa at 9:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 19, 2010
Spicy Corn Salad
6 ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed
1 small sweet red pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped very fine
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters
1 scallion, chopped fine
¼ cup chopped cilantro or basil
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Steam corn for 7 minutes (6 minutes if corn is very young). Plunge cobs immediately into cold water to stop cooking.
With a small, very sharp knife, cut the corn kernels from cobs into a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well.
Serve immediately or chill for up to 24 hours before serving.
Makes 6 servings, a generous 1 cup each.
Per serving: 157 calories, 6 gm fat, 1 gm saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 26 gm carbohydrates, 4 gm fiber, 4 gm protein, 21 mg sodium.
Posted by Lisa at 9:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 15, 2010
Planning for Your Trip
I realize that eating healthfully may be the last thing on your mind as you plan your travels, but maintaining some semblance of good nutrition means that you'll have more energy to enjoy your vacation. Plus, you won't have to fight those extra pounds when you get back home.
It doesn't require much effort to have a healthier getaway, just a little planning.
Start by making sure you stock the right supplies: foods that are (obviously) non-perishable and easy to pack, transport and prepare. Include foods that contain a source of protein (to maintain alertness, muscle mass and strength) and fiber (to sustain blood sugar and energy levels and help with regularity).
Try to stay on your usual eating schedule; schedule a snack break if it's going to be more than three or four hours until your next meal.
Start the day off right. Donuts may be synonymous with family travel, but a sugar-packed breakfast can cause you to crash soon after, craving even more sweets for a pick-me-up.
Instead, incorporate a source of whole grains and/or protein with your breakfast whenever possible: peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla or a sandwich thin (both are flat, so they pack easily), pre-cooked bacon (which doesn't require refrigeration), whole grain cereal with low-fat milk (several brands offer regular milk that's shelf stable). Even a fast-food breakfast can be decent, with Subway's Egg White Muffin Melts, Starbucks' Egg White, Spinach and Feta Wrap or McDonald's Egg McMuffin.
Pack sandwich fixings for lunchtime, or better yet, make sandwiches ahead of time.
Even the convenience store doesn't have to be entirely off-limits. Most will have protein-containing options such as nuts, beef jerky, turkey sandwiches and low-fat milk. And you just might luck out and find string cheese or Triscuits.
Road trip smart snacks
Unrefrigerated
Whole grain tortillas and sandwich thins (packs easier than sliced bread)
Instant oatmeal packets (plain or low-sugar)
Whole grain snackable cereal
Shelf-stable milk or soy milk, which doesn't need to be refrigerated
Whole grain crackers
Whole grain chips
Soy Crisps (per serving, as much protein as an egg)
Low-fat popcorn
Fruit 'chips' (freeze-dried)
Soy nuts
Wasabi peas
Nuts
Nut butter (almond butter, peanut butter)
Baked blue chips (low in fat and good source of whole grains)
Jerky (beef, turkey, vegetarian, etc.)
Pouch of tuna, salmon or chicken -- no need to drain, and many are pre-seasoned
Canned beans
Canned turkey chili
Pre-cooked bacon -- no refrigeration needed
Got a cooler? Stock it with ...
Fresh fruit
Greek yogurt
Low-fat cottage cheese
String cheese
Cheese cubes
Deli meats
Posted by Lisa at 2:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 12, 2010
What About Agave?
Agave has about 60 calories per tablespoon, compared to 40 calories for the same amount of table sugar. But because agave is about 1 1/2 times sweeter than sugar, you can use less of it – which means you can achieve the same sweetness for about the same number of calories.
The bottom line is that refined agave sweeteners are not inherently healthier than sugar, honey, high-fructose corn syrup, or any other sweetener. Nutritionally and functionally, agave syrup is similar to high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose (Karo) syrup. It does contain small amounts of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, but not enough to matter nutritionally.
A study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation suggested that consuming fructose may be less healthy than consuming similar amounts of glucose. Study participants who consumed fructose were found to gain more unhealthy visceral fat, were more insulin-resistant, and were at greater risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
One of the most celebrated properties of agave is its profile on the glycemic index, a scale that measures how much various foods raise blood sugar levels. Agave ranks lower than many other sweeteners on the glycemic index. As a result, some manufacturers tout it as a "diabetic friendly" sugar.
However, the American Diabetes Association lists agave along with other sweeteners (table sugar, honey, brown sugar, molasses, fructose, maple sugar, and confectioner’s sugar) that should be limited in diabetic diets.
Experts agree: The American diet contains way too much sugar, especially in the form of sweetened beverages.
One of the simplest ways to improve the healthfulness of your diet is to reduce the amount of all simple sugars -- agave, sucrose, honey, maple syrup, raw sugar, molasses, brown sugar, corn syrup, turbinado sugar, and more. When it comes to sweeteners, the choice is yours -- but keep in mind that all caloric sugars are virtually the same.
It's better to satisfy your sweet tooth with whole fruit than with any kind of concentrated sugar. Not only is it unprocessed, and fiber- and nutrient-rich, it has an even lower glycemic index than agave.
Posted by Lisa at 9:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 8, 2010
Try Something New: Legumes
What are legumes? They are seeds that dry in their pod. Legumes include beans (kidney, pinto, Lima, cannellini, black), lentils, peas (chickpeas, black-eyed peas, purplehull peas/cow peas) and nuts. Some may refer to them as dried beans, which include canned, frozen or cooked bean varieties.
In 2005, United States Department of Agriculture-Dietary Guidelines included beans as a subgroup of vegetables. It is recommended that three cups per week of legumes be included to assist in meeting total recommended vegetable servings. In addition, beans may be used as a lean protein source or meat substitute. In this case, beans fall into a subgroup of the meat group called dried beans and peas, as a plant-based protein. Legumes are rich in nutrients, offering the flexibility to fall into either category.
Beans are high in protein, iron, folate, potassium, manganese, copper, magnesium, calcium, complex carbohydrate, while having no cholesterol, low in sodium, fat, saturated fat and calories. They are rich in phytonutrients and are gluten-free.
Legumes offer a great amount of fiber, both soluble and insoluble, which can help in the management of weight, diabetes, lowering cholesterol and colon health.
Posted by Lisa at 5:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack