Antioxidants and your health

What are antioxidants?
They protect cells from harm caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules made when you digest food, or by exposure to things like tobacco smoke and radiation.

Antioxidants gained popularity because they may be able to help fight cancer, heart disease, and age-related health problems.

Antioxidants, benefits, and where to find them:

Antioxidants are rich in many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Most antioxidants are "fat soluble" nutrients or nutrients that need to be eaten with a small amount of fat in order for the body to be able to use them.

Vitamin C is the exception. It is a "water soluble" nutrient or a nutrient that your body can use without having to eat any fat.

• Beta-carotene-  Aids in eye health.
• Found in orange foods
• Sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mango.

• Lutein- Aids in eye health
• Found in yellow foods and green leafy vegetables. 
• Collard greens, spinach, and kale.

• Lycopene-  Helps maintain vision and prevent eye damage caused by aging. It may also lower your risk of certain cancers.
• Found in red foods
• 80% or more Americans get lycopene from eating tomatoes and tomato products.
• Cooking tomatoes enhances the effect of lycopene.
• watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, and blood oranges.

• Vitamin A- Plays a role in vision, skin, and immune system health. As an antioxidant, it may help slow down or prevent certain cancers.
• liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks, and mozzarella cheese.

• Vitamin C (also called ascorbic acid)- Plays a role in skin health and wound healing, promotes healthy teeth and bones, and boost the immune system.
• is found in many fruits and vegetables, cereals, beef and poultry.  

• Vitamin E- Plays a role in fighting inflammation and swelling, heart health, brain health, and immune system health.  Vitamin E may help prevent cancer.
• Americans get most of their Vitamin E from cooking oils like soybean, canola, corn, and other vegetable oils.  
• The richest sources are found in nuts, seeds and oils.

How much should I get?
Taking antioxidant supplements can be toxic to your body because it is easy for you to get more than you need. Supplements usually contain high doses of nutrients.

Like fat, your body will hold on to extra fat soluble nutrients if it doesn't need them right away. Over time, your body can store too much of these nutrients which can be harmful.

It is advised that people get antioxidants from foods. There are no known cases of healthy adults who have had nutrient toxicity from food intake.  (There are many cases of toxicity from supplements).

This does not mean that you can not take a multivitamin. It just means that you do not need to take extra supplement to get antioxidants.

In summary, eat your fruits, vegetables, and whole grains!  

5 ways with Spaghetti squash

PUT DOWN THE HAMBURGER HELPER!

Why eat squash?

• Healthy and low calorie! Its a veggie that can be used to replace starches in many recipes. Different colored squashes are high in different vitamins and minerals. Many are great sources of vitamins A and C.
• 1 cup squash averages 40-50 calories (thats almost half the calories of a potato)
• Squash will store at room temp for up to 3 months prior to cooking it. 
• You can cook and store in fridge for up to 2 weeks. 
• Its CHEAP!!! Schnucks is offering squash for $0.50 per lb! How can you honestly tell me that hamburger helper was the better option at that price? You can't. 

If you have never cooked spaghetti squash its really easy, here is how you do it.

1. Cut the squash in half length wise; be careful not to cut yourself. All types of squash are hard to cut before they are cooked.  
•  Tip: If you are finding the squash hard to cut, you can pierce the skin with a fork a few times and cook it for about 3 minutes in the microwave.
2.  Scrape out the seeds
3.  Microwave method: Cook both halves of squash insides down, skin side up, on a plate for about 10 minutes. 

Other Spaghetti Suggestions:

1. Spaghetti traditional style
• 1 Spaghetti squash
• Newman's Own Garden Pepper pasta sauce 
• Lean (90%) ground turkey 
• Cook the squash, scrape the insides. You can heat and cook all ingredients separately.  
• I like to cook the squash, cook the turkey, then layer the 3 ingredients in a baking dish, like lasagna, and bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. Then remove the dish and top with Parmesan cheese and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. 
2.  Sloppy squash
• Sloppy Joe Sauce 
• Ground turkey (90% lean or more)
• Cook squash in microwave. Cook turkey and add sloppy joe sauce, simmer 5 minutes until sauce is warm. 
• Top spaghetti with sloppy Joe mixture. 
• Complement with a side of green veggies.
3. Replace noodles in soup with spaghetti squash
4. Stir fry and Pad Thai
5. Easy Cheesy Style
• 1 bag/ box Green Giant Broccoli with Cheese Sauce Steamer
• Cook squash. Cook steamer according to package directions. Combine the 2 ingredients. 

mashed cauliflower

Instead of mashed potatoes, try mashing cauliflower. It saves calories and gets in a serving of healthful veggies.

- This recipe courtesy of a patient, thanks for sharing!

Ingredients:

• 1 head steamed cauliflower (over cooking is a little preferable)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• Buttermilk has more sodium than regular milk, but less fat than whole milk.
• If you do not have butter milk, you can make "sour milk" by adding 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar to 1/2 cup of skim milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
• salt & pepper to taste
• Chives to taste

Directions: 

 

Put the steamed cauliflower is a mixer and add olive oil. Allow the mixer to puree the cauliflower. Add buttermilk and allow the mixer to mash the cauliflower fully. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Sly Salads: a comparison of the best and worst salad options

Look at these salads from various restaurants. Maybe you are better off ordering a burger? 

* Okay to order
** Okay to order but watch how much you eat


Buffalo Wild Wings:

• Honey BBQ chicken, without (w/o) dressing: 479 calories, 17g fat
• Grilled Blackened chicken, w/o dressing: 608 calories, 30g fat
• Garden, w/o dressing: 275 calories, 17g fat
• Tip: If your trying to be good split a salad with a friend, bring your own dressing.

Burger King:

• Crispy chicken garden salad, w/o dressing or croutons: 410 calories, 23g fat
• *Grilled chicken garden salad, w/o dressing or croutons: 230 calories, 8g fat

Dressings

• Ken's Honey Mustard dressing: 270 calories, 23g fat
• *Ken's Fat free ranch: 60 calories, 0g fat
• **Ken's light Italian: 120 calories, 11g fat

Dairy Queen:

• Crispy chicken, w/o dressing: 460 calories, 19g fat
• *Grilled chicken, w/o dressing: 280 calories, 11g fat

Dressings

• *Any of Dairy Queen's 4 fat free dressings are okay.

McDonald's:

• Most salads with grilled chicken and low-fat dressings are good choices. 

• Asian, crispy chicken, w/o dressing: 410 calories, 20g fat
• *Asian, grilled chicken, w/o dressing: 300 calories, 10g fat
• **1pkt low fat sesame ginger dressing: 90 calories, 2.5g fat

• *Bacon ranch with grilled chicken, w/o dressing: 260 calories, 9g fat
• *Caesar with grilled chicken, w/o dressing: 220 calories, 6g fat

Wendy's (Full size salads)

• Baja Salad: 740 calories, 47g fat, 49g carb, 35g protein
• BLT Cobb salad: 640 calories, 47g fat, 15g carb, 47g protein
• Apple Pecan Chicken Salad: 580 calories, 27g fat, 50g carb, 38g protein
• Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad:: 750 calories, 49g fat, 41g carb, 37g protein
• Tip: Your better off ordering a single Jr hamburger and a small order of fries which is 540 calories, 23g fat, 68g carb, and 16g protein

Salad Bar Nutrition Facts
The healthfulness of your salad varies greatly, depending on what ingredients you choose. Use this chart to build a better salad.

Food	Calories	Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Protein (g)	Carbohydrate (g)	Fiber (g)	Vit A (RE)	Vit C (mg)	Iron (mg)	Calcium (mg)
Cheddar, 1 oz	114	9	6	7	0	0	86	0	0.2	204
Feta, 1 oz	75	6	4	4	1	0	36	0	0.2	140
Egg, 1, boiled	78	5	2	6	0.6	0	84	0	0.6	25
Bacon bits, .25 oz	24	1	1	3	0	0	0	0	0.2	2
Chickpeas, ½ C	143	1	0	6	27	5	3	5	1.6	39
Chicken, 3.5 oz	173	5	1	31	0	0	9	0	1	15
Sunflower seeds, 1 oz	160	14	2	6	5	3	1	0	1.4	34
Raisins, ⅓ C	151	0	0	1.5	40	2	2	2	1	26
Beets, sliced, ½ C	26	0	0	1	6	1	1	3	1.6	13
Broccoli, ½ C	12	0	0	1	2	1	68	41	0.4	21
Carrot, ¼ carrot	8	0	0	0	2	1	506	2	0.1	5
Cucumber slices, ½ C	7	0	0	0	1	0	11	3	0.1	7
Mushrooms, ½ C	9	0	0	1	2	0	0	1	0.4	2
Onion, diced, ¼ C	15	0	0	0	3	1	0	2	0.1	8
Peas, ¼ C	30	0	0	3	5	2	27	6	0.6	10
Bell pepper, diced, ¼ C	7	0	0	0	2	1	16	23	0.1	3
Spinach, 1 C	12	0	0	2	2	2	376	16	1.5	56
Tomato, ½ tomato	13	0	0	1	3	1	38	12	0.3	3
Romaine, 1 C	8	0	0	1	1	1	146	14	0.6	20
Italian, fat free, 2 Tbsp	10	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
Italian, 2 Tbsp	140	15	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
Ranch, fat free, 2 Tbsp	50	0	0	1	11	1	0	0	0	0
Ranch, 2 Tbsp	170	18	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
Vinegar and oil, 2 Tbsp	144	16	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Croutons, 2 Tbsp	30	1	0	1	5	0	0	0	0.4	0

C=cup, g=gram, mg=milligram, oz=ounce, RE=retinol equivalent, Tbsp=tablespoon, Vit=vitamin

Reference
RD411.com

Calorieking.com

Wendy's website

Pennington JA, Bowes A, Church H. Bowes & Church’s Food Values of Portions Commonly Used. 17th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1998.

Review Date 4/09
G-0995

Calorie King- Salads in Fast Food Restaurats

Tis The Season For A Waste-Free Pantry Make-over

If you want to "get healthy" in 2011 but are worried about wasting food try donating it!

Even though you may want to start eating better in 2011, now is the best time to clean out your pantry. As an added bonus, cleaning out your pantry now will help mentally prepare you for a lifestyle change come 2011.

What should stay and what should go?

STAY:

Canned foods: Generally should be "no added salt" or "low sodium"

• Canned veggies- Are less nutritious than fresh or frozen (which are about equally as nutritious), if you can not afford fresh or frozen then make sure your veggies are "No added salt or Low sodium"
• Canned Soup- Low fat/ fat free cream soups, No added salt/ low sodium broth and vegetable based soups
• Canned fruit- in its own juice or light syrup
• Canned meat- packed in water, low sodium or no salt added, fat free/ reduced fat

Boxed foods: Generally should be low in sodium when possible, this one is tricky and hard for me to think of so you may be better off asking me about specific products

• Plain oat meal, low sugar oatmeal, granola bars that are high fiber ( 5g or more)/low calorie (less than 150 calories)

Grains: Generally any grain with at least 2g of fiber per serving is a keeper

• Whole wheat pasta, or pasta with 2g of fiber or more per serving
• Brown rice, or Uncle Ben's whole grain white rice, Wild rice

Extras:

• Fat free/ low fat ranch dressing mix packets- you never know when you need to make healthy party dip (just mix with non fat plain yogurt)
• PB2, of course
• Reduced sugar or sugar free jelly

GO

Canned: Throw away anything containing 100mg of sodium or more that originally had no/ little sodium before entering it entered the can (like a fruit or vegetable).

• Canned meat packed in oil (or should I say, packed in empty calories)
• Soups with more than 500-700mg sodium per serving should go!

Boxed and grains: Anything white, with less than 2g fiber per serving, and high in sodium should go.

• Dear Hamburger helper, your not helping anyone get healthy
• Sugary oatmeal, Raisin bran, and sugary low fiber granola bars

Extras:

• Consider giving away regular peanut butter and stocking up on some PB2 powdered peanut butter
• Jelly, unless reduced sugar or sugar free

 

Where To Donate

If you would like to make a food donation, please drop it off at The Food Bank:

The Food Bank
2101 Vandiver Drive, Suite B
Columbia, MO 65202

There are also several receptacles in Columbia where you can drop off your food donations.
Please call the food bank to find a location near you:

Phone: (573) 474-1020
Toll Free: (800) 764-3663

The food bank website: http://www.sharefoodbringhope.org/index.php

They accept the following foods:

If you would like to donate food, here’s a list of a few most-needed food items:
- Canned vegetables
- Canned fruit
- Canned meats such as tuna, chicken or beef
- Canned soup
- Boxed meals such as Hamburger Helper
- Pasta or rice
- Hot and cold cereal
- Peanut butter and jelly

Most-needed household/personal care items:
- Toilet Paper
- Paper towels
- Deodorant
- Soap
- Toothpaste

Things to remember:
- Please do not give homemade goods such as baked goods or home-canned items
- All items must have labels and must be sealed

Healthy Late Night Snacks

For pulling an all nighter:
Instead of coffee try a salad. The dark green leafy veggies are packed with fiber and vitamins that will boost your concentration.

Skip sleeping pills:
An article published on realage.com suggests that eating simple carbs like potatoes and rice will help you fall asleep, "Starchy carbs may help you nod off. Why? Foods that quickly raise your blood sugar also raise blood levels of the amino acid tryptophan, which the brain converts to mind-soothing serotonin. So unless you have diabetes, try microwaving a potato, warming up some instant rice, or popping an English muffin into the toaster, and then wait for the ZZZs to happen."

To help curb your hunger:
Protein is always a good option when your hungry in between meals. Foods under 100 calories like lean deli meat, low fat cheese sticks, and egg white omelets can help to tide you over. 

Mind relaxers:
Nuts may actually help relieve stress. Nuts that contain vitamins and minerals that may increase serotonin production which will help you relax. Blue Diamond makes 100 calorie packs of nuts.

Pregnancy cravings: 
Fat free yogurt, instead of ice cream, is a great option and provides calcium.

Sources: realage.com
http://cls.realage.com/srch/RASearch.aspx?query=late+night+&Catno=1&m=1

Very Low Fat Diets May Cause Gallstones: Are you at risk?

What are gallstones?

Gallstones are hard, pebble-like deposits that form inside the gallbladder. Gallstones may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball.


What causes them?

Gallstones are more common in women, Native Americans and other ethnic groups, and people over age 40. Gallstones may also run in families.

There are a wide variety of causes for gallstones. Ones that would be caused by a low fat diet would be due to a build up of bilirubin, which is a substance secreted by the gall bladder, that we use to digest fats. 

If you are not eating enough fat then the gall bladder doesn't contract and secret bilirubin.  This is how the build-up occurs.


How can I prevent them?

At least one meal per day must contain 10g of fat. Its okay if you may not have been doing this for a few days.

This doesn't mean you can finally drive through McDonalds and get a Big Mac.


What I recommend:

Continue to eat a diet low in fat, with one meal containing 10g of fat.

Fats should come from mono or poly unsaturated sources such as olive and canola oils, salmon and other fatty fish, etc.

What Type of Exercise is Best for Weight Loss?

If you are trying to lose weight exercise is important.

Physical activity is proven to increase your ability to do the activities of daily living (diet alone will not provide this benefit).

Many people wonder what type of exercise they should be doing in order to lose weight...

Cardio or strength training?

Both types of exercise are important and burn calories.

However, when you are talking weight loss the answer is Cardio.


Why?
For weight loss, you need to be eating less calories than you burn. Since your body is in a calorie deficit, it can not build muscle, regardless of how much protein you eat.

Muscle building requires you to eat enough calories and protein.

You can still choose to lift weights because it does burn calories but you will not be able to increase your strength as long as you are on a limited calorie diet.


How much exercise do I need?

First you have to know the difference between moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity...


Moderate intensity activity means you can talk but you can not sing.

• Walking 3 miles per hour (20 minutes/ mile)
• Ballroom dancing
• Doubles Tennis
• Biking less than 10 miles per hour
• Golfing without a cart
• General gardening

Vigorous intensity activity means you can not talk easily.

• Racewalking, jogging, running
• singles tennis
• aerobic dancing
• biking greater than 10 miles per hour
• heavy gardening

Do you have to work out all at once or can you break it up?

• Its best to spread you activity throughout the week. 
• At least 3 days per week is best.
• As long as you work out for at least 10 minutes per session, you can break up your workouts into three 10- minute bouts per day.

Physical activity needs for general health benefits:
Health benefits are seen in those who do at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous intensity physical activity.

• In other words, you can work out half as long if you do vigorous intensity activity 

For weight loss:
150-225 minutes per week or 30 minutes 7 days per week will help provide a moderate weight loss of about 4-6 lbs (takes a few weeks). 


225-420 minutes per week or 30-60 minutes 7 days per week will help provide significant weight loss of 10- 15 lbs (takes a few weeks).

In other words, the more you do the more you lose.


How much exercise do I need to maintain weight loss?

Even though your calorie level increases once you reach the weight maintenance phase, your physical activity should not be forgotten!

It is a proven fact that people need to do 200-300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week in order to maintain their weight loss or their current healthy weight in adulthood.


What you should do before you start working out...

1. Ask your doctor if you are able to work out. You may have activity restrictions. Please do not start a program without talking to your doctor.
2. Make a plan. 
• You may not be able to jump straight into a vigorous intensity work out. 
• Start walking 2-3 minutes at a time and work your way up to the 10 minute goal.  

If you want to join Wilson's Total Fitness with me, please let me know. My patients may be able to receive a discount!!!

Flat Branch Offers a Few Truely Healthy Dishes

Flat Branch has made a few changes to their menu and recipes. After my trip there this past weekend, I learned the following:

The menu item called the "Paleo Platter" consistes of your choice of meat and a large side of sauteed vegetables.

The side choice "sauteed vegetables" consistes of onions, yellow squash, red and green peppers, and broccoli. In the past, oil was used to sautee the vegetables. Now they are sauteed in vegetable broth with garlic and other seasonings. They are soooo good!

Another menu item that is a good option is the "roasted vegetable and hummus wrap". The actual wrap probably contains the majority of the calories from this meal so its best to share this with a friend. Or, if you are willing to take a few odd stairs, you could it eat the wrap like me and disect it so that you only eat the inside.

I am definetly going to try sauting vegetables at home using vegetable broth and garlic now.

10 Ways to Eat Eggplant

Popular fall vegetables include squash, eggplant, and pears.

The following tips are from Fruits and Veggies More Matters.

Curry. Cut eggplant into cubes and add to your favorite curry sauce and simmer until tender. Serve over brown basmati rice or quinoa.

Stir-Fry. Add eggplant to your stir-fry early on [along with other hard vegetables] so it cooks thoroughly.

Baba Ganoush. As a snack: serve Baba Ganoush with pita chips or veggies. In a sandwich: fill a pita with Baba Ganoush, mixed greens and tomatoes.

Roast, Peel and Serve over Pasta. Roast a small eggplant. Cool. Peel and cut into cubes. Add to tomato sauce with fresh basil. Serve over pasta.

Eggplant Pizza! Top a pizza with cubes of eggplant. Add tomatoes, black olives and red onion. Delicious!

Bread, Bake and Serve. Slice eggplant into rounds. Dip into beaten egg whites, then in bread crumbs. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake until tender. Serve on rolls with mixed greens, tomato slices and black olives.

A New Kind of Kebob. Add a little something new to your kebobs. Cut eggplant into cubes and add along with your usual kebob favorites.

Appetizing Appetizers? Absolutely! Eggplant Bruschetta will be a hit at your next party.

Eggplant Lasagna. Slice an eggplant lengthwise into thin slivers and use in lasagna in place of noodles.

Ratatouille. Ratatouille is a great way to enjoy eggplant and other summer vegetables. Serve with crusty bread for a delicious meal.

  

Roasted Squash and Eggplant Casserole with Chicken

Serves:  6
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
1 large yellow squash 1 medium eggplant 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 fresh lemon, juiced 4 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon fresh parsley Black pepper to taste ½ cup fresh basil, chopped 2 medium size chicken breasts, pre-cooked and cubed 1 cup canned tomato sauce
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice squash and eggplant lengthwise. In a bowl mix the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, black pepper. Brush squash and eggplant with this seasoning mixture. Grill the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or roast them in the oven under the broiler. Arrange squash, eggplant, basil and chicken in an 8×8 cooking dish and cover with tomato sauce. Heat in the oven 20 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
1 Cup of Fruits and Vegetables per Serving
Nutrition Information per Serving:
calories: 158 Total Fat: 5.4g Saturated Fat: 1.0g
Cholesterol: 40mg Sodium: 292mg Carbohydrates: 12g Dietary Fiber: 5g
Protein: 17g
Each serving provides: An excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of magnesium, potassium, folate and fiber.

Recipe courtesy of Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH). This recipe meets PBH and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nutrition standards that maintain fruits and vegetables as healthy foods.


(keep an eye out within the next month for blogs on squash and pears)

The above was provided by Fruitsandveggiesmorematters.com

Lovin' Legumes

Legumes are types of vegetables that includes beans, peas and lentils.

Benefits:

• Legumes are typically low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium.
• Contain beneficial fats
• Contain soluble and insoluble fiber.
• Although beans are starchy, they are also a good source of protein and can be a healthy substitute for meat.

Below are examples of commonly known beans and their uses.

Type of legume		Common uses
	Adzuki beans Also known as azuki beans, asuki beans, field peas, red oriental beans	Rice dishes and Japanese or Chinese cuisine
	Anasazi beans Also known as Jacob's cattle beans	Homemade refried beans and Southwestern recipes — especially soups
	Black beans Also known as turtle beans, black Spanish beans and Venezuelan beans	Soups, stews, rice and beans, Mexican dishes, and Central and South American cuisine
	Black-eyed peas Also known as cowpeas, cherry beans, frijoles, China peas, Indian peas	Salads, casseroles, fritters, bean cakes, curry dishes, and Southern dishes with ham and rice
	Chickpeas Also known as garbanzos, garbanzo beans, ceci beans	Casseroles, hummus, minestrone soup, Spanish stews and Indian dishes, such as dal
	Edamame Also known as green soybeans	Side dishes, snacks, salads, soups, casseroles, and rice or pasta dishes
	Fava beans Also known as broad beans, faba beans, horse beans	Stews and side dishes
	Lentils	Soups, stews, salads, side dishes and Indian dishes, such as dal
	Lima beans Also known as butter beans, Madagascar beans	Succotash, casseroles, soups and salads
	Red kidney beans	Stews, mixed bean salad, chili and Cajun bean dishes
	Soy nuts Also known as soybean seeds, roasted soybeans	Snacks or as garnish to salads

Images © Dole Food Company Inc. Used with permission


Cooking with legumes...

• One pound of dried beans yields about 5 or 6 cups cooked beans.
• A 15-ounce can of beans equals about 1 1/2 cups cooked beans, drained.

One popular dish that incorporates beans is chili


Leah's Super Simple Chili Recipe

Makes about 6 servings. Serving size is about 1.5 cups.

About 300 calories per serving (without cheese or crackers)

Ingredients

• Ground meat (must be at least 90% lean)
•  Ground chicken, ground turkey, ground beef, or shredded chicken breast (boil raw chicken breasts to cook them then shred them apart with fork)
• 1 medium to large yellow onion, diced
• 3 8-oz cans tomato sauce, no salt added
• 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, no salt added
• 1 15-oz can Rotel or tomatoes with chilies, no salt added if available
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• If wanting to add more types of beans, add another can of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce
• Chili powder (liberal amount), garlic or garlic powder, Mrs. Dash south west seasoning, crushed red pepper, hot sauce
• Add the above spices to your own liking, this is how you can customize this chili recipe into your own recipe.

Directions:

1. Dice onion and cook covered in large pot on medium heat for about 20 minutes or until caramelized. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.  
2. Cook ground meat in sauce pan, drain any fat.
3. Add ground meat to pot once onions are caramelized.
4. Add all other ingredients
5. As you add your spices, make sure you taste the chili after each addition until you have perfected your recipe.
6. Bring to boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer for at least 1 hour. Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning. The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste.

Serve with oyster crackers and cheese if desired.

Resources: Mayoclinic.com

Egg-u-cation

I have been asked recently, "is it okay to eat eggs every day? What part of an egg is better for you or are yolks and whites equally as nutritious?" 

To answer these questions we need to learn a little bit about eggs...

 

An average-sized egg weighs about 2 ounces. 

No matter how big or small an egg is, the yolk will make up about 31% and the white will make up about 58% of the egg's weight.  

Egg protein is used as the standard against which the quality of other food proteins are measured. 

One egg contains about 6 to 7 grams of protein. 

On average, one whole egg contains 80 calories. 

The fat in the yolk is easy for infants to digest. 


 Eggs have the B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin and fat-soluble vitamins A and D which children need for growth. 

Eggs have minerals, such as iron and phosphorus, that are essential for building strong, healthy bodies. 

So to answer the questions...

Egg whites contain most of the protein, none of the fat, and have less calories than egg yolks. Egg yolks contain the cholesterol, fat, and fat soluble vitamins. 



For people with normal cholesterol I would recommend eating no more than 5 whole eggs per week. 

For people with high cholesterol I recommend eating less than 2 whole eggs per week. 


I would not limit the amount of egg whites you eat per week. Egg whites are a very lean and complete source of protein.


This blog was adapted from the University of Illinois Extension at illinois.edu

Leah Lunch: Italian can be healthy!

Chicken Parmesan with garlic bread, pasta, and Italian salad:

Chicken Parmesan:

Ingredients 

• 4 Chicken breasts
• 1 Jar Classico "Tomato Basil" pasta sauce
• 50 calories per serving instead of 100 calories per serving of traditional pasta sauce 
• 4 White cheese slices, 2% milk
• Cheese slices help with portion control.
• Feel free to measure out shredded mozzarella cheese. Just know that 2% cheese slices tend to be less calories (~45 calories) than 1 serving of shredded mozzarella cheese (~80 calories).  

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Add half the jar of pasta to a oven safe container.
3. Add the chicken breasts
4. Add the rest of the pasta sauce
5. Cook covered for 45 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked inside
6. Add 1 slice of cheese over each chicken breast and put back in the oven for 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown on top.
7. Enjoy!

Garlic Bread:

Ingredients

• Wheat bread
• Use slices of 45 calorie Sara Lee bread for portion control
• "Light" or "Lite" butter spread like Promise or Smart Balance. 
• These are half the calories of the regular Promise or Smart Balance spreads. 
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced or 2 teaspoons canned minced garlic 

Directions

1. Use only 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of light butter spread per piece of bread, spread on the bread.
2. Add garlic on top of each piece of buttered bread
3. Toast bread in oven or toaster oven for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Pasta

Ingredients

• Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta
• This is white pasta with the benefits of wholegrain pasta. It has 5g of fiber, 6g protein, plus Calcium and vitamin D. 
• There is also 0mg of sodium and 0mg of cholesterol.

Directions:

1. Cook according to instructions on package. Serve with Chicken Parmesan.

Italian Salad

Ingredients

• Romain and iceberg mix lettuce
• Artichokes, canned
• Black olives, canned
• Tomatoes, sliced
• Onions, sliced
• Parmesan cheese
• Kraft fat free Italian dressing

Directions

1. Combine the following in a salad bowl and toss
• Romain and iceberg mix lettuce
• Artichokes, canned- drained
• Black olives, canned- drained
• Tomatoes, sliced
• Onions, sliced
2. Distribute salad in separate containers then add 1 serving of Parmesan cheese and 1 serving of salad dressing.

Enjoy your light Italian meal. We all loved it here!

Trendy Food Terms

Natural- The FDA and the USDA have no formal definition for "natural". The term is regulated by the FDA.

• It can be used on food labels as long as it is truthful and not misleading, the product does not contain added colors, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.

Processed vs. Unprocessed- These terms is often misused

• According to the Farm Bill of 2008, "a processed food is a food that has been processed to the point it undergoes a change of character"
• Examples of processed versus unprocessed include raw nuts (unprocessed) vs. roasted nuts (processed); edemame (unprocessed) vs tofu (processed).

Slow Food- a movement, which started in Italy in 1986. It is the oposite of fast food and includes ingredients, production, preperation and consumption as they relate to cultures.

• Now people commonly refer to slow foods as ones that are organic and prepared using traditional methods.

Whole Foods- foods that are not processed or refined and do not have added ingredients.

• Examples are fresh produce, dairy, whole grains, meat and fish or any other foods that are in their pure forms

Organic- Defined by the USDA, foods come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic plant foods are produced without using most conventional pesticides, gertilizers made with synthetic ingredients, or sweage sludge, bioengineering or ionizing radiation.

• A government approved certifier must inspect the farm.
• There are currently 3 levels of organic claims for foods:
• 100 percent organic
• 95 percent organic
• Made with organic ingredients- foods in which at least 75% of ingredients are certified organic.
• Foods containing less than 70% organic ingredients can not use the work "organic" on the product label; they are able to use "organic" items under the ingredients list.

This blog was adapted from an article in the ADA times winter 2010, written by Kyle Shandix, MS, RD, ACF

Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Since fall is finally upon us, I think this is a good time to start talking about cinnamon.

Aside from being extremely flavorful, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon contains 6 calories, 1.4 grams of fiber, manganese, and calcium.  The flavanoids in cinnamon act as antioxidants to help fight free radicals.

American culture commonly uses cinnamon in sweet dishes. In the Eastern world cinnamon is added to spicy dishes such as curries in India, and braised dishes in China and Vietnam.

To maximize cinnamon's flavor, you can add it to hot oil, butter, or water. If using this technique, only use a small amount of cinnamon because it is potent.

Here are some healthy recipes you can try using cinnamon....

Peas- Mushroom Pilaf
- Developed by Madhu Gadia, MS, RD, CDE
- 8 servings per recipe

• 1 cup basmati rice or brown basmati rice
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces mushrooms (about 1 cup), sliced
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup roasted cashews (optional)* 

1. Wash rice in two to three changes of water, then soak in cold water for 15 minutes and drain.
2. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves, cooking until cumin seeds are golden brown
4. Add onions and cook until golden brown, then mushrooms and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted.
5. Add rice and peas, gently stirring and cook about one minute. Add water and salt.
6. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until rice is cooked and water is absorbed.
7. Cover until ready to serve.
8. Fluff with fork and garnish with cashews, if desired

Nutrition facts per serving: Serving size: 1/2 cup.
Calories 140, total fat 3.5g, saturated fat 0g, trans fat 0g, cholesterol 0mg, sodium 290mg, carbohydrates 26g, fiber 2g, sugar 1g, protein 3g.
* Does not include cashews



Double Cinnamon Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes
- Developed by Karen Ferries, RD
- 4 servings per recipe

• 4 six-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 cups low sodium fat free chicken broth
• 1 small (two ince) cinnamon stick
• 1 small onion (about 1 cup), diced
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium to large sweet potatoe, coarsely grated
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup crushed low sodium tomates
• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pepper to taste

1. Bring chicken broth with cinnamon stick to a boil in medium pot, lower heat to simmer and gently poach chicken in broth for about 7 minutes or until cooked through.
2. Remove and shred chicken, reserving poaching liquid.
3. in a medium pot, cook onion in olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes until softened. Add about 2 tablespoons water to prevent browning.
4. Add reserved poaching liquid, sweet potato, black beans, tomatoes, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and shredded chicken.
5. Bring to a boil, then decrease heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
6. Remove cinnamon stick, season to taste and serve.

Nutrition per serving: Serving size 1 and 3/4 Cup
Calories 330, total fat 6g, saturated fat 1g, trans fat 0g, cholesterol 100mg, sodium 560mg, carbohydrates 22g, fiber 6g, sugar 3g, protein 45g.



This blog and its recipes were gathered from the ADA times, Autumn 2009, page 19.

Eating Healthy On-The-Go

Sometimes we just have time to grab protein bars, cereal bars, bags of chips, trail mix, and many other junk foods if we are eating on the go.

We want to grab healthful snacks that are keeping us full and not adding excess calories to our diets.

Tips for eating healthy on-the-go:

• Prepackaged foods: Make sure you are buying foods that contain only 1 serving per container.
• Fiber 1 bars (~150 calories each) are great because they contain 9 grams of fiber which will help keep you full. They are usually less calories than protein bars.
• 100 calorie packs
• String cheese and yogurt
• vegetables and dip (may contain full-fat dressing, double check before purchasing these items)

• "Snack Sacks": Use your weekends to pack 7 snacks into bags that you can keep in your fridge and grab when you are running out the door.
• Snacks should be balanced: Include a protein or fat free dairy option, a whole grain (no more than 100 calories per serving), and a fruit or vegetable.
• Protein/ Dairy Examples: fat free yogurt or string cheese, cottage cheese, 1 ounce of deli meat, powdered peanut butter.
• Whole Grain Examples: 1 serving of special K whole grain crackers (19 crackers are 90 calories), 1/2 serving of cheerios or other cereal, or 60 calorie mama lupe wraps. If you like to eat grains that have more than 100 calories per serving just use 1/2 of the normal serving size.
•  Fruits and veggies that travel well include celery, baby carrots, apples, plumbs, pears, etc.

• Items that will help you with portion control for these snacks include 1/2 cup sized Tupperware, plastic Ziploc bags, brown paper bags, and a kitchen scale.

• If you usually pair certain foods, keep them in a bag together so you don't have to remember to grab multiple food items for your snack. For example if you usually like crackers and cheese or fruit and yogurt, put them both in the same paper bag and store them together in the fridge.

Snacking Guidelines:

• Keep snacks to 200 calories or less
• Balanced snacks that contain protein and whole grains will help keep you full and satisfied until your next meal.  

Examples of balanced snacks include:

• Powdered peanut butter on celery (store in plastic bag)
• Yogurt with fresh fruit (keep together in brown bag)
• 60 calorie wraps with 1 ounce of meat with yogurt or fruit.
• Preportion cottage cheese into 1/2cup Tupperware, add frozen berries to Tupperware if desired.  

Meals on the go:

• Protein shakes (follow guidelines)
• Frozen dinners as lean cuisines and smart ones can be brought to work and microwaved there. For breakfast, Smart Ones and Jimmy Dean Delights are good options to bring to work or microwave at home before you walk out the door.
• Guilt Free Banana Oatmeal cookies can be made ahead of time and are great for breakfast

 Products that may have fooled you:

• Be aware of trail mix: usually comes with more than 1 serving per package (vending machine packages are usually 3 servings per small bag). They are high in calories and are not a recommended snack option.
• It may be a better idea to make your own trail mix.

• Many protein bars: A lot of times protein bars are high in fat and sugar. They are designed for body builders and not average Americans who are trying to maintain or lose weight. Protein bars can be used as meal replacements, not as snacks.

• Lunchables- are high in sodium, low in protein, and high in simple carbs (they provide little fiber).

• Some Quaker Rice Cakes

What do you snack on?

Leah Lunch: Zero Calorie Noodles

The noodles and pasta we usually eat have an average of 200 calories per 1/2 cup. Wouldn't it be great if they didn't have any calories. Such a food has arrived in America.

How is it possible that these noodles have 0 calories? According to the company that produces them, they are made from yam fiber and water. As we know, fiber is not absorbed and therefore has no calories.

Be aware that eating too much of anything that is not digestible will result in some unwanted digestive side effects.

Where can I find them?
Although no stores carry these noodles in Missouri, you can order them from the 0 Calorie "No0odles" website.

How do they taste?
We tried them today. We used them in chicken stir fry (recipe below) and thought they tasted like every other Asian noodle we have ever eaten.

They arrive precooked and do not look especially appetizing. Don't let that deter you from trying them. They don't really have a flavor of their own and will absorb the flavor of the foods they are cooked with.

How much do they cost?
We purchased "8 oz. NoOodle Angel Hair (2 per case)" which came to $13.81 after shipping.


Chicken stir fry with 0 calorie No0odles:

• 1-2 Chicken breast(s), cut into cubes
• Frozen stir fry blend vegetables (and any other frozen, fresh, or canned vegetables of your choice!)
• 1 Package of 0 calorie No0odles
• Pam cooking spray
• 2-4 Tablespoons of Teriyaki Sauce

1. Cook the chicken:
• Start by heating up a large skillet or wok.
• Once heated, spray skillet with Pam and add the chicken. 
• Cook the chicken completely. If you are unsure, cut the largest piece of chicken to make sure there is no pink inside.
• Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a plate.
2. Cook Vegetables:
• Cook frozen vegetables until tender.
• If using a combination of frozen and fresh vegetables, add the fresh vegetables after the frozen.
• Always add tomatoes after all the other vegetables have finished cooking.  
3. Add the cooked chicken and the No0odles to the skillet with the vegetables. 
4. Add the sauce to the skillet
5. Once all components are mixed and hot, meal is ready to be served.  

If you are skeptical of these noodles you can make the above recipe without them. Stir fry can be very healthy if you watch the sodium in the sauce.

How 60 Calories Can Give You 60% of Your Daily Fiber!

Fiber comes in 2 forms:

• Insoluble fiber is found in the skins of fruits and vegetables.
• It helps promote digestive health.
• Example: Apples, dark green leafy vegetables, etc.

• Soluble fiber is found in the inner portion of fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. 
• It helps promote heart health.
• Example: Oatmeal, Whole grain cereals like Cheerios and Fiber One, inside of apples, etc.  

• Both types of fiber help with weight loss because fiber remains in your stomach for a long time and helps to keep you feeling full.

Tips to get more fiber:

I have come up with multiple uses for a very fiber rich cereal that I'm sure we are all familiar with...

The Original Fiber One cereal contains 57% of your daily fiber in a 60 calorie serving (1/2 cup per serving).  Although 1/2 cup may not seem like a lot, the 14g of fiber will make you feel full.

1. Use on top of salads in place of using fried Chow Mein noodles or croutons.  
• 1/2 cup of fried Chow Mein noodles has 130 calories, 5g of fat, and 0g of fiber.
• 1/2 cup of cereal has half the calories of the Chow Mein noodles
2. Use it to make oatmeal:
• At only 60 calories per serving, it will have less calories and more fiber than plain and low sugar oatmeal 
• Combine 1/2 cup of cereal and 1/2 cup of water (or milk).
• Let soak for 2 minutes. Stir.
• Microwave for about 1 minute.
• Stir again and let sit for another minute to finish absorbing the water.
• Add some flavor with Splenda, fruit (dried or fresh), nuts, or sugar free maple syrup
3. Use to make yogurt parfaits:
• Much more fiber and 100% less sugar than granola
• Inside a small cup alternate between 1/4 cup of of fat free vanilla yogurt and 1/4 cup fresh or frozen berries.
• Add the cereal to the top layer.

Can you think of more ways to use this cereal? If so, please post a comment and share with us!

Shocking Results from a Study Looking at Restaurant Nutrition Labeling

According to a Study published in the Journal of the American Dietetics Association, researchers found that some restaurants' side dishes contained more calories than stated by the nutrition label.

Background on the study:

• took place in Boston
• Quick serve and sit-down restaurants that can be found throughout the USA were looked at
• The nutrition and calorie content was analyzed and compared with the nutrition information stated by the vendors.
• Restaurant menu items were chosen based on 3 criteria:
• Must have at least 500 calories/ serving
• Be typical American foods
• Be among those foods on the menu with the lowest stated energy contents.

Results:

• Calories of 29 restaurant foods were actually 18% more calories than stated
• 7 restaurant foods double the stated calorie amount 
• 5 restaurants provided free side dishes
• These sides averaged 470 calories per side dish
• The sides had more calories than the entrees they came with (which averaged about 440 calories).

The problem:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows up to 20% excess calorie content but weight must be no more than 99% of the stated value.

Meaning, food manufacturers might add more food to their packages in order to meet the weight standards which in-turn increases the actual calorie content beyond what was originally stated.

What do I recommend?
Portion control- Eat according to the plate method and/ or do not exceed My Pyramid recommendations.
Use common sense when ordering at restaurants, and try to eat only half.

• Eating less processed and pre-packaged foods
• Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables
• Cooking and preparing your own meals with wholesome ingredients
• Limit how often you eat out to once per week.

This blog was adapted from an article in the ADA times, Winter 2010, pg 9

Phytochemicals

What are they?
Also known as antioxidants, flavonoids, flavones, isoflavones, catechins, anthocyanidins, isothiocyanates, carotenoids, allyl sulfides, polyphenols...

Phytochemicals are plant made compounds that are found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and other plant-based foods.

The most common ones are beta carotene, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), folic acid, and vitamin E.

How they gained popularity...
Historically, cultures that consume such a diet have lower rates of certain cancers and heart disease.

• For example, the relatively low rates of breast and endometrial cancers in some Asian cultures are credited at least in part to dietary habits.
• These cancers are much more common in the United States, possibly because the typical American diet is higher in fat and lower in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains.

Phytochemicals are beneficial because they may reduce the risk of certain cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. 

The Science and the Evidence...
It is not well known what particular phytochemicals are responsible for prevention of diseases; however, there is evidence that suggests plant foods play a role.

How much should I eat?
Its easy to get phytochemicals by eating fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.

• A carrot contains more than a hundred phytochemicals.
• 5 or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables, along with foods from a variety of other plant sources such as nuts, seeds, whole grain cereals, and beans is likely to be more effective in reducing cancer risk than consuming one particular phytochemical in large amounts. 
• There are thousands of known phytochemicals, but only a few have been studied in detail.
• Dietary supplements are available but most evidence suggests supplements are not as beneficial as food.  

This information was gathered from the American Cancer Association's website.