Nutrition and Nutrients Archives | Page 4 of 7

Design Your Own Bars

December 5, 2008

I came across the coolest thing in one of my magazines the other day. Did you know you can design your own nutrition/energy bars?

First, before I explain I have to say that, no, I have not ordered any so I can’t vouch for anything, but the idea was so cool I just had to share.

You Bar allows you to build your own bar. You pick the ingredients and even the packaging. How cool is that? There are many organic ingredients to choose from and even agave nectar or honey can be used for sweeteners.

I thought these ingredients sounded great (not necessarily together) – cashew butter, organic pumpkin seeds, organic cacao nibs and organic shredded coconut.

They’ll cost you $40 for a dozen according the article. Pricey, but what a fun gift. You can get gift certificates for people to build their own.

If nothing else, it is fun to look over the site and see all the cool combinations you could come up with. You’ll be able to see the nutrition info as you build it.

If anyone has tried this before or ends up doing so you have to let me know how they are!

Lighter Post Holiday Meals

December 4, 2008

Raise your hand if you are trying to eat a bit…well…lighter since Turkey Day. I’ve definitely had it on my mind. I think after the holidays and all that rich, heavy (although very good tasting) food, I am ready to get back on track with healthier foods.

I thought this was the perfect time to experiment with an idea I got when I was traveling in Ireland this past summer. Many of my lunches consisted of stopping by a Marks & Spencer (love that store!) and picking up a wrap and drink, then heading down to the water to eat. Such a bad dining atmosphere, I know.

I did this because it was less expensive; I could choose a healthier meal and after so much traveling around by yourself during the day asking for a table for one can get a bit old.

There was one particular wrap that was delicious – Mexican 3 Bean Wrap. It was lettuce, tomato, black bean salsa, cheese and chunks of sweet potato wrapped in a tortilla. The combination was surprisingly good.

I’ve been wanting to recreate it and finally decided to do so with my need for a lighter meal and left over sweet potatoes. After the potato, casserole and pie overload I’m limiting carbs a bit (at least until the Christmas cookies start coming around) so instead of eating it as a wrap, I turned it into a salad. I just added enough ingredients to make an individual meal.

Black Bean Sweet Potato Salad

Mixed greens
Black beans
Sweet potato, cubed and cooked (I like to boil them a bit to start the cooking process and then sauté to brown and caramelize the cubes)
Shredded cheese, I used an Italian blend
Salsa

So there you have it – veggies, protein, fiber and extra vitamins and minerals all in one tasty salad. Try it as a wrap too. It makes such a great lunch.

The Positive Attributes of the Thanksgiving Meal

November 25, 2008

Okay, so when it comes to health Thanksgiving tends to get a bad rap. Yes, there are a lot of calories being consumed, not to mention fat, sodium and sugar, but for some reason I feel the need to stand up for the Thanksgiving meal. I’m not sure why; maybe because I enjoy it so much and, to me, it isn’t all bad.

There always seems to be a trend in media around Thanksgiving time. I remember that last year’s was the comparison of pie calories. Every magazine I opened had a handy chart to help you decide if you should have pumpkin or pecan pie based on its nutrition profile. I haven’t stayed up to date with my magazines lately so I haven’t really noticed a trend this year. If you have, throw it out there in the comments.

Anyway, Thanksgiving always fills us with visions of overeating, under-exercising and passing out on the couch. I’m not saying that we don’t consume too much of a good thing on this day, but I’m just saying it is not all bad.

I mean, I know people who don’t ever eat a sweet potato in their normal daily lives, but end up having some on Thanksgiving. Surely they are getting some amount of nutrients from this rare occasion.

So join me as I outline some of the positives that I see in the Thanksgiving meal.

Turkey – Okay, don’t attack me with the hormone injection stuff. I know where your turkey comes from is important. However, you have to admit it could be worse main dish. If you are a meat eater, poultry is a good source of lean protein and getting it fresh from the bird is so much better than that over-processed lunch meat version.

Cranberries – For a lot of people this is probably the only time of year they eat them, which is somewhat due to availability of course. If you make your own sauce you can control the sugar and use whole berries to ensure you are getting all the vitamin C, fiber, manganese and vitamin K these little gems have to offer.

Sweet Potatoes – Their bright orange color gives a lot away. Take a serving and you’ll be getting vitamins A, C and B6, manganese, copper, fiber, potassium and iron. Wow, that’s a lot of good stuff!

Nuts – Protein and omega-3 fatty acids can be found in all those nut-based toppings and pies.

There are many more, but I don’t want to give you a book to read. I know you have a lot to do if you are preparing a Turkey Day meal.

Let’s move away from physical health and focus on mental health. The act of cooking together, eating together, sharing traditional recipes and laughter are good for the soul. They improve mood and well-being. Sure, sometimes stress gets in the way if you are the planner, but overall my Thanksgivings have always been a fun time.

So squeeze in an extra workout (or 3) to combat the calories, eat mindfully enjoying each bite while taking only what you truly want and enjoy any precious time you have with family and friends.

Celebrate the healthy side of Thanksgiving!!

Irish Steel Cut Oats

November 24, 2008

First of all let me say the oatmeal craze among food and health bloggers has been off the charts lately. It is making me crave oatmeal like never before. Growing up oatmeal was always an “old person” food to me – something grandparents ate. I’m so glad the health benefits have come out and now it seems to be enjoyed by just about everyone.

Once I found out how good homemade whole oats were I left instant oatmeal behind a few years ago. All that artificial flavor just can’t compare. The time issue isn’t an argument either. It takes me 2 ½ minutes to make my oatmeal in the microwave and maybe an extra 5 to add ingredients and the flavor is 10 times better.

Before I go on, I have to tell you some very cool news I found out last week – I’m part Irish! As I’ve gotten older I’ve become a lot more interested in my roots especially regarding food. I’ve always known I was German and I’m very drawn to that culture and food. My recent trips to Ireland over the past two years have created similar feelings.

I have an uncle who has followed our family tree back and last week he shared some of the information with us. Apparently my grandfather’s family (not sure how far back yet) came over from Ireland to Virginia. I have to say I’m very proud of this. Bring on the brown bread, scones and Guinness pie!

So anyway, this really doesn’t have anything to do with my new family history finding, but I have always wanted to try Irish Steel Cut Oats. I’m pretty sure this is what I had in the form of porridge while in Dun Laoghaire this year, but I had never made them myself.

The difference in the steel cut oats isn’t really in the nutritional value, but as the name implies, in the way they are cut and processed. They are the whole grain groats cut into 2-3 pieces. Everything I read talked about the heartier texture and I agree. They have a bite to them; a chewiness. Boiling them also results in a creamy texture so there is no need to make them with milk.

I was worried I wouldn’t want to put in the time to cook them, but I have learned it is completely worth it. I may not always have time to make them during the week, but Irish Steel Cut Oats will definitely be a part of my regular weekend breakfast.

For this type of oat, ¼ cup dry is considered on serving. I prepared a ½ cup and it really made three small, but adequate servings. Combine ½ cup of the oats with 2 cups of water and boil stirring often. Watch them because they might boil over if the heat is too high. As they begin to thicken, stir constantly until they reach your desired thickness. The whole process took me about 30 minutes.

I topped mine with frozen blueberries, brown sugar and walnuts. If you’ve seen these oats in stores and haven’t tried them yet, I say go for it. They are one of my new favorite breakfasts.

PS. I also wanted to mention that I got my Larabar JamFrakas thanks to Megan’s Munchies! They were pretty good. I saved the banana chocolate one to the very last because I thought I wouldn’t like it, but it ended up being my favorite. I’ve eaten a lot of bars in the past when I worked in gyms from the ultra high protein to those filled with ephedrine (when it was allowed). I try to steer clear of them now and go for real food, but from time to time they are convenient. I did like the health profile for the Larabar. A good choice for traveling for me.

Black Bean Burgers

November 11, 2008

I’m not sure if it is obvious or not, but I’m trying to find a bit of a balance with my blog. My goal is to provide you with thought provoking health information related to fake vs. real foods. In addition, I’ve really fallen for this world of food blogging and it has helped me gain a renewed love of cooking which had been wavering since my move abroad due to various barriers.

So my plan is to feature a few real foods with recipes each week along with plenty of posts about health and wellness. Have some thoughts? Tell me what you think in the comments today. I’m open to all suggestions and opinions.

Now on to today’s subject – Black Beans!!

Black beans are so popular these days they seem to be a staple in most of our kitchens. I happen to love them. I have them in anything from salsa to salads to my scrambled egg omelets.

We can’t forget that they fall into that category of black foods which offer so many health benefits. In addition, to the protein and fiber those rich, dark pigments provide us with unique set of disease fighting antioxidants.

I’ve had a black bean burger recipe sitting out on my counter forever. I finally got around to trying it late last week and they were so great! They were featured in the August issue of Shape magazine and I highly recommend them.

They tend to have a bit of a summer feel, I know, but they could be just the lighter fair you are looking for among all the heavy comfort food around at the moment.

I followed the recipe pretty closely, however, I used white onion instead of red and I also cooked them in a little olive oil. The recipe had a pico de gallo with it, but I just used some of the same ingredients to make my own salsa. I also skipped the tortillas that the original recipe called for.

Black Bean Burgers
Slightly modified from a recipe at Shape.com

1 tbsp olive oil
16 oz. cooked black beans
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp salt
Dash of pepper

Sautee the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until slightly browned and tender. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, mashing the black beans as you combine everything together (I had to add about a tablespoon of water for moisture). Shape into 4 patties and cook in skillet coated with olive oil until browned on each side and heated through. Top with salsa.

For the salsa, simply chop the following ingredients and toss together with lime juice, salt and pepper.
Tomato
Onion
Avocado
Jarred jalapeños
Cilantro

Water Intake Is Not a Myth to Me

November 10, 2008

If you’ve kept up with current health news over the past year you’ve probably come across all the hype about the need for 8 – 8oz glasses of water a day being a myth.

I talked a little about this when I commented on the popularity of tap water in Ireland during my travels this summer. However, I have some new readers so I thought I’d introduce the topic again and get your thoughts.

There was a review of studies that came out mid-year saying most of the things we believe that water does for us aren’t scientifically supported. I am an 8 – 8oz glasses a day girl and I routinely come back to thoughts of these claims when I see them mentioned in magazines and on web-sites.

The truth is most people working in the nutrition field were well aware that the original recommendation was simply 8 glasses of fluid a day, not specifically water. As we began to see that the most popular drinks were sugar-laden fruit juices and soda, the recommendation moved to water because it is a healthier choice.

I think many of us reach the point in areas of health where personal experience overrides some of the research we come across. This is one of those areas for me. I know the placebo effect is alive and well, and some things can be all in our heads, but I am a firm believer in water being a healthy and beneficial drink.

The reasons I drink water don’t have anything to do with many of the things the research points out as being false. I mean, I had kidney function on the back of my mind, but it wasn’t my main motivator.

Drinking water makes me feel good. It gives me energy, clears up my skin, makes me feel less bloated and helps prevent headaches. When I don’t have enough, for example when I am traveling or out all day running errands without a bottle near me, I can definitely tell. I get dehydrated quickly and it greatly affects my energy levels.

So I say listen to how water makes you feel before you listen to the media’s twist on some research.

Is drinking water an important part of your health routine? How do you feel about all these claims of 8 x 8 being a myth?

By the way, I was able to find the editorial article on this in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Yay!!

Photo by David Ellis, morguefile.com

How Does Your Juice Rank?

November 5, 2008

1. Pomegranate juice
2. Red wine
3. Concord grape juice
4. Blueberry juice
5. Black cherry juice
6. Açaí juice
7. Cranberry juice
8. Orange juice
9. Tea
10. Apple juice

I was looking through some of my magazines this past weekend and came across this article about a recent study that looked at the antioxidant level of popular drinks and juices.

After my post about my fortunate access to açaí I had to write a post about this. I was so amazed to see it so far down on the list. However, I was very happy to see red wine up there and to know that cranberry juice made the top 10. I love cranberries!

Normally I like to go back and read through a study when I find research like this which brings me to one my biggest pet peeves in the research world. I understand that it is a money making business, but the prices of access to research journals are absolutely ridiculous.

What good are you doing for society when you produce great research, but no one can find it due to it costing a fortune? It does make me miss the days when I worked for academia and had free access to just about any research journal I wanted.

Anyway, I thought I’d also give a little update on açaí. I had heard that it is really caloric. Now, I know a ton of foods that have nutrient benefits that far outweigh the calorie content, meaning it is worth it because they are so healthy.

They often sell little packets of natural fruit pulp here to be made into juices. A friend of mine bought one pack of pineapple and one pack of açaí. This was just natural pulp, no sugar or anything.

The pineapple had 60 calories. The açaí…250 calories!! That is just in the berry itself. I found it quite amazing. The health benefits are probably worth it and I’m not giving it up, but I might need some extra time at the gym!

Did your favorite natural fruit juice make the list?

By the way, I didn’t have access to the whole research article, but here is the abstract if you want to take a look.
Comparison of Antioxidant Potency of Commonly Consumed Polyphenol-Rich Beverages in the United States

Photo by Emily Roesly, morguefile.com

Ready for New Nutrition Guidelines?

November 3, 2008

Looking around on the USDA web-site today I realized something. It is almost the end of 2008. Well I already knew that, but I had forgotten how close we are to 2010.

My point? The USDA and Health and Human Services release dietary guidelines every 5 years. That means the release of a revised set is right around the corner.

Like most people, I’ve had issues with our national guidelines in the past. That being said, I am grateful to live in (or I guess be from) a country where this information exists. It is at least a starting point and provides thought provoking information to reflect on.

I also think we’ve come a long way. For example, the importance of physical activity finally found a place in the 2005 guidelines. I’m actually really hopeful for changes to come.

I had a pretty cool job working in Cooperative Extension before our move abroad. I got to work on a project with other nutritionists and exercise professionals to develop a curriculum tool based on the 2005 guidelines.

This meant that I had access to notes and research that went into the development of those guidelines – two massive binders full. It was really eye-opening to see how much work and science goes into their creation.

While I was always critical of the old pyramid with all the carbs on the bottom, seeing the basis for the development of the 2005 guidelines I became more appreciative of their presence. It can be difficult to translate science into something usable and understandable to the general public. Change can be confusing and nutrition tends to be a complex subject with all those macro and micro nutrients to worry about.

Personally, I’m all ears about what is to come in the new guidelines. Even if I don’t agree with it all, I know it will give me new ideas to explore.

The committee will be holding public meetings in Washington DC (the first one was last week) for the next several months. The new/revised guidelines will be released in fall 2010.

If you have something to say regarding the 2010 revision, you can submit and view public comments by visiting the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.

So how do you feel about government-based nutrition information? Do you use it to guide your choices or do you have other resources you rely on?

Photo by Heather Kitchen courtesy of Free Range Stock

All That Holiday Eating Advice

October 28, 2008

Halloween is on Friday and it is, what many people consider, the start of the holiday season. It’s about that time when little blurbs of information pop up everywhere offering tips on how to maintain or lose weight during the holidays.

When I read the bounty of tricks for avoiding holiday eating my first thought is usually an accusation that the person writing has obviously never been to a holiday party, or at least the kind I’ve been to.

Most of the tips are just too simple and I begin thinking – why do we need tricks to fool ourselves into eating healthy? It feels a little dishonest and sneaky. Why is it wrong to thoroughly enjoy the holiday season even if it means putting on a couple pounds?

I do believe the information out there saying that weight gain overtime can be attributed to the small amounts that people gain year after year at the holidays which they never seem to take off. This makes sense to me. It becomes a serious problem if you never lose holiday weight.

I struggle like crazy with the holiday eating because for the past few years my husband and I have taken an all-inclusive vacation the week before Christmas. After all that eating and drinking we head right into Christmas and New Years. We balance two families in the same town so that usually means 2 – 3 massive meals in the same day, everyday. Explode much? It’s a lot of food!

So I started thinking about all those tips that don’t work for me and here are a few.

Eat before you go. This one makes me laugh every time because all it has ever done for me is resulted in two meals instead of one. I understand the idea of not feeling starved when you get there, but why would I want to fill up before getting to all that tasty food.

Arrive late. Have we really gotten so out of control with our eating that we must be rude to the host in order to control ourselves?

Fill your plate with veggies. Okay, this can work sometimes, but after the carrots I usually go back for the stuff I really want.

You can’t take the food out of the holidays. Enjoying (and cooking) these meals with family and friends are a huge part of what memories are made of. It doesn’t mean we have to overeat and gain weight, but it does mean we have to develop a healthy relationship with food (and exercise) so our thoughts and energy are focused on the experience and not the size of our waistline.

These are a few things that I try to incorporate around this time of year.

I start right now. I mentioned that yearly vacation right? I’m always motivated this time of year to hit the gym a little harder and cut out excess calories in preparation for things to come. I get a head start so I’m not left with a ton of weight to lose come January.

Practice mindful eating. Don’t mindlessly stuff your face with food as you talk and talk. Take a second to enjoy each bite and recognize when you are full. Appreciate this time and all the wonderful foods that go with it.

Choose what you really want. It has taken me several years to make this change. I used to eat everything and anything offered. Now I’ve begun to recognize what I can pass up. For example, rolls, chips and other unexciting things I can get everyday (if I wanted it) I pass on, but that special mac n cheese or pecan pie only comes around about once a year.

Exercise, exercise and exercise some more. Keep up the workouts. The only real way to curb weight gain while enjoying the foods of the season is to burn it off. The bonus is that it will also relieve that holiday stress many of us feel.

Eat real foods (you had to know this was coming). The holidays aren’t an excuse for me to indulge in processed, chemically-laden junk. I focus on the homemade stuff with real ingredients. Spare me the calories of the chips and store-bought cookies.

Stay away from the food table. Okay, this one is usually listed with most tips and for me it definitely works. If I take a seat away from the buffet of holiday goodness, I end up eating less.

Don’t skimp on actual nutrients. Make sure you are still getting those leafy greens, fruits and calcium which can sometimes be lacking in holiday foods. Don’t make your body go without necessary nutrients for healthy function. Decide how you can include them.

Accept and appreciate yourself. So you gain 5 lbs during the holidays? So what? The bigger question is – 1. did you enjoy the foods you ate? 2. did you enjoy the time spent with the people you love? Give yourself a break and commit to returning to a healthy weight as soon as the holidays are over.

How do you feel about holiday eating “tricks”? Let me know what works for you.

Photo by Marica Umland, morguefile.com

Kind of Like a Cherry

October 24, 2008

I got something interesting at our farmer’s market this week so I thought I’d go back to my “foods of Brazil” for this post. This week, many of the booths had bags toppling over, full of these little red fruits – acerola.

I’ve had acerola before in the juice form at the hotel breakfast here in town. Did I mention we lived in a hotel of a few months before getting into our apartment? Man, that breakfast got old!

Anyway, I had never ventured to try the actual fruit. I’ve only seen it at the market a few times and considering how fast they are going in my fridge right now, they aren’t the most stable of fruits.

Acerola appears to be pretty popular in the supplement world and is often sold in a powdered form. Its popularity comes from its utterly amazing amount of vitamin C content.

In a cup of the fruit there is 1644 mg of vitamin C! Compare that to 63 mg in an average-sized Florida orange. Wow!

How lucky am I to get to eat the actual fruit and drink the juice instead of sucking down a supplement!

Acerola is in the cherry family, but different than many fresh cherries I’ve had before. It is available in many other places in addition to Brazil. I saw some info that it is grown in California.

The texture to me was like a cross between a cherry and a peach. The flavor isn’t very distinctive. It isn’t overly sour or sweet, kind of bland. Each of the cherries has 3 seeds in it which makes it difficult to get to any of the flesh. I solved that problem by throwing it in the juicer.

It made a thick pulp to which I added water. It needed just a tiny bit of sugar to enhance the flavor and ended up being a great snack. I’ve still got a couple more cups in the fridge to finish. I’m stocked with vitamin C and ready to fight any infection that may arise!