F is for Fat

The threat of obesity - pervasive, serious and growing. No other issue effects so many. No other issue is more avoidable. No other issue generates more complacency than does the threat of obesity. Why?

• It seems so simple (eat less, move more); yet is so complicated encompassing issues of lifestyle, habit development, cooking methods, cultural background, geographic location, city planning, food and child safety, psychological, genetic and the list goes on.


• Food is so personal. Changes to what, when, and how people eat can be monumental. For some it is like changing who they are.


• Progress has brought with it technological advances which result in less calories expended.

So what's the solution, government programs, changes in urban planning, food manufacturers developing healthy foods? Actually it's all of these and more.

The most important solution however comes from within each of us. What we eat and how we spend our time is a personal choice - actually a lot of personal choices that we make each day. What we buy at the grocery store, order at restaurants, make in the kitchen, choose at the table or at a friend's home all add up to become us. We also make choices between TV and dog walking, bicycle or motorcycle, skis or snowmobile. You get the picture.

This past week a report was released in which the prevalence of obesity was reported to be still growing. Even the map we use to show this visually has changed color schemes. Check it out yourself - http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2010/.

We can't change our genes but we can work within them and our other limitations. Make each choice you make a healthy one - or at least most of them. Enjoy what you eat and what you do. It is really possible to do both.

Happy, Healthy Eating,

Marcia

Cooking with Yogurt

All this talk of eating dairy. Everyone looking for low fat options. Yogurt rises to the top whether in frozen form or straight from the dairy case. But what about cooking? That's where sour cream and butter shine. So how does one substitute yogurt and get good results?

As always, just a few simple guidelines...

• Replace sour cream with plain yogurt in hot foods such as soup or stroganoff but wait until you're finished cooking and have turned off the heat to add the yogurt.


• Try the same substitution in baked goods like coffee cake or muffin recipes that call for sour cream. Just remember that the texture will be more like a sponge cake due to the increase in protein and decrease in fat


• No need to go completely fat free; remember that sour cream is made from cream which is at least 10% fat and often higher. At most full fat yogurt is made from milk that's 4% milkfat.


• Dips for vegetables or chips will be more watery if made from yogurt instead of sour cream. Try using half yogurt and half sour cream or cream cheese and going with the lower fat version of the latter.


• Don't forget other seasonings or flavored yogurts. When appropriate choose lemon or vanilla yogurt rather than plain. You'll be amazed at the difference in flavor.

Happy, Healthy Eating!

Marcia

Keeping Kids Healthy

More and more, parents are concerned about childhood obesity and rightly so as over the last ten years the number of overweight children has doubled. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) sixty percent of overweight children between the ages of 5 and 10 have at least one risk factor for heart disease.

Here are some tips from this mother and nutritionist to help make exercise and good eating habits a part of every family's lifestyle:

• Include foods each day from every category of food - grains, meat/beans, fruit/vegetables, dairy.
• Minimize (but DON'T ELIMINATE) high sugar, high fat foods or those that contain both - that would include soda, cookies, high fat snacks of any kind
• Make healthy foods convenient - I know a young mom who said that her kids' consumption of carrots increased by a factor of at least 5 when she began purchasing baby carrots. The carrot suppliers support those numbers. Calcium intake increases similarly when homes stock yogurt in forms that are popular with children

Physical activity is also critical - try these to keep kids moving:
1. Be a role model - kids will exercise if the adults in their lives do

2. Turn off the TV and computer and turn kids on to the outdoors

3. Bored with the backyard or don't have one? Explore new places to move as well as new ways

4. Ask the kids - Wii has great "moving" games.

And as always - involve kids in growing, preparing and eating healthy foods.

Happy, Healthy Moving,
Marcia

The Culture of Yogurt

Yogurt has gotten a lot of good press in recent years primarily due to the active bacterial cultures that are a part of this unique food. I often receive questions regarding the validity of these claims to their attributes. So what's the scoop? Researchers are exploring how yogurt and its cultures may have a beneficial effect on the immune system and how yogurt may help play a role in reducing cholesterol levels and preventing certain diseases.

Potential health attributes associated with eating yogurt go beyond protein and calcium according to a report out of Tufts University. According to an article from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition yogurt may help make the immune system more resilient. Eating yogurt may help protect the intestinal tract and there are promising indicators that there may be positive effects on other chronic conditions. This is believed to be due in part to the live, active cultures found in yogurt. How?

• Enzyme in yogurt help improve lactose tolerance by acting as the enzyme in the gut that digests lactose.
• Yeast infections were decreased in yogurt eaters as reported by another study (Annals of Internal Medicine).
• Babies are less likely to experience childhood diarrhea if fed breast milk uninterrupted throughout infancy compared to infants who consume non-human milks. That's because the lactose in human milk is much easier to digest than cow or goat milk formulas. The exception to this rule is fermented milk products - yogurt-based foods.
• Populations in Mediterranean regions experience lower incidences of CHD, some cancers and other diet related diseases due in part to the prevalence of yogurt in the diet pointing to a cultural model for healthy eating.

The active cultures in yogurt are considered "probiotics" which are live bacteria that are beneficial to health if there are enough of them. The intestine is kept healthy if it maintains enough good bacteria. There is no doubt that yogurt is a healthy food due in part to the active cultures it contains. Different bacterial strains are effective for different health functions. The science of probiotics is still emerging so that definitive claims are premature. Keep tuned for emerging science that will help to expand our knowledge. In the meantime...

Happy, Healthy Eating,

Marcia

Lactose Intolerant - Drink Milk!

I know what you're thinking - "You've got to be kidding me!" Right? Please hear me out. Lactose is the sugar that is naturally found in milk and therefore dairy foods. Lactase is the enzyme that breaks down lactose in the gut so it can be absorbed. It is also what's missing in people who have been diagnosed with lactose intolerance. Unfortunately, people who avoid dairy foods may be missing important nutrients in their diet that help them keep healthy. One glass of milk, one ounce of cheese or one cup of yogurt gives us...

• Calcium - 30%
• Vitamin D - 25%
• Riboflavin - 24%
• Phosphorus - 20%
• Protein - 16%
• B12 - 13%
• Potassium - 11%
• Vitamin A - 10%
• Niacin - 10%

That's the amount of these nutrients that one serving of dairy food provides. However when the lactose is not broken down by the body people experience pain, bloating and general discomfort. So what to do?

The good news is that most people with lactose intolerance can tolerate at least 12 grams of lactose, the amount in about 1 cup of milk, with little or no symptoms. Also, by gradually re-introducing dairy into the diet can help manage symptoms and help people with lactose intolerance benefit from the nutrient package in dairy. If you do experience symptoms try these ideas:

• Choose lactose-free milk and milk products - they're real dairy food but the lactose has been broken down.
• Drink small amounts of milk with meals or cook with milk
• Try dairy foods with a lower lactose content like hard cheese
• Eat yogurt with live and active cultures - the lactose is being dealt with by those cultures
• Take lactase enzyme supplements when eating dairy

Sensitive to lactose or not - enjoy dairy foods and be healthy and strong.

Happy, Healthy Eating!

Marcia

June is Dairy Month

Yes - DAIRY MONTH - so take the opportunity to raise a glass to all the dairy farmers, families and folks that make it possible for us to have a plentiful supply of this delicious and nutritious category of food. It is also a chance for all of us to celebrate the good nutrition provided by milk, cheese and yogurt. Dairy foods provide at least 9 essential nutrients in one serving including 1/3 of the calcium needed each day. As most of us know, calcium helps to make the bones strong but what many do not know is that calcium is also critical to heart health. Besides calcium, dairy foods have lots of protein, carbohydrate (lactose), potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B2 and B12 as well as zinc. Yes, that's more than 9 but you get the idea.

Don't like milk? Rest assured there are a lot of great tasting dairy foods other than fluid milk. Here are just a few ideas:

TURKEY CHEDDAR WRAP

1/2 cup low-fat yogurt

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

4 whole wheat tortillas

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

6 oz. sliced turkey breast

1 cup baby spinach leaves, uncooked

1/2 cup shredded carrots

Combine yogurt, raisins and curry powder. Spread 2 tablespoons yogurt mixture on each tortilla within 1/2 inch of edge. Top each with 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, 1/4 turkey breast (~1 1/2 oz.), 1/4 cup spinach leaves, 2 tablespoons shredded carrots. Roll tightly and secure with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Slice horizontally for bite-sized pieces or crosswise at an angle for 1-2 servings.

POMEGRANATE SMOOTHIE

1 banana

2 cups fat-free vanilla yogurt

1 cup pomegranate juice

1 tablesoon sugar

pomegranate seeds (optional)

Wrap peeled banana in plastic wrap and freeze for ~3 hours. Unwrap banana, cut in chunks and place in blender with yogurt and juice. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and top with seeds if desired.

Recipes created by 3-Every-Day of Dairy

Be sure to check out many, many more recipes at 3aday.org. There are ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks of all kinds from milk, yogurt and cheese. I am personally a strong supporter of milk and dairy products. There is no better way to get the calcium you need for healthy bones and teeth. I know that a lot of vegetables contain calcium as well as the other vitamins and minerals found in milk HOWEVER... the minerals, including calcium, in vegetables are not as available to the body and therefore not as well absorbed as those in milk. Lactose intolerant? We'll deal with that one tomorrow. Until then - raise your glass and celebrate June - Dairy Month!

Happy, Healthy Eating,

Marcia

Organic, Natural, Healthy - Same thing?

Lots of words are used to describe food in general and food that is proported to be good for us in particular. But what do those words really mean and is the food that is described really better for us? Let's take a look.

• Healthy - foods that are called 'healthy' are generally understood to be those that contribute to keeping our bodies working and feeling the way they should work and feel. The general consensus is that this means foods that contain a lot of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and/or other components that supply the body with what it needs and have only a little or none of the things that cause problems. However... it is very general, subjective and individual depending on the needs of each person. In other words describing a food as healthy has little meaning.


• Natural - foods that are assumed to be minimally processed and do not contain hormones, antibiotics, artificial sweeteners, food colors or flavorings. In reality neither the FDA or USDA has rules for 'natural' and FDA discourages the food industry from using the term. All food is derived from the natural products of plants and animals and therefore any definition of natural food results in including some foods and excluding others arbitrarily. Also since all foods are processed in some way either mechanically, chemically or with temperature, it is difficult to determine which type of processing is natural. For example - is milk and cheese natural? They are both processed through pasteurization, homogenization and temperature. Vitamin D is added to milk through another process. Whole wheat flour is made by milling wheat into flour, a mechanical process. You can see it is a complex issue with not good answer.

Organic - food that must adhere to specific standards regulated by the USDA. Crops are typically grown without synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilizers, irradiation or biotechnology. Animals on organic farms eat organically grown feed, aren't confined 100% of the time and are raised without antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones. Sounds good right? Does that mean that organic is healthy and/or natural? Consumers may choose to buy organic food because they believe them to be more nutritious than other food. However, the balance of current scientific evidence does not support this. Another consideration is the cost. Organics constitute 1-2 % of the market and typically cost 10-40% more. Most experts agree that the cost is not worth any perceived difference.

So - organic, natural, healthy - are they the same thing? Clearly not. Organic assumes rigid criteria in order to be labeled as such; healthy means different things to different people and natural is not definable. My suggestion - choose foods most of the time that contain a lot of nutrient(s) and a reasonable amount of calories in order to maintain a level of balance. You see, that's what the body really wants - balance and nutrients. But above all enjoy your food.

Happy, Healthy Eating!

Marcia

Super Steps to a Safe Summer

Picnics, barbeques and potlucks are favorite ways to celebrate summer but making sure that any food that is prepared and transported to these events is safe will go far to everyone having a great time. Whatever the event, a little planning will help prevent food borne illnesses so common during the summer months.

Warmer weather conditions provide a perfect environment for bacteria and other pathogens in food to multiply rapidly and cause foodborne illness - people can get sick more easily. Follow the suggestions below to "Fight BAC" and reduce the risk of getting sick from food this summer.

• Always, wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food. (Sing Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat - that's the time needed)


• Marinate in the fridge. Boil unused marinade before applying to cooked food or through it out. Don't use sauce used to marinate meat on cooked meat unless it is boiled


• Preheat coals on grill for 20 - 30 minutes or until lightly coated with ash. That assures that the temperature is hot enough to cook the food.


• Use a small portable thermometer to be sure that the food reaches a safe temperature


• Where's the Beef? or Chicken or Fish? Hamburgers should be cooked to 160 degrees F, while solid cuts of meat may be cooked to 145 degrees for medium rare if preferred. Poultry needs to reach 165 degrees and fish should be opaque and flake easily.


• Stay away from the same old plate. When taking food off the grill, don't put the food back on the same plate that held the raw food unless it's been washed.


• Foods that sit out in hot weather make a perfect home for BAC* (bacteria) to grow. So Fight BAC* by discarding or putting into cold container. The maximum time to leave food out is two hours.


• Icebox etiquette dictates that coolers be kept as full as possible with ice, cold packs and/or cold drinks to ensure a constant temperature. Coolers kept full will keep the temperature down longer. Keep coolers out of direct sun.

Have a safe and happy cookout season and as always...

Happy, Healthy Eating

Marcia

Makeover Magic

New ideas and recipes are lots of fun to try. If you are like me you really get a kick out of trying new things and experimenting with others ideas and then adding my own flair. That's all well and good but there are times when we have a real yearning for our favorites that have followed us through the years and given us pleasure.

Unfortunately those comfort foods can be laden with fat and calories that we'd rather not have. The good news is that there are some painless ways in which to make changes that result in an equally enjoyable end product that is much healthier. Here's an example.

I found just such a recipe on line the other day at the popular site allrecipes.com. Let me share with you changes I'd make to increase its nutritional level.

Pasta Primavera with Italian Sausage
1 (16oz) package uncooked pasta
1 pound hot Italian sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 small yellow squash, sliced
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
20 leaves fresh basil
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Bring large pot of water to boil. Put past in pot and cook 8-10 minutes., drain.
2. Put sausage in skillet over medium heat and cook until evenly brown; set aside. Heat 1/4 cup oil in skillet. Stir in garlic and onion and cook until tender. Mix in zucchini, squash, tomatoes, bell pepper and basil. Add bouillon into the mixture. Season with red pepper. Continue cooking for 10 minutes.
3. Mix pasta, sausage and cheese into skillet and heat through. Serves 8.

Let me share with you what I would do to modify this particular recipe to maximize the flavor and minimize the calories.

• Change the ratio of meat to vegetables. Instead of 1 pound of sausage I'd use 1/2 or at most 3/4 pound and then add more of the indicated vegetables and/or more types. Personally I'd include mushrooms, broccoli and different colors of bell peppers
• Use a non-stick spray on a coated pan and then you can use much less oil. Also, keep heat down and allow the vegetables (onion, zucchini, squash, tomatoes and peppers) to release juice keeping the food moistened and avoiding burning of pan. Remember to add the bouillon to intensify the flavor. You can add additional broth (water with bouillon) or use cooking wine.
• Be sure to choose a strongly flavored cheese, preferable freshly grated. In doing so you can use less while maintaining flavor.

Those simple changes illustrate some basic principles that can be used in modifying recipes or changing what you do in all food preparation.

1. Use less of foods that add concentrated sources of fat and calories to food. In this case high fat meat and oil.

2. Add more foods that have lots of nutrients and are low in calories such as vegetables.

3. Change the method used to cook familiar foods. Rather than frying or sauteing (add fat and oil), steam or "cook" in liquids such as broth, juice or wine that don't add fat.

4. Choose foods that have strong flavors and you'll use less of them without compromising flavor

Make changes gradually and no one's palate will ever know. Just ask anyone who has switched from whole to non-fat milk or cut down on salt. It's amazing how we can retrain our sense of taste. The best result is that we begin to enjoy our food more because the real flavor emerges.

Happy Healthy Eating!

Marcia

Best Backyard Burgers

Hamburger heaven - hot flames, high heat and a juicy burger what could be better on a sunny afternoon? That's what summertime is all about. Try some fun flavors and fresh condiments to satisfy your burger cravings. But first follow these simple strategies and grill the best burger on your block...

• Make sure the grill temperature is correct - medium low to medium heat is best. Too hot, and burgers burn on the outside before getting done on the inside. Burgers keep moist and cooking time is shortened if you put a lid over the burgers.
• Use beef that is no leaner than 85% - I know that's not the advice I usually give but grilling can dry out meat very quickly and a little fat keeps the burgers moist and flavorful. If you choose ground chicken, or turkey that is leaner than 85% add some broth or a little oil
• Be gentle - Mix ingredients just until combined. Overworked meat can produce a tougher product.
• Avoid patties that are either too thick or too thin - 3/4 inch thickness is ideal. To keep patties from swelling in the middle, make small indentations in the center.
• Clean and oil the grill grate - lubricating a clean grill will prevent burgers from sticking, extends the life of the grate and helps with the appearance of the food with markings that typify grilled food.
• Turn only once - while hard to resist, avoid flattening the burgers or turning frequently as that will squeeze out the juices that exemplify flavorful, juicy burgers
• Cook to temperature - the proper end temperature of ground meat is 160 degrees to avoid undercooking and potential safety hazards. Color is not an indicator of doneness. Use a thermometer and insert horizontally into the patty.

There's nothing better at a background barbeque than a juicy burger. Vary the seasonings, toppings and condiments to achieve different results. Take a cue from some of the burger joints that have many different types on their menu. One of my favorite is bleu cheese on the burger and served on a pumpernickel roll. My husband is partial to swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms. The sky's the limit and lots of summer fun for everyone in your backyard!

Happy, Healthy Eating!

Marcia

Sassy, Saucy Food

The word "sauce" is a French word that means a relish to make our food more appetizing. Sauces are liquid or semi-liquid foods that make other foods look, smell and taste better. Because of the lack of refrigeration in days goneby, meat poultry, and seafood didn't last very long. Sauces were used to mask the flavor of questionable foods. With the advent of food preservation sauces are no longer used for that purpose.

They do however continue to play an important role in our daily fare - primarily for flavor and variety.

Fast forward to 21st century... the sauces we add to food can be collected into several categories. The differ in how they are made, basic ingredients and of course the nutritional contribution they provide.

• White, creamy sauces - made from butter, cream or both something to thicken (or not) and a distinctive seasoning. For example aioli is garlic flavored mayonaisse; hollandaise uses egg yolks with the butter and lemon juice as acid for distinctive flavor. These can either be more like a mayonaisse or cooked white sauce. They are very versatile in that many distinctive flavors can be achieved depending on the herbs and spices used


• Butter sauce - meat, vegetables and even grains are often accompanied by melted butter with some type of seasoning added. Could be dill, garlic, parsley or just about anything.


• Fruit sauce - a coulis made from pureed fruit can be served with sweetened foods as dessert such as custard with raspberry puree. Pancakes, toast, ice cream or yogurt parfaits might also incorporate a fruit puree. My personal favorite is a blueberry 'butter' on pancakes. I seldom use either butter or syrup on pancakes or waffles. Another idea is simply to use a fruit flavored yogurt. Previous generations have used apple butter as a mainstay at the breakfast table on toast. Try it!


• Marinara - tomato based sauces are traditional for pasta. Tomatos are also the starting point for many salsas and both types can be used on many different types of foods and combined with a wide variety of other foods. To illustrate this all we need to think about is pasta. In primavera we might find onions, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli; bolognaise is meat based

Sauces run the gamut on fat, calories, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. By following a couple simple guidelines a calorie, fat laden sauce can be transformed into one that actually contributes to the health in addition to the flavor of the food.

1. Thicken with a starch rather than fat. When liquid is added to starch it swells and thickens. So using flour, cornstarch, or pureed beans or even potato are great thickeners for sauces among other types of food. We'll deal with thickeners in our next posting so stay tuned.

2. Instead of butter, try using a broth base, add herbs and substitute butter flakes such as Molly McButter. Keep in mind that the goal is to add flavor and moisture. One of my friends does this with fish. She bakes, poaches or grills salmon and then stirs butter substitute into broth until she reaches the consistency of butter and adds dill for flavor. Another idea is to use non-stick pans, coat with cooking spray and moisten with significantly less oil than you would normally use

3. Go heavy on the fruit and light on the sweetener. My blueberry "butter" is simply fresh blueberries cooked over a low heat until they begin to pop, add a small amount of honey and cook until warm. It's easy, light and full of flavor.

4. Tomato based sauces can be excellent sources of vitamins and other phytonutrients. Go heavy on the vegetables and light on the meat and cheese based additions.

Just try a couple changes coupled with strong seasonings and you won't even miss the fat. Above all train your palate to enjoy these foods. It happens!

Happy, Healthy Eating!

Marcia