The new Myplate recommendations are that half of your plate should be fruits and veggies. Most people don't eat nearly that amount of vegetables everyday.
Beans are inexpensive, low in calories and fat, and give you some extra protein, iron, and fiber. They can be added to many recipes without much extra time. Use canned beans for an extra time-saving measure, just don't forget to drain the liquid and rinse them to eliminate a big portion of the sodium.
Beans can count in either the vegetables or the protein group because they are similar to both.
Lentils are also in the bean family but don't cause as much gas as beans can do. Dry lentils take less than 30 minutes to cook in boiling water and also add lots of nutrients to your meal.
Here are some easy recipes to help you get more veggies and beans from the July/August 2011 Nutrition Action Healthletter (Center for Science in the Public Interest).
Toss 1/4 cup of your favorite vinaigrette dressing (basic or balsamic, for instance), make your own vinaigrette, or use vinegar and oil with the following:
2 cups lentils + 1 cup shredded carrots + 3 sliced scallions
8 cups salad greens + 1 lb grilled shrimp + 1 chopped tomato
1 1/2 cups navy beans + 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes + 1 diced avocado
6 cups chopped Romaine + 1 cup sliced bell peppers, red onion, and cucumber + 1/4 cup crumbed feta cheese
6 cups mixed salad greens + 1 can tuna + 2 cups chopped roasted red peppers
1 lb. steamed asparagus, green beans, snap peas, or snow peas + 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups cannellini beans + 1 jar drained artichoke hearts + 1 cup sliced celery + shaved Parmesan
6 cups argula + 1/2 pint halved cherry tomatoes + 2 oz fresh mozzarella + fresh basil
1 1/2 cups chickpeas + 2 chopped roasted red peppers + 1/2 cup diced red onion
2 cups lentils + 1 diced apple + 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Most of these recipes require minimum cooking time, so they are perfect for hot summer nights when we won't feel like using the stove!
This blog includes articles on health, wellness, physical activity, healthy eating, and food safety.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
July is peach and watermelon month
July is Peach Month and Watermelon Month. Here are more details about these two colorful fruits.
Peaches are in season starting in July. They are sometime available at other times of the year but best prices and quality are in the summer.
Peaches are a good source of beta carotene (thanks to the orange color), which the body converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A is an antioxidant and helps prevent macular degeneration. Peaches also have fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. They are low in calories and have no fat, sodium, or cholesterol.
Peaches should be firm to slightly soft with no bruises. For firm peaches, let them ripen at room temperature in a loosely closed bag for 2-3 days. Store fully ripe peaches in the refrigerator.
Peaches can be frozen, canned, or dried. For more instructions on the procedures for each of these, view the MU Extension guide sheets available online.
Peaches can be used in a variety of recipes, including smoothies, fruit and yogurt parfaits, fruit salad, pies and other desserts, as a topping for cereal or ice cream, or raw as a snack or dessert.
Watermelons start their season in April or May but are also available year-round. The summer season provides the best quality and best prices when choosing watermelon.
Watermelons are about 90% water, so they can help provide us with fluid in the summer to prevent dehydration. They contain vitamin A (like peaches) and also vitamin C, and potassium. Watermelon also contains lycopene (due to the red color) which can be protective against some types of cancer and be beneficial for prostate health for men. Watermelon also has fiber and is low in sodium, fat, calories, and cholesterol.
When choosing a watermelon, choose one that is firm, heavy, and a little waxy (rather than dull). Look for a pale yellow color on one side of the watermelon, which indicates that the watermelon was allowed to ripen while still on the vine. The yellow part is where it was still on the ground. If the watermelon doesn't have one, it was picked before it was ripe, most likely. Watermelon that is ripe should be stored in the refrigerator, so that it will not over-ripen.
Watermelon can be cubed and kept in a covered bowl for kids and adults to grab for a quick and healthy snack. You can add watermelon to fruit kabobs too.
For more information:
Missouri Families website - Melons are a good value financially and nutritionally
MU Extension - Peaches: From Harvest to Health
Peaches are in season starting in July. They are sometime available at other times of the year but best prices and quality are in the summer.
Peaches are a good source of beta carotene (thanks to the orange color), which the body converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A is an antioxidant and helps prevent macular degeneration. Peaches also have fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. They are low in calories and have no fat, sodium, or cholesterol.
Peaches should be firm to slightly soft with no bruises. For firm peaches, let them ripen at room temperature in a loosely closed bag for 2-3 days. Store fully ripe peaches in the refrigerator.
Peaches can be frozen, canned, or dried. For more instructions on the procedures for each of these, view the MU Extension guide sheets available online.
Peaches can be used in a variety of recipes, including smoothies, fruit and yogurt parfaits, fruit salad, pies and other desserts, as a topping for cereal or ice cream, or raw as a snack or dessert.
Watermelons start their season in April or May but are also available year-round. The summer season provides the best quality and best prices when choosing watermelon.
Watermelons are about 90% water, so they can help provide us with fluid in the summer to prevent dehydration. They contain vitamin A (like peaches) and also vitamin C, and potassium. Watermelon also contains lycopene (due to the red color) which can be protective against some types of cancer and be beneficial for prostate health for men. Watermelon also has fiber and is low in sodium, fat, calories, and cholesterol.
When choosing a watermelon, choose one that is firm, heavy, and a little waxy (rather than dull). Look for a pale yellow color on one side of the watermelon, which indicates that the watermelon was allowed to ripen while still on the vine. The yellow part is where it was still on the ground. If the watermelon doesn't have one, it was picked before it was ripe, most likely. Watermelon that is ripe should be stored in the refrigerator, so that it will not over-ripen.
Watermelon can be cubed and kept in a covered bowl for kids and adults to grab for a quick and healthy snack. You can add watermelon to fruit kabobs too.
For more information:
Missouri Families website - Melons are a good value financially and nutritionally
MU Extension - Peaches: From Harvest to Health
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Cut back on sugar
Adults consume a whooping 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, which is equal to about 350 calories. That adds up to about 167 cups of sugar per year. Some teenagers may consume up to 34 teaspoons of sugar a day.
If 22 teaspoons doesn't seem like a lot to you, sit down and actually measure out 22 teaspoons of sugar. That's how much sugar most Americans are eating everyday.
We are all aware that certain foods contain sugar, such as brownies, cookies, cakes, regular soda, and candy. But what about canned salsa? What about pasta sauce? What about salad dressing? Sugar can hide in foods that we aren't aware, so you must read the food label to see how much sugar is in your favorite foods.
First, you can see how much sugar is in a food by looking at the listing for sugar in grams. To convert grams to teaspoons, divide by 4. This doesn't break down any natural sugar or added sugar, so you must look at the ingredient list to figure this out.
Some common sugars in the ingredient list:
fructose (natural fruit sugar)
lactose (natural milk sugar)
sucrose (table sugar made from fructose and glucose)
maltose (sugar made from grain)
glucose (simple sugar)
dextrose (a form of glucose)
Other sweeteners:
honey
syrup
cane
molasses
agave nectar
malt
juice
For example, if a breakfast cereal has sugar listed as the first ingredient, you know there is a lot of sugar in there because the ingredients are listed from most to least. If a cereal has sugar listed as the third ingredient, but also has corn syrup, honey, or other indicators of sugar listed right after that, then it also has a lot of sugar but it is disguised as different forms. Some organizations have recommended that food labels combine all forms of sugar on the ingredient list to make it easier to see just how much sugar that food has, but that hasn't been done yet.
Next time you are grocery shopping, look at some of the food labels and ingredient lists for foods that you didn't think had sugar, like pasta sauce. You will be surprised at the foods that do have some sugar in them.
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has a bad reputation, but is actually very similar chemically to regular table sugar because it is also made from fructose and glucose. HFCS is cheaper and easier to add to foods, so that's why it is used readily. There is some small evidence that HFCS may affect sugar cravings and appetite control, or it may make the body store more fat. This research has not been proven because there is insufficient evidence of that at this time. Just like with regular sugar, it is best to limited HFCS.
Artificial sweeteners taste similar to sugar, but provide no sugar and no calories. Artificial sweeteners are determined to be safe by the FDA in moderate amounts. Some claim that artificial sweeteners make you crave sugar and there are some research studies to show that people who consume a lot of artificial sweeteners may inhibit weight loss. As with sugar, it is best to limit artificial sweetener as well. Examples are:
sucralose (brand name Splenda)
aspartame (brand name Equal)
saccharin (brand name Sweet N Low)
Stevia is a natural sweetener and is considered safe, but more research is needed to study it. Some brands can be somewhat bitter when used.
The USDA recommends that for a 2,000 calorie diet, you should eat no more than 10 teaspoons of added sugar daily. That does not include sugar from all sources such as natural sugar from milk and fruits, only added sugars.
The final issue is that sugar replaces other nutrient-dense foods in the diet, such as fruits. Sugar provides no nutrients, whereas fruit provides vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, and other nutrients. According to USDA data, people who eat diets high in sugar get less calcium, fiber, folate, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, iron, and other nutrients. They also consume fewer fruits and vegetables.
For more information:
American Institute for Cancer Research - The Many Names of Sugar
Center for Science in the Public Interest - America: Drowning in Sugar
If 22 teaspoons doesn't seem like a lot to you, sit down and actually measure out 22 teaspoons of sugar. That's how much sugar most Americans are eating everyday.
We are all aware that certain foods contain sugar, such as brownies, cookies, cakes, regular soda, and candy. But what about canned salsa? What about pasta sauce? What about salad dressing? Sugar can hide in foods that we aren't aware, so you must read the food label to see how much sugar is in your favorite foods.
First, you can see how much sugar is in a food by looking at the listing for sugar in grams. To convert grams to teaspoons, divide by 4. This doesn't break down any natural sugar or added sugar, so you must look at the ingredient list to figure this out.
Some common sugars in the ingredient list:
fructose (natural fruit sugar)
lactose (natural milk sugar)
sucrose (table sugar made from fructose and glucose)
maltose (sugar made from grain)
glucose (simple sugar)
dextrose (a form of glucose)
Other sweeteners:
honey
syrup
cane
molasses
agave nectar
malt
juice
For example, if a breakfast cereal has sugar listed as the first ingredient, you know there is a lot of sugar in there because the ingredients are listed from most to least. If a cereal has sugar listed as the third ingredient, but also has corn syrup, honey, or other indicators of sugar listed right after that, then it also has a lot of sugar but it is disguised as different forms. Some organizations have recommended that food labels combine all forms of sugar on the ingredient list to make it easier to see just how much sugar that food has, but that hasn't been done yet.
Next time you are grocery shopping, look at some of the food labels and ingredient lists for foods that you didn't think had sugar, like pasta sauce. You will be surprised at the foods that do have some sugar in them.
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has a bad reputation, but is actually very similar chemically to regular table sugar because it is also made from fructose and glucose. HFCS is cheaper and easier to add to foods, so that's why it is used readily. There is some small evidence that HFCS may affect sugar cravings and appetite control, or it may make the body store more fat. This research has not been proven because there is insufficient evidence of that at this time. Just like with regular sugar, it is best to limited HFCS.
Artificial sweeteners taste similar to sugar, but provide no sugar and no calories. Artificial sweeteners are determined to be safe by the FDA in moderate amounts. Some claim that artificial sweeteners make you crave sugar and there are some research studies to show that people who consume a lot of artificial sweeteners may inhibit weight loss. As with sugar, it is best to limit artificial sweetener as well. Examples are:
sucralose (brand name Splenda)
aspartame (brand name Equal)
saccharin (brand name Sweet N Low)
Stevia is a natural sweetener and is considered safe, but more research is needed to study it. Some brands can be somewhat bitter when used.
The USDA recommends that for a 2,000 calorie diet, you should eat no more than 10 teaspoons of added sugar daily. That does not include sugar from all sources such as natural sugar from milk and fruits, only added sugars.
The final issue is that sugar replaces other nutrient-dense foods in the diet, such as fruits. Sugar provides no nutrients, whereas fruit provides vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, and other nutrients. According to USDA data, people who eat diets high in sugar get less calcium, fiber, folate, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, iron, and other nutrients. They also consume fewer fruits and vegetables.
For more information:
American Institute for Cancer Research - The Many Names of Sugar
Center for Science in the Public Interest - America: Drowning in Sugar
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