Don't Get Stuffed

A typical Thanksgiving dinner can easily add up to 4000 calories.  And let's be honest, most of us happily enjoy a second round of our favorite Thanksgiving sides just a few hours later (after we've changed into our sweatpants of course).  Believe it or not, you can easily reduce the amount of calories consumed on this special day and still enjoy your favorite dishes.

Many of the foods included in Thanksgiving dinner are actually good for you:

• Turkey:  A lean protein, with little saturated fat and also provides the antioxidant selenium.  Try basting your bird with low sodium broth or wine.  
• Mashed potatoes:  Good news.  No need to spend that extra time peeling your potatoes.  Leave on the skins and enjoy extra fiber and potassium. 
• Stuffing:  Whole wheat bread seasoned with fresh herbs makes for a delicious side of stuffing.  Add carrots, celery and onions for tons of flavor and good-for-you nutrients. 
• Green beans:  Need I say more.  Steam them and add some fresh lemon juice.  
• Cranberries:  These bright reds are filled with antioxidants.  Add half the sugar of your traditional recipe and enjoy.
• Pumpkin pie:  From my previous post, you know that pumpkin is low calorie and full of dietary fiber.  But let's face it, pumpkin pie isn't the most nutritious dessert.  No scrimping here.  Grab a huge piece of your favorite pie and enjoy every bite.  After all, it's Thanksgiving (and you have on your biggest pair of sweatpants).  

Happy Holidays!

Someone Tell Charlie it's Nutritious

Happy Halloween!  I always look forward to this spooky (and delicious) holiday.  This Halloween is particularly special because it's my daughter's first.  We spent the last few weekends visiting local farms to feed the animals, take in a hayride, and best of all, to find the perfect pumpkin.  Which got me thinking, what's in a pumpkin?  Are they good for you?

A pumpkin's bright orange color isn't just for attracting attention on your porch.  Instead, the bright color is a dead giveaway that the pumpkin is loaded with beta-carotene.  Beta-carotene is a plant carotenoid that is converted to vitamin A in the body.  Current research shows beta-carotene may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and heart disease.  Pumpkins are also loaded with nutrients, such as potassium and iron.  One cup of cooked pumpkin is just 49 calories, 12 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of dietary fiber.  

When selecting a pumpkin, look for one without blemishes, firm and heavy.  You can store your pumpkin in a cool dark place for up to two months.  If you can't find your perfect pumpkin, or wish to enjoy the healthy fruit all year long, pick up some canned pumpkin (without salt of course).

For a delicious Halloween treat, check out Paula Dean's recipe for yummy pumpkin bars.  Or toast the season with pumpkin seeds.

Fruit or Vegetable? It's a Seedy Situation.

So what makes a fruit a fruit, and a vegetable a vegetable?  According to botanists (smart people that study plants), a fruit is the part of the plant that develops from the flower and also the part that contains the seeds.  All of the other parts of the plant are considered vegetables.  This includes the stems, leaves, roots and flower buds.

Of course a typical fruit list always includes apples, oranges, bananas and grapes.  But it's time to expand this list to include the following surprises:  avocado, beans, pea-pods, cucumbers, nuts, squash, tomatoes, sunflower seeds and even pumpkins.  Vegetables  include celery, lettuce, beets, carrots and potatoes. 

As we all know, fruits and vegetables are loaded with healthy nutrients.  They are low in calories and fat, and high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  Fruits and vegetables provide energy, protect against disease and help control weight.  You should aim for two or more cups of fruit a day, and two and a half cups of vegetables.  Choose whole fruits over fruit juices and dried fruit.

"Keen-wa, Keen-what?"

As a practicing Pescatarian, quinoa is an essential staple in my diet.  After hearing several of my friends pronounce the food incorrectly (and in the oddest ways), it became clear to me that quinoa merited its own post.  Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) may be new to us, but has been enjoyed by many other civilizations for thousands of years.  Quinoa is a seed that can be prepared like a whole grain, just as you would rice or barley.  This super-food is actually a complete protein, providing all essential amino acids.  The seeds also contain good amounts of calcium, phosphorus and iron.  Quinoa is gluten free, cholesterol free and even kosher for passover. 

Quinoa takes just fifteen to twenty minutes to prepare.  Prior to preparation, be sure to rinse the seeds in a fine strainer or cheesecloth under running water.  When cooked, quinoa is light and fluffy with a slightly nutty flavor.  Prepare quinoa as a delicious side dish, high protein breakfast, or as a base in your vegetable pilaf.  Click here for one of my favorite herb quinoa recipes from celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis.  Easy and delicious.

Taste the Rainbow

Antioxidants protect your cells from free radicals.  Free radicals are toxic molecules that are produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental substances such as cigarette smoke, sunlight or pesticides.  Though some free radicals are beneficial for immune function, most are harmful and can damage our healthy cells through a process called oxidation.  Oxidation is thought to be a factor in the development of certain diseases including heart disease and cancer.

Luckily, our bodies produce antioxidants to help neutralize these harmful free radicals.  We can up our intake of antioxidants by eating a well balanced, colorful diet. The following foods are particularly good sources:

Berries:  blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries

Beans:  red, kidney, pinto and black

Fruit:  apples, avocados, cherries, pears and plums

Vegetables:  artichokes, spinach, red cabbage, potatoes and broccoli

Beverages: green tea, coffee, red wine and pomegranate

Nuts:  walnuts, pistachios, pecans and hazelnuts

And most importantly, dark chocolate!

Hamburger Please, Hold the Meat

While pregnant, I gained a strong aversion to meat.  Once a proud carnivore, now even the smell of chicken put me in a mad dash to the bathroom.  Without this important source of protein, I was grateful I still had an appetite for fish and shellfish.  While dining at a restaurant one evening, I asked for a salad with chicken and asked to replace my meat nemesis with salmon.  The waiter looked at me with a crooked face and asked, “Wait, so you eat fish but not meat?  So what are you?”

Good question, I thought.  What was I?  Is there a name for people like me?  With this question in mind, I began exploring the world of vegetarian eating.  Below is a summary of what I learned.  And for those interested, no, I never regained my appetite for meat.  I gave birth to my baby girl in January, and the smell of meat still makes me ill.  Sad but true.

 

Semi-Vegetarian:  someone who is cutting back on his or her intake of meat.  For example, a pollo vegetarian avoids red meat, but eats fish and chicken.   A pesco pollo vegetarian also avoids meat, but consumes chicken and fish.  

Pescatarian:  someone, like me, who abstains from eating meat and animal flesh, with the exception of fish.  For health reasons, more and more people are adopting this kind of diet.

Lacto Ovo Vegetarian:  someone who excludes meat, fish and poultry from his or her diet, but eats dairy and eggs.  Food such as ice cream, yogurt and milk are included in the diet.  

Lacto Vegetarian:  someone who excludes meat, fish, poultry and eggs from his or her diet.  Dairy products such as ice cream, yogurt and milk are consumed.

Vegan:  someone who does not eat meat or use animal products.  This person does not consume meat, fish, poultry eggs, dairy and any foods containing by-products of woold, silk and leather.  Beyond diet, some vegans also exclude nonfood items made with animal byproducts.  Some also avoid honey. 

Yogurt, it's all Greek to me

Regular, low fat, non-fat, Greek and now with active cultures.  These days, the dairy aisle is booming with thousands of yogurt varieties.  So what does it all mean?  And which varieties are most nutritious?

Regular, low fat and non-fat yogurt:  These three varieties differ only in the type of milk used.  Regular yogurt is made with whole milk, low fat yogurt with low fat or part skim milk, and non-fat yogurt is made with skim milk and contains less than 0.5 percent milk fat.

Greek yogurt:  Tangy, sweet and thicker than traditional yogurt.  Greek yogurt is strained to remove most of the liquid whey, lactose and sugar.  With twice the protein and half the sugar than regular yogurt, Greek yogurt is a smart addition to a healthful diet. 

Yogurt with probiotics:  Probiotics are a type of good bacteria.  If consumed regularly, probiotics can help with digestion and offer protection against harmful bacteria.  Early research is encouraging, showing these bacteria may help treat diarrhea, prevent and treat urinary tract infections, and remedy irritable bowel syndrome.  Not all yogurt contains probiotics, so be sure to look for the "Live Active Culture" seal and read the ingredient list.   

Buyer beware:  Though yogurt is an excellent source of calcium and protein, several varieties also contain large amounts of sugar and should be considered a treat rather than a healthy snack.  Sweetened yogurts, like Yoplait's dessert inspired varieties, contain upwards of 35 grams of carbohydrates and 30 grams of sugar.  Though these offerings boast low fat and fat free benefits, the high sugar content is comparable to such traditional desserts as ice cream and cookies.  When purchasing yogurt, be aware of added sugars and take the time to read nutrition labels.