Hello readers! Meet one of my new favorite snacks, Biena foods (www.bienafoods.com) roasted chickpeas.
These little guys have a whopping 7 grams of fiber per 1/4 cup serving, 110-120 calories, 5-6 grams of protein, and 5 or fewer ingredients… Truly a snacking powerhouse!
All you Bostonians can find them at whole foods among other stores- check them out!
-Healthy Gal
Yesterday morning as I was going through my usual morning routine of checking the news-sites for new and exciting nutrition science, I stumbled across a rather exciting headline in the Huffington Post “Avocado Oil Could ‘Beat Heart Disease, Cancer And Signs Of Ageing’”… immediately I though OH BOY, HOW COOL IS THIS?! So I read a little further…
Statements such as “Fat pressed from the exotic fruit could be a potent weapon against conditions such as heart disease and cancer, it is claimed.”
(Still thinking… Oh BOY!)
… And so I read a little further and STOPPED dead in my tracks when I saw this important phrase:
“Experiments on yeast showed that avocado oil was effective against mitochondrial free radicals. Yeast cells treated with the oil were able to survive high exposure to iron…”
“Ok so what is the issue, they had great findings?!”
…Dear readers here is the isssue. Though these findings seem to be exciting and have a fairly happy ending for these little yeast guys… not only have these studies not been completed on living breathing humans, but they haven’t even been tested and confirmed in rodents. So, that means we cannot correlate any findings in yeast to anything that may or may not happen in humans, until theses results are tested on us living breathing folk.
So, though this article says a lot and finds some exciting things, the take home is nothing. Until these similar findings can be replicated in humans or even rodents, we need to keep looking for the next cure-all.
However, though this study did not find relevant findings about avocados, I would like to say, avocados are a GREAT fruit (did you know that? It’s because they are grown in trees) to have in your diet; and avocado oil is a yummy alternative to other heart-healthy oils such as olive and canola.
Why everyone should be eating avocados:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Loaded with: potassium, fiber, vitamin E, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats
- They are a fun addition to a salad, a sandwich, pasta, or made into a yummy dip.
- Be weary of over-consumption though, they are high in calories.
Nutrition facts of 1 whole avocado:
(From http://www.calorieking.com)
The take home:
You should always be skeptical of big headlines in magazines and news papers. Look for “findings in yeast, rodents, cells” — generally, keep your wits about you, if it doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t; and never be afraid to look up the original study if you’re curious about the findings! And lastly, avocados can still be considered to be great for you even if they don’t cure cancer quite yet.
- Healthy Gal
Ever wonder how to get iron from places that don’t come from animals? This is for you.
Leafy greens like spinach and kale (pictured here) are rich sources of non-heme iron. Non-heme iron is not absorbed as readily as as the iron found in animal meat, called heme-iron; but, adding citrus– like lemon to your spinach, or in this case tomato sauce, helps to boost absorption.
This dish:
–Brown rice penne pasta
–Newman’s Own Marinara sauce
–3 stalks of kale
–a dash of pepper, basil, and Parmesan cheese
Risotto made with vegetable broth, shrimp, frozen spinach, onions and garlic… Yum!
To make:
Ingredients: (for 2-3)
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 large Vidalia onion
2 garlic cloves
3/4 carton vegetable broth
12-15 peeled,deveined shrimp
3/4 cup frozen spinach
March is National Nutrition Month… so I believe it is my duty to teach you something about food that you may not know. After thinking, I’ve decided that I am going to teach you about allergies, and how to spot common allergens on labels; but first I’m going to give you some basic information about food allergies.
Food allergies, what are they?
According to The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, food allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks a food protein causing chemicals to be released- that includes histamine, causing an allergic reaction. These reactions can range from mild to severe.
Food allergies are becoming more and more common in the US and around the world, and it is estimated that there are currently 15 million people in the US that suffer from food allergies (that’s about 5% of the population).
Children are often found to have allergies, but they often grow out of them as they grow and their bodies and immune systems become stronger, dealing better with different foods.
Common symptoms that are related to food allergies include trouble breathing, hives, itching, rashes, and can even cause loss of consciousness in severe cases.
What are the major allergens?
The FDA has identified 8 major ingredients that are common allergens. This list includes:
…This means that as stated by the FDA in the above picture: “These foods account for 90 percent of food allergic reactions…” Simply stated, more than likely people who have food allergies may be reactive to the foods above; BUT is not limited to these 8 foods.
So how do you find common allergens on labels?
The FDA mandates that common allergens be listed on labels in at least one of two ways:
1) Immediately following the ingredient: “semolina flour (wheat), soybean oil (soy)”
2) Listed at the bottom of the full list of ingredients: Contains: Soy, wheat, milk
So why is it important to watch out for reactions to foods?
Because mild reactions can become severe, and severe reactions can pop up quickly. If you experience an allergic reaction to a food with hives, swelling, rashes, wheezing of any kind, it may be important to seek medical attention.
Some helpful resources include the FDA and the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. Please contact your healthcare provider for more questions.
Please leave comments or questions if you have any; this is short but hopefully clarifies a few things about food allergies.
- Healthy Gal
Looking for a breakfast boost? Try adding Greek yogurt to your morning routine. Many companies make it – Chobani (as pictured), Stonyfield, Dannon.
Why is it good? It Has 2x the protein as regular yogurt, and can be found with 0-2% fat and is around 150 calories.
This one featured is Chobani black cherry: 140 calories, 0 g fat, 14 g protein.
Give it a shot!
My favorites: black coffee, green tea, and on occasion hot chocolate! For a healthier/ dairy-free version, heat up a mug of chocolate soy milk
Today I want to share one of my favorite, inexpensive, easy recipes: Brown rice pasta with tuna and spinach.
(Unfortunately this is not a picture of my meal, as I forgot to take one, but this is the same dish made by someone else. )
I often buy spinach because it is rich with folate, iron, and fiber, but also because it is versatile. You can use it fresh to make a salad, you can add it to your juicer for a nutrient boost without altering the taste, or you can cook it. Today, I chose to use it in my lunch.
Assembling the Ingredients:
You can make this recipe with brown rice pasta, or with regular whole wheat or enriched pasta. I choose to make it with brown rice pasta as I am allergic to the wheat version. You may get a little bit more fiber out of the regular wheat option, so if you can tolerate wheat, I would recommend using it instead. For spinach, buy your favorite fresh brand at your super market. And lastly for the tuna, today I used bumble bee light tuna in the packet- 1/2 of the packet; but you can use another low salt, packed in water option as well.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup dry pasta
1-2 handfuls spinach
1/2 packed or 1/3 can low sodium, packed in water tunafish
1/2-1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
dash salt, pepper, cilantro and any other spice you like
parmesan cheese for garnish
To make it:
1. Cook the pasta as directed on the bag. Add a dash of salt to the water.
2. Drain the pasta and put it back into the pot.
3. Add the tuna, spinach, and drizzle of olive oil.
4. garnish with parmesan cheese, a dash of salt, pepper, and your spices
** you can also add other yummy additions like peppers, garbanzo beans, and other vegetables**
Today’s recipe ended up having this nutrient label:
From NutritionData.com
*** Please note! I used brown rice pasta, which adds 2 g fiber, and has NO SODIUM. I also used low sodium tuna fish. This label is for white rice pasta that has no fiber and loads of sodium… see what a difference it makes!**
Enjoy this recipe, it is one of my favorites– and it is truly satisfying!
-Healthy Gal
Have you tried these? Baked lentil chips by Mediterranean Snack Foods. 22 baked chips per serving, 120 calories and 3 g fiber and 4 g protein… And they’re delicious!
