How Others Affect YOUR Food Intake

Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Does being informed of the food choices of others in your social world affect what you eat?
According to the latest research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, it most certainly can.  This could be a good thing or a not-so-good thing.  

In this article, researchers reviewed and analyzed data from 15 studies and found that if participants were provided information about the eating habits of other people, it influenced their food  choices and intake.  For example, if the participants in the studies were given information indicating that others in their social world were making low-calorie or high-calorie food choices, this information significantly increased the likelihood that the participants made similar choices.

Click on this audiocast to learn more about the study:

“It appears that in some contexts, conforming to informational eating norms may be a way of reinforcing identity to a social group, which is in line with social identity theory,” explains lead investigator Eric Robinson, PhD, of the University of Liverpool. “By this social identity account, if a person’s sense of self is strongly guided by their identity as a member of their local community and that community is perceived to eat healthily, then that person would be hypothesized to eat healthily in order to maintain a consistent sense of social identity.”

How can you apply the results of these studies to help you make more positive, healthy changes in your diet?  Before you sit down to eat, order a meal at a restaurant, or grab a snack from a vending machine, consider these latest survey  findings about how others are making healthy diet changes.  Then, apply the tips provided below:

• Over 70 percent of American adults surveyed stated that they are trying to consume smaller portions as a way to improve their diet.  Tip: Downsize the circumference of your dinner plate by at least 2 inches.  The smaller the plate, the less food you will heap on it and eat. You don’t need to buy an entire new dinnerware set.  Just find one, inexpensive smaller plate and eat all of your meals off it.
• The majority of Americans surveyed (88 percent) have made efforts to eat more fruits and vegetables daily.  Tip:  See the above tip and cover half your plate with fruits and veggies at ALL meals.
• Six out of ten Americans surveyed are trying to limit or avoid sodium entirely and consider the sodium content of packaged foods and beverages when shopping. Tip: Since fresh fruits and veggies are naturally low in sodium, doing the above two tips could dramatically cut the sodium in your diet.  When buying frozen, canned or packaged foods, comparison shop.  Read the label and purchase the variety with the least amount of added salt.
• Over 45 percent of Americans surveyed are eating more fish.   Tip: While it is recommended that you eat at least two fish meals, particularly fatty fish, weekly (at least 8 ounces total per week), you don’t have to always consume it at dinner.  Add canned salmon to your salad or combine it with a light mayo sandwiched between two slices of whole wheat bread at lunch.

Be well, Joan


If you have a topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

A Look Back on the Year in Nutrition

The past 12 months have been a very busy time in the evolving world of nutrition.   

In 2013, we saw how technology played a role in the foods you eat when scientists historically produced the first laboratory grown hamburger, and computer wizards released numerous apps that helped you get dinner on the table.    The FDA was busy not only considering the banning of partially hydrogenated oils, which are the major sources of trans fat in the diet, but also standardizing gluten-free labeling down the supermarket food aisles.   Both the U.S. Senate and a major physicians’ association declared war on the marketing of energy drinks to kids, and professional athletes were uncovered for profiting from endorsing junk foods being sold to adolescents.

With so much going on, I thought it would be fun to provide you with the links, in order of popularity, of my Top 10 Nutrition and You blog posts in 2013:

1. The 5 Best Diet Changes to Make in 2013
2. Myths and Facts:  What to Eat To Beat The Common Cold
3. To Lose Weight: Eat Breakfast Like a King, Dinner Like a Pauper
4. The Best Kept Secret for Weight Loss
5. The Health Benefits of Beer
6. Why Women Drink
7. Ideas for Healthy, Weekday Dinners
8. Can Oatmeal Help You Lose Weight?
9. FDA Alert: Grapefruit and Medications, A Dangerous Mix
10. Study: An Eating Out Trick to Help You Order Less

Wishing you health and happiness in 2014, Joan

Follow Joan on Twitter at:  JoanSalgeBlake

Dietary and Herb Supplements May Cause Liver Damage

Source:  FDA

If the product sounds too good to be true, it likely is.   Reported by the New York Times and  MedPage Today, the rate of liver damage caused by consuming dietary and herbal supplements is growing. These findings were reported at a recent meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease.

According to MedPage Today, the percentage of reported cases of liver damage caused by those taking these supplements has increased as much as 20 percent, with a more predominate rise among bodybuilders.  This isn't the first report of liver damage among supplement users.  Three separate case reports were presented at a recent American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) Annual Scientific Meeting.

While many individuals are using herbal and dietary supplements for a variety of health problems, they are taking them without disclosing their use to their health care providers.  In essence, the left hand isn’t informing the right hand as to what is being ingested.

This is what ACG reported:

Case Report No. 1:  Liver Failure with the Use of SlimQuick

At the meeting, Dr. Halegoua-De Marzio, MD, reported a case of liver failure in a 52-year old female who, after fasting three weeks, had ingested SlimQuick for two days.  SlimQuick is a weight loss supplement containing green tea extract.  There have been reports of toxicity issues in individuals using this supplement in the past, according to the ACG.    As a result, the patient had to have a liver transplant. 

Case Report No. 2: Liver Toxicity with Black Cohosh

Investigator Khadija Haroon Chaudrey, MD, described a 44-year old female who, with no history of alcohol intake or other risk factors, developed liver damage leading to early cirrhosis after consuming black cohosh for one month.  Cirrhosis is the late stage of alcohol liver disease in which liver cells die, causing severe scarring.  “Given [the] patient’s history of black cohosh use and the timing of her abnormal liver chemistries, it was clinically evident the culprit agent was black cohosh,” claimed Dr. Chaudrey.   Once she stopped taking the black cohosh, her liver improved.

Case Report No. 3:  Acute Liver Failure after Chronically Consuming a Sugar-Free Energy Drink

According to Brian Huang, MD, Chief Resident of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, a 36-year old male was admitted to the hospital after binge drinking (10 beers in three hours) and complaining of abdominal pain, fatigue, and jaundice.  He also admitted to having three energy drinks, specifically Rockstar Sugar Free, on a daily basis for the past year.  According to Dr. Huang, “We believe his prior history of binge drinking may have provided initial damage in his liver, making him more susceptible to develop liver failure.  Although the patient had a history of weekend binge drinking, his liver biopsy was not consistent with alcoholic hepatitis.  Thus, we believe the liver failure was linked to the long-term energy drink consumption.”  Dr. Huang advocates for more studies that look at the relationship between energy drinks and liver damage.

Before you consume any supplements, you should check with your health care professional.  The FDA recommends that you keep a chart, such as the one shown below, of all of the supplements that you consume and provide it to your health care provider for a review.

Source:  FDA

 

 

The last thing you want to occur is to end up as a case report at a future scientific medical meeting.

Be well, Joan

Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

Do Not Toss the Vitamin Supplement Just Yet

Source:  NIH

An editorial from a group of physicians and researchers in the latest publication of the Annals of Internal Medicine emphatically states that Americans should stop wasting their hard earned money on vitamin and mineral supplements.   Their decision was based on a review of a number of studies, some of which were published simultaneously in the journal, which failed to show any evidence of a beneficial, protective effect among well-nourished, supplement users in fighting heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, or dying prematurely, no matter what the cause. 

Granted, nothing can beat a well-balanced diet for not only providing all of your daily nutrient needs.  Food provides other compounds such as phytochemicals and fiber, which likely work in concert with these nutrients to keep you healthy.   In fact, there isn’t any additional benefit from taking a supplement if you are meeting your needs from the food you eat.  In fact, when it comes to some vitamins and minerals, some may be good but more is not always better.   For example, consuming too much beta-carotene in a supplement may increase the risk of lung cancer in some folks and excess vitamin E supplements may increase the risk of dying prematurely.

However, according to a position paper from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, there are some folks who, after a consultation with their health care provider and registered dietitian, may benefit from a supplement of the following nutrients:

Vitamin B12: This vitamin is needed for healthy nerves and red blood cells.    Some individuals, age 50 years and older, may not be able to properly absorb vitamin B12 contained in food. The dilemma appears to be due to a natural decline in the acidic juices in your stomach as you age.   The acids help break the bonds that bind the B12 to the proteins in foods so that it can be properly absorbed.  The synthetic form of vitamin B12 that is found in fortified foods and supplements isn’t bound to protein so it doesn’t depend on your stomach acids to be absorbed.

Folic Acid:  This vitamin plays an extremely important role during pregnancy, particularly in the first few weeks after conception, in helping to reduce the risk of a certain type of birth defect in the baby.  Because 50 percent of pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, women who are at risk of becoming pregnant are recommended to consume 400 micrograms of synthetic folic acid daily from fortified foods or supplements, along with a well-balanced diet.  While folic acid is added to all enriched grains and cereal products, if women are limiting or eliminating these foods from their diet, they may fall short of their daily needs without a supplement. 

Calcium:  While meeting your daily calcium needs are important to keeping your bones strong, many Americans’ diets fall short of this important mineral.

Vitamin D:   An adequate amount of vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium in your body and to help reduce the risk of bone fractures, yet many Americans are not consuming enough of this mineral.   Vitamin D can also be made in your body if your skin is exposed to adequate amounts of sunlight.   Unfortunately, in the dead of winter, bundled up with layers of warm clothing and little skin exposure, it  is likely that many people will not be producing enough vitamin D.

Iron:  Pregnant women will need to take a supplement as advised by their health care provider to meet their higher need of this mineral during pregnancy

Always speak with your health care provider before taking a supplement and look to a registered dietitian for nutritional advice regarding the adequacy of your diet in meeting your needs.  You can find a dietitian here.

Be well, Joan

If you have topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

Tis the Seasoning: How Herbs and Spices Can Help You Live Better

Sage. Photo Source:  NCCAM

By now, we all know that we need to reduce the sodium in our diet as research suggests that as the sodium in our diet increases, our blood pressure follows.  With high blood pressure being associated with heart disease and stroke, major killers of Americans, retiring the salt shaker is not new news.  But the latest research suggests specific herbs and spices can not only replace sodium as a seasoning and flavoring agent in your meals, but more importantly, also provide health benefits on their own.

For example, as you age and your memory declines, sage may be your best friend as research has uncovered that this savvy herb may improve memory and attention in older adults.   Garlic has been shown to potentially help lower blood pressure, especially in people with high blood pressure, and  in short-term studies, ginger has been shown to be helpful in relieving the gosh awful nausea that many pregnant women experience.  The jury is still out on whether or not ginger can also help the nausea that is often experienced by those who are plagued with motion sickness or undergoing chemotherapy.   Lastly, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, (NCCAM)  website, “Preliminary findings from animal and other laboratory studies suggest that a chemical found in turmeric—called curcumin—may have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties, but these findings have not been confirmed in people.”

While many of us have a cupboard full of herbs and spices, the million dollar question is what herb or spice goes with which foods?   The following chart will help you to spice up your life and season your foods without salt.

 

Source:  McCormick

Try some of these seasoning combinations and you will be deliciously surprised how quickly you will be able to stop reaching for the salt to flavor your meals as well as improve your health.

Be well, Joan

If you have topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

Simple Home Remedies

 There are times when you might run out of your supplies and there is no way you can buy any decent herbs on a Saturday night when you need it the most. Fortunately there are things you can do with some basic ingredients you most likely have at home, or at least can pick up at the regular store.

Cough

You can make a simple cough syrup from warm pineapple juice and two teaspoons of honey. The bromelain in the pineapple is activated by the honey.

You can also make a cough syrup by mixing the juice of one  lemon with two tablespoons glycerine and then add 12 teaspoons honey to the mixture and stir.  Stir before each use. I always use raw honey.

According to the Ayureda tradition you can take  equal part  teaspoons of lemon and honey. If you have a cough with mucus you can add 1/2 teaspoon ginger, a pinch of clove, and a pinch of cinnamon to one cup of water.

You can also gargle by adding a pinch of salt and two pinches of turmeric to a glass of water.

Another remedy which is easy to make at home is to slice an onion into a deep bowl and cover with honey and let it sit over night. The next day you strain the mixture and this will make a simple elixir. Another tasty remedy is hot pear juice with a cinnamon stick. You can also cardamon and cumin to juices.

Ear Problems

Garlic is considered to be a natural antibiotic. For smaller children warm garlic oil to room temperature and drop a few drops in the ear. You can also improve lymphatic drainage by rubbing some garlic oil down the neck. I mostly have garlic capsules at home and I just poke a hole in the capsule, but you can also soak crushed  garlic  in olive oil. For older children and adults you can cut a clove of garlic and put a little olive oil on it put it on the outside of the ear like an hearing aid.

Another way is to bake or steam an onion and let it cool to room temperature and then place a few drops  oil in the ear. The onion can also be cut in half and placed over the ear. The post, How to Deal With Earaches Naturally has more detailed information.

This time of the year it is also a good idea to work on prevention. I like to incorporate pungent and aromatic herb into my cooking since they give the body energy to heal itself and many of them have powerful healing properties. Cayenne pepper, ginger, peppermint, rosemary, cinnamon, garlic, sage, chamomile, horseradish and thyme are herbs I use a lot.

There are many ways I incorporate these herbs into my daily life and not just wait to the day I start feeling ill. I like to make herbal teas of peppermint, ginger and chamomile and I always add some raw honey and  lemon juice to make it a powerful healing tea.

I add pungent and aromatic herbs to all of my cooking instead of store bought spice mixes,  and this time of they year I often make soups and stews which are perfect for adding cayenne, rosemary, garlic and thyme to. I don't follow any recipe I just kind of add a handful of what I have at home, but I am picky about the quality of herbs I buy. You can also add fresh ginger to stir fries.

It is a good idea to stock up on the supplies this time of the year so you don't get caught by a surprise cold when you have important meetings to attend to. I make sure I have my favorite herbal blends, supplements, essential oils, raw honey, lemon, teas, silver shield and bulk herbs at home just to be prepared.

You can also make an Onion Garlic Soup. I like to make it for the family and we eat it as prevention,  and  I freeze the leftovers. When I re-heat it I just add more pungent herbs.  This is a soup you can sip all through the day if you are sick.

Old-Fashioned Garlic and Onion Soup- the original recipe from Cookesley

4 large white or yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 whole heads of garlic

2 tsp. thyme

4 tbs. olive oil

6 cups vegetable broth

1/2 dry white wine

1 bay leaf

2 tbs honey

4 tbs. each of fresh parsley and basil

1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)

sea salt, fresh ground pepper to taste

Saute the garlic, thyme and onions in olive oil until golden brown. Add garlic and onions to a slow cooker or a bigger pot to be cooked with the vegetable broth, wine and bay leaf. Slowly cook for 2 to 3 hours or over night if using a slow cooker. Strain the liquid, add the honey, fresh basil; and parsley, sea salt, fresh ground pepper and cayenne. I like to experiment and I add different kinds of herbs to the soup and many times I make it without adding the wine. We don't use any salt in our cooking either.

As always it is important to avoid food that weakens the immune system.

This post is linked to:
Your Green `Resource, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways , Seasonal Celebration Sunday , Eco-Kids
Wildcrafting Wednesday, Tuesday Greens, Tuesday with a Twist

Can Oatmeal Help You Lose Weight?

Photo Source: Ellie Krieger

If the drop in temperature outside causes you to switch from a cold breakfast cereal to a hot one, you may end up a little thinner for the change.

In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers at Louisiana State University (LSU) fed 46 adults either oatmeal or a ready-to-eat, sweetened oat cereal that contained the same amount of calories.  They then switched their breakfasts on another day.   The hot oatmeal breakfast, which was higher in fiber and lower in sugar than the cereal, was shown to significantly increase the feeling of fullness among the adults compared to when they consumed the cold breakfast.   The results also showed that when the individuals ate the hot oatmeal there was a greater reduction in both their hunger and desire to eat hours later as compared to the cold cereal.  In other words, the oatmeal had better staying power, which could potentially help minimize mid-morning hunger and snacking and/or overeating at lunch.

According to Frank L. Greenway, MD, one of the authors of the study, both the form of the fiber and how it was prepared may play a role in the increased feeling of fullness, also known as satiety, that was observed among the individuals when they consumed the hot oatmeal.  Oats are rich in a bulky, viscous type of soluble fiber, called ß-Glucan.  When heated, this type of soluble fiber dissolves more readily in fluid, increasing its bulking properties and viscosity.  The bulking causes the stomach to distend or enlarge and its increased viscosity slows down both the fiber’s departure from the stomach and movement through the gastrointestinal tract. All of these factors can help you feel fuller longer.  Also, the ready-to-eat cereal has been processed so the size of the ß-Glucan is smaller, which reduces its viscosity compared to the oatmeal, according to Dr. Greenway.

While more studies are currently being done at LSU to confirm these results, oatmeal in the morning is a healthy, affordable, and warm way to start your day.  Here are 3 ways to enjoy oatmeal in the morning:

1. Cook your oats in the microwave and top with nonfat Greek yogurt for a high fiber, calcium-rich, protein–packed breakfast for less than 250 calories.
2. Add a chopped apple and cinnamon to the oats for a hot morning cereal that tastes like apple crisp on a crisp, brisk morning. 
3. By adding a dash of vanilla extract, nutmeg and raisins, you will enjoy rising and dining with this Vanilla Spice Oatmeal created by Food Network TV star, Ellie Krieger and author of Weeknight Wonders.

Be well, Joan

If you have topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

3 Unique Tips for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Source:  CDC

The festive news about holiday weight gain is darn right jolly.  According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, research suggests that Americans, on average, gain only about one pound during the holiday season yet those who are overweight are more likely to gain a tad more.  Unfortunately, if you don’t lose that weight but rather carry it over year after year, it can snowball into a hefty mound after a decade of holidays.

To help you avoid ringing in the New Year with even a mere pound more of you, I have uncovered 3 simple, science-based strategies that could help you avoid weight gain during the holidays.  Who knows?  These may be so effective for you that you may even lose some weight.  



Strategy No. 1:  Eat off Red Plates

When you are driving and see a red stop sign, you stop (hopefully).  Eating foods on a red plate may have the same motivating effect on your consumption, according to a study published in the journal, Appetite.    In this study, researchers allowed 109 individuals to freely snack on pretzels served on either a white, blue, or red plate while completing a questionnaire.  Those who were given pretzels on a red plate ate significantly less than the individuals who were given pretzels on a white or blue plate.  (The difference in hunger among the individuals in the three groups was ruled out.)   The authors hypothesized that the color red may elicit an avoidance reaction through socially and culturally learned habits, such as a red traffic light or flashing red alert. 

Using red plates may help you and your guests eat less at your next cocktail party.  If there was ever a time of the year where you easily find small, red cocktail plates, it’s this season.  Try this simple strategy and see if you end up with more leftovers than usual at your party.

Strategy No. 2:  Use Tall, Narrow Wine Glasses

The shape of your glass, if you hold the glass when you pour yourself the wine, and the color of the wine may all affect the amount you drink.  Researchers wanted to investigate the effect of environmental cues on individuals’ wine pouring behavior.  To do this, they allowed 73 adults to pour themselves wine at various wine pouring stations that were strategically design to measure the amount of wine poured in the glass.  This is what they uncovered:

 

Source:  Cornell University

This holiday season, use tall rather than wide wine glasses, don’t hold the glass when you pour the wine, and be aware that contrast, that is pouring red wine rather than white wine, into a clear glass, may make it easier for you to keep your wine portion, and associated calories, in check. 

Strategy No. 3:  Begin at the Healthier End of the Buffet Table

Depending upon how the food is displayed on the buffet table may impact what you put on your plate.  In a recent study, researchers randomly assigned 124 adults to freely choose food items from one of two breakfast buffets.   The first buffet started with healthy foods such as fruit and low fat yogurt and ended with more fatty foods such as cheesy eggs, bacon, and cinnamon rolls.  The other buffet table had the same foods but in reverse order.

Researchers uncovered that 86 percent of individuals took fruit when it was the first item on the buffet table but only 54 percent took fruit when it was at the end of the buffet table.  “Each food taken may partly determine what other foods a person selects. In this way, the first food a person selects triggers what they take next,” claims behavioral economists Professor Brian Wansink and Andrew Hanks, postdoctoral researcher, and authors of the study.  “The first three food items a person encountered in the buffet comprised 66 percent of their total plate, regardless of whether the items were high or low-calorie foods,” said Wansink.

If you are a guest at a holiday buffet, head first to whichever end of the buffet table that has the healthier foods and begin filling up your plate.  If you are hosting the holiday event, put the healthier items at the beginning of the buffet table.  Your guests will be happier with you in the morning.

Be well, Joan

If you have topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

To Stuff or Not To Stuff. How to Safely Make Thanksgiving Stuffing

Source:  FDA

With over 45 million turkeys being cooked on Thanksgiving, the question of the day is whether or not you plan to cook your stuffing inside or outside the bird.  Either way can be deliciously safe to eat if the stuffing is cooked to an adequate temperature in order to kill foodborne pathogens that could ruin the day’s festivities.

Here are some food safety stuffing tips from the FDA and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics no matter how you cook it:

• Whether it is cooked inside or outside the bird, all stuffing and dressing must be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165ºF.  If the temperature of the turkey and the center of the stuffing have not reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F, further cooking will be required.
• Do not remove the stuffing from the turkey before it reaches 165°F because the undercooked stuffing could contaminate the cooked meat.
• If you stuff poultry, do it just before roasting and stuff loosely.
• The turkey should be stuffed loosely, about 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey.
• Do not stuff turkeys to be grilled, smoked, fried, or cooked in the microwave.
• For uniform doneness and optimum safety, cook stuffing separately from the bird.

This chart will help you determine how long to cook your turkey:

Source:  FDA

Happy Thanksgiving, Joan

If you have topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

The Easiest Way to Reduce Calories and Hunger on Thanksgiving

Source: GBFB

I have a strategy that will help you cut out some excess calories from your bountiful Thanksgiving this year and feel even better about yourself when you are sitting down at your dinner.  It involves distributing your Thanksgiving calories from your plate to somebody else’s.  Please read on.
Last week, I trekked my 25 Boston University (BU) Community Nutrition students over to Boston Medical Center (BMC) for the annual class pilgrimage to visit their very busy food pantry.  The students deposited their food donations on an old cart outside the pantry, and then we all attempted to squeeze in to a tiny food pantry, about half the size of their classroom.  As I glanced around the pantry, I noticed something missing from the shelves…..food.  The shelves are almost bare.  The food pantry was pantry without food.   While I had bought two bags of food to donate, I wished I had toted a third.

Latchman Hiralall, Food Pantry Manager, passionately explained to us that “the pantry was designed to provide healthy foods to 500 individuals monthly but averages over 7,000 users per month.”  During the holidays, this number typically exceeds 8,000 a month.  Hence, the shelves were bare.   Latchman explained that he would have to make an additional call to the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), which is their No. 1 food supplier, to restock the shelves.

GBFB is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country.  Last year, they distributed 48 million pounds of food, enough to provide healthy meals to as many as 545,000 people.  The GBFB acquires food through food industry product donations, food drives, and financial contributions that enable them to purchase additional high nutrient quality food at wholesale prices.

So here is my waist-trimming Thanksgiving strategy:  Since a typical Thanksgiving dinner serves up thousands of calories, consider making less turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and pies to fill your stomach, and donate the money saved to help those whose Thanksgiving isn’t so bountiful.   Instead of buying a 20-pound turkey at $1.00 a pound, lug home a 15-pound bird and donate the $5 difference.  Forgo either the sweet potato casserole or mashed potatoes (how many spuds do you really need at one meal??) and donate the cost savings.   Is a pumpkin pie, apple pie, and the pie your aunt brings every year, really necessary?  Drop one from the menu and save about $10.  All total, you will not only remove hundreds of tempting calories from your dinner and waist but your feel good gesture will also brighter somebody else’s holiday.

Click here to donate your savings to the BMC Food Pantry or here to give it to the GBFB.  I promise you will feel lighter and happier on Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Joan

If you have topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

5 White Foods That Should be on Your Plate

Source:  Apre.org

White foods have gotten a bum rap as being totally worthless when it comes to providing good nutrition.   Granted, white bread and white rice can’t hold a candle to fiber-rich whole grain bread and brown rice, but to eliminate white vegetables based on their lack of color is no longer PC in the culinary and nutrition world.   

The biggest myth about white veggies is that they are missing healthy phytochemicals.  Whereas the phytochemical, beta carotene, provides the orange color to carrots, cantaloupe, and winter squash, and another phytochemical, anthocyanins,  gives the purple and red colors in blackberries and purple grapes, white vegetables can also have these plant compounds.  Some white foods can contain colorless phytochemcials, as well as other nutrients that make them as nutritiously powerful as their vibrant color cousins in the produce aisle. 

Here are 5 white foods that should be on your plate this season:

Cauliflower:

As a member of the cruciferous family, which includes broccoli and Brussels sprouts, cauliflower is a potent source of glucosinolates, a sulfur-containing phytochemical.  Glucosinolates break down during cooking and digestion into several active compounds that may help reduce the risk of certain cancers such as prostate and lung cancer.   Don’t know how to cook it?  Here are 20 healthy recipes.

Garlic and Onions:

Both garlic and onions, as well as shallots, chives, and leeks, are pungent sources of the phytochemical, allium.  Some research suggestions that both garlic and onions may help reduce the risk of stomach, colon, and rectal cancer.  Health aside, grilled, roasted, or sautéed garlic and onions will all add so much delicious flavor to vegetable side dishes that you will be able to skip using the salt shaker.  Try this Garlic Green Beans and Onions recipe that doesn’t contain any added salt.

White Beans:

White beans (also called navy beans) are chockfull of soluble fiber, which can help lower your blood cholesterol levels.   Once consumed, the soluble fiber in the beans latches on to cholesterol in your GI tract and blocks its absorption in the blood.  Because beans are also a good source of protein, they also provide satiety, or that feeling of fullness, at your meals.   Add them to soups to keep you warm, healthy, and full as the temperature drops. 

Potatoes:

For the money and your blood pressure, you can’t beat a traditional baked spud.  A cup serving of potatoes (about one small baked potato) costs less than 20 cents, yet will provide over 650 milligrams of blood pressure-lowering, potassium.   Since most Americans are falling short of this nutrient, a potato is a cheap way to fight high blood pressure.  Nutritional bonus:  a small baked potato is only 113 calories so do not believe that old wives’ tale that baked potatoes are “fattening.”  Stuff a spud with veggies, lean ham, a small amount of cheese for a filling, but low cost and low calorie meal.

Mushrooms:

Source: Mushroom Council

Since most Americans are falling short of their daily fiber needs, you may want to look to mushrooms to beef up the fiber in your diet.  A cup of cooked mushrooms provides more than 3 grams of fiber or over 10 percent of the Daily Value for a waist-friendly, mere 44 calories.  Try this Mushroom Scramble Mug to start your day with a fiber boost.

When it comes to fashionable vegetables to serve and eat  this season, consider white is the new black.


Do you have a nutrition topic that you would like me to write about?  Please email me at: salge@bu.edu.

Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

The Dangers of Dining Out With Food Allergies

Source:  National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

It’s always a dining adventure when Pam makes a reservation for herself and daughter, Jessie, at a restaurant.   Pam is allergic to crustacean shellfish (crab, lobster, and shrimp), and Jessie has to carry an epi-pen (epinephrine by autoinjector) because consuming even a morsel of peanuts or tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, and pecans) can cause her to have a severe immune system anaphylaxic reaction.  Her throat will swell up and the airways in her lungs will constrict, which throws her into a state of panic worried that she will have difficulty breathing and could die. 

Between the both of them, Pam and Jessie have 3 of the 8 major foods  -- milk, eggs, wheat, soybeans, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, and peanuts that cause 90 percent of all food allergic reactions.  Currently up to 15 million Americans suffer from food allergies and need to avoid not only certain foods, but any ingredient that contains proteins derived from them.
  
In the supermarket, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all food labels clearly identify in the ingredients listing all sources of these eight most common food allergens, as well as any protein that may had come from these foods.  Unfortunately, when dining out, the restaurant menu may just give a brief description of the dish without disclosing every minute ingredient used in the recipe, causing some restaurant patrons anxious about what they should order. 

Because of this, Pam and Jesse must spend several minutes during every restaurant meal outing clearly communicating to the waitstaff about their food restrictions and concerns.  Jessie’s allergy is so severe that she also needs to make sure that cross-contamination doesn’t occur in the kitchen, such as when a spoon or dish comes in contact with multiple foods, including a food allergen, in error.

Luckily, if you have a food allergy or know someone who has one, dining out has just become less stressful, thanks to AllergyEats.  This website offers a free online guide to over 600,000 allergy-friendly restaurants nationwide.  AllergyEats is the brainchild of Paul Antico, CEO, founder, and father of three food-allergic children.  Four years ago, Paul quit his day job to passionately become a food allergy advocate. 

On a crusade to educate the food industry about food allergies, AllergyEats recently sponsored a conference in Boston that catered to restaurant and food service establishments.   Experts from the National Restaurant Association, allergists from Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associations and notable restaurants that excel at accommodating food allergies provided valuable information about how eateries can accommodate food-allergic guests, allay their fears about food allergies, and build customer loyalty.

AllergyEats has also created a mobile app that allows you to choose an allergy-free restaurant on-the-go. It is free and designed for the iPhone or Android.

I am emailing the link to Pam and Jessie ASAP.








Do you have a nutrition topic that you would like me to cover?  If so, please email me at salge@bu.edu.

Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

Getting the Children Involved

My youngest son loves to help my husband restore his old 68 mustang. He drops what he is doing when he sees his father in the garage, and he runs and asks if there is anything he can do to help. I think it is important to teach our children various skills so that they can handle adulthood better.

I consider it important that my boys  leave home with certain life skills, and that my daughter will do the same. My husband and I don't push it on them, we involve them in what we are doing instead. It makes them feel important that we value their help in what we are doing. Eventually they know the skill themselves and they can do them on their own. 

My husband is explaining certain things about the engine and what he is working on for the moment. My husband always tries to come up with things for Alex to do when he comes and wants to help out.

Alex is very proud that his father trusts him to work on his mustang. 

Sometimes tiny fingers can do a job easier than big fingers.

My husband involves Alex in the discussions and asks him what he thinks. It is a great way to encourage free thinking and problem solving.

Alex gladly leaves the heavy jobs to big brother. He rather plays with his sister when it comes to heavy stuff. 


Do your children help out too?


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Do Not Go Overboard Celebrating the Trans Fat Ban

Source:  FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hit a grand slam yesterday by issuing a Federal Register notice stating that they are preliminarily considering that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) are no longer “generally recognized as safe,” also known as GRAS, in the food industry.   PHOs are the major source of trans fat in the diet and are found in many processed foods such as grain-based desserts (cookies, cakes, and pies).

Research has shown that trans fat not only increases the “bad” LDL cholesterol but also lowers the "good" HDL cholesterol in the body.   In essence, it causes a double whammy in your body.  “If the FDA does determine that PHOs are not GRAS, it could, in effect, mean the end of artificial, industrially-produced trans fat in foods," says Dennis M. Keefe, Ph.D., director of FDA’s Office of Food Additive Safety.

But before you order the celebratory donuts for everyone in the office, keep in mind that when you take the trans fat out the donut, you are still left with a donut.  The baked good did not miraculously get converted into an apple or banana.  

The No. 1 source of daily calories in the American diet is grain-based desserts.  Yup…..bakery items.  Americans are eating close to 140 calories of grain-based desserts daily, which is also the No. 1 source of heart-unhealthy solid fats such as saturated fat.  With over 65 percent of Americans currently overweight, few of us have a lot of room in our daily diets for desserts, whether or not  they contain trans fats.

Again, bravo to the FDA for considering this new science-based, health policy.  But please celebrate with a basket of fruit.

Do you have a nutrition topic that you would like me to cover.  If so, please email me at salge@bu.edu

Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

Learn More About Essential Oils

Learn more about essential oils:

Read this Before You Start Using Essential Oils

10 Benefits of Using Essential Oils

Getting Started With Essential Oils

How to Use Essential Oils

Essential Oil Testing

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