Facts About Organic Foods

One of the most profound ways to experience the whole nature of food is to eat it in its pure and natural state. In fact, if you've ever eaten organic food, you probably noticed that it tasted fresher and more flavorful.

Here are some interesting facts about eating organic foods:

• Organic farming puts less strain on wildlife and the environment; these methods result in less air, water, and land pollution and produce less global warming gases.
• Unlike much of the food we see on grocery store shelves, organic food isn't genetically modified. Under organic standards, genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are prohibited.
• Organic food doesn't contain harmful food additives, flavor enhancers (i.e. MSG), artificial sweeteners (i.e. aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup), contaminants (i.e. mercury) or preservatives (i.e. sodium nitrate), that have been linked to a multitude of health problems.
• Organic food appears to promote weight loss since it reduces exposure to chemical pesticides which bind to fat. In fact, once absorbed, these pesticides may stay in the body for a lifetime (over 350 chemicals can accumulate in our body fat)!
• Organic farming standards prohibit the use of antibiotics, growth hormones and genetically modified vaccines in farm animals. Not only is this better for human consumption, but organic meat and dairy with the labels "free range" and "pasture fed" means that the animals were treated in a more humane and ethical manner.
• Organic fruits and vegetables contain up to 40% more antioxidants than conventional produce; organic milk from pasture raised cows contains up to 90% more antioxidants than non-organic milk.         
• Organic foods have higher levels of beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc, minerals crucial to early child development. 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

What are Omega-3 fatty acids, and why are they good for my heart?  

Fish contain unsaturated fatty acids, which, when substituted for the saturated fatty acids found in meat, may help to lower your cholesterol.

But the main beneficial nutrient are the omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids are believed to reduce inflammation throughout the body, which can damage blood vessels and lead to heart disease.

Omega-3 fatty acids may decrease triglycerides, lower blood pressure, reduce blood clotting, keep diabetes under check, boost immunity, improve arthritis symptoms, and may benefit the brain and learning ability of babies and young children.

Eating one to two servings a week of fish, particularly fish that's rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, herring, sardines, tuna and freshwater trout, appears to reduce the risk of heart disease, particularly sudden cardiac death.

Evidence shows greater benefits of eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids than for using supplements. However, people who have heart disease may benefit from supplements of omega-3 fatty acids and should discuss this with their doctors, and confirm the proper dosage.

Other nonfish food options which contain some omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts, canola oil, soybeans and soybean oil. However, similar to supplements, the evidence of heart-healthy benefits from eating these foods isn't as strong as it is from eating fish.

And increasingly, omega 3-supplemented foods are available, such as milk, eggs, cheese, margarine and pasta.  These products should not replace the natural sources of omega-3's, as foods fortified with omega-3 contain amounts that are not as significant.

So if you are feeling inspired to add more salmon into your families diet, but need some fresh ways to prepare it, please check Sister to Sister's Recipe Finder for a collection of salmon recipes.
 

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating based on the traditional foods of countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.  The Mediterranean Diet is considered a lifestyle of enjoying foods, activities, meals with friends and family, and wine in moderation with meals.

A new study published in the British Medical Journal found that people who followed a Mediterranean diet were more likely to outlive their Western counterparts.  It has long been touted as one of the healthiest eating patterns in the world.  

Now that summer is in full swing and Mediterranean foods are available at farmer’s markets and grocers across the country, this is the ideal time to give the diet a try. Here are some guidelines to follow:

• An abundance of food from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, potatoes, breads and grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.
• Emphasis on a variety of minimally processed and seasonally fresh and locally grown foods, providing foods with greater levels of nutrients and antioxidants.
• Olive oil as the principal fat, replacing other fats and oils like butter and margarine (saturated fats consumed not more than a few times per week)
• Low to moderate amounts of low and non-fat cheese and yogurt on a daily basis.
• Twice-weekly consumption of low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry, and up to 7 eggs per week (including those used in cooking and baking).
• Fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert (sweets with a significant amount of sugar consumed not more than a few times per week).
• Red meat a few times per month (limit consumption to maximum of 12 to 16 ounces per month).
• Regular physical activity at a level which promotes a healthy weight, fitness and well-being.
• If wine is consumed, moderation is key and should be limited to 1 to 2 glasses/day for men and 1 glass per day for women. 

For more tips on how to follow the Mediterranean diet, including the Mediterranean Food Pyramid, resources and delicious recipes, please visit the Oldways Preservation Trust, whose information was developed in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health. 

Eating Healthy With Diabetes

People with diabetes often wonder what they can eat in order to stay healthy.  Since diabetes is a metabolic disorder, it affects the way the body derives energy from food. Myths abound when it comes to diabetes and food.  People think there is a "diabetes diet" that prohibits sugar and lists other items to avoid, but that is not the case.

In fact, dietitians and other health professionals give the same dietary advice to people with diabetes as they do to most people, but with extra emphasis on controlling weight and keeping blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol values as close to normal as possible.

The basics: eat a well-balanced diet that emphasizes fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, while watching total calories and getting regular exercise. What you choose to eat on a day-to-day basis is up to you, but the overall goals are to maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly.

You should also strive to keep your blood sugar levels close to normal to prevent long-term complications of diabetes and avoid the short-term consequences of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), and to control your cholesterol and blood pressure levels to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Here are guidelines for healthful and enjoyable eating for people with diabetes and anyone else who wants to eat healthfully:

• Eat a variety of foods; since no single food is perfect, you need a balanced mix of foods to get all the nutrients your body requires.
• Eat more vegetable products and fewer animal products.
• Eat more fresh and homemade foods and fewer processed foods. Avoid fast food and junk food.
• Choose your fats wisely. Cut down on meat, the skin of poultry, whole-fat dairy products, stick margarine, fried foods, processed snack foods, and commercial baked goods made with trans fats. Think about dressings, sauces, and cooking oil. Use olive or canola oil to cook whenever possible, and moisten your bread with olive oil or soft margarine. Get "good fats" from fish and nuts.
• Choose your carbs wisely. Cut down on simple sugars; remember that sodas, sports energy drinks, and fruit juices are loaded with sugar. Cut down on highly refined products made with white flour. Favor whole-grain, coarsely ground, unrefined products. Don't be fooled by dark-colored bread or by labels that boast of unbleached flour, wheat grain, or multigrain flour. Instead, look for whole grain as the first ingredient, and read the fine print to learn the fiber content of a portion; more is better. Learn to like bran cereal, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Consider fiber supplements if you can't get enough from foods.
• Consume at least three cups of non- or low-fat dairy products a day.
• Eat protein in moderation. Favor fish and skinless poultry. Experiment with soy and beans as a protein source. Aim for 5½ ounces of protein-rich foods a day; count ¼ cup of cooked beans or tofu, ½ ounce of nuts or seeds, or one egg as equivalent to 1 ounce of cooked fish or cooked lean meat or poultry.
• Restrict your sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day, particularly if your blood pressure is borderline or high, by reducing your use of table salt and processed foods such as canned soup and juices, luncheon meats, condiments, frozen dinners, cheese, tomato sauce, and snack foods. People with blood pressure above 120/80 mm Hg should aim for 1,500 mg a day, as should anyone above age 50.
• Eat more potassium-rich foods, such as citrus fruits, bananas, and other fruits and vegetables. Eat more calcium-rich foods such as low-fat dairy products, broccoli, spinach, and tofu (but don't take calcium supplements to boost your daily intake above 1,200 mg).
• Eat more grain products, especially whole-grain products, aiming for at least 6 ounces a day. Count 1 cup of dry cereal; ½ cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta; or one slice of bread as 1 ounce. Whole grains and brown rice should provide at least half your grains; the more, the better.
• Eat more vegetables, especially deep-green and yellow-orange vegetables. Aim for at least five servings a day. Count 1 cup of raw leafy greens, ½ cup of cooked or raw vegetables, or ½ cup of vegetable juice as one portion.
• Eat more fruits, aiming for at least four servings a day. Count one medium-size piece of fruit; ½ cup of fresh, frozen, or canned fruit; or ½ cup of fruit juice as one portion.
• Eat more fish, aiming for at least two 4-ounce servings each week. Remember to broil, bake, or grill instead of frying.
• If you choose to eat red meat, try to reduce your intake to two 4-ounce servings per week. Avoid "prime" and other fatty meats, processed meats, and liver. Switch to chicken and turkey, always removing the skin. Be sure your meat and poultry are cooked to 160° or more, but not charred.
• Eat eggs sparingly; aim for an average of no more than one egg yolk per day, including those used in cooking and baking. Use egg substitutes whenever possible.
• Include seeds and unsalted nuts in your diet. Nuts have been linked to a reduced risk of cardiac death, but since they are high in calories, moderation is the watchword.
• Use vegetable oils in moderation, favoring olive and canola oils. Reduce your intake of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, palm oil, and coconut milk.
• If you choose to use alcohol, drink sparingly. Men should not average more than two drinks per day, women one a day. Count 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1½ ounces of liquor as one drink. Never drive or operate machinery after drinking.
• Adjust your caloric intake and exercise level to maintain a desirable body weight. If you need to reduce, aim for gradual weight loss by lowering your caloric intake and increasing your exercise level.
• Avoid fad diets and extreme or unconventional nutritional schemes. If it's too good to be true, it's not true. And remember that these guidelines are intended for healthy people; people with medical problems should consult their doctors to develop individualized nutritional plans.

These guidelines and nutritional information were provided by Harvard Medical School.

Foods That Improve Cholesterol

Improving your cholesterol through diet requires that you add foods that lower LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, while cutting back on foods that boost LDL.

Different foods lower cholesterol in various ways. Some deliver soluble fiber, which drags cholesterol out of the body before it gets into circulation. Some give you polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL. And some contain plant sterols and stanols, which block the body from absorbing cholesterol.

Here are 10 types of foods that work in one or more of these ways to lower cholesterol:

1. Oats such as oatmeal or cold, oat-based cereal like Cheerios
2. Barley and other whole grains
3. Beans
4. Eggplant and okra
5. Nuts
6. Vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower, and safflower
7. Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits
8. Foods fortified with sterols and stanols, which include foods ranging from margarine and granola bars to orange juice and chocolate
9. Soy, such as tofu or soy milk
10. Fatty fish

To improve your cholesterol, the main things to cut from your diet are saturated and trans fats.

Saturated fats. The saturated fats found in red meat, milk and other dairy foods, and coconut and palm oils directly boost LDL.

Trans fats. Trans fats boost LDL as much as saturated fats do. They also lower protective HDL cholesterol, rev up inflammation, and increase the tendency for blood clots to form inside blood vessels. The Institute of Medicine recommends getting no more than two grams of trans fats a day; less is even better. Look on the label of packaged foods such as cookies and crackers to make sure they don't have trans fats. Fried foods in restaurants can also contain them.

Also make sure that you keep your weight under control, and get regular exercise. Excess weight boosts LDL, while inactivity depresses HDL. Losing weight if needed and exercising more reverse these trends.

Shifting to a cholesterol-lowering diet takes more work than popping a daily cholesterol-lowering drug. It means expanding the variety of foods you put in your shopping cart and getting used to new textures and flavors. But it's a natural way to lower cholesterol, and it avoids the risk of possible side effects that plague some people who take medications.

Just as important, a diet that is heavy in fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts is good for the body in ways beyond lowering cholesterol. It keeps blood pressure in check. It helps arteries stay flexible and responsive. It's good for bones, digestive health, vision, and even mental health. 

These nutritional guidelines have been provided by Harvard Medical School.

The Importance of Breakfast

Mothers have been saying for decades that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  And yes, they are right!

Eating breakfast prevents you from crashing and getting too hungry before lunchtime. Nutritionally, when you have breakfast, there’s more of a guarantee that you’re getting the nutrients you need every day.

Better Nutrition:

• Eating breakfast gives you a mental advantage. When you start off your day, your body needs fuel. If you haven’t eaten by lunch you’ll start to feel fatigued.
• Without eating breakfast, you’re more vulnerable to cravings and less likely to make healthy choices in the morning and throughout the day.

Importance for Children:

• While adults need to eat breakfast each day to perform their best, kids need it even more. Their growing bodies and developing brains rely heavily on the regular intake of food.
• When kids skip breakfast, they can end up going for as long as eighteen hours without food, and this period of semistarvation can create a lot of physical, intellectual, and behavioral problems for them. 
• Cognitive studies, particularly on children, illustrate that people lose focus and concentration as well as the ability to think and problem-solve. 
    

Mental Clarity:

• If you and your kids regularly skip breakfast in the interest of saving time or getting a few more minutes of sleep, remember that eating a wholesome, nutritious morning meal will probably save you time in the long run. By recharging your brain and your body, you'll be more efficient in just about everything you do. 
• Recent research suggests there are advantages to both eating breakfast and choosing particular foods. A high-fiber, slower-burning carbohydrate (low-glycemic-index foods) breakfast like oatmeal, rather than a faster-burning breakfast foods, like sugary cereal, is ideal.  This will help children and adults maintain their concentration and attention throughout the morning.

Weight Control:

• Some people skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight, but the practice is more likely to cause weight gain than weight loss. Skipping breakfast is strongly linked to the development of obesity. Studies show that overweight and obese children, adolescents, and adults are less likely to break the fast each morning than their thinner counterparts. 
• According to research, skipping meals, especially breakfast, can actually make weight control more difficult. Breakfast skippers tend to eat more food than usual at the next meal or nibble on high-calorie snacks to stave off hunger.
• Several studies suggest that people tend to accumulate more body fat when they eat fewer, larger meals than when they eat the same number of calories in smaller, more frequent meals.
• To teens, especially teenage girls, skipping breakfast may seem like a perfectly logical way to cut down on calories and lose weight. It's important for moms to educate their kids about the importance of the morning meal and the role it plays in maintaining good health and preventing obesity. 

Breakfast Suggestions: 

• To make eating breakfast a habit or to give your breakfast a nutrition makeover, rethink your meal. You don't have to limit yourself to traditional breakfast foods.
• For sustainable energy, combine high-fiber foods with proteins that promote alertness, like egg whites, turkey and lean meats.
• Breakfast can also be a high-fiber smoothie with yogurt or tofu, whole grain waffles with greek yogurt and fresh fruit or a homemade high-fiber muffin made with vegetable oil, eggs and yogurt. 
• Besides hot cereal made with milk, other ideas to try are smoked fish or hummus on whole-grain or rye bread or on half a whole grain bagel.
Some people skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight, but the practice is more likely to cause weight gain than weight loss. Skipping breakfast is strongly linked to the development of obesity. Studies show that overweight and obese children, adolescents, and adults are less likely to break the fast each morning than their thinner counterparts.

According to research, skipping meals, especially breakfast, can actually make weight control more difficult. Breakfast skippers tend to eat more food than usual at the next meal or nibble on high-calorie snacks to stave off hunger. Several studies suggest that people tend to accumulate more body fat when they eat fewer, larger meals than when they eat the same number of calories in smaller, more frequent meals. To teens, especially teenage girls, skipping breakfast may seem like a perfectly logical way to cut down on calories and lose weight. It's important for moms to educate their kids about the importance of the morning meal and the role it plays in maintaining good health and preventing ob

Some people skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight, but the practice is more likely to cause weight gain than weight loss. Skipping breakfast is strongly linked to the development of obesity. Studies show that overweight and obese children, adolescents, and adults are less likely to break the fast each morning than their thinner coresearch, skipping meals, especially breakfast, can actually make weight control more difficult. Breakfast skippers tend to eat more food than usual at the next meal or nibble on high-calorie snacks to stave off hunger. Several studies suggest that people tend to accumulate more body fat when they eat fewer, larger meals than when they eat the same number of calories in smaller, more frequent meals. To teens, especially teenage girls, skipping breakfast may seem like a perfectly logical way to cut down on calories and lose weight. It's important for moms to educate their kids about the importance of the morning meal and the role it plays in maintaining good health and preventing

Health Benefits of Cooking with Pumpkin

The fall is a wonderful time to emphasize seasonal, healthy eating and to discover the countless ways of cooking with pumpkins and other squash varietals.  

Pumpkin is low in fat and calories and rich in disease-fighting nutrients such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, vitamins A, C and E, potassium and magnesium. 

Pumpkin is also an excellent source of fiber; one-half cup serving contains 5 grams of fiber. Fiber can help reduce bad cholesterol levels, protect the body against heart disease, control blood sugar levels, promote healthy digestion, and plays a role in weight loss by leading to that sense of being "full".

While pumpkin flesh is nutrient-rich, pumpkin seeds also contain essential vitamins and minerals. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of vitamin E, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and are an excellent plant-based source of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

Fresh pumpkins are typically only available during fall and early winter; however, canned pumpkin is just as nutritious as fresh. Fresh pumpkin or canned pumpkin puree can be used to make soups, muffins, breads, pancakes, puddings, and smoothies. Pumpkin seeds can be eaten as a snack, used to top salads or added to sautéed vegetables. Pumpkin-seed oil can be used in cooking or as a salad dressing.

Please check the Sister to Sister Recipe Finder for new ideas and inspirational recipes for cooking with pumpkins.

The health and nutrition information on pumpkins was provided by Suite101.

Pistachios: Heart Health and Nutrition Benefits

MOST COMPREHENSIVE STUDY TO DATE SHOWS ADDING TREE NUTS TO DAILY DIET CONTRIBUTES TO OVERALL HEART HEALTH

New Study Further Confirms Eating Tree Nuts, Like Pistachios, Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

A new nut and blood lipid study published on May 10, 2010, in Archives of Internal Medicine, led by Dr. Joan Sabaté and colleagues at Loma Linda University (Loma Linda, Calif.), confirms that eating nuts, like pistachios, have a total and LDL (bad)-cholesterol-lowering effect, supporting the evidence that regular nut consumption can lower the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

The most wide-ranging study to date, this pooled analysis is a systematic way to group results from many studies and treat them as one large study. Twenty-five studies from seven countries were included showing results from 583 people with normal and slightly elevated cholesterol levels, who were not on cholesterol-lowering medication. The research support was provided by Loma Linda University and the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation.

“Nuts, such as pistachios, are continually proving their worthy place in the daily diet due to their numerous health benefits,” said Dr. Constance Geiger, nutrition expert for the Western Pistachio Association (WPA) and its nutrition education Web site, TheGreenNut.org. “This wide-ranging study further shows that when nuts such as pistachios, are eaten on a regular basis, they help lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol thereby lowering the risk of heart disease.”

Researchers at Loma Linda University found that those who ate about 2.4 ounces of nuts, such as pistachios, per day had an average reduction in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol of 5.1 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively.  A 7.4 percent reduction in bad cholesterol may help lower the risk of heart disease by a similar amount (7.4 percent). Furthermore, the LDL-to-HDL ratio and total cholesterol-to-HDL ratio were also significantly lowered in subjects; 8.3 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively.  These results may be even more powerful predictors of lower cardiovascular risk. Notably, the effect of nuts was dose-related, showing that the more nuts that were eaten the larger the effect on blood lipids.

Past Studies Support Evidence

Recent studies on pistachios further confirm these findings.  Results from an ongoing study conducted at Penn State University (Gebaurer et al 2008) suggest a dose response of pistachios on blood cholesterol levels.                                                                     

Compared to the control diet, a diet including 20 percent of calories from pistachios lowered LDL cholesterol about 12 percent and the diet containing 10 percent of calories from pistachios lowered LDL cholesterol by 9 percent.  These results indicate the risk of heart disease may be lowered 10 to 12 percent. Furthermore, similar to the Sabate study, the 10 percent and the 20 percent pistachio diets, respectively, showed a dose-response lowering (P <0.05) of the LDL-to-HDL ratio(-3 percent and-11 percent) and the total cholesterol-to-HDL ratio(-1 percent and -8 percent).

Importantly, the researchers noted that the reduction in LDL cholesterol observed was seven times greater than would be expected from only the fatty acid profile of pistachios. They suggest that the lipid-lowering effects not only reflect the fatty acid profile of the diet, but also are the result of other bioactive substances in pistachios, perhaps phytosterols and fiber. Pistachios provide 3 g of fiber in one ounce.

Pistachios Facts

Pistachios – the only Green Nut – are a naturally cholesterol-free snack that contains just 1.5 grams of saturated fat and 13 grams of fat, the majority of which comes from monounsaturated fat.  A one-ounce serving of pistachios equals 49 nuts, which is more nuts per serving than any other snack nut. One serving of pistachios has as much potassium (300mg, 8 percent) as an orange (250mg, 7 percent), making it a nutritious snack choice or ingredient to incorporate into daily diets.

The Green Nut
The Green Nut ™ and TheGreenNut.org is a nutrition awareness campaign sponsored by the Western Pistachio Association (WPA). Based in Fresno, California, the WPA is a voluntary association representing pistachio growers throughout the country. Founded in 1980, it is the only voluntary organization representing U.S. pistachio growers’ interests.  It is governed by an 18 member board elected from a variety of states with the shared goal of increasing national awareness about the nutritional benefits of U.S. grown pistachios.  For more healthy tips, visit www.thegreennut.org, or follow The Green Nut on Twitter at http://twitter.com/thegreennut.