One of the things I love about doing demos at Whole Foods is that they always have great food to sample! This past weekend I learned about baby kiwis. (I am always surprised at how, just about the time I think, at my age, and with my profession, I've encountered every kind of fruit and vegetable there is to eat…that something new pops up in the produce section!)
If you like kiwi fruit, these are the mini version. They're about the size of grapes, but they taste like kiwi fruit. They are very high in vitamin C, and they have a bit of calcium, vitamin A, and iron as well.
They'd be a great snack food to have in the refrigerator--be sure to store them at eye level instead of in the produce bin so you don't forget you have them!
This blog post is devoted to answering a question I've had for a few years…when did tangerines, one of my favorite snacks, suddenly become clementines? I found this answer on Yahoo Answers:
Clementines, tangerines and satsumas are all types of mandarin. Mandarins have been cultivated in China for a couple of thousand years, where they were deemed a fruit only suitable for the upper echelons of society and so were only exported to Europe in the 1900's. Of the various types of mandarin, clementines are smaller and tend to have fewer seeds, a very thin easily peeled skin. They are seemingly named after one Father Pierre Clement who, the story goes, inadvertently bred the hybrid orange in his orphanage garden in Oman. Tangerines, with loose skin and less sweetness, where named after their original port of origin in Tangiers, in fact, the word tangerine was already in common parlance before then as an adjective describing something from Tangiers. Satsuma's are just that. Satsumas from Satsuma, the Japanese province in which they were first cultivated, though, confusingly they are sometimes called mikans.
The main difference between a clementine and a tangerine is that a clementine is seedless while a tangerine is not. That likely explains the rising popularity of clementines.
I love these guys! Forget the 100 calorie cookie packs, these fruits are the very first calorie-controlled pre-measured snack. They're high in vitamin C, which is an antioxidant as well as a vitamin. And they're not shabby when it comes to folate.
If you're feeling creative, I found a fun web page with recipes using clementines. http://ezinearticles.com/?Clementine-Recipes:-Not-Just-for-Snacking&id=107724
I have recently discovered a great budget-friendly store that is new to California, Arizona, and Nevada, called Fresh and Easy. It's not really a new store, it's been around in the UK for years under the name Tesco.
I discovered quite by accident that this store, about an hour before closing time, starts to mark its perishables near expiration date, off by 50%. I got out of there with my week's food for almost half of what I normally spend!
Of course, the perishables that don't sell are the ones people either don't like or don't know how to cook, so I'm eating more healthfully by virtue of other peoples' shopping omissions.: )
One of the things I have regularly been coming home with is a big head of cauliflower. It's not that I don't like cauliflower, I do, but there's only so much you can eat raw in a salad or dipped in hummous. So I've been researching other ways to eat it.
I've made cauliflower and pasta, cauliflower curry, and the other night, a really quick and easy cauliflower soup. Cooked correctly, it's got a pleasant flavor that goes well with a lot of things I like to eat.
Cauliflower is a decent source of folate, which you will see repeatedly mentioned on this blog. It's also an excellent source of vitamin C and pantothenic acid. It's part of the anti-cancer family of vegetables including broccoli, cabbbage, and Brussels sprouts.
Here is a link to 324 healthy cauliflower recipes to get you started.
Why would I pick such an esoteric fruit for this blog? I've got several reasons.
1. I have been asked to be part of a committee here in Phoenix that organizes Get Your PHX, monthly events promoting local businesses. Because my specialty is nutrition, I've been assigned the task of finding food for these parties. It's a great opportunity to give my fellow Phoenicians a chance to try some of the principles promoted on this blog--eat a variety of foods, organic and locally grown when possible--and to see that it actually tastes great!
The restaurant I am working with for next week's event is called The Breadfruit. It's a small but very popular joint in downtown Phoenix that obtains quite a few of its ingredients from the farmer's market around the corner. I joined The Breadfruit's Facebook fan page, and Sasha Ottey of PCOS Challenge, who is originally from Jamaica, commented that the breadfruit is a staple of Jamaica. So, for Sasha, I'm highlighting this food.
2. Women with PCOS often cut back what they are eating to just a small list of foods that they've culled from the Internet, at the expense of their dietary variety. I worked with eating disorders before specializing in PCOS, and my observation is that there is a lot more fear about food with PCOS than with eating disorders. I would guess, it has to do with wanting so badly to conceive, or lose weight, or whatever, that (unrealistic) magical powers to help or hurt PCOS start to be attached to certain food. There is no such top ten list of PCOS cure foods. In fact, the more varied your diet, the more nutrients you can get. So I wanted to pick a food that challenged all of you to think outside of that top ten list.
3. Dietary regimens for PCOS take all the fun out of food. It becomes a chore, eating the same foods over and over becomes boring, and eventually the backlash is likely to become a binge on foods that are counterproductive to PCOS. I encourage you all to have fun with food! Even if you're not coming to Get Your PHX next week, if you have an opportunity to try Jamaican food, or Korean food, or Bolivian food…don't pass it up! You might find something you like that you can add to your routine.
Back to breadfruit. What is it? It's a starchy staple of tropical nations around the world. It is typically cooked before eating, and it gets its name from its bread-like flavor. It can also be stored, fermented, and turned into a paste.
In economically disadvanted countries, breadfruit is consumed in large quantities that would not be appropriate for someone trying to balance their carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake. As a side dish, in moderation, it does provide vitamin C, choline, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, and a lot of dietary fiber--11 grams per serving! And even though it is starchy, its glycemic index is not high, likely due to its fiber content.
So if you're out having fun, and the menu includes something exotic, don't pass it up just because it's not salmon, broccoli, walnuts, or blueberries. Mother Earth has a bounty of options that are good for you, fun to try, and pleasing to your palate.
I am willing to bet you wrinkled your nose when you saw this week's choice. Most people will. That's unfortunate, since this kissin' cabbage cousin is a nutritional powerhouse. It's especially high in vitamin C and vitamin K, it's got folate (which all of you ladies need as much as you can get of), and it contains that anti-Alzheimer's compound I've been writing about a lot lately…choline. It's one of those vegetables like cabbage and broccoli that has some powerful anticancer properties as well. They're low glycemic, and each one only contains 10 calories!
Most people have never eaten a properly cooked Brussels sprout, which is why they think they don't like them. They can taste sulfurous if cooked too long. It's best to cook them until they just turn a bright green. Here's a video on cooking them that may be helpful.
If you're really adventurous, and willing to reconsider, here are some interesting ways to cook them:
Roasted brussels sprouts
Caramelized brussels sprouts (You will need some sugar to do the caramelizing, but you can experiment with how little you really need.)
Brussels sprout stir fry
Browned Brussels sprouts with orange and walnuts
Brussels sprouts with grapes
Grilled Brussels sprouts
And my personal favorite, pictured above, Brussels sprout salad
If you're a frequent traveler, chances are you have already had an opportunity to experience the new security measures at the airport, which include the new full body scanner.
One of the biggest concerns about this scanner has been the radiation exposure these scanners emit. Because radiation can affect fertility, a concern of many readers of this blog, I did some fact checking.
What is interesting to note is that before these scanners were even in existence, anyone stepping on an airplane was already increasing their exposure to radiation! In a 1998 study published in Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, scientists concluded that an airline captain is exposed to 37% more radiation per year (219 millirem) than a nuclear power plant worker in the same period of time (160 millirem). For the pilot, that is the equivalent to 22 chest x-rays, for the power plant worker, 16 chest x-rays.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, in an independent study, reported that the average scan with the TSA backscatter x-ray scanner provides 0.0024 millirem of radiation exposure. Meaning, you would have to have 4,000 TSA scans to equal one x-ray. The people at greatest risk for increased radiation exposure from these machines is most likely the TSA workers themselves, who conduct their work in the presence of the scanners for hours at a time.
Bottom line:
1. Your biggest dose of radiation exposure is actually coming from the time you spend on the airplane at altitude, not the short amount of time in the scanner. 2. If you are a pilot, flight attendant, or frequent flyer with concerns about fertility, it certainly is a good strategy to start being more diligent about your intake of antioxidants. I've listed the important ones below that are consistently recommended as cancer fighters. 3. If you are a reporter researching the scanner issue, instead of scaring travelers, perhaps the more relevant issue is why TSA is not requiring its employees to wear dosimeters to be sure their own exposure over time is not an occupational risk. It might also be a very quick way to identify a machine that is malfunctioning and exposing flyers to unnecessary additional radiation. 4. Flight crews and TSA employees might want to consider packing their bags with more fruits and vegetables. Especially since these are not items commonly available in airport food courts. 5. In addition to the standard security questions TSA members should ask for your 24 hour diet recall to be sure you're sufficiently protected for your flight. (Couldn't resist that one…just KIDDING!) 6. For our specific population most likely reading this post, I strongly recommend you discuss your travel strategy with the appropriate caregiver if you have a history of cancer, are in the middle of infertility treatment, or have a history of sexual abuse. It's best to know what choices are most appropriate for your personal situation before standing in the TSA line.
So if you're heading home at altitude for Thanksgiving, consider that the broccoli, cranberries, and sweet potatoes (even a small extra sliver of pumpkin pie) aren't all that bad if you're going to have seconds. Enjoy them, as well as your family.
BEST ANTIOXIDANTS FOR COUNTERING RADIATION
Vitamin C parsley, broccoli, bell pepper, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts.
Vitamin E mustard greens, chard, sunflower seeds, turnip greens
I spent last week in New England…the countryside and the upcoming holidays had me thinking about chestnuts, so I researched them as far as potential for a fall PCOS snack.
Good news…they should be on your list! I didn't know until I researched this piece, but chestnuts are the only nuts containing vitamin C. Here is information on how to roast them, you can even do it in your microwave if you don't have the classic"open fire" to roast them on.
I found some great recipes to try, as well…some might be great on your Thanksgiving table.
Grrrr…if I don't get Nat King Cole out of my head…it's going to be a long 6 weeks!
Last week a good friend was in town for his annual medical conference. I wanted to show him real Mexican food, so I took him to a grocery store/restaurant in South Phoenix called Ranch Market/Tradiciones. We spent about a half hour in the grocery store, taking in the various aguas frescas, ceviches, peppers, and other exotic Latin produce. Then we headed over to the restaurant for dinner.
I hate Tex-Mex, but I love real Mexican food. I had chicken mole enchiladas, and my friend had carne asada. And what I really enjoyed…was the cucumber-jicama margarita! It was crisp, refreshing, and the perfect complement to a wonderful dinner.
And that got me thinking about cucumbers. They don't really get much credit as a food, they're mostly water, not many calories…tend to be something dieters overdo when they're overly restrictive. I used to belong to a community supported agriculture group and during the two weeks when cucumbers were in season I got so many in my bag that I ended up living on cucumber sandwiches.
Curious, I decided to learn more. And, delightfully, I learned that for PCOS, especially if it's affecting your skin, they may actually have some therapeutic benefit! The following excerpt comes from one of my favorite websites, www.whfoods.com:
The silica in cucumber is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, which includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone. Cucumber juice is often recommended as a source of silica to improve the complexion and health of the skin, plus cucumber's high water content makes it naturally hydrating—a must for glowing skin. Cucumbers are also used topically for various types of skin problems, including swelling under the eyes and sunburn. Two compounds in cucumbers, ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, prevent water retention, which may explain why cucumbers applied topically are often helpful for swollen eyes, burns and dermatitis.
I did look for a cucumber margarita recipe to share, but was not successful. Apparently they are available in other restaurants, so keep an eye out. If you're juicing at home, why not throw a cucumber in with your other fruits and vegetables? Add them here and there in salads, and sandwiches.
Hopefully your skin will give this blog post a glowing review…
Marissa Kent of Mission Viejo, California wrote a wonderful article about watermelon for her August newsletter. Be sure to check out the watermelon salad recipe at the bottom of the post!
In addition to being a dietitian specializing in eating disorders and a certified diabetes educator, Marissa loves food, cooking, and hanging out at her local farmer's market.
You can learn more about Marissa and her nutrition counseling services at http://www.marissakentnutrition.com/.
One of the most enjoyed fruits during the hot season is the watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), which originated from Africa. Did you know a watermelon is 95% water, and there are more than 200 to 300 varieties grown in the United States alone? Only about half a dozen of those varieties make it into your supermarket. There is even a square shaped watermelon grown in Japan, so that it will fit into refrigerator shelves nicely and not take up too much space.
Watermelons do grow from a vine, but the melon is on top of the ground. Growing a watermelon can be very demanding. They require a lot of sunlight, space, water, and nutrients.It takes about 90 days for a full mature watermelon. California’s peak season for watermelon is May – October, but in general you can buy watermelon throughout the year.
Picking a watermelon requires both talent and skill, or just pure luck. Ideally you want a firm, smooth melon with a yellowish creamy-white underside where it touched ground. Ripe watermelons should have a healthy sheen and a melon smell. One popular way of picking a watermelon is by knocking on the melon with your knuckles and listening for a dull, hollow sound. The unripe melons have a higher pitched sound.
Most people prefer watermelons for the cool sweet refreshing taste, but little do they know a watermelon is filled with nutrition.
Nutrition values:
1 cup of diced watermelon: 50 calories 11 grams of carbohydrate 0.6 grams of fiber 9 grams of sugar 1 gram protein– (can you believe it!) 11 mg calcium 170 mg potassium– (helps you stay hydrated) 12.5 mg Vit. C 875 IU (International Units) Vit. A 6900 mcg (micrograms) lycopene — Wow!
Watermelon (as defined by its name) mostly consists of water. It’s a great source for keeping your body hydrated during this hot season. Most of the water will come out of your body through sweat or urination. This does not mean it is low in nutritional value!
The top 2 benefits of eating a watermelon are: 1) the values of vitamin A and 2) lycopene. Both of these are antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals (highly reactive and unstable molecules). Vitamin A aids in the building and strengthening of bones, soft tissue, skin, and mucous membranes. Lycopene is in the subcategory of Vitamin A, and has been shown in recent studies to have potential health benefits to reduce the risk of cancer! Watermelon contains potassium. Potassium helps trigger your heart’s squeeze of blood through your body. It also helps with reducing the amount of muscle cramps.
People with diabetes may be concerned with the sugar content of watermelon. However, other foods you eat with watermelon will reduce the impact on your blood sugar.
Glycemic index refers to how fast a specific carbohydrate (bread, rice, potato, fruits, etc… ) food raises the blood sugar within a given time. The glycemic index of a food can change when you eat a combination of nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat). Watermelon (as defined by its name) mostly consists of water. It’s a great source for keeping your body hydrated during this hot season. Most of the water will come out of your body through sweat or urination. This does not mean it is low in nutritional value!
The top 2 benefits of eating a watermelon are: 1) the values of vitamin A and 2) lycopene. Both of these are antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals (highly reactive and unstable molecules). Vitamin A aids in the building and strengthening of bones, soft tissue, skin, and mucous membranes. Lycopene is in the subcategory of Vitamin A, and has been shown in recent studies to have potential health benefits to reduce the risk of cancer! Watermelon contains potassium. Potassium helps trigger your heart’s squeeze of blood through your body. It also helps with reducing the amount of muscle cramps.
People with diabetes may be concerned with the sugar content of watermelon. However, other foods you eat with watermelon will reduce the impact on your blood sugar.
Glycemic index refers to how fast a specific carbohydrate (bread, rice, potato, fruits, etc… ) food raises the blood sugar within a given time. The glycemic index of a food can change when you eat a combination of nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat).
For example, if you are eating a hamburger and then a slice of watermelon, that will decrease the time it takes to rise the sugar level. You may want to work with a dietitian to learn more about combining and preparing foods to achieve the lowest glycemic index levels in your meals.
The glycemic index of a watermelon is 72, which is high compared to the chart below. Most nonstarchy vegetables, legumes, high fiber fruits and grains, have a low glycemic index.
Here is a chart of the levels of the glycemic index:
Low (good) glycemic index levels: 55 or less
Medium glycemic index levels: 56–69
High (bad) glycemic index levels: 70 or higher
In conclusion, the glycemic index of watermelon is high. If you stay within the recommended portion size (1 cup diced), your blood sugar will not be significantly affected. In addition, if you enjoy watermelon with a meal this will further balance blood sugar.
Enjoy picking out and eating your watermelon while we are still in summer!!!
Watermelon Summer Salad
Dressing:
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons) 1/4 cup minced shallots (1 large) 1 T honey 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Salad:
6 cups of baby arugula, washed 1/8 of a seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into 1 inch cubes 12 oz of feta cheese, 1/2 inch diced 1/2 cup whole fresh mint leaves, julienned
Directions
Whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice and shallots, honey, salt and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly to form an emulsion. If not using within an hour, store the vinaigrette covered in the refrigerator.
Place arugula, watermelon, feta, and mint in a large bowl. Drizzle with enough vinaigrette to coat the greens lightly and toss well. Taste and serve immediately
It's the end of summer and the basil plant on my patio is huge. Time for pesto!
Pesto sauce is a great PCOS food. It's based on olive oil, the pine nuts have a healthy omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, garlic has its health benefits we have all heard of. Add some parmesan cheese for calcium and voila! You're there!
Who knew the basil was throwing in its own punch? The oils found in basil leaves have anti-inflammatory activity (remember, PCOS is an inflammatory condition). It's also high in beta-carotene, antioxidants, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C.
If you're trying to watch your glycemic index, try quinoa pasta. It's a high protein, low GI grain that is now sold in spaghetti and pasta forms. Pesto also makes a good sandwich spread, a topper for grilled meat, and you can put it on baked potatoes or portabella mushrooms if you're a veggie! I recently found some pesto turkey burgers at Trader Joe's--all they did was mix some pesto sauce in with the turkey meat before making patties…something you can easily replicate at home.
It's easy to find the ready made version in just about any store these days, but it's super easy to make at home. Here is one recipe I found online.
Are you someone who has a need for"crunch" in your diet, and who goes looking for it after you've eaten all the healthy foods? There may be some reasons for that.
We all have a nerve, the trigeminal nerve, that connects to the jaw joint. When that nerve is stimulated by jaw movement, it releases serotonin. So…whenever you bite your nails, clench your jaw, chew gum, crunch, even grind your teeth at night, you give yourself a mild antidepressant effect. (One of the most common keyword combinations, interestingly, bringing people to my main website, is"why do I want to chew ice cubes?")
So if your need to move your jaw moves out and beyond wanting a little crunch, consider that you may have an imbalance worthy of addressing. I know one of my clients long ago had developed horrible migraines that were related to his tooth grinding, and it wasn't until that was addressed that he was able to focus on changing his food behaviors. It all ends up connecting itself whether or not we want to admit it.
Anyway, back to jicama. That's pronounced HICK-uh-ma.
Jicama is a great little crunchy food that is often overlooked, likely because its appearance in the grocery store is not as attractive as, let's say, blueberries or golden beets. But what a delight for those who value inner beauty! Jicama is light, crunchy, even a little bit sweet. The texture has been compared to that of a pear. In its native Mexico, it is often eaten sprinkled with lime juice or chili powder. (C'mon, be adventurous, try it that way…you might be surprised!)
If you're ever in a pinch, you can substitute jicama for water chestnuts in Chinese cooking. And if it's your turn to bring the fruit/veggie tray to a party…jicama does not turn brown when exposed to air, making it a great alternative to apples.
Nutrition-wise, an entire cup of jicama only has 45 calories. And it's a good source of vitamin C.
If you want to really get creative, here's a link to a recipe for jicama slaw: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/jicama-slaw-recipe/index.html
