Category Archives: Healthy Eating Made Easy

Keep Your Grilled Food Safe at the Plate

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With Memorial Day around the corner, grills will be fired up.  Grilled foods are usually considered healthy because they are cooked without fat. For instance, a typical 4-ounce chicken breast cooked on the grill contains about 7 grams of fat, while a 4-ounce serving of fast-food fried chicken contains about 17 grams of fat.Corncobs and meat on grill

Although your waistline is better off with grilled cuisine, the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR) points out that grilling might increase the risk of cancer. Cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are produced when meat (eg, fish, beef, and chicken) is cooked at the high temperatures used in grilling and broiling. Other cancer-causing compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed when meat fat drips onto hot coals. As food cooks on the grill, flames and smoke help deposit the PAHs onto the food.

What You Can Do to Be Safe

There are steps that you can take to lower your risk of these potentially cancer-causing chemicals:

  •  Trim the fat. To minimize the PAHs from forming, trim as much fat as you can from the meat.
  •  Marinate. Some studies suggest that marinating meat before grilling may reduce the formation of HCAs.
  •  Precook. Pop the meat in the microwave to partially cook it before grilling.
  •  Use smaller cuts of meat. Smaller cuts take less time to grill. You can also flip your food often, which can further shorten grilling time.
  •  Remove charred parts. After grilling, cut off any charred parts from the meat.
  •  Eat your fruits and veggies. Add variety to your meals by grilling fruits and veggies instead of meat. Vegetables do not produce HCAs.

Other Ways to Be a Safe Grillmaster

  •  Frequently wash your hands and surfaces. This can prevent cross-contamination of bacteria, like E. coli.
  • Use separate plates. Use one cutting board for raw meats and a clean one for other foods in order to reduce bacteria crossover. Be sure to use separate plates, utensils, and platters for raw and cooked foods. For instance, if the raw  steaks are carried out on a platter and tongs are used for placing them on the grill, you must use a new clean platter and tongs for taking the cooked steaks off the grill when they are done.
  •  Keep the temperatures appropriate. Meats should be refrigerated while marinating and up to the point of being cooked. When the grilling starts, be sure the internal temperature of meats is appropriate to kill bacteria . Use a meat thermometer to check proper internal temperatures. Leftovers should be refrigerated immediately and tossed if left out more than one hour in hot temperatures and 2 hours in cooler temperatures.

A little precaution goes a long way in keeping your grilled food safe at the plate, both on this holiday weekend and all grilling season.  Happy Memorial Day!

20 Foods to Fight Stroke and High Blood Pressure

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We’ve all heard that reducing sodium intake can help lower blood pressure.  What consumers are less aware of is that dumping the salt in your diet may be only 50% of what you need to do to prevent high blood pressure and stroke risk. The rest of the story has to do with getting enough potassium in your diet. Potassium is found primarily in unprocessed whole foods.  When people eat lots of calories and abundant amounts ofhttp://www.dreamstime.com/-image21312271 unprocessed foods, it is not problematic getting the 4700 mg. recommended intake.  Slash your calories and eat a lot of junky processed food and it becomes much harder to reach your potassium recommendations. In order to slash sodium and boost potassium intake, consider eating more of these stroke and blood pressure fighting foods:

                                                        Potassium (mg)                       Sodium (mg)

One medium potato                                          926                                          17

One cup winter squash                                     896                                            2

One cup low sodium V-8 juice                          820                                        140

½ cup pitted dates                                            584                                            2

One cup low sodium tomato juice                     556                                          24

½ cup spinach                                                  510                                          25

½ cup sweet potato                                          398                                          68

½ cup kidney beans                                          370                                           1

One small banana                                             362                                           0

1/3 avocado                                                       356                                          2

½ cup prune juice                                              353                                          5

½ cup uncooked oatmeal                                  335                                           2

1.5 oz. box raisins                                             322                                           5

3 oz. cooked beef or chicken                            290                                          47

½ cup cooked broccoli                                      278                                          29

One cup raw sliced mangos                              257                                           3

¼ cup wheat germ                                             256                                           3

½ cup any melon                                               242                                          27

½ cup orange juice                                            240                                            1

½ cup apricot halves                                         233                                            1

Choosing more of these foods will both slash your sodium while boosting your potassium, to boost your chances of steering clear of stroke and high blood pressure!

 

Restaurant Dining: A Hit to Your Health and Wallet

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Couple DiningMy spouse and I are health conscious because I am a dietitian and not a hypocrite, and his life depends upon it.  We regularly visit an area of southwest Michigan, and recently had breakfast at a local diner with great TripAdvisor reviews.  Unfortunately, we did not agree with the great reviews on TripAdvisor.  The menu was limited, but I will be the first to state that this is not necessarily a bad thing because the focus may end up being on quality, rather than an abundance of mediocre dishes.  The good news here was the staff was more than happy to substitute egg whites for whole eggs, but that is probably where the positive aspects of the meal ended.

Now the bad news:  the nice multi-grain bread was already buttered on the bottom of the toast (so did not realize it until it was eaten), the portions were huge (I know many people want large portions for the money being doled out), and I saw no fruit options on the menu.  Other bad news: the bill was $30.00 for what we could have made at home for probably a dollar at most, and made it a lot healthier in a short amount of time.  This is, in fact, the key issue with dining out on a regular basis.

When my clients dine out on a regular basis, this is what I tell them to expect:

More Fat.  If you make the same food at home, you can control the fat in the dish with very simple recipe tweaking.  Restaurants don’t typically care about the fat content in their meals because fat carries flavor and texture in food and of course, they want you to return for another meal! You can bank on eating more calories than you anticipated due to the higher fat content, and you can also assume that it will be more difficult to meet your weight loss goals.

More Calories.  And, let’s not forget the simple concept that larger portions, when eaten, yield more calories.  Unless you can exercise a lot of self-discipline while dining out, you will most likely eat your whole meal.  If you can consistently ask for healthy substitutions such as fruit for fries, you are on the right track.  Also, you need to get in the habit of bringing at least half of your meal home. And who doesn’t want that yummy appetizer, dessert, or cocktail while dining out?  It is probably safe to say that if you are eating at home vs. dining out, you probably are not having an appetizer, cocktail, and dessert with your main meal!

More Sodium.  If you are fortunate to find a nice restaurant meal low in fat and overall calories, the sodium is probably lurking.  I have yet to see a healthy restaurant meal that is low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, calories, and sodium.  If you think the sodium content does not matter because your blood pressure is fine, you need to think again.   High sodium intakes cause other health problems such as bone loss and are correlated with increased cancer risk.  And, if you hop on the scale the next day, you can credit that weight gain of several pounds to fluid retention from all that salt you ate.

More Money.  As my husband made a lower sodium chili on Sunday, he proudly pointed out to me that the entire pot of chili probably cost less than a few dollars.  Had a bowl of chili been purchased at a full service restaurant, it would have been at least $6.00 dollars.  He also used only half a packet of low sodium chili powder and added additional beans, and veggies creating a lower sodium, but healthier higher fiber dish.

So, while eating out is social and recreational for many, having the mentality that it should be a treat for special occasions rather than your regular diet, can keep you healthier, slim you down, and fatten your wallet.  In fact, it is a win-win way to eat.

Checking out online menus and nutrition information is key to healthier dining options.

Do you have any strategies for managing your calories, fat, and sodium while dining out?

 

10 Tips To Healthy Easter Eggs!

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Easter Basket with Easter EggsIt is that time of year when families start thinking about the Easter ritual of dying Easter Eggs.  It is a fun tradition, and the eggs can easily be eaten as a snack, breakfast, or added to salad if they are handled properly pre and post coloring.

A hard boiled egg has only but 80 calories, but is rich in many nutrients, including protein, phytochemicals, many B-complex vitamins, and vitamins A, D, and E. If eggs are from chickens fed an omega-3 rich feed, the hatched eggs will also contain omega-3 fatty acids which we need more of in the American diet.  Another nutritional perk of eggs hatched in 2012, is they are significantly lower in cholesterol.  Today’s eggs have an average of only 180 mg. of cholesterol, down from about 220 mg. cholesterol in years past!

Here are ten tips to keep those eggs safe to eat after Easter.

  1. When purchasing your eggs, make sure there are no broken or dirty eggs.  The shell keeps the inside of the eggs free of bacteria and a broken shell can allow for bacterial contamination.
  2. Be sure to check the date stamped on the carton.  Avoid purchasing eggs which are stamped with a “sell by” date close to the purchase date.
  3. After purchasing, eggs should be refrigerated immediately at 40° or less.  Avoid putting eggs in the refrigerator door, as temperatures will be inconsistent and may not meet temperature guidelines.
  4. For eggs already in your refrigerator, you may safely use them for both coloring and eating even if the sell-by date has already passed.  In fact, they can be safely eaten 2-4 weeks past that stamped “sell by” date.  If your eggs are typically stored in another container in the refrigerator, and you have no idea how long they have been there, it is best to pitch them and start with fresh eggs for coloring if you plan on eating them.
  5. Consumers should not wash egg shells prior to hard boiling.  When the chicken lays an egg it has a protective film coating to protect the inside of the egg.  Washing the shell can actually remove that protective film, and hasten the likelihood of bacteria moving into the egg.
  6. Cook the eggs thoroughly.  For directions on how to cook a hard boiled egg, visit

http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes-and-more/cooking-school/hard-boiled .

  1. After cooked, the eggs may be dyed but must be refrigerated within 2 hours.
  2. Be sure to use a food safe dye if you plan on eating your Easter eggs.
  3. Do not plan on eating Easter eggs which have been placed on the ground.  This becomes a perfect recipe for making you ill as the bacteria from the ground can enter the cooked egg.  Stick with the plastic version for egg hunting in the yard.
  4. If you are hiding real Easter eggs, pick clean areas to hide them inside your home.  Eggs can only safely be left unrefrigerated for 2 hours, so keep your egg hunt to no more than 2 hours.  Leftover Easter eggs should be eaten within 7 days as long as they have been properly handled and refrigerated.

Does your family do anything special with leftover Easter eggs?

Chicken Soup: Good Food to Fight What Ails You!

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chicken soup

Homemade chicken soup made in my favorite Cuisinart electric pressure cooker

It seems as though sinus infections, the stomach flu, bronchitis, and muscle aches are making the rounds in my large family and we don’t even live in the same house! I finally found both the energy and time to take out my favorite cooking equipment, my pressure cooker, to make some virus fighting fuel.  We have all heard that even canned chicken noodle soup can help fight a cold, but I was eager and ready to taste the rich flavorful type of chicken noodle soup I could make with my electric pressure cooker. At this point, I decided I would enhance the rich flavor by making the chicken stock base in my pressure cooker rather than using low sodium chicken broth.

Pressure Cooker Homemade Chicken Stock Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of chicken wings
  • small onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 parsley sprigs
  • 2 quarts water

Cook all ingredients on high pressure for 40 minutes. Use a natural release to continue extracting the flavors.  Strain the stock. Cool the stock in order to skim the fat off.  If time is short and you need to use the chicken stock before it is completely cool, use a chilled lettuce leaf to help skim the fat off the stock.  The chilled leaf will actually attract the fat in the broth to allow for removal.

On to the Chicken Soup….

  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 pound of skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper, to taste
  • 6 cups of your homemade chicken stock recipe or 6 cups low sodium packaged chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 cup egg noodles (may substitute rice or orzo)

Saute the celery, onion, and carrots in the tablespoon of oil for a few minutes.   Add the chicken breasts, thyme, salt, pepper, and stock or broth.  Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes; when done release the pressure quickly.  Add in the chopped parsley and then cook the egg noodles or other pasta or rice in the hot soup.

In addition to being a “comfort” food, chicken soup will fight inflammation, thin your mucous, and hydrate you which will all hopefully fight whatever ails you!

Do you have a favorite chicken soup recipe?

 

 

Is Your Child Too Energetic? Check Out the Caffeine!

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If your child seems a bit too “energized”, you might want to throw out the theory that it’s simply overstimulation from sugar, and give some thought to hidden caffeine-like compounds in the diet.  While Johnny may not be drinking Starbucks with you in the morning, there are actually plenty of opportunities for kids to get caffeine-like compounds into their bodies. Caffeine, and another dietary compound called theobromine, are commonly found in foods we give our kids.  Common food sources of both caffeine and theobromine include:

Beverages.  Lemonade, bottled teas, non-cola soda, vitamin water, hot cocoa,  chocolate milkshakes, and energy smoothies can all contribute varying amounts of caffeine-like stimulants. While your 5-year old may not be consuming energy drinks, your teen probably is, and these beverages are loaded with excessive caffeine. Because these beverages may be hidden sources of caffeine or other stimulants, read any available labels of all beverages you provide to your child and teen.

Noting that a standard cup of drip coffee has about 150 mg of caffeine, check out how some of these common beverages stack up with regard to caffeine content:

  • 8 ounces of most popular energy drinks range from 80-300 mg
  • 12 ounces of Coke Zero, Classic Coca Cola, Diet or Regular Dr. Pepper, Sunskist Orange Soda- 30-45 mg
  • 12 ounces of Diet or Regular Mountain Dew has 55 mg
  • Diet Snapple Tea-42 mg
  • White Tea or Green Tea-15 mg-25 mg

Foods.  Foods may contain either caffeine or the caffeine-like stimulant theobromine. Foods containing theobromine include chocolate flavored cereals, desserts, chocolate ice cream, and chocolate candy.  Coffee ice cream and yogurt could contain varying amounts of actual caffeine and should be discouraged for children. A 6-ounce serving of Dannon Coffee Yogurt contains a whopping 36 mg of caffeine while Starbucks Coffee Ice Cream has 50-60 mg of caffeine per one cup serving.

You won’t find the caffeine content of these foods listed on any Nutrition Fact Panel, so all you can do is be aware of the potential foods containing caffeine or theobromine.

Medications.  Certain adult medications may contain caffeine which speeds pain relief.  Examples of non-prescription pain relievers containing caffeine include:  Excedrin, Anacin, and Dristan. Parents should avoid these medications and choose medications that are caffeine-free.  Another medication an adolescent female might take which does contain caffeine is Midol for relieving menstrual cramps.

While a little caffeine will not harm your child, if your kid is bouncing off the walls or having trouble sleeping it’s wise to assess if he or she is consuming too much “hidden” caffeine.  Thoughts on how else caffeine gets into our kids’ diets?

Fall Favorite Foods : Pumpkin Pie and Minestrone Soup

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Today some major plans fell through, and I very unexpectedly have the whole day free to tackle my kitchen and food preparation. With the fall chill in the air and mums on the front step, I am in the mood to make some of my favorite “fall” foods.

For your sweet tooth, consider pumpkin pie.  In my family, we eat pumpkin pie all year-not just during the holidays.  This is a slimmed down version, with literally half the calories of traditional pie.  The trick is to get rid of the crust calories, but still have the pie hold its shape.  Using Bisquick mix (and you can use the reduced fat version), you will decrease the calories by 50%.  This is a healthy dessert, full of anti-oxidants.  You might even want to consider eating this for breakfast!

Slimmed Down Pumpkin Pie Recipe (1/8 pie has about 100 calories)

  • 15 oz. Can pumpkin pie
  • 1 can evaporated skim milk
  • ¾ cup Splenda or 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. ground ginger
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup Bisquick mix

Mix all the ingredients in bowl.  Use baking spray and coat a glass pie pan. Add the mixture and bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes, then turn down the oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking approximately 45 additional minutes.

Soups are another fall favorite recipe.   Soups are wonderful in that most can be frozen very well and then pulled out of the freezer for a very quick dinner when time is tight.  A favorite soup in our family is quick minestrone.  It takes virtually no time to assemble my version of this recipe.  This is a true family favorite, and all of my adult children and daughter-in-law really enjoy this recipe.  I hope you do as well.

 Very Quick Minestrone Soup (1.5 cup serving has about 200 calories)

  • 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 small zucchini, sliced
  • one large can (28 ounces) of low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can light kidney beans (15 ounces), rinsed and drained
  • 1-2 cans of stewed tomatoes
  • 1 cup medium pasta shells, uncooked
  • 1 cup frozen peas or Italian-style beans
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
  • Parmesan cheese to top soup (optional)

Directions

Toss all ingredients into a stockpot. Bring to a boil and simmer until all the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle each serving with parmesan cheese if desired. Serve with whole grain bread and a light salad.  This is a meal rich in anti-oxidants and fiber.

Bon Appetit!

How to Halt Your Hearburn!

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Recently a student in a college nutrition class I teach raised her hand to contribute to a discussion on heartburn.  She indicated that her doctor told her to drink whole milk to help her heartburn.  She stressed that the doctor noted it HAD to be whole milk.  Since she was not interested in drinking whole milk, this recommendation was not followed through on by the student.  The recommendation was neither realistic for her, and probably not really the best advice to take anyway with regard to managing heartburn.

You know if you have suffered from heartburn.  You may actually have a burning sensation in either your chest, mouth, or both areas.  You may have a constant sore throat.  You may even bring up vomit.

Common factors contributing to heartburn include: pregnancy, smoking, certain medications, obesity, and alcohol.

Food Factors.  Certain foods are known to aggravate heartburn.  Consider the following list of foods and evaluate if your symptoms are worse when you eat these foods.

  • Citrus fruits (limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit)
  • Spicy foods
  • Chocolate
  • Caffeinated food (coffee, soda pop, tea)
  • High fat foods (salad dressing, oil, butter, margarine, fried foods, rich desserts)
  • Raw onions and garlic
  • Tomato based foods
  • Peppermint or spearmint oils (sometimes recommended for irritable bowel syndrome)

Lifestyle Factors.  By manipulating your daily habits, you can help to decrease your heartburn symptoms.

  • Make sure you eat a low fat diet
  • Avoid alcohol
  • Mange your weight and lose weight if you are overweight.
  • Avoid overly large meals-instead eat smaller meals more frequently.
  • If necessary, prop your head up with multiple pillows at night.  This makes it a bit more difficult for the acid to back up into your esophagus.
  • Drink liquids between meals, instead of with your meals.
  • Wear loose clothes.
  • Wait several hours to lie down after a larger meal.

Taking these first steps to halting heartburn can be very effective.  You can always consult with a dietitian as well.  If your symptoms persist even after diet and lifestyle adjustments, you should see your physician for medical management of your problem.

 

The Meatless “Revolution”: A Health Savvy Trend

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I just heard the term “meatless revolution” coined on an evening news program.  Being a dietitian who is both professionally and personally a big fan of good nutrient dense carbohydrates-white potatoes, sweet potatoes, lentils, fruits, and vegetables- I am ecstatic to hear this is becoming a mainstream trend.  Apparently, US meat consumption has declined 30%, so my hope is this trend continues as it is good for our health and good for the planet.  Dietitians have been promoting this concept for decades.  The USDA plate reinforces this eating “revolution” as well.  So why should we cut down on meat consumption?  For dietitians, the answers are obvious:  this decreases total fat, saturated fat, and allows for calories to come from other food sources such has complex carbs which provide specific nutrients to the diet that would be lacking in a heavy meat diet.  Eating less meat is also a good way to decrease inflammation and cancer risk in some people.  Eating and growing more plant-based foods also consumes less energy and pollutes the environment less.  For every pound of bread made, one pound of grain is needed.  But for every pound of beef weight, eight pounds of grain are needed.  And, let’s not forget that cows pollute with poop.  It has to go somewhere, and often ends up contaminating our water and soil.

To embrace this so-called meatless revolution, start with:

  • Having a meatless meal a few times per week.  Try a lentil soup with whole grain bread or a vegetable topping pizza every Friday.
  • Making a conscious decision to decrease your animal protein servings to the size of a deck of cards; this is the portion size you should be eating, but many are eating 2-3 times that amount.
  • Substituting plant-based protein for meat options.  Try peanut butter in place of cold cuts on whole wheat bread for a hearty sandwich or lentils and beans in soups and stews to replace some of the meat the recipe calls for.

How do you downsize your meat?

 

6 Starter Steps to Tame Your Triglycerides

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I recently had a client come to a nutrition consultation for a severely elevated triglyceride level.  While his elevated triglyceride level was a challenging and depressing situation for him personally, it was what his cardiologist told him to eat which was really depressing!  His physician actually told him to “eat grass and cardboard.”  Obviously, this doctor was being sarcastic, but the comment implied that the diet needed to be overly restrictive.  As is often the case with nutrition advice, this particular advice was misleading, incomplete, and inappropriate in terms of helping the patient improve his medical outcome.

Here are 6 simpler alternatives to eating cardboard and grass:

  • Maintain or Get to a Healthy Weight—Studies have shown losing weight and maintaining an ideal weight to be associated with decreased levels of blood fats-including both triglycerides and cholesterol.
  • Increase Physical Activity—Aerobic exercise can help with weight loss and can decrease triglyceride levels at the same time. In fact, both short bouts of aerobic exercise as well as long-term repetitive exercise have been shown to decrease triglyceride levels. Most studies find that the best bet is to do 30-45 minutes of moderately intensive exercise five times a week. First, get your doctor’s approval if you’re not accustomed to exercise.
  • Cut Down on Carbs—Carbohydrates are basically divided into two categories: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates tend to be sweet, such as soft drinks, desserts, candies, and syrup. Complex carbohydrates are found in bread, pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables.  It is generally recommended that people with high triglycerides avoid simple carbohydrates. Some people are so sensitive to sweets that their triglyceride levels increase drastically when they eat too much sugar. In any healthful diet, complex carbohydrates should be in the 45-65% of overall calorie intake, but even too much high-fiber, nutrient-dense complex carbohydrates can aggravate triglyceride levels when eaten in amounts exceeding 60% of total calorie intake.
  • Limit Alcohol—According to the American Heart Association (AHA), even small amounts of alcohol can increase triglyceride levels. For some people, cutting out alcohol can elicit a marked decrease in their triglyceride levels.  In the case of my patient, his triglyceride decreased a whopping 90%.
  • Choose Fats Wisely—The AHA also recommends that up to 30% of the calories you get from fat come from foods containing more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
  • Eat More Fish—Most health experts also recommend eating more fish because of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, which have been associated with decreased triglyceride levels. Omega-3 fatty acids also help make the blood less sticky, so it is less likely to forms clots that contribute to heart attacks. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in all types of fish, but are more abundant in fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and herring. Other good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include tofu, soybeans, flaxseed, nuts, and green leafy vegetables.

While these are some steps to start you off, a licensed dietitian can help personalize your food plan to meet your goals, and do so effectively and palatably so you too can avoid eating grass and cardboard!

What’s on your plate to lower triglyceride levels?