Making Frozen Veggies Taste Better

I don't know about you, but one of the reasons I don't eat a lot of frozen vegetables is that some of them come out mushy and flat when I cook them. Corn, peas and green beans seem to do pretty will with freezing. But carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and most others don't turn out as well. This is a shame because, nutritionally, frozen vegetables are as good as, or maybe even better than, fresh ones.

Here are a few tips for making them taste more like their fresh counterparts.

1. Roast them. Toss them with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt, garlic or other seasoning and roast them in a hot oven for 15 - 20 minutes. This will give them just a little bit of a crunch.

2. Stir fry them. Cooking them briefly in very hot oil will not give them time to steam and turn to mush.

3. Use them in soups, stews and casseroles. These sort of dishes tend to produce softer vegetables anyway so you won't even notice much of a difference.

4. Experiment. Try different varieties, cooking methods and seasonings till you hit upon the ones that work best for you.

There are so many advantages to frozen vegetables that it would be a shame not to include them in your regular diet.

In Defense of Pasta

 

Pasta has a bad reputation as being a big plateful of unhealthy carbs. But is it really deserved?

To enjoy a healthy pasta meal, the place to begin is with portion size. "If pasta is associated with weight gain," says Wesley McWhorter, the director of culinary nutrition at the University of Texas School of Public health in Houston, "that is only because we are eating a lot of it." In other words, eat too much of any grain and you will pack on the pounds.

A portion of pasta is 2 ounces (dry) or about a cup cooked. You can weigh it on a kitchen scale or buy a pasta serving measure to make it even easier. Now 2 ounces of dry pasta is not going to look like much if you are used to a typical too large portion size. A cup cooked up is better looking but not generous as you are probably accustomed too. But if you combine it with a protein - like meat, chicken or cheese - and some vegetables, under a low sodium marinara sauce, it starts to look like a meal.

Your healthiest choice would be a whole wheat pasta. A single serving will supply 7 grams of fiber in addition to 6 grams of protein and more nutrients than you will find in a refined grain pasta. It has a different taste and "mouthfeel" though so it may take you a while to get used to it. Its worth it.

But refined flour pasta is not a terrible deal either. It contains a similar amount of protein, often comes enriched with iron and B vitamins and - for biochemical reasons that I won't task you with there - has a relatively low glycemic index. You can make up for the lower fiber content by adding vegetables like broccoli.

If you are adventurous, you can try pastas made from grains other than wheat, or containing vegetables or bean flours mixed in. Try mixing a vegetable pasta with spaghetti squash. Legume pastas are by far the most nutrient dense, with 11 - 15 grams of protein and up to 15 grams of fiber. Each will have its own flavor and texture though so you may like them, or not.

In any case, there is no reason to avoid enjoying your pasta. Just watch the portion sizes and get creative with how you serve it.

Five Lifestyle Factors that Impact Your Vitamin D

 

About half of Americans 60 years and older take a daily vitamin D supplement. Most people know that getting some sunshine helps boost vitamin D levels. But here are five lifestyle factors that you may not have known also influence your status.

1. Don't Smoke.
    A smoking habit can deplete many vitamins, vitamin D among them. Add this to the many other reasons you already have to quit smoking if you do.

2. Watch Your Weight
    People who are overweight have lower levels of vitamin D in their blood. While this relationship is a correlation and not a proven cause, how many reasons do you need to shed a little weight?

3. Stay Active.
    People who are physically active tend to have higher levels of viatamin D than those who are sedentary. 

4. Diet with a D.
    It can be challenging to get enough vitamin D in your diet, but including foods that are fortified with vitamin D (dairy, orange juice and many cereals) or are naturally good sources (tuna, salmon, eggs) will help you meet your requirements.

5. Rule Out Medical Problems
    There are a number of gut and bowel conditions that are closely associated with low vitamin D levels, including Crone's Disease, IBS and other metabolic problems. These can affect your ability to absorb vitamin D.

And, of course, spend time outside. Just 15 to 20 minutes a day in the sunshine may be enough to raise your levels.

The Myth of the Healthy Turkey Sandwich

 

 

 

Ok, full disclosure. A turkey sandwich can indeed be a healthy choice. It all depends on what it is constructed from. And there are limitless ways to turn it into something a good deal less than healthy.

Nearly half of Americans report eating at least one sandwich every day. Most commonly these are made with highly processed deli meats. Most people are aware of the health drawbacks of deli meats, but many do not think of turkey as a highly processed food. So lets take a look at what you need to qualify as highly processed.

The term “processed meats” specifically refers to any meat, pork, poultry or other animal protein that has been altered through a process like salting, curing, preserving, fermentation, or other method to improve flavor, extend shelf-life, and slow or prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying. The turkey sandwich meat that you buy in the deli or cold cut section of your supermarket certainly qualifies. Just taste it. No one would confuse the taste or "mouth feel" of turkey sandwich meat with that of a turkey that you cook yourself and slice up. The lunchmeat turkey is generously dosed with nitrates, a sodium filled saline solution and other additives that give it a "pasty" feel and salty taste compared with real unprocessed turkey meat. Even lunchmeat labeled "no added nitrates" or "nitrate free" are not nitrate free.

So the first thing to consider is the turkey you are using in your turkey sandwich. But that is only the beginning. The bread you use, the condiments you choose and the additional ingredients you add all play a large part in determining the nutritional value of your turkey sandwich.

Lets start with your bread. The starch in white bread breaks down almost as quickly as a simple sugar, reports the Harvard School of Public Health. Then there is the sugar and salt that most white flour baked goods are loaded with. Whole grains metabolize or break down so they can be absorbed in the intestines more slowly than refined white breads. Whole grains also contain more nutrients. If you choose white enriched bread, you get added vitamins and minerals and carbohydrates for energy but you can do much better.

Adding some cheese? Cheese is good food, but it adds a lot of fat, more sodium and a lot of calories for the protein, vitamins and minerals it delivers. 

And then there are the condiments. Mayo seems a natural partner for turkey, but choose carefully. Pick the spread that contains the most unsaturated fats rather than one high in saturated fats. (Mayo made with olive oil for example.) Saturated fats can increase your cholesterol levels and increase your risk of atherosclerosis. Also, a serving is 1 tablespoon. Mustard is also a good deal. Or try cranberry sauce. It was good at dinner so why not on your sandwich?

Now for the good news. You can pile on tomatoes, onions, lettuce and just about any other vegetable you like for a mineral boost at almost no caloric cost. But go easy on the pickles and chips. They are loaded with sodium.

So there really is a healthy turkey sandwich. But its not one you make on white bread slathered with mayo and cheese and made with processed turkey lunchmeat. Instead, try it on a rye or whole wheat bread with a slice of Jack cheese instead of Cheddar and cranberry sauce and red lettuce. You get the idea.

The ABCs of CBD

Since its broad interstate legalization in the federal Farm Bill two years ago, nearly 1 in 3 Americans have used CBD at least once. CBD (cannabidiol) is a compound found in marijuana and hemp. Unlike its cousin THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD does not produce a euphoric high and is responsible for many of the medically interesting properties of cannabinols. CBD is popular for relieving pain and sleep problems, among other things. But what does the science say?

A 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found "substantial evidence" supporting the use of CBD for treating chronic pain, nausea and other side effects of chemotherpy, and the muscle spasms that often accompany multiple sclerosis. It also found "some evidence" that it may be effective for sleep problems, especially apnea, and pain from fibromyalgia.

A 2019 Consumer Reports survey of over 1,000 CBD users found that more than 75% reported being "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with it's effectiveness for pain relief.

The best evidence for the medical use of CBD is in the treatment of seizures associated with three relatively rare seizure disorders. Epidiolex, a CBD-based anti-seizure drug, has been approved by the FDA for this use.

The primary mechanism of action of CBD in the body is believed to be a reduction in cellular inflammation.

There are few side effects connected to CBD. While THC in high doses may cause irregular heart rhythm and hallucination, CBD does not seem to have these effects. CBD can interact with certain OTC and prescription drugs though, particularly blood thinners, statins, antihistamines and antidepressants. If you are taking medication be sure to review your status with your doctor before trying CBD.

And remember, this is a new industry. Quality standards vary wildly and labeling in inconsistent. You can also use a number of different formulations from tinctures to creams to chewable gummies and the dose you receive may vary by delivery mechanism.

Many studies and clinical trails are underway and our understanding of CBD for medical purposes is constantly evolving. The regulatory structure overseeing CBD varies State by State and the market still has a bit of a "wild west" feel to it. If you are planning to try CBD, start with a low does and ease into it until you can see how it works for you. And be sure to research the company you purchase from. There are some very good ones out there. But there is no shortage of CBD scammers either.

Metabolic Syndrome Rates Rising

 

More than half of American adults 60 and older now have metabolic syndrome. The symptoms of metabolic syndrome include high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormally high cholesterol or triglyceride levels. It is a well proven risk factor for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. If you have two or more of the symptoms, you should probably speak with your doctor about a diagnosis.

The good news is that a healthy lifestyle will reduce your risk of developing metabolic syndrome and reduce or eliminate your symptoms if you have it. The Mayo Clinic recommends regular exercise, reducing your weight to within the healthy range for your height and age, a healthy diet (such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and the Mediterranean diet), quitting smoking and reducing stress levels.

Hmmmm, isn't that pretty much the advice for any health problem?

 

An Aspirin a Day?

Many people take a "low dose" (75mg - 81mg) aspirin every day as a precaution against heart attack and other coronary problems. Aspirin acts as a mild blood thinner and is typically recommended for anyone who has suffered a heart attack or stroke as part of their ongoing therapy. But does it help to prevent vascular problems in otherwise healthy people?

For most people, studies affirm that the increased risk of internal bleeding outweighs any benefit of taking a daily low dose aspirin. It is recommended to help in prevention of a second heart attack, stroke or diagnosis of peripheral artery disease. Aspirin may benefit select individuals but generally should not be considered as part of a primary prevention regimen. 

Instead, keeping blood pressure under control, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, a Mediterranean or DASH diet and regular moderate exercise are by far the best strategies for reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke.

There is emerging evidence that daily low dose aspirin use may play some role in reducing the risk of colon and other digestive tract cancers, as well as reduce the recurrence of breast cancer. But these results are very preliminary and have not as yet been verified in clinical trials.

If you are presently taking low dose aspirin do not suddenly stop doing so. Instead, have a discussion with your doctor on your next visit and evaluate whether or not the risks are worth whatever benefit you hope to gain.