Nutrition and diet are keys to good health. Proper nutrition is critical in managing obesity, hypertension, diabetes and other chronic conditions that affect birth outcome.
Make small nutritional changes to improve your health in big ways!
Slow Down the Fast Pace in the Crock-Pot
Currently, many working adults avoid cooking because they are either too tired after a long day of work, or they have no time to do so. Instead they opt for faster more convenient forms of food, which often are less nutritious and healthy. However, there is hope for the busy adult who wants to provide healthy nutritious meals for the entire family. The Slow Cooker has re-emerged as a staple appliance in many kitchens. Almost everyone adult has received a “Crock-pot” as a housewarming gift or holiday gift at some point in their life. The slow cooker provides the convenience of being able to work and enjoy a home-cooked meal without having to spend time a great deal of time in the cooking process. Here are some advantages of slow cooking:
Nutritious and Delicious Meals
- Slow cooking allows better distribution of flavors in many recipes, particularly meats. Slow cooking will soften and tenderize the connective tissue in less expensive tough cuts of meat, such as chuck roasts. Also, nutrient-rich, natural juices from vegetables and meats are retained in the slow cooking process.
- The low steady temperature of slow-cooking makes it almost impossible to burn food even if cooked too long.
- Slow cooking is not just for chili and stews. There are many slow cooker recipes widely available to provide more choices of the types of dishes you can prepare using the slow cooker.
- The slow cooker frees your oven and stove top for other uses, and should definitely be considered as an option for large gatherings or holiday meals.
- Convenience! A slow cooker can usually be left unattended all day for many recipes. Food can be set to slow-cook before leaving for the day, and a tasty, nutritious, home-cooked dish will be ready when you return.
- Cooking the meal in a single pot reduces washing up, and the low cooking temperature and glazed pot makes clean-up easy.
- Though we might associate warm, hot meals with wintertime, the beauty of slow-cookers is that you can use them any time of year. The perk of using one in the summer is that it eliminates the need to use the oven, eliminating the discomfort of making an already hot home hotter.
- Slow-cookers use substantially less energy than conventional electric ovens. Slow-cookers use as little electricity as a 75-watt light bulb.
- A slow-cooked meal is easily transported -just cool, cover and go.
SLOW-COOKED CAJUN JAMBALAYA
Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice – no salt added
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup low–sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound frozen cooked shrimp without tails
Directions:
1. In a slow cooker, mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, green bell pepper, celery, and broth. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme.
2. Cover, and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High. Stir in the shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time.
OLD-FASHIONED APPLE-RAISIN OATMEAL
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups rolled oats or steel-cut oats
4 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 medium-sized apple, cored, peeled and shredded
3 tablespoons raisins
½ cup granola, or to taste (optional)
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients except the granola in a lightly oiled slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours.
2. To serve, spoon the oatmeal into bowls, sprinkle with the granola (optional), and serve hot.
Toppings for Hot Cereals
Maple Syrup
Granola
Toasted Chopped Nuts
Raisins
Sunflower seeds
Ground Flax Seeds
Toasted sesame seeds
Dried cranberries
Chopped fresh apples, pear and/or berries
Sliced banana
Chopped prunes
Fruit jam or preserves
Dark unsulfured molasses
Quick and healthy family meals…tips to get dinner on the table in no time!
Family life can be chaotic, but it is possible to have both family mealtime and a hectic work schedule. In fact, family meals are probably more essential than ever, given our hectic lives. So how do find the time to do the weekly grocery shopping, then cook a healthy nutritious meal at the end of a grueling day at the office, as well as chauffeur the kids to weekend activities and finally do a week's worth of piled-up laundry and chores! It is a delicate balancing act, but the KEY to making it work is: planning. It is essential to have all the “ammunition” you need in your cabinets and fridge for healthy meals. Check out our list of staple food items to keep your pantry stocked with. Here are some simple strategies and tips to help you get quick, healthy meals on the table in no time.
- Meal planning - no advice about healthy nutritious meals will work unless it is possible to fit it into an easy workable planning system. This planning system becomes your roadmap to a new healthy lifestyle for the entire family. Start with a weekly menu (including breakfast, lunch and dinner) and stick to it. After you’ve developed your meals for the week, go to the grocery store armed with a grocery list of the items you’ll need – this enables you to “get it and forget it”. Scrambling for ingredients at the last minute causes frustration and wastes time. By spending time to plan your week’s meals you actually end up saving time in the long run.
- Leftovers and Makeovers – cook once, eat twice. Prepare a double batch of soup, chili or stew and use the leftovers for lunch or dinner for the next few days. Or try a meal makeover, prepare a meal, then use the remaining food to create another entirely new meal the next night (for example, roast a whole chicken for dinner, then use the remaining chicken to make a chicken casserole or use the chicken carcass for chicken noodle soup).
- Get Everyone Involved – throw out the old adage “too many cooks spoil the broth”. The number one way to get children to make healthy food choices is to get them involved in the meal planning and food preparation. Make family mealtime a positive enjoyable event, not just in the kitchen but at the dining table. Turn off the TV and gather the entire family for the dinner meal.
The Casserole
Casseroles are the ultimate comfort food—they're warm, easy to whip up, and a guaranteed family-pleaser. Casseroles are often considered to be one of the best foods to enjoy when you need a hearty meal, or on a cold evening. Another great thing about casseroles is that they are filling, healthy and a great way to get the entire family into the meal preparation.
Health Benefits of Casseroles
Casseroles have gotten a bad rap over the years because of the artery-clogging combinations of ground beef, sour cream, eggs and cheese. But with a few tweaks, casseroles can be part of a healthy diet. By adding many vegetables to your casseroles, you can boost the health benefits. The most common meat used in a casserole dish is beef. However, chicken, pork, and certain types of seafood (for example, shrimp) also work very well. Adding different herbs and spices will help to add a variety of flavors to the dish. It is also worth keeping in mind that not all casseroles have to contain potatoes. As a matter of fact, it is advised to try different grains in your casseroles, such as quinoa, brown rice or amaranth. You can also use reduced sodium canned soup to form some of the liquid and to give additional flavor. Experiment with different vegetables, meats, and grains.
Cooking Tips
Cut everything into same-sized pieces. As casseroles are one-pot meals, all of the ingredients cook at the same time and ideally at a similar rate. If you cut them up into various different sizes then parts of the casserole will be cooked quicker than other parts. The casserole dish should be big enough to cook the meal in, but not too large. Ideally, it should be three quarters full when you have added all of the ingredients.
Suitable substitutes to boost the health benefits:
Meats: Use meats that are at least 90% lean. When cooking with poultry (chicken or turkey), use the breast. Parts other than breast meat may contain skin and dark meat with more fat and calories.
Starches: You can triple the fiber in a casserole by using whole-wheat pasta in place of egg noodles. Use more fibrous brown rice in place of white rice.
Vegetables: Colorful vegetables not only boost the nutrition of casseroles but also add visual interest to the typically beige dish. You can usually get away with including 50 percent more vegetables than the recipe calls for and if the recipe doesn’t call for vegetables, add some anyway.
Sauces: A key component of casseroles is the sauce, which usually includes cheese and other dairy products, as well as canned cream soups. Replace full-fat products with light or reduced- fat sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, cheese and canned soup. Using light or reduced fat products cut the fat with little difference in taste or texture.
These are just some tips that can help you to create various flavored casseroles. You really can’t go wrong with this one-pot type of meal!
Creamy Shrimp and Vegetables Casserole
Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 pound fresh or thawed frozen shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 cup sliced fresh or thawed frozen asparagus (1-inch pieces)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Hot cooked brown rice or quinoa (optional)
PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine soup, shrimp, asparagus, mushrooms, green onions, bell pepper, garlic, thyme and black pepper in large bowl; mix well. Place in prepared baking dish.
3. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Serve over rice, if desired.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size: 1/4 of total recipe (without rice)
Sodium 496 mg
Protein 20 g
Fiber 3 g
Carbohydrate 11 g
Cholesterol 176 mg
Saturated Fat 1 g
Total Fat 2 g
Calories from Fat 14 %
Calories 141
Break Through the Weight Loss Plateau
You’ve changed your eating habits and you’re eating healthier, you’re exercising and you’ve lost 10, 15, 20 lbs. You’ve bought new clothes, everyone has noticed just how fabulous you look and BAM you hit the wall. You’ve changed nothing, but the weight isn’t coming off like it did in the beginning. What’s happening? Well, your body has adapted to the reduced caloric intake and exercise routine and is doing its best to maintain equilibrium. In other words, your body is holding on to those last few pounds you really want to shed. Here are some tips to help you break through the plateau and get back to losing the weight:
- Keep your body guessing by changing up your caloric intake and exercise routine.
- Vary your daily caloric intake (yet keep the same weekly intake). For example, instead of consuming exactly 1800 calories per day, mix it up by eating 1500 one day and then 2100 calories the next day. This can be accomplished by halving a portion or doubling a portion size. The key is to keep your body guessing.
- Change the way your body is accustomed to working. If you’ve been walking 3 miles each day, switch up and start jogging or cycling. If you are used to doing low-intensity aerobic exercise, switch to high-intensity exercises.
- Alter how often you eat. If you’ve been eating three square meals a day; start to incorporate two small snacks in-between your meals (this means you’ll need to alter the portion size of your main meals to accommodate the snacks).
You need to shock your body into change, just as you did when you started your weight loss efforts. However, everyone is unique and you must learn how your body responds to change and work within those parameters. Most important, remember to take it easy and give yourself a break. Breaking through any weight loss wall requires consistency and patience. But with a few changes, you’ll start to see the numbers on the scale moving downward again.
Healthy Weight Gain
Do you find that you can eat almost anything - cheeseburgers, fries, chocolate bars and nothing registers on the scale. No matter what you do you just can’t seem to gain and keep the weight on. Not being able to gain weight is actually the flip side of the inability to lose weight coin. There are many reasons why it may be hard for some people to gain weight. Genetics, as well as individual characteristics and environment are all contributing factors. However, it is still not advisable for those who have a hard time gaining and retaining weight to eat anything with reckless abandon. A poor diet can still lead to ailments such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in the skinny as well as the obese. People, who gain weight eating almost any and everything, usually retain the weight in the form of fat and in undesirable places on the body (for example, the stomach area). For the optimum distribution of weight, it is best to begin with a nutrient-rich diet as well as resistance strength training exercise. Healthy weight gain takes the same dedication, time, patience, planning and effort as healthy weight loss. Here are some tips that will help you gain weight in a healthy manner:
Start Eating
- Eat every 2-3 hours.
- Eat foods higher in calories, vitamins and minerals, as opposed to higher in fat or sugar.
- Eat a balance of proteins, carbohydrates and the right kind of fats, at each meal.
- Steak, chicken, fruit, milk, vegetables, cheese and assorted types of nuts are the nutrient dense foods that will help put on the pounds.
- Plan your meals and stick to the plan. What you eat is the most important ingredient in a successful weight gain program.
- Snack in between meals. Nuts, dried fruits, and yogurt are good options, but it's also important to find nutritious foods that you will enjoy.
- Have a nutritious snack before bedtime, such as a peanut butter sandwich.
Eat Healthy Fats
- Add good fat sources to meals such as nuts, avocado, olives, and fatty fish (salmon and mackerel).
- Eat nut butters – such as almond butter, sunflower seed butter and peanut butter.
- Go for the good fats – olive, coconut, sunflower, peanut, sesame, soybean, canola, safflower oils, avocados, olives, nuts, peanut butter, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin and flax seeds, fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines), soy, coconut and almond milks, and tofu.
Drink Lots of Fluids
- Drinking fruit juices and smoothies can provide calories along with vitamins and minerals. Try a smoothie made with milk or yogurt, strawberries or bananas, and peanut butter. In addition to increase the calories and protein content, add 1-2 tablespoons of protein powder or whey powder.
- Drink mixed juices (apple/berry, peach/orange/banana as opposed to one juice beverages) for a higher calorie intake.
- Don’t forgot to drink plenty of water.
Get Active
- Do resistance strength training which will allow you to gain muscle mass. Building muscle tissue helps to ensure healthy weight gain.
- Focus on exercises that work the larger muscle groups, such as squats, curls, bent-over rows, and pushups.
Go to Sleep
- Get plenty of restful sleep. Your body needs this time to rebuild muscle and store it in a healthy way instead of turning the nutritious food you’re eating into fat. Try to get 8 hours of uninterrupted quality sleep each night.
The Power of Breakfast
Most people can’t face food when they crawl out of bed. A quick cup of coffee has become the standard adult breakfast for many. An increasing number of children arrive at school having eaten nothing at all. However, research has shown that a good breakfast can help both children and adults be less irritable, more efficient and more energetic. Skipping breakfast has become a common strategy for people who are trying to lose weight, but it is not a good one. As a matter of fact, it has the opposite effect. Folks that skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight, actually feel hungrier and eat more snacks and food the rest of the day in order to make up for the lack. People who eat breakfast tend to make healthier, nutritious food choices. Regularly eating a healthy breakfast should be a part of any weight management program.
What’s wrong with orange juice and a donut for breakfast? Fiberless foods, especially sugary foods and fruit juices, pass quickly through the bloodstream and cause blood sugar levels to rise and fall rapidly. They do not fill you up or provide the nutrients your body needs. You’ll notice your energy level drops off in the mid to late morning hours. Breakfast should include protein and plenty of fiber; the combination will help satisfy hunger and will keep you feeling fuller longer. Partnering high fiber foods with proteins helps to promote alertness, boost energy, and aid in weight loss. Proteins can include low-fat meat, eggs, nuts or dairy products. High-fiber foods include whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
But I’m not hungry in the morning! Most people that eat late in the evening or eat a very big meal in the evening usually don’t feel hungry in the morning. This is because their stomach is still busy digesting the food from the night before. However, your stomach needs rest too, and should go into slow gear during sleep. Eat your last meal of the day at least 4 hours before bedtime. If you must have something before bedtime, drink water, herbal tea, or ½ serving size piece of fruit.
I don’t have time to eat breakfast. Some people are in the habit of staying up late, and then skip breakfast so that they can sleep in as long as possible in the morning. Not a good plan. Plan ahead to eat breakfast – decide what you are going to eat for breakfast the night before. Have your breakfast ready to go when you get up by putting out the box of cereal or cutting up some additional fruits and vegetables when you prepare dinner. Try going to bed early enough so you can wake up in the morning feeling rested, refreshed and hungry for breakfast. Or, get up 15 minutes earlier, you can fix and eat a healthy breakfast in 15 minutes or less.
Breakfast – a great way to start your day!
Healthy Breakfast Ideas:
- One cup of fat-free Greek yogurt (higher in protein than regular yogurt) topped with one-half cup of low-fat granola or high-fiber cereal (Kashi GoLean, Uncle Sam Toasted Whole Wheat) and one-half cup of berries. This provides you the equivalent of 2 ounces of lean protein, a serving of whole grains, and an anti-oxidant-rich fruit boost.
- Healthy breakfast sandwich made with a whole grain English muffin, one egg (or two egg whites), and either a slice of low-fat cheese, a slice of Canadian bacon or a vegetarian breakfast patty. Serve with half a grapefruit for an extra dose of vitamin C.
- Oatmeal plus – Add extra water and add a scoop of protein powder to fortify the oatmeal. Slow-cooked oatmeal is best but no-sugar-added instant oatmeal is fine when you are short on time. To increase the health value and flavor even more, add a tablespoon or two of chopped nuts, dried fruit, or berries.
Happy New Year….keeping your New Year’s Resolutions – fact or fiction? Resolving to make positive changes in your lifestyle for 2012 is great; however, it’s much easier said than done. Have you found that by the second week of January, you’ve gone back to the same unhealthy habits and routines that you vowed on December 31st never to do again? Don’t despair – all is not lost. Here are tips to help you stick to your resolutions – whatever they may be.
- Develop a Support System- Develop a network of individuals (family, friends, co-workers, etc) who may be striving to make changes in their lives and are committed to the changes you are making. Having a support network can be the difference between sticking to your resolutions or throwing in the towel and giving up when life challenges present themselves.
- Don’t Give Up – Hang in There - Remember no one is perfect and there’s always another opportunity to try again, make better choices, or start over. If you mess up for just one meal, it’s OK. Commit to make better choices for the next meal and the one after that one. Also use your support network, when the going gets tough they can pull you through. Small changes will add up to big success if you stick to it.
- Make it Personal - Weigh all your options and make it personal. If your desire is to lose weight, then decide whether being able to play with your children or being able to climb a flight of stairs is worth you sticking to a healthy nutrition plan. Weigh the costs of having to be in the hospital or paying doctor bills due to unhealthy habits versus sustained healthy weight management.
- Enjoy Your Successes Each Day - The more results you see, the more you’ll know you can do it. Use your successes to motivate you as you go along. If you choose a healthy snack instead of a more fattening snack, that’s a success to celebrate.
- Educate Yourself - If you currently have any medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, etc) learn about them. Start by talking with your physician. Ask questions about how the lifestyle changes you are making will affect your medical condition. You can also find information on the internet or through books at your local library.
- Set Realistic Goals - Start right where you are, with small practical steps. Remember small steps will add up to big changes over time.
- Encourage and Teach Others - As others start to notice and inquire about your changes share your successes and challenges. Help those that may want to incorporate changes in their lives by providing hints or encouragement to them.
Grains, Grains, Nothing but the Grains...
Whole grains are chocked full of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and complex carbohydrates Whole grains help to regulate blood sugar levels, make you feel full for longer periods, and aids the digestive system. A serving of whole grains makes a healthy side for almost any meal. They are nutritious additions in soups, stews, salads and stuffings. Whole grains can be eaten as a hot breakfast cereal (for example, oatmeal). They are great served with fruit, cinnamon and/or a healthy sweetener such as a bit of maple syrup or agave nectar. Eating whole grains is a nutritious choice for your heart, waistline, blood sugar levels and food budget.Tips for cooking whole grains:- Rinse most grains prior to cooking to remove any debris. Rinse quinoa very well to remove components that can taste bitter and have a laxative effect.
- Reduce cooking time for grains by pre-soaking them for a few hours or overnight.
- Don’t remove the lid while cooking grains, as it disrupts the steaming process.
- Lower your sodium intake by cooking your grains in unsalted water. Try using vegetable broth as the cooking liquid. You can even add a splash of cooking wine or dried herbs.
- Store grains in tightly sealed containers in a cool, dry, dark place. Grains can be stored in the refrigerator. Unless otherwise noted, properly stored grains can last up to one year.
- Stovetop cooking instructions are listed below.
Follow the grain cooking guide below as part of a healthy nutrition plan:
Grain Cooking Time How to Cook (per 1 cup of grain) Nutrients Oats Bran: 5-7 minutes;
Rolled: 10 minutes
Steel-cut: 20-40 minutes;
Groats: 45-60 minutesOats should be stirred while cooking.
Groats - combine with 3 cups water in a pot, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 45-60 minutes until tender.
Steel-cut, rolled or oat bran - combine with 2½ cups water in a pot, cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for required time, stirring often (stir steel-cut oats less), until desired consistency is reached. Season with milk or soymilk, dried or fresh fruit, your favorite spices and a small amount of natural sweetener.High in a kind of fiber called beta-glucan, which has special cholesterol-lowering properties. Brown Rice Basmati: 35-40 minutes;
Long/short grain: 45-50 minutesPlace rice and 2¼ water in a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving. Cooking time may be shorter for jasmine or basmati brown rice varieties. High in manganese, 1 cup cooked brown rice provides almost 90% of the Daily Recommended Value. The oil found in the bran of brown rice has also been shown to have special cholesterol-lowering benefits. Barley Pearled: 45-60 minutes;
Hulled: 90 minutesCombine barley and 3 cups water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender Excellent source of fiber (1 cup cooked containing 13 grams); insoluble fiber helps maintain friendly bacteria in the digestive tract. Barley aids in regulating blood sugar after meals Quinoa 15-20 minutes Thoroughly rinse to remove bitter tasting components. After rinsing, place quinoa 2 cups water in a covered pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes, until the grains become translucent. Fluff with a fork. High in magnesium - which helps relax blood vessels, resulting in fewer headaches for migraine sufferers and decreased risk of hypertension and stroke. It is also a good source of manganese, iron, copper, phosphorous, vitamin B2 and other essential minerals, and has the highest protein content of any grain Amaranth 20-25 minutes Combine seeds with 2½ cups water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until grains are fluffy and water is absorbed. For a hot cereal-like consistency, use 3 cups water for one cup of grain and cook a little longer. Packed with iron and calcium, and its fiber content is 3 times that of wheat
Quick nutrition facts and tips to keep your family healthy this holiday season…
The holiday season is a great time to maintain the steps you’ve taken to improve your family’s nutrition. Children develop their habits through daily experiences. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to teach your children healthy nutrition choices.
- Eat Before the Thanksgiving Meal Begins: Don't go to dinner starving. Start your day with a healthy breakfast such as an egg with a slice of whole-wheat toast, a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk or try a Pumpkin Smoothie (see recipe below). Take the edge off your appetite by eating a nutritious meal with protein and fiber.
- Make Healthy Choices: Fortunately, the stars of the Thanksgiving meal are part of a healthy diet. Turkey is an excellent source of protein, and sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamin A. Choose wisely. Eat white turkey meat rather than the dark meat, which contains twice as much fat. Go for the veggies. Fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables such as squash, carrots, turnips and pumpkins make for a nutrient packed meal.
- Drink Plenty of Water: Water helps control your appetite by making you feel fuller faster.
- Stop When You're Full: Stopping when you're full is probably one of the harder things to do at the Thanksgiving table when everyone else is helping themselves to seconds. It will be easier to stop if you slow down, drink water, and push away from the table when you're done. Remember it takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you're full. So, savor your food and give your mind a chance to catch up with your body.
- Get moving: After dinner, get the family active with fun activities such as a family dance contest or a walk through your neighborhood.
- Go Easy on Yourself: After it’s all said and done, you feel like your family didn’t make the healthiest choices during the Thanksgiving meal, then just decide to make better choices with all your Thanksgiving leftovers.
Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 very ripe medium-sized banana
- 3/4 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup crushed ice
Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth, making sure the ice is completely crushed.
Makes two servings
Per 8-10 ounce serving: Calories 167, Calories from Fat 5, Total Fat 0.7g (aat 0.3g), Cholesterol 2mg, Sodium 74mg, Carbohydrate 34g, Fiber 3.1g, Protein 6.6g
Skip the Snicker bar this Halloween and go for the Dark instead... dark chocolate has surprising health benefits.
Oh how sweet it is to know that dark chocolate has health benefits. There is scientific evidence that dark chocolate contains a host of heart-healthy and mood-enhancing phytochemicals, with benefits to both body and mind. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants which protect the body from aging and heart disease. Dark chocolate has far more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate. These other two chocolates cannot make any health claims.
This doesn't mean that you should eat a pound of chocolate a day. Chocolate is still a high-calorie, high-fat food. Most of the studies done used no more than 100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces, of dark chocolate a day to get the benefits.
Dark chocolate is good for your heart. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:
- Lower Blood Pressure: studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
- Lower Cholesterol: dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.
Dark chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart:
- It tastes good! Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. To really enjoy and appreciate chocolate, take the time to taste it - assessing the appearance, smell, and feel.
- It stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure.
- It contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant. Women typically have lower serotonin levels during PMS and menstruation, which may be one reason women typically experience stronger cravings for chocolate at these times in their cycles.
- It contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants.
Keep in mind that one bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories. So if you eat half a bar of chocolate a day, you must balance those 200 calories by eating less of something else. Cut out other sweets or snacks and replace them with chocolate to keep your total calories the same.
Look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings. Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate.
Some dark chocolate brands to try are: Green and Black’s Dark Chocolate, Fair Trade’s Theo Chocolate, Dagoba Organic Chocolate, and Equal Exchange Organic Very Dark Chocolate.
Heart of the Matter
Eating smarter and keeping your heart in peak shape is about more than munching on a celery stick now and then. It’s about the bigger picture — the pattern of decisions you make every day. Because heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the US, now is an ideal time to look at how your food choices affect your overall heart health.
Certain health concerns such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and blood sugar (glucose) levels can affect your heart’s health. To help keep these in check it is essential to eat a wide, balanced variety of nutritious foods. It doesn’t require life-altering changes - simple, small changes can make a big difference. By starting to mix lower-calorie, nutrient-rich foods into your meal planning, you’ll not only get a full complement of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other essentials, but also a dazzling array of colors, tastes, and textures every day of the week.
Healthy cooking and eating is a great opportunity to sample new recipes and rediscover delicious favorites. Some tips to get started:
- Revamp your meal planning to include plenty of vegetables and fruits, which are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Try them fresh, frozen, or canned, without added salt and sugars. For meal plan ideas, click here.
- Reduce the role of meat in your diet from star to supporting player. Mix things up with two or more vegetarian-style meals each week. If you do serve meat or poultry, make sure it’s lean and skinless, grilled, baked, or broiled. DO NOT FRY. Try Meatless Mondays!
- Oily fish such as salmon, trout, herring, and sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids, which studies show may help lower the risk of getting coronary disease. Serve up fish at least twice a week.
- Choose whole grain foods like brown rice and whole wheat pasta — their high fiber content can help lower cholesterol levels and aid in weight loss.
- Go with fat-free, 1 percent fat and low-fat dairy products. Jazz up plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt with flavorful fruits.
- Natural fruit juices (with no added sugar) are better than regular soft drinks, but shouldn’t take the place of eating whole fruits. To quench your thirst, drink water or club soda — zest it up with a wedge of lemon or lime.
- There’s nothing wrong with snacking, as long as you stock your kitchen, car, office, or bag with nutrient-rich nibbles like fresh or dried fruits, unsalted almonds, unsalted rice cakes, or carrots and other veggies.
7 DAY MEAL PLANS
Week 1 Meal Planner Week 2 Meal Planner Week 3 Meal Planner Week 4 Meal Planner 7 days of Lunch for $5 Shopping List for Weekly Menus Good, Better, Best Food Choices
HOW TO SHOP SMART AT THE GROCERY STORE
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- How to Shop on a Low Budget
- Buy this...NOT that (at the grocery store)
- Important Food Staples
- Picking the Right Spices
PRESCRIPTIONS FOR HEALTH
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Take a daily multivitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid
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Decide when/if you want children-plan ahead
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Drink water instead of juice and soda
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Eat 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy products a day
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Reduce sodium (salt) to less than 1500 mg a day
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Aim for 30 minutes of activity 4-6 times per week
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Avoid smoking and second hand smoke
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Protect yourself from STDs-use condoms and GYT (get yourself tested
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- Brilliant Breakfasts
- Cholesterol
- Eat Your Colors
- Energy Balance Base Camp
- Fast Food Fix
- Food Label Savvy
- Grocery Shopping Made Easy
- Portion Police
- Slimming Down Your Sodium
- Small Plate Movement
- Snacking
- Vitamins
The Reality of “My Plate”
First Lady Michelle Obama and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced earlier this month that the key to folks overcoming the weight problem in America can be solved by focusing on what we put on our plates every day to eat.
“My Plate” replaces the old Food Pyramid that tried to explain what to eat in a hierarchy- go figure. Not too many of us really understood how to use the Food Pyramid, and Mrs. Obama is hoping My Plate will make eating choices easier.
My Plate is designed as a picture of real dinner plate divided into food sections so that we can figure out what type of food and how much of these foods to eat every day.
My Plate dietary campaign has seven key messages:
1. Enjoy your food, but eat less
2. Avoid oversized portions
3. Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
4. Drink water instead of sugary drinks
5. Make at least half your grains 100% whole grains
6. Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk
7. Beware of sodium in foods like canned goods, bread, and frozen meals - and choose the foods with lower sodium.
We can help you meet these goals!
Interested in learning how to eat better on a low budget? How about getting a “Portion Plate” to start eating better?
Check out our B’more for Healthy Babies Nutrition Section on www.plannedparenthood.org/maryland and stop by the Baltimore Clinic on Tuesdays, between 10:00 am – 2:00 pm for a free nutrition consultation and portion plate.
For more information on the USDA's new food plate go to: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
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