**Orientations** Don't miss the opportunity to learn more about our health and weight management program at our free orientation sessions. We are located in the Indianapolis area! If you don't live near a site-we have a Remote Program. Contact us at info@hntindiana.com for more information. Visit our website to check available dates.
Wow! So excited to see kale, the green leafy vegetable mostly under the radar, in TIME Magazines top food trends of 2012. In our opinion, it was the top food trend of 2012 especially because kale is a nutritional powerhouse. Here are the powerhouse stats for 1 cup:
Organic or Not? That is the question of the decade. If you personally buy organic answer this question, why? Is it because organic foods are "better nutritionally" for you OR do you buy them to reduce the possibility of pesticides and antibiotic-resistant bacteria on your food?
If you eat organic foods because they are "better nutritionally" then you are wasting your money! "A study released in September in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that organic products have no significant nutritional advantage over conventional foods, even though consumers often pay more than them." This conclusion followed the review of over 200 studies published from 1960-2011.
Long term studies are yet to be done or completed showing the health benefits of eating a primarily organic diet to reduce the level of pesticides and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, one thing seems clearer and that is the fact that spending more money for nutrition is not needed. Conventionally grown foods produce the same nutritional value as organically grown foods.
If you are concerned with pesticides and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, you can spend your money wisely by purchasing organic versions of the highly contaminated fruits and vegetables in this "dirty dozen" list. These 12 fruits and vegetables have the highest pesticide residues of the all fruits and vegetables:
Winter Squash is in season! What is it, what do you do with it, how do you select it? All great questions for these vegetables that are delightful to look at but intimidating to fit in your meal plan. Butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and pumpkin are the most common of the winter squash family, but calabaza, blue or golden hubbard, acorn, kabocha are other varieties of this plentiful squash.
Freedictionary.com states this for the definition of a vegetable:
veg·e·ta·ble(vjt-bl, vj-t-)n.
1.
a. A plant cultivated for an edible part, such as the root of the beet, the leaf of spinach, or the flower buds of broccoli or cauliflower.
b. The edible part of such a plant.
c. A member of the vegetable kingdom; a plant.
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or derived from plants or a plant.
2. Suggestive of or resembling a plant.
3. Growing or multiplying like plants.
Now, I ask...is pizza a vegetable? Let's break down the components of pizza starting with it's base or crust. The crust is not a vegetable as it is made from dough (flour and yeast). Then comes the tomato paste. This is where it gets a little sticky and where the U.S. Government has failed when it comes to regulations. The law put in place allows 2 Tbsp (the amount typically used/slice) to be considered a vegetable. The 2 Tbsp of tomato paste doesn't measure up to the vegetable regulations from MyPlate. MyPlate recommends 2 1/2-3 cups of vegetables per person and considers 1 large tomato, 1 cup chopped or sliced to be 1 vegetable or 1 cup of tomato juice to count as 1 vegetable. No where does it say that 2 Tbsp or 1/8 cup of tomato paste is equivalent to 1 vegetable! Side note: technically speaking, tomatoes are fruits.
These regulations are actually in place for the school lunch system that feeds many children. A population base already in danger of obesity and it's related health risks.
Back to the pizza, on top of the tomato paste comes the toppings. Last time I checked, most people were not topping their pizza with only vegetables. According to Shareranks.com, cheese, pepperoni, chicken, bacon, and meatballs are the top 5 toppings. Among the top 10 include Canadian bacon/ham, onions, sausage, goats cheese, and mushrooms. So, out of 10 top toppings, onions (at #7) and mushrooms (at #10) are the only vegetables listed! I don't believe you would get a cup out of the amount of onions and mushrooms on a slice of most Americans' pizza slices.
Now that we have the pizza components identified, we can see that counting pizza as a vegetable is quite a ludicrous thing to do. We encourage everyone to add cups and cups of veggies to their pizzas so that they can, in fact and accurately, count their pizza toppings towards their vegetable count for the day, but we know that may not be reality.
It's important to know the facts. Know the facts about what counts as a vegetable and how to get the recommended number in each day. The only one you end up hurting in the long run is yourself for denying the fact that you thought pizza was a vegetable!
At HNT, we can help you to achieve the goal of getting in 3 full cups of vegetables. It takes skill and strategy to implement this lifestyle change and we would love to help you make it your lifestyle to get 3 cups in each day. Call our office 317.489.4817 for more detail about our health and weight management program.
A recent study in the Obesity Journal provided either solid fruits/vegetables or fruits/vegetables in juice form to the study participants (half the participants were lean and half were overweight/obese). After 8 weeks of consuming the solid fruits/vegetables the lean participants compensated for the extra food by cutting other foods out of their diet and gained no weight while the overweight/obese participants given solid fruits/vegetables did not compensate and gained 4 pounds. When the participants were given the same amount of calories (roughly 20% of total intake for the day) in juice for 8 weeks, the lean participants gained 3.5 pounds and the overweight/obese participants gained 5 pounds!
Concluding evidence that solid fruits and vegetables or fruits and vegetables in whole form are better for weight maintenance or weight loss than juices. However, if extra calories are not compensated for-even from whole fruits and vegetables- weight gain is probable. What does this mean? If you eat too many calories from fruits and vegetables or anything that is 'good' for you, you could potentially gain weight. Key point....Calories Matter....so make sure you are counting them!
Do you enjoy fresh & local produce? A lot of stores like Meijer, Marsh & Kroger in the Indianapolis are carry some local produce, but to find the jack pot you should find a farmers' market near you. With over 20 farmers' market locations there has to be one with in a short drive from your house. Check out this website that provides a map of some of the Indianapolis area farmers' markets.
Two locations not listed on this map that are located in Hendricks County include:
1. The Avon Farmers Market sponsored by Hendricks Regional Health is Tuesdays from 4 pm to 7 pm in front of the Hendricks Regional Health Office in Avon.
2. The Brownsburg Farmers Market which is held on Thursdays from 3:30 pm to 7 pm in the green space in front of the Brownsburg Town Hall (61 N. Green Street, Brownsburg, IN 46112)
Popeye loved it, but did he actually know how good it was for him? Spinach is loaded with many vitamins & minerals that are important to be healthy. A 3 cup serving has 10% of a day's potassium, 510% of a day's vitamin K, 160% of a day's vitamin A, 40% of a day's vitamin C and folate, 15% of a days magnesium and iron, and 8 % of a days calcium and fiber need...All for 20 calories!
Knowing the vitamins & minerals isn't enough, you have to consume it to get the benefits. But knowing how to incorporate it in your meal plan can sometimes be a challenge if it's a new food for you. Salads are a great way to boost your spinach intake. Purchase ready-to-eat spinach out of the bag and making a nice healthy-portion salad by including your favorite veggies and a low-calorie salad dressing. Spinach makes for great flavor addition to sandwiches, pitas, wraps, etc. by just adding a thick layer of leaves! Or, you could make a spinach and low-fat cheese omelet or egg scramble (using an egg substitute) to get more spinach in for breakfast.
Finecooking.com has great recipes & other helpful information about spinach benefits & uses.
Extreme couponing has become a crazy phenomenon since the new show "Extreme Couponing" aired on TLC a few months ago. Couponing is not something that is new, but it does require skill. There are a lot of coupons to be found that could be very useful in helping you save money while purchasing groceries, however, that doesn't mean that every coupon you have should be used!
Food coupons are often frozen or processed foods that if eaten in moderation can fit well into a balanced meal plan. However, too much of the processed foods can begin to replace consuming adequate numbers of fruits & vegetables so you must be careful. Here are some tips on how to be frugal & still be fit and on your meal plan:
Call or email all produce companies (Dole, Chiquita, Del Monte, etc) and let them know that you really enjoy their products, but that you never see coupons. They will often send coupons periodically upon your request.
Look in FREE store magazines for coupons on produce. For example, the dietitans that work for Meijer publish a booklet every now and then & the booklet had coupons for prepackaged Dole Salad in July 2011
Coupons.com has printable coupons & every now and then has fresh produce coupons.
Local newspapers every now and then will have coupons for apple slices, bagged salads, melons, etc
Always look for reduced priced items. These items may need to be eaten with in a few days, but they can save you 50% or more! Most noted are the manager specials at Meijer & Kroger for their reductions in price on the already cut veggies/fruits or salad bowls.
You probably aren't going to walk out of the store with an entire cart full of produce and lean meats for free, but you will be able to continue living the lifestyle that HNT has helped you to build & save a bit of money while you do it!
Onions: trying burying an onion with a beef bouillon cube in the center, wrapped in aluminum foil in the coals for 1 hour. Yum...delicious way to savor an onion!
Try placing herbs like rosemary or dried basil on the coals at your next barbecue to flavor the food you are grilling.
Window cleaner sprayed on a warm grill will make for easier clean up.
Always use tongs to flip steaks...you don't want to puncture the steak and let all the flavorful juices run out.
Be good to your health: be aware that if fat from meat drips on a real barbecue charcoal briquette that a chemical reaction takes place that sends pyrobenzine onto the surface of the meat from the smoke. This will produce a black or dark colored coating on the meat that should be scrapped off before eating to prevent cancer risk. Otherwise...consuming a 12 oz. steak (which is not recommended!) will give you the same amount of cancer causing carcinogens as smoking 15 non-filtered cigarettes! If you're worried switch to gas or artificial charcoal.
Grills are great for veggies! Steam aluminum foil packs of your favorite veggies on the grill for a delicious side to your grilled meat. Simply spray a piece of foil with a non-stick spray and add your seasoned vegetables, place on the grill and enjoy.
Fruits and vegetables that are fresh always have better taste. Want to know what's in season in Indiana? Check out this website that gives a run down on the produce that is fresh now! Broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, radishes, and strawberries are just a few that are in season in June.
Eating vegetables provides essential nutrition for overall health, but they can also be low in calories which is good for weight loss. This is why getting at least 3 cups of vegetables should be on your to-do list everyday!
When buying vegetables, buy fresh and in season if you can. These are usually cheaper and have the most flavor. Easy steamers from the frozen section make meals simpler while still providing vegetables. Buying pre-washed salad greens or pre-cut veggies adds to the convenience factor, but may cost more in the long run-so if you can buy in the most raw form (ie. lettuce head instead of chopped lettuce).
Making vegetables more appealing will help you to get more in each day. For example, try using a low-fat salad dressing with raw veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, red or green peppers, etc. Also you can add color to salads by shredding red cabbage, carrots, or using spinach leaves.
At meals you can make vegetables the center of attention by making a vegetable soup or stir-fry and then complementing the main part of the meal with other foods. Grilled vegetable kabobs are great for summer cook outs-try whole mushrooms, sliced peppers, and onions! When everyone else is ordering pizza, order a veggie pizza including olives, peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, banana peppers, etc to boost your veggie intake. Salads help to incorporate more green leafy vegetables into your day-go light on the dressing, cheese, and meats to ensure that calories are still maintained at a lower level.
For the best nutritional values, buy "no salt added" canned vegetables and steer clear of veggies in sauces or high calorie seasonings that add fat or sodium.
Need healthy snack ideas that don't take all day to make? Do you know how to make sure your snacks can hold you over in between meals and help provide the nutrition you need each day?
One thing to remember is having at least 3 food groups in each snack: fruits/vegetables (for added nutrition), whole grains (to help incorporate more fiber), and protein (to hold you over until your next meal).
One idea included, in this short video from WebMD, is sliced apples, a low-fat cheese stick, and whole grain crackers. For more snack ideas view this video!
Since March is National Nutrition Month & the theme is "Color Your Plate", it is only fitting to provide a preparation tip to help you get more veggies in!
Potatoes represent the white vegetables (which are colored by anthoxanthins). They contain allicin (a chemical) that helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and may decrease the risk of stomach cancer and heart disease. But if you need to peel a potato that process can be so time consuming, but watch this quick video on a simple & easy way to peel a potato.
Most people think "all salads" are healthy, but the truth is you can build a salad that has many calories more than what you had ever expected! The great thing is that if you know what items to choose on your salad it can be a great, nutritious and filling option for any meal or side dish.
Must knows include:
Start out with a smaller plate-silly I know, but it won't hold as much as a larger plate. Less food equals less calories
Start with a good nutrient rich dark green leafy vegetable like spinach, romaine, or endive.
Including vegetables (like cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli) on your salad will load it with a variety of nutrients including beta-carotene, vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid and fiber.
Use legumes, beans, lean meats like chicken, turkey, or fish for a good protein source
Watch out for the following options that provide little nutrition and/or lots of calories: croutons, fried meats, candied nuts, chow mein noodles, seeds, bacon, cheese, pastas/potato/macaroni salads (found at most salad bar) and creamy salad dressings.
Restaurants are often playing up the word 'salad' hoping consumers will opt for the 'healthy' choice even if it has a lot of calories. Sure the salads sound good, but not worth the calories! Take some of the Applebee's salad options for instance: the Regular Crispy Shrimp Caesar Salad, Regular Oriental Chicken Salad, Regular Apple Walnut Chicken Salad, Regular Sante Fe Chicken Salad all have over 1,000 calories! Instead opt for the 1/2 portion size w/o dressing to cut the calories in half, choose one of the Weight Watcher salads (for less than 500 calories), or build your own salad based upon the must knows above.
Whether you are at home, a salad bar, or a restaurant be wise in the selections you make for your salads. They could end up being more than you bargained for in calories!
This year the theme is "Eat Right with Color". Nutritional benefits are more varied with the more color you can add to your plate. The colors associated with what's on your plate have vitamins and minerals and other nutrients to keep you healthy.
Each color is associated with having beneficial components:
Blue/Purple: anthocyanins & pheonlics which help to lower the risk of some cancers, are good for healthy aging, memory function, and urinary tract health
Green: lutein and indoles-help to promote strong bones, teeth, and vision health
White: includes the phytochemical called allicin. It promotes heart health, helps maintain cholesterol levels that are with in the normal range, and may reduce the risk of some cancers
Yellow/Orange: vitamin C and phytonutrients like carotenoids and bioflavonoids which are beneficial for vision and heart health and a healthy immune system
Red: contains phytonutrients lycopene and anthocyanins which promote heart and urinary tract health and memory function
Try focusing in on trying a new fruits or vegetables this month to help increase variety in your everyday diet for optimal nutrition. You might find a few more foods that you enjoy-just because you were able to experiment!
It's always smart to have some idea where our food comes from. Click here for a very informative article that was printed several years ago but includes great history and processing information. The article is on one of the easiest and healthiest "fast foods" around: baby carrots. If you eat 'em, you should read this , it will just take a moment (and thankfully there isn't any bad news in this health story).
At HNT, we always emphasize the importance of eating your veggies, but many times, people ask, "How do I cook them?". This is especially true with vegetables that are unfamiliar.
Check out eatingwell.com's guide to cooking 20 vegetables. You'll learn how to shop for, prepare and cook vegetables. It will tell you how to microwave, roast, saute, braise, or steam. Be adventurous and try something you've never eaten before.
We encourage you to try new recipes and eat a variety of different kinds and colors of vegetables. Vegetables are low in calorie density and may help to prevent weight gain. The vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals in vegetables may even protect you against cancer. Remember to use the plate method where 1/2 of your plate should be filled with veggies.
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