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February 2, 2012

Get Your Super Bowl Game On!

Super Bowl Sunday…football’s biggest day of the year. All over the world people will get together for football, outrageous ads and of course, fabulous food.  I want my food to be bold and aggressive…full of flavor. How about you?

What do you have planned? Whether it’s a small party or a blockbuster, everyone looks forward to the food. But do you have to walk away feeling like a football? Absolutely not!

Bold, great tasting healthy food is not an oxymoron. I checked in with some of my colleagues for their Super Bowl recipes and tips. No need to punt when you can put out a spread the defensive line would be glad to plate up and at a cost that won’t be a budget buster.

 

Here’s our game day menu:

Classic Hummus

Tortilla Mexican Soup

Buffalo Chicken Bites

Dorine’s Super-fast Chili

Super Easy Super Cheesy Super Bowl Toast

Festive Fruit Bowl
Fruity Chocolate Clusters

 

Let’s get started. While you’re putting the finishing touches on your fabulous food spread, try dietitian Sharon Palmer’s recipe for Classic Hummus and serve it with whole wheat pita triangles, a big platter of veggies and a lighter version of chips. The hummus takes the hunger edge off. Remember you can make some of these items a day ahead.

Dr. Barb, known as the Nutrition Budgeteer, has a recipe for Tortilla Mexican Soup. It’s perfect to serve in a big coffee mug. If you’re in a hurry and don’t mind the additional expense, save time by purchasing a rotisserie chicken. Put this soup out along with the hummus and you have two filling appetizers your guests can start to enjoy.

Save about one pound of your rotisserie chicken to make these Buffalo Chicken Bites. Your guests can snack all thru the game on these easy-to-eat bites.


Buffalo Chicken Bites

Source: These recipes were developed by the Unilever Chefs. 

36 skewers

Prep Time: 20 minutes     Cook Time: 8 minutes

2 Tbsp. Promise® Buttery Spread

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, lightly pounded 1/4-inch thick  (about 2 breasts)

2 Tbsp. cayenne pepper sauce

12 ribs celery, sliced into 2-inch pieces (36 pieces)

36 cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup Wish-Bone® Fat Free! Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon Promise® Buttery Spread over medium heat and cook chicken, turning once, 8 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked; cut into 3/4-inch pieces and keep warm.

In medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave remaining Spread with cayenne pepper sauce at HIGH 15 seconds or until melted; stir until blended. Add chicken; toss to coat.

On 36 wooden skewers, alternately thread celery, tomatoes and chicken. On serving platter, arrange skewers and serve with Dressing.
See nutrition information for sodium content.

Nutrition Information per serving:

Calories 90, Calories From Fat 20, Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 2g, Cholesterol 20mg, Sodium 240mg, Total Carbohydrate 7g, Sugars 2g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Protein 10g, Vitamin A 10%, Vitamin C 20%, Calcium 4%, Iron 4%

My go-to dish for Super Bowl Sunday is always a big pot of chili that stays on the stove at a lower simmer. My friend Dorine first made this chili. It was a hit and I begged for the recipe and found out that it’s super simple. I usually triple the recipe.

 

Dorine’s Chili

2 cans of reduced sodium tomato soup

2 cans of reduced sodium black beans

2 TBSP chili power

Optional: 1 pound ground turkey breast or beef or venison, chopped onions and bell peppers

First, sauté some chopped onions and green peppers in a Dutch oven or large pot (I use my pasta pot because I double or triple the recipe). Add a pound of ground turkey breast and brown (leave out if you’re vegetarian). Then add the soup, beans and chili powder. Stir and cook 10-15 minutes. Serve with grated cheese, green onions, reduced fat sour cream on top.


Need a good gluten-free recipe? Dietitian EA Stewart shared a gluten-free recipe for Super Easy Super Cheesy Super Bowl Toast. With five simple ingredients including cheese, onions, olives, tomato paste and good bread, the result looks like a cheesy square of pizza…sure to be a big hit.

 

Be sure to offer a big bowl of cut up fruit or a fruit platter for snacking.

 

What are we missing? Of course…chocolate! Prepped in the microwave, have this recipe available for your friends will ask for it.

 

 

 

Fruity Chocolate Clusters

Makes: 40 clusters

Prep: 15 minutes

Microwave: 1 minute

Chill: 15 minutes

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

1 1/2 cups toasted slivered almonds

2 cups broken-up pretzel stick pieces

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

 

1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside.

2. In a medium-size bowl, stir together cranberries, almonds and pretzel pieces.

3.Place chocolate in a medium-size microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute, stirring halfway through; microwave another 15 seconds if necessary and stir until smooth.

4. Stir cranberry mixture into chocolate until completely coated. Place1 heaping tablespoonful of chocolate mixture onto prepared baking sheet, shaping into a mound. Repeat with remaining mixture. Chill for 15 minutes before serving.

Per cluster 74 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat.); 1 g protein; 9 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 40 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol

By Family Circle© 2007 Meredith Corporation. First published in Family Circle Magazine.

 

When your selecting your beverages, registered dietitian and endurance athlete Julie Upton on her website appforhealth.com says to ‘bench the high-cal beer and beverages’. Since beer is the fourth food group of Super Bowl Sunday, Julie suggests to choose super light options if you want to enjoy a few. You can find ultra-light beers as low as 55 calories and many light beers are around 100 calories a bottle.  Save those calories for the chocolate!

For more helpful tips, I’m linking in my blog to this week’s blog by Dr. Joy Dubost, Director of Nutrition for the National Restaurant Association. I know your party is going to be great and I want to hear about it…ok?

 Want more information? Listen to this week’s podcast below.
Listen to this week’s podcast


January 26, 2012

Cold and Flu Fighters

I just returned from a trip to California and can you hear what came with me? A chest cold along with laryngitis. Did you know that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) up to 20% of Americans will likely get the flu every year? When you feel achy all over and feverish, your food selections can help fortify your immune system and ramp down some of your cold and flu symptoms. Healthy food, which provides needed nutrients to your body such as vitamins and minerals, is essential for optimum function of the immune response.

Try these flu and cold fighters:

Hot Tea: all types of tea including green, black, white and red offer health benefits in the form of antioxidants. Besides feeling really good on your throat and warming your body when you have the chills, hot liquids temporarily thin out the mucus in the nose and throat. Here’s a little unexpected tip. Regular tea (not decaf) contains enough caffeine to gives you a slight energy boost when you feel so bad you don’t want to lift your head off the pillow.

When you feel chilled and achy, try this simple Spiced Orange Green Tea from the Florida Department of Citrus.

Here’s what you need:

4 ounces Florida Orange Juice

1 cinnamon stick

3 ounces green tea

Here’s what you do:

Combine the three ingredients in a saucepan and heat until steaming. You could also heat the ingredients together in a microwaveable cup until hot.

Blueberries, , potatoes, red peppers, kiwi and other vitamin C-rich foods: I bet you didn’t think about red peppers or potatoes for their Vitamin C but they are a very nice source of both vitamin C and potassium. Bake a potato quickly in the microwave when you don’t have much of an appetite. Other vitamin C-rich foods include blackberries, cherries, tomatoes, broccoli and the traditional sources you think of such as tangerines, oranges, grapefruit, pineapple and strawberries.

I much prefer the whole food over a vitamin C supplement since you get the benefit of the hydrating water content as well as other vitamins and minerals in the fruit. Research has not proven that vitamin C prevents colds but it does have a role in overall immune function that in turn helps you fight off a cold and flu. By the way, 100% fruit juices provide hydration plus the benefits of vitamin C and antioxidants.

Nuts and Seeds: Surprise…your body can benefit from the nutritional star power of nuts and seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds, pistachios and pecans or peanuts or walnuts to provide your body with fiber and a roll call of nutrients including folate, magnesium, calcium, potassium, riboflavin and vitamin E. Nuts and seeds make an easy energy and nutrient-packed snack when you don’t feel like preparing food.

Spicy foods such as hot sauce, wasabi, chili or spicy sauces help to temporarily open sinuses, relieve some congestion and perhaps help you taste the food. A bowl of chili or spicy tortilla soup with a dash of hot sauce may cause your nose to run and eyes to tear but right now, that could be a good thing. This relief helps you to breathe easier for a little while so if you’re up for it, try a little spicy food.

 Want more information? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


December 29, 2011

Family Circle’s Test Kitchen Tips for a Healthy New You

Happy New Year to you! Thank you for reading and sharing my blog. I appreciate you, your comments, and look forward to this year together. I like the beginning of a New Year. For me, it’s a time to review and renew. I’m one of those who likes to take an up close and personal look at my life, where I’m going and what needs to be tweaked…and believe me…there’s always a lot of tweaking to be done.

I’m sure your schedule is like mine…pretty jammed every day. Well, I’m trying to take a little better care of my health, particularly the way I eat. I know, I’m a registered dietitian but I’m human too with a long list of things that need to be done everyday and never enough time. Sound familiar? So I’m looking at real world, everyday ways that I can eat better and improve my health and I want to share them with you.

Joining me on the podcast to discuss test kitchen tips for a healthy new you is Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and Food Director at Family Circle magazine. She was part of a food trend survey for Hunter PR and their results found that in 2012, 67% of Americans will make food-related resolutions. Do you agree? Do you plan to make food-related changes/tweaks?

Regina shared ways that the Family Circle test kitchens are working to produce healthier recipes:

Lowering the sodium in their recipes. Family Circle uses ingredients like no-salt or low-salt tomatoes and adds back in a little sea salt for more punch. Regina suggests making sure your dried spices are not old! I’m definitely more aware of sodium and grow fresh herbs in small pots outside my door including rosemary, oregano, chives, and sage. Once you start using herbs and spices it’s easy to cut the salt and not go back. Plus your taste buds adapt.

Check out this month’s recipe for Chicken, Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Vindaloo that includes quinoa.

Incorporating more whole grain products like quinoa and wheat berries to bulk things up without adding fat. There are really good blends/mixes available now. Newly popular whole grain products can be a little pricey so watch for sales and coupons. Use them in place of meat for a meatless Monday dish. I like the products by truRoots…they carry a wide variety of organic whole grains and lentils such as quinoa, green lentils and brown rice.

Add great condiments like good balsamic vinegar (Regina loves Lucini’s fig), mustards and honey… all help perk up the flavor of food.

Want more information? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


December 17, 2011

Easy and Healthy Entertaining

Is your holiday to-do list over…whelming? Would you like to entertain family and friends but don’t know where you’d find the time to plan and prepare? Do you feel sleep deprived and more likely to say bah-humbug than Merry Christmas?  Well, help is here.

My guest on the podcast this week is Heather McPherson who is the Food Editor, restaurant reviewer and a multimedia journalist for the Orlando Sentinel.  She oversees the weekly Cooking & Eating section, writes four weekly columns and provides daily content for orlandosentinel.com. She is a past president of the Association of Food Journalists and currently serves on the Board of Directors.

You can follow Heather on Twitter at @OS_TheDish

I asked Heather to give us the 911 on holiday entertaining made easy and healthy. Some of her helpful tips include:

1. When you’re uncertain of the guest count, build your buffet around an item that works well to repurpose such as a ham or turkey that can be used for sandwiches, soups, casseroles, etc.

2. Begin your buffet like the pros do with salads and rolls first (the less expensive items). Your guests will fill their plates with these selections. Then place the more expensive items such as shrimp or meat at the end of the buffet line.

3. If you serve cocktails, be sure to offer nonalcoholic versions along with other non alcoholic beverages as well so people don’t have to ask.

Heather shared two of her go-to recipes that are full of flavor but can be put together in a jiffy.

White Bean Dip

Yield: 8 appetizer servings.

14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stem

Coarse salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped chives

Bruschetta or sturdy corn chips

1. Pulse all ingredients except chives in food processor until a smooth paste forms and transfer to a bowl.

2. Fold in chives. Serve on bruschetta and garnish with chopped chives.

Feta Avocado Spread

Yield: 3 1/2 cups.

4-ounce package feta cheese (you can use reduced fat)

1 1/2-2 tablespoons olive oil

4 very ripe avocados, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks

1 teaspoon hot sauce or to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt to taste

1. Combine all ingredients with a fork until well-blended. Mixture should be slightly lumpy

2. Spoon into a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve

Want more information on how to select fish in the grocery? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


December 8, 2011

Gluten-Free: Update on Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease

One of my most popular blog and podcast topics is gluten-free. Do you have questions too? I’m thrilled to have as my podcast guest this week registered dietitian and a leading international expert on celiac disease and the gluten-free diet, Shelley Case. She’s a member of the Medical Advisory Boards of the Celiac Disease Foundation, Gluten Intolerance Group and Canadian Celiac Association.

Her best selling book is Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide. Shelley’s website offers a bevy of free helpful information and resources.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that attacks your small intestine and persists for a lifetime.  Autoimmune basically means that your body turns on itself. Specifically your intestine is damaged by the protein you eat found in wheat, rye and barley…collectively this protein is referred to as gluten.

Any food item that contains gluten is like poison to your small intestine particularly to the little fingerlike projections called villi and makes it difficult to absorb the nutrients from food such as vitamins and minerals.

Gluten is so ubiquitous that becoming a label sleuth is a top diet strategy. The dangerous grains and their protein include barley, rye, wheat, spelt and kamut while the safe grains include rice, corn, potato, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, chickpea flour and oats (have the oat discussion with your registered dietitian for your particular case).

Remember wheat free is NOT gluten free. Wheat free can contain barley, bulgur or other grains with gluten.

This is really important if you think you might have celiac disease. A gluten-free diet can interfere with obtaining an accurate diagnosis so never start on the diet until you’ve had the tests suggested by your doctor such as blood tests and a biopsy.

If you have celiac disease life is NOT over. Your diet, the gluten-free diet, can make you feel much better and it’s easier to follow than just a few years ago. Plus the really good news… when you live a gluten-free lifestyle, most of the complications associated with celiac disease can be prevented.

***Giveaway: Register to win a $20 variety pack of Lucy’s Cookies, which are gluten free and made without milk, eggs, peanuts or tree nuts making them worry-free snacks for anyone who suffers from any kind of food allergy.

Remember the bottom-line basics of the gluten-free diet for celiac disease and gluten sensitivity: The grain group is most affected and the specific grains we just mentioned.

  1. Dairy, fruits, vegetables and protein food groups have minimal changes especially in their most natural form
  2. Put your emphasis on whole foods versus processed foods or those modified in some way. Processed and modified foods are most likely to contain gluten.
  3. Remember there are many naturally gluten-free foods such as fruit and vegetables and many grains. Reach for whole grains such as brown rice over white rice.

Want more information on how to select fish in the grocery? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


November 27, 2011

Fish Tales: Is the fish you buy really what it’s labeled?

Did you read the fake fish story? An article in Consumer Reports (December 2011) discusses the purchasing and testing of 190 pieces of seafood from retail stores and restaurants throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Don’t miss this: more than one-fifth of the fish pieces were mislabeled as different species of fish, incompletely labeled or misidentified by employees. Has this ever happened to you?

Consumer Reports sent their fish samples to an outside lab for DNA testing. We’re talking fish forensics! Researchers take genetic material from the fish and compare it against standardized gene fragments similar to genetic fingerprints used in crime investigations.

Guess what they found out?

  1. Only four of the 14 fish types were identified correctly (sea bass, coho salmon, bluefin and ahi tuna).
  2. 18% of the fish samples didn’t match the names on menus, labels or placards. Fish were passed off for grouper, catfish, red snapper, yellow fin tuna and others.
  3. From a health standpoint, one fish sample labeled as grouper was really tilefish, which is on the Food and Drug Administration avoid list for children and women of childbearing age due to the mercury content.

Why does this matter to you? If you bought an expensive piece of fish and it was actually a cheaper species, your wallet was impacted. But what if you bought fish containing potentially health-harming mercury or PCBs? Then your health comes into play. Or, maybe you try to buy sustainable seafood and were given a species whose numbers are on the decline.

Besides better inspections, what can you do to reduce the chances that you pay for mystery fish?

1.  Be an informed consumer. The more questions you ask at the fish counter or the server at your restaurant, the more serious companies become in their purchases and inspections. Restaurants and grocers know that consumers today have quick access to helpful information.

2.  Check out the free FishPhone app from Blue Ocean Institute, a quick guide to help you make sustainable selections when you eat out or shop. I use this app and it’s so easy. Next to all the choices is a fish symbol varying in color from bright green for a safe choice to red for don’t even think about it. You can search for fish or check the A-Z listing. When you touch the fish name, a quick review pops up so that you can make a smart choice right then. The app even includes fish recipes and wine pairing suggestions.

3.  Send a text while you stand in front of the fish counter and make sure the fish you plan to purchase is eco-friendly and without a health advisory. This very cool text tip is also from blueocean.org.

Text 30644 with the message FISH followed by the name of the fish you want to buy…for example, FISH scallops or FISH salmon. I sent a text for FISH grouper and received a text within seconds telling me all things grouper that I needed to know.

How do you know where your fish is coming from?

The Country of Origin Labeling called COOL, which was developed by the USDA, requires all large retailers (supermarkets and big box stores) to disclose the country of origin of fresh or frozen fish and whether it is farm-raised or wild-caught. Seafood standards are often higher in the United States than in other countries so when you purchase ‘locally’, you may reduce the likelihood of contamination from toxic substances that are illegal in the U.S.

Exemptions of COOL: The law does not require restaurants or small fish markets to disclose the country of origin on the label.

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


November 18, 2011

Superfoods to Reduce Your Diabetes Risk


Does diabetes run in your family? Has your blood glucose (aka blood sugar) been a little elevated? According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), approximately 35% of adults 20 and older, and 50% of adults 65 and older have pre-diabetes.

Have you heard the term pre-diabetes? It’s used to describe above-normal blood sugar levels that are not quite elevated enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Here’s the kicker: unless lifestyle changes are made such as weight loss, tweaks to the diet and more exercise, pre-diabetes typically progresses to diabetes.

But I like to focus on the good news. If you are pre-diabetic or diabetes runs in your family, you can take control now and help prevent diabetes. If you have diabetes, smart habits can reduce your blood sugar level enough that you may need less medication or none at all.

Joining me on the podcast this week to bust some diabetes myths and talk superfoods is my guest Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and Food Director at Family Circle magazine.

One of the most common diabetes myths is that eating too much sugar causes diabetes. You my eat very little sugar or few sweets and still develop diabetes. Weigh gain plays a big role in diabetes and it doesn’t matter what foods you eat or drink to put on the pounds.

Diabetes Superfoods to Add to Your Diet:

Leafy greens

Nuts

Herbs and spices: particularly cinnamon, oregano and turmeric

High Fiber Foods: Susan: such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, beans, lentils, oatmeal

New research is looking at both regular consumption of caffeinated coffee and a normal blood level of vitamin D as potentially protective against diabetes.

Be sure and try this month’s Family Circle recipe: turkey scaloppine with tarragon-mushroom sauce  at the WDBO.com/healthcenter.

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


November 10, 2011

Get Spicy with Your Food and Boost Your Health!

Can you believe it? The holiday season is about to begin. What’s on your holiday menu? Have you started thinking about it? What about those party foods you’ll need to prepare? This year, try adding a variety of spices to your recipes. A sprinkle of cinnamon, a pinch of cloves and nutmeg or a touch of sage, rosemary and thyme can make all the difference in flavor.

Spices help develop the flavor profile of your food. And did you know that many spices may have a health benefit? The emerging science is fascinating especially when you consider that spices have antioxidant and protective properties.

A new study from researchers at Penn State, which was published in the Journal of Nutrition, found that seasoning a high-fat meal with two tablespoons of an antioxidant-rich spice blend could enhance antioxidant defenses and reduce the body’s negative responses.

To be specific, the antioxidant-rich spice blend increased one measure of antioxidant activity in the blood by more than 13% and decreased the insulin response by about 20%.

Post-meal triglycerides also decreased by about 30 percent, compared to the meal without spices. Typically blood triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood) rise after a high-fat meal is consumed and research suggests if high-fat meals are eaten frequently, your risk for heart disease increases.

These researchers suggest that the beneficial changes from the spices are likely due to the naturally-occurring plant compounds (polyphenols) that are equivalent to the amount found in a glass of red wine or blueberry juice.

Are you curious as to which spices made up the blend? I was. The spice blend included black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, garlic powder, ginger, oregano, paprika, rosemary and turmeric.

Did you know that one teaspoon of cinnamon contains as many antioxidants as a full cup of pomegranate juice?  Cinnamon contains polyphenols, which are antioxidants that may help regulate blood sugar levels.  I sprinkle it on oatmeal and also toss in dried cherries or blueberries along with a few walnuts or pecans. This past weekend, I made buttermilk-oatmeal pancakes and added a pinch of cinnamon.

What do you like on a hot dog or hamburger? Did you say mustard? Do you buy the traditional bright yellow mustard? Guess what spice is in mustard? Turmeric. The golden yellow color in turmeric comes from curcumin, which is the naturally occurring phytonutrient. By the way, if you’re a curry power fan, turmeric is one of the spices in it.

Last week I made Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives out of Ellie Krieger’s So Easy cookbook. The turmeric adds flavor and gives that slightly yellow color to the dish. Health wise, studies suggest that the curcumin in turmeric may help slow or stop the development of harmful brain plaque or amyloid plaque tied to Alzheimer’s disease.

What are your favorite ways to use spices? If you want more information and a selection of recipes that contain these super spices, check out spicesforhealth.com

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


October 27, 2011

Caffeine Keeps Perking with Good News

 

Do you get drink coffee everyday or get your caffeine thru other sources? Maybe a combination of both! You don’t want to miss this latest study…reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine, which looked at data from the famous Harvard Nurse’s Health Study. 

The study found an association between caffeine and depression. The women who consumed two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day were 15 percent less likely to develop depression compared to those who drank one cup. Women who drank at least four cups per day had a 20 percent lower risk of depression. This is potentially good news. According to an article on Huffingtonpost.com by Dr. Peeke, one in five American women may suffer from depression at some point in their lives.

Caffeine may also be a promising therapeutic tool for Parkinson’s disease. Plus caffeine does not appear to have the dehydration effect during a workout as once thought. In fact, caffeine may give you the boost you need to exercise a little longer.

An article in the journal, Exercise and Sports Sciences Review, found that moderate caffeine consumption (in this review, up to 500 milligrams per day) did not adversely affect exercise in terms of dehydration, assuming that adequate hydration and replacing lost fluids is a given during and after your workouts.

Speaking of workouts, The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that caffeine consumption increases physical performance during both short-term and endurance exercise. Caffeine releases glucose (our fuel source) into the blood stream, which can increase the amount of available fuel to the body.

So for the average person how much caffeine is safe? The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) suggests that 200-300 milligrams of caffeine per day is a fairly safe range for most people.

But if you’re pregnant, done miss this. Researchers with Kaiser Permanente in California, whose 2008 study was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, analyzed information about caffeine consumption in over 1000 women early in their pregnancy.

Guess what they found out? Women who consume 200 milligrams or MORE of caffeine per day may double their risk of miscarriage. Picture 200 milligrams of caffeine as about 10-12 ounces of coffee or about 16-25 ounces of tea depending on the type (remember black tea has more caffeine than green tea). Different coffees and teas can vary quite a bit in their caffeine content.

Since there is no consensus on how much caffeine to consume during pregnancy, some doctors suggest switching to decaf or cutting caffeine from the diet at least during the first three or four months. Others suggest one cup a day and cut it off. The best bet is to discuss your personal health with your physician or health care provider and decide together the best course of action for you and your pregnancy.

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


October 20, 2011

Probiotics: Beneficial Bacteria for the Gut

Do you know the word probiotics? Maybe you’ve heard the terms healthy bacteria or friendly bacteria. You probably never gave a great deal of thought to your gastrointestinal tract or gut until the commercials for yogurt and yogurt drinks that promise to strengthen your immune system, help with regularity or replace healthy bacteria that were destroyed by antibiotics.

Your gut is the site of digestion, absorption, some immune function and elimination.

Healthy or friendly bacteria have various roles in the body. The friendly flora compete with unhealthy bacteria to help keep the body working as it should including regularity and a healthy immune system as well as take part in the production of folic acid and some B vitamins.

So what exactly are probiotics? Live microorganisms when given in adequate amounts can have a beneficial health effect on the body. However, there is no legal definition for “probiotic” in the US.

If you’ve decided to try a probiotics product, how do you know which one is the best choice? There are so many products on the market.

Here are three smart tips to help you make the right choice.

1. Probiotics are not all the same or equal. The health effect depends on the species and strain. Think of it like this. When you are sick with an infection that requires antibiotics, your doctor prescribes a particular antibiotic proven to destroy the bacteria causing the illness.

In other words, antibiotics are specific to certain bacteria. If you are prescribed the wrong antibiotic, the infection will not clear up until the correct antibiotic is give. It’s the same with probiotics.

*** Probiotics is a term we use very loosely  in the media and marketplace….a catch-all phrase for all so-called healthy bacteria. ***

2. Probiotics are categorized by group, species and strain. Probably more than you want to know but it’s important to at least grasp the idea. Consider Lactobacillus acidophilus GG. Lactobacillus is the group, acidophilus is the species and GG is the strain. GG is the strain with research behind it.

Whether probiotics are taken in food or supplement form doesn’t matter. But take a supplement with food as food helps buffer the probiotics against stomach acid so the healthy bacteria are not destroyed and make it to the intestines.

A good company will tell you the full name of the probiotic bacteria on the label or provide a website to check out or number to call for more information. Their research should also be available on the website to show that the probiotics actually work. Less reliable companies will not have this information available.

3. Probiotics or healthy bacteria can be destroyed by direct light and high temperatures, even during manufacturing so the actual probiotic count may be lower than what’s on the bottle or package.

Probiotics should be ‘live’ which means they still work so look for the words “live and active cultures” on the label. Be sure and check for a shelf life and how the product should be stored.

By the way, natural food sources of probiotics include yogurt, buttermilk, sauerkraut and kefir. A few of the probiotics-enhanced products with research behind them to check out for specific health benefits include the supplements Culturelle and Florastor and the food products Activia,  DanActive, Danimals, Yakult, Stoneyfield Farms yogurt and Attune cereal bars.

Remember, discuss with your doctor or health care providor which probiotic strain is right for you if you are using it to help treat a specific health concern. Check out the company’s website for specific information on the species and strain of the probiotics. Want more overall knowledge… take a look at usprobiotics.org

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


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