Nutrition Expert | How Big Is Your BUT? Blog

May 5, 2012

Weight Loss Products Promise Hope…But Are They Hype?

Did you hear about raspberry ketones? Recently the Internet was ablaze with searches for raspberry ketones after they were discussed on The Dr. Oz Show as the next can’t-live-without weight loss miracle. What do you think? Hope or hype? I’m always looking for hope since two out of three Americans are overweight.

But I want the hope to be real and based on sound science not emotion. Weight loss is such an emotional issue isn’t it? Any product, potion or pill will practically fly off the shelves if there is emotional hope tied to it such as the promise of quick, painless weight loss and a body like Sophia Vergara.

It pays to be a sleuth and use your gut intuition and intelligence when making a decision about the latest and greatest weight loss product. When you hear the word ketone, you may think about low carb diets that put the body into a state of ketosis. This ketosis is promoted as fat burning, but what you never hear is that ketosis means improperly burning fat, not a healthy process.

This hype of unproven fat burning is being tied to raspberry ketones. Ask yourself who is benefiting from the product really…you or the person making money off of you? If the product truly worked, would the majority of us be overweight and obese? Wouldn’t one of these many miracle weight loss products have made us all thin? Why would we need science and educated researchers if these hundreds of products touted for weight loss did anything more than take your money? What do you think?

According to an article from ABC News which included an interview with Dr. Robert Lustig, a neuroendocrinologist and obesity expert, animal studies are insufficient to say if and how raspberry ketones work in people. Without human studies, Dr. Lustig would not even weigh in on the product.

By the way don’t be swayed by the raspberry ketone body lotions and other hype-laden products quickly coming out on the market.

How about the latest on chocolate? Eat chocolate and slim down. I could easily join in. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal and BBC News reported on a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggesting that regular chocolate consumption may be tied to weight loss. It seems that those who consume chocolate several times a week were slimmer by measure of a BMI than those who ate chocolate only occasionally.

How much chocolate you eat was not a factor in the study but rather the frequency. The researchers suggest that the ingredients in chocolate beyond sugar and fat may favor weight loss. This study suggests a link not any type of proof right now and further human studies need to be conducted to see if there is a component of chocolate that does affect weight loss.

We currently do know that dark chocolate is potentially good for the heart and blood pressure plus it contains antioxidants. Who knows, chocolate may one day be added to the tool chest for successful weight loss along with portion control, movement, mindful eating, etc.

For now, enjoy dark chocolate for what it is…a delicious treat that may benefit your arteries. Speaking of chocolate, check out my board on Pinterest called Never Met a Chocolate I Don’t Like for a delectable Texas Sheet Cake recipe.

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

Comments (1)

April 21, 2012

Refueling High Mileage Moms and Dads

Are you a Mom-on-the-go or Dad-on-the-go who is so busy driving carpool and taking your children to all their activities that you have a hard time eating healthy?

Joining me on the Straight Talk about Eating Smart podcast this week to share her real-world tips is my regular guest Regina Ragone, Food Director for Family Circle magazine. Regina’s sister Angela has been asking her to write about high mileage moms since she is one of them.

Regina offers several realistic tips for eating on the go:

1. Refuel instead of running on empty

If you guzzle coffee without food, Regina says it’s like revving the engine of a car with no gas in its tank. You may get a quick energy boost, but without nutrients such as a mix of protein, carbs and fat, you’re likely to crash and burn. Consider a small latte with a handful of nuts or trail mix for a better fuel mix.

2. Stay on track

Counting calories is key, but it’s not the whole story. Regina says that nutrient balance is also critical when it comes to attaining better energy. Snacks should be a mix of protein, high fiber carbs and a little fat. For example, sliced apples with almond butter or a cheese stick with a pear. Her recommended nutrient balance: 7–15 grams of protein, 5–10 grams of fat and 15 grams of carbs per mini meal.

What are some of your favorite snack ideas for road warrior Moms and Dads?

Check out the PackIt freezable cooler. The Social Cooler can handle food and drinks for four and keep food items cold for up to 10 hours. Save money and stay healthy by preventing food poisoning.

Looking for a recipe the entire family will love for Meatless Monday? Try the Sloppy Joe Casserole

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

Comments (0)

March 10, 2012

Hunka Hunka Chocolate Love

Last week I attended a fundraiser for Easter Seals. Dessert was a dense dark chocolate flourless cake with chocolate ganache shaped similar to a women’s handbag with an edible gold wash over it. Leaning against it was a white chocolate with gold stars high heel pump.

It was fascinating to look at the detail and of course to taste the chocolate. Even I, lover of all things dark chocolate, could not finish this decadent dessert and didn’t even try…although I gave it a good college try. Ok, so I never met a dark chocolate that I don’t like.

Typically I eat my chocolate with fewer calories from added fat such as the cream in ganache. One of my favorite treats that kids and adults both like is Apple Chocolate Dips.

A simple and fun recipe, you take Granny Smith apple wedges and dip them into melted dark chocolate and roll in chopped pistachio nuts (one of my most favorite nuts and power packed with nutrition).

I’m always excited to hear current evidence-based nutrition news on chocolate’s potential health benefits. A 2011 meta-analysis, which means a systematic review, of seven chocolate studies published in the British Medical Journal specifically looked at the association between chocolate consumption and the risk of developing cardio metabolic disorders (think heart disease and stroke, diabetes and metabolic syndrome).

Interestingly, these studies did not differentiate between dark and milk chocolate. The results indicated that a higher level of chocolate consumption was associated with about a one third reduction in the risk for cardiovascular disease and a 29% reduction in stroke risk as compared to a lower chocolate intake.

What does this mean to you and me? Eating chocolate in reasonable amounts does not seem to be problematic but may in fact be helpful in reducing overall risk. This study does not prove direct cause and effect… in other words, eat chocolate and no heart disease. It means that when people consume chocolate as part of their diet versus not, the overall risk for cardiovascular diseases seems to go down.

Why does the risk decrease? What’s in the chocolate that has this potential heart-protective effect? Researchers are trying to figure this out. Is it chocolate itself or is it chocolate in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle? This is what makes association research tough. For example another 2011 study in Chemistry Central Journal found that chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants (polyphenols and flavanols), just like wine, grape juice and most fruit.

Research indicates that the flavanols in cocoa may have heart health benefits that include improved blood flow, reduced blood pressure and lowered production of the lousy or LDL cholesterol. In addition to the flavanols found in cocoa, dark chocolate also contains other nutrients including iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and fiber.

The caveat here is that the nutritional profile can be significantly hindered by the addition of less healthy ingredients such as too much sugar (most all chocolate will have some sugar to counteract the bitter pure cocoa flavor), trans fat or hydrogenated fat, butter oil, coconut or palm oil (both of which contain saturated fat, or even milk fat (which I am seeing added to a lot of chocolate products now).

So it’s up to you to be the label sleuth and look at the Nutrition Facts label and also closely read the ingredient list. The longer the ingredient list, the more likely it is that less-healthy added items will take away from the cocoa’s potential health benefits.

Dark chocolate can be enjoyed without the guilt as long as you don’t forget that chocolate contain fat and calories so you must be prepared to burn off the calories so they don’t end up on your backside.

Comments (1)

February 23, 2012

Nutritional Tricks for Pregnancy’s Unmentionables

Are you pregnant? Hoping to get pregnant? Have a friend who just found out she’s pregnant? My guest on the Straight Talk about Eating Smart podcast this week is registered dietitian Tara Gidus. She is the nutrition advisor for American Baby magazine and currently appears biweekly as the “Diet Diva” on the national morning television show, The Daily Buzz.

Tara is author of Pregnancy Cooking and Nutrition for Dummies and answer some of her most asked questions such as what foods should a woman avoid when pregnant. Tara talks about the importance of cooking your meat until it’s well done and eating cheese or drinking milk and juices that are all pasteurized.

Why you might ask? Food safety is critical for both Mom-to-be and her unborn baby. Practicing smart food safety measures helps to prevent serious food poisoning with bugs such as E. Coli and salmonella.

What about those “unmentionables” of pregnancy like gas, nausea, vomiting, and constipation? Tara says to help with nausea, be sure and keep food on the bedside table to eat before getting out of bed…items such as crackers or toast. Small, frequent meals not only help with nausea and vomiting but keep energy levels up.

Say the word constipation and most pregnant women will groan. It’s a big issue. Fiber intake along withadequate fluid from all sources, not just water, should be addressed early on. Fluid can include milk, juice, and decaf tea/coffee in addition to water.

Did you know that breast-feeding helps to drop those pregnancy pounds?

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

Comments (0)

February 17, 2012

Heart Throb: Smart Steps to Protect the Women You Love

Think about this…heart disease is the number one killer of women. Yet women often receive less care by the medical community for their hearts than men do. At the same time women are typically more concerned about the health of others and are often too busy and stressed to take care of themselves.

Heart disease in women is often overlooked and can have a tragic ending. Every week in the background you hear my awesome producer Billy P. You don’t want to miss Billy P share his story about the totally unexpected loss of his wife in this week’s podcast.

These preventive tips can help women improve their health, feel better, hopefully avoid medication and live longer.

Tip #1 Find Out Your Numbers

* Cholesterol profile including triglycerides, HDL and LDL

* Blood pressure

* Body mass index (check out this simple BMI calculator: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ )

* Blood sugar

* Waist circumference

Money is tight, medical costs are high…I hear you. But you and the health of those you love are much more important. Every week there are free health fairs and clinics with opportunities to take advantage of and find out some of these numbers.

It’s true that you can’t change your family history, gender or your age for that matter, but you can alter your diet, exercise/activity level, whether you smoke or not, and your weight.

Tip # 2 Once You Know Your Numbers, Ask Yourself if You Have Metabolic Syndrome

How do you know? According to the American Heart Association and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, you may have metabolic syndrome (which puts you at a greater risk of diabetes, stroke, heart disease) if you have 3 or more of the following risk factors:

1) Your waist is greater than 35 inches

2) Your triglycerides are higher than 150 mg/dL

3) Your HDL (protective cholesterol) is less than 50 mg/dL

4) Your blood pressure is higher than 130/85 mm Hg

5) Your fasting blood sugar is higher than 100 mg/dL

Tip # 3 See a Health Care Professional

If any of your numbers are abnormal, now is the time to see a health professional. Remember, high blood pressure is called the “silent killer” as it generally has no symptoms. When you lower your blood pressure, you reduce the chance of stroke by 35-40%, heart attack by 20-25% and heart failure by 50%.

And did you know that two out of three people with diabetes die of heart disease? Don’t miss this…women with type 2 diabetes develop heart disease at a much younger age compared to non-diabetic women. Making smart changes in the diet, losing some weight and moving around more can help to prevent or postpone diabetes.

You are busy, I know that…your schedule is over full and you’re stressed most days. But I don’t want you to put off taking care of you any longer…you and your family are worth it. Tell me what you’re doing. I want to hear from you.

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

Comments (1)

February 12, 2012

From Snack Attack to a new Pant Size

Are your kids always asking for a snack? What snacks do they beg for? Is it for foods that were once considered to be treats? Get this: data from the journal Health Affairs says that kids today consume almost 600 calories every day from snacks. They’re eating snacks on average three times a day and these snacks include higher sugar, higher fat items such as sodas, chips and cookies…items that use to be considered treats.

Kids eat about 170 more calories every day from snacks as compared to the 1970s. Snacks are now another leisure activity…you eat because food is everywhere and you think you’re suppose to eat it. For many kids, it’s a free-for-all. They snack steadily from after school well into the evening on less-than-healthy foods.

Think about this…many kids have grown up in the era of ‘supersizes’ and have no idea what a reasonable portion looks like. Cookies have always been the size of a small pizza…who knew they were once the size of a vanilla wafer? The foods du jour for snacking are everything from fast food and sodas to chips, cookies, candy…in portions that more than equal the calories in a meal.

This week on the podcast, Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and Food Director at Family Circle magazine joins me to talk about smart snacking strategies. Her number one strategy is to eat breakfast and make sure it contains protein, carbs with fiber and some fat so that kids stay satisfied until lunch.

Breakfast can be as simple as Slow Cooker Oatmeal (see recipe below) or a hard-boiled egg, whole wheat pita and banana or orange for the road when time is tight.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

Makes 6 servings Prep 15 minutes

Slow cook on LOW for 10 hours Cook 5 minutes

3 cups 1% milk

11/2 cups steel cut oats

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

2 apples (such as Gala or Granny Smith), cored and diced

2 tablespoons packed dark-brown sugar

3 tablespoons sweetened dried cranberries or raisins

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1. Oatmeal. Coat a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Combine milk, 3 cups water, the oats, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and the salt in slow cooker. Cover and cook overnight on LOW for 9 1/2 to 10 hours.

2. Uncover and stir in remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Set aside.

Topping. Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add apples and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add brown sugar, 1 tablespoon water and dried cranberries. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in nuts.

3. Stir oatmeal in slow cooker until smooth. Spoon about a cupinto a bowl and add a few tablespoons of the topping.

Serve warm.

Per serving: 335 CAL; 6g FAT (2g SAT); 11g PRO; 65g CARB; 5g FIBER; 644mg SODIUM; 6mg CHOL

Regina says that smart snacks can prevent that period of time after school from becoming a snacking free-for-all. She suggests a small whole-wheat wrap with turkey, lettuce and tomatoes; sliced apples or whole-wheat bread with nut butter or whole grain tortilla chips with bean dip or salsa.

We both agree that managing your children’s diet is about consistently providing healthy options and by being a good role model yourself the majority of the time. What do you think?

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

Links:

Slow cooker oatmeal: http://www.susanmitchell.org/blog

Add picture of Regina plus FC cover

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

Comments (0)

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

Comments (0)

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.

Dairy, fruits, vegetables and protein food groups have minimal changes especially in their most natural form
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.
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

Comments (4)

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?

Only four of the 14 fish types were identified correctly (sea bass, coho salmon, bluefin and ahi tuna).
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.
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

Comments (0)

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

Comments (0)

Older Posts »

May 5, 2012

April 21, 2012

March 10, 2012

February 23, 2012

February 17, 2012

February 12, 2012

January 26, 2012

December 8, 2011

November 27, 2011

November 10, 2011

Tag Index