January 26, 2012
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
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
November 18, 2011
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
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
May 18, 2011
I laughed out loud when my friend Regina said that she does the happy dance when her man offers to get in the kitchen and cook. So do many of you I suspect. Problem is…many times the dinner is hefty in calories and not so healthy.
This week on the podcast Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and Food Director at Family Circle magazine, shares her tips to get your man cooking healthy.
Oh, you can now find our podcasts at familycircle.com, keyword ‘podcast’. Regina says that according to mantestedrecipes.com, the most researched recipes by men consist of chicken wings, chili, burgers and steak! Hey, the only item missing is hotdogs!
Men tend to cook beef and like things to be easy and tasty resulting in the use of fatty cuts of meat. But most of the time a little education goes a long way.
What seems like an oxymoron… steakhouse and low-fat cooking, Regina went to steakhouse chef Michael Lomonaco of Porter House New York for some of his best low-fat cooking techniques.
A. Grilling tips: try fish and a fish basket…quick and easy.
B. Amp up your olive oil and infuse with smoked paprika. Lightly spray on your fish. Regina tells you how to infuse the oil in the podcast.
C. Whether on the grill or in the oven, cook fish on a cedar plank.
Tip: buy cedar shingles at a hardware store or lumbar yard, untreated…way cheaper this way.
Check out this month’s Family Circle recipe: the heat and sweet of Michael Lomonaco’s Chili Rub. Give it a try on pork tenderloin!
Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.
Listen to this week’s podcast
February 16, 2011
Have you heard blueberries or pomegranate referred to as a superfruit? I’ve seen claims on packages saying the item, typically a fruit, contains the highest level of antioxidants as compared to all other fruits. Is this a big deal?
Here’s what you need to know. One measure of the level of antioxidants is the ORAC score, which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. If you look at the ORAC scores, you would notice that many fruits, vegetables and spices are very close in their antioxidant content and thus score. That’s why it’s very hard to make a claim that one fruit is superior to another when the ORAC scores are so close.
The term ‘variety’ is smart when it comes to the food you eat. Because fruits, vegetables and spices have a variety of phytonutrients or plant antioxidants, when you mix it up or consume a variety of foods, you’re getting the benefit of a broad spectrum of nutrients.
Don’t miss this. A major reason that food surpasses individual supplements is that the antioxidants in food work together synergistically for the body’s good such as the players on a basketball team.
Seven All-Star Foods to add to your diet instead of take away.
1. Pistachios: only nut with significant amounts of the phytonutrients lutein/zeaxanthin which are good for your eyes; 30 pistachios = 100 calories; also a source of B6, copper, and potassium.
 I make a quick salad with greens, fresh sections of oranges and grapefruits and top with pistachios, a little lemon olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
2. Pumpkin: yes, I’m talking about canned pumpkin. Keep in the pantry as a staple. A source of beta-carotene and fiber, use pumpkin to make breakfast muffins and breads. I use pumpkin in smoothies with low fat vanilla frozen yogurt and cinnamon.
3. Kiwifruit: loaded with vitamin C and potassium; yes the little black seeds are totally edible.
4. Avocado: source of vitamin E, fiber and healthier monounsaturated fat. Use in place of salad dressing or mayo on a sandwich…very creamy.
5-6. Spices, Cinnamon and oregano: surprisingly high in antioxidants. Add cinnamon, which contains the mineral manganese to oatmeal and bread/muffin batters. Sprinkle on coffee or hot chocolate. Try oregano on pizza and in lasagna and manicotti.
7. Canned tomatoes: source of the phytonutrients lycopene, vitamin C and potassium; cooked tomatoes release their lycopene for enhanced absorption in the body.
Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.
Listen to this week’s podcast
November 17, 2010
Have you started thinking about your holiday meals? Party foods you want to prepare? Spices develop the flavor profile of your food but did you know that many spices are good for your health? The emerging science is fascinating …especially when you consider that spices have antioxidant and protective properties.
Try these four spices:
Cinnamon: Did you know that one teaspoon of cinnamon contains as many antioxidants as a ½ cup of blueberries? Cinnamon also contains polyphenols, which are compounds that may help regulate blood sugar levels. I like to put my favorite spices in shakers just like salt and pepper and keep them handy. I sprinkle cinnamon on oatmeal and hot chocolate. How do you use it?
I was in Boston for the American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference and enjoyed a sweet yet savory California Pinot Infused Fig Chutney that is perfect for the holidays. Made with California figs, Pinot Noir wine and cinnamon sticks plus a couple other ingredients, this chutney is easy to make ahead. Serve it along side turkey, pork or ham or spread it on a baguette and pair it with cheese for an appetizer. It would pair nicely with Gorgonzola, Cheddar, Manchego or Camembert.
Thyme: Ancient Greeks burned thyme as incense in their temples, believing it was a source of courage. It was also used to ward off nightmares in the Middle Ages. So what else can this super spice do? It potentially promotes good heart health by reducing cell damage from free radicals.
Turmeric: What do you like on your hot dog or favorite sandwich? Did you say mustard? Do you buy the traditional bright yellow mustard? If you have a container of yellow mustard in the fridge, look at the ingredients for the word “turmeric”. The golden yellow color in turmeric comes from curcumin, which is the naturally occurring phytonutrient.
Recent studies have led researches to consider that this golden yellow curcumin compound may help stop the development of harmful brain plaque or amyloid plaque tied to Alzheimer’s disease.
Oregano: Studies on oregano suggest that it has antimicrobial properties so if you’re making pizza for friends and family who have gathered to watch those holiday movies, sprinkle it on.
Remember, the research on spices is not meant for you to think of them or use them as a single treatment item. They are to be included as part of a healthy way of eating in amounts of ½ teaspoon to teaspoon per serving for example.
Spices need to be stored away from heat and light in a dark drawer or cabinet. If you want some tasty recipes that contain these super spices, go to spicesforhealth.com
For more information, listen to this week’s podcast below.
Listen to this week’s podcast
November 3, 2010
Hi everyone…how are you doing this week? Did you notice that we changed the name of the blog to Diet Tricks…Fresh Tips on Food, Nutrition & Health? Thank you for your input and feedback. I hope you like the change.
A few weeks back I caught a nasty cold that turned into a sinus infection (more than you want to know) on a flight from LA to Orlando. When you feel like someone hit you in the head with a sledgehammer, your food selections can help fortify your immune system and help with some of your cold and flu symptoms.
Healthy food, which provides an array of needed nutrients to your body such as vitamins and minerals, is essential for optimum function of the immune response.
So, first up on your list of cold and flu fighting foods:
1. Vitamin D-rich foods. The research is young but the bottom line is that adequate vitamin D in the diet everyday (most people do not get enough) has a role in overall immune function. New on the research front…mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D. When exposed to ultraviolet light under controlled conditions, the natural ergosterol in mushrooms converts to vitamin D. This concept is along the same lines as when humans absorb sunlight through the skin and convert it to vitamin D. So, add mushrooms to your salad, omelets and pizza.
2. 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.
3. Blueberries, red peppers, kiwi and other vitamin C-rich foods: Surprise, most people don’t think about red peppers but they are a very nice source of vitamin C and potassium. By the way, so are potatoes. Add them both to your chicken soup or 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.
4. Chicken Soup: The zinc found in chicken is good for your immunity. Load chicken soup up with garlic, onions, red peppers, potatoes and lots of broth. The veggie-loaded broth will help ease congestion and thin out mucous. If Mom isn’t around to make that chicken soup for you, there are some really good canned versions on the market. Be sure and shop for a lower sodium version as canned soups can be over the top when it comes to added salt and sodium.
5. Spicy foods such as hot sauce, wasabi, chili or spicy sauces help to temporarily open sinuses and help with congestion. 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.
For more information, listen to this week’s podcast below.
Listen to this week’s podcast
March 17, 2010
 Shaking salt from your diet is constantly in the news. But, I don’t want to lose the flavor of my food, do you? Did you know that approximately seventy five percent of the sodium in the American diet comes from the various sodium products added during processing? Incredible isn’t it? So get your label sleuth glasses on… it’s time to read the fine print! Reading labels is key to finding all the hidden sodium. There are a lot of us checking out food labels according to a 2009 survey by Mintel. Over 25% of people responding are always watching salt in their diet.
Check out the sodium level in some of these notorious sodium offenders as the level really does vary company to company:
- Sauces and salad dressings: consider making your own from a flavored balsamic vinegar and good olive oil
- Frozen and canned veggies
- Frozen entrees
- Fast foods
- Deli meats plus ham, hot dogs, sausage and bacon
- Soup
- Bouillon cubes
Because salt adds flavor to food, you might be wondering whether you’re going to miss all that added sodium. You’ll like this answer. Your taste buds will adapt after about 6-8 weeks of gradually cutting back on the amount of sodium that you consume.
More tips to shake the sodium but not the flavor in your diet:
- It’s all about fresh…start with fresh ingredients when at all possible. Bonus! When you eat more fruit and veggies, the additional potassium has a positive or lowering effect on blood pressure.
- Rethink your seasonings…pepper is great but try a wide variety of fresh and dried herbs/spices and delightful seasoning blends without added sodium. Use more lemon, lime and other citrus for flavor along with a variety of vinegars. Grow fresh herbs in pots to use in your dishes too.
- Rinse tuna, canned beans and canned veggies to lower the sodium content. Add your fresh herbs and spices to kick up the flavor.
What’s your favorite trick to shake the salt? Email me and I’ll share some of your tips in my podcast.
Listen to this week’s podcast
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