Nutrition Articles

Clean Eating 101: Ways to Detox Your Food

Nearly every day we hear about our foods and how they are becoming laced with synthetic ingredients.  If you want to avoid these synthetic ingredients, you need to learn how to detoxify the foods you are eating and choose healthier foods.

Here are some suggestions to detoxify and eat healthier this year:

• Clean your Produce.
• Avoid cans as much as possible.
• Choose Whole Foods.
• Shop for Safer Seafood.
• Watch your Animal Fat Intake.

In the News Celebrating World Vegan Month– Part II

(continued from Part I…)

Label reading and label awareness is especially important for those who follow a vegan diet. This is also very important to those who have animal-specific allergies. The Vegan Society suggests that everyone read labels and re-read labels, as over time ingredients of even your favorite foods may change. 

There is a difference between vegan products and “free-from” products, so being food conscious is extremely important for those who follow a vegan lifestyle. 

So, what do vegans eat? (Besides the obvious vegetables!) 

Essentially, vegans eat everything and anything that comes from plants: fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, grains, seeds, and pulses. 

What about eating out as a vegan? 

Any chef worth their salt will be able to rustle up something vegan for you from ingredients they already have in the kitchen - and if you ask nicely, many will rise to the challenge of creating tasty vegan mains and decadent desserts. Contact them in advance so they’re not put on the spot. Be prepared to help them out with suggestions of easy vegan meals – some chefs need a little nudge to realize just how many of the delicious ingredients they use happen to be vegan anyway. 

Another thing that vegans need to do is find dairy replacements. Most stores these days offer “dairy-free” and vegan cheese, milk, yogurt, sour cream, ice cream and other foods that are safe to consume and in fact, tasty as their non-vegan counterparts.

In the News Celebrating World Vegan Month– Part I

Back in November 1944, founding members of The Vegan Society first coined the term “vegan” and for the past 80 years every November they celebrate World Vegan Month.

So this month we take a look into the culture of Veganism and talk about some of the ins and outs of this movement that has gained popularity over the past 80 years.

What is Veganism?

According to the Vegan Society, it is defined as “Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude - as far as is possible and practicable - all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”

Those at the Vegan Society stress that veganism is not just about diet, but also a way of life. For example, vegans will not wear leather or suede and they will not use beauty products whose ingredients are derived from animals. 

When people follow a vegan diet, they often eat more fruits and vegetables and enjoy meals that contain more fiber and are lower in saturated fats. 

A vegan diet thrives off the following nutrients:

• Vitamin B 12
• Protein
• Omega 3 Fats
• Calcium
• Vitamin B
• Iodine
• Selenium
• Iron
• Zinc
• Vitamins K and A

(continued in Part II…)

Healthy Living Ways to Detoxify your Diet This Year

Over the past decade, people are becoming more conscious about detoxifying their diets of harmful, synthetic ingredients.  If you want to avoid these synthetic ingredients, you need to learn how to detoxify the foods you are eating and choose healthier foods.

Here are some suggestions to detoxify and eat healthier this year:

Clean Your Produce:  Before eating or cooking with any fruits or vegetables be sure to wash them very well.  Washing your fruits and veggies eliminates the chemicals and pathogens from your food’s surface and help to eliminate any harmful ingredients.

Avoid Cans:  Cans are lined with a resin that contains bisphenol-A, a hormone-disrupting chemical.  While many companies are working to eliminate these chemicals in their products, in the meantime you can avoid these chemicals by choosing frozen, fresh, or dried foods.

Choose Whole Foods:  Whole foods are not processed; therefore, they have their own natural ingredients.  Choose whole grains and look for food items that say “whole” on them … but check the labels, just to be sure.

Safer Seafood:  We are exposed to several chemicals when we eat seafood, particularly methylmercury.  Do your homework when shopping for seafood and choose seafood that has the lowest chemical and heavy metal amounts.  Try choosing fish that are also caught without causing harm to the oceans.

Watch Your Animal Fat Intake:  Do you know what’s in your animal fats?  They are loaded with synthetic hormones, antibiotics, organochlorine chemicals, and other harmful pesticides. Look for low-fat options when buying your foods and be sure to trim all the fat off poultry and meats when you buy them. 

Eating Healthy Spotlight on: Salmon

Besides being an excellent source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, salmon is also full of high-quality proteins and low in saturated fat.

• Salmon has nearly a third of the saturated fat of lean ground beef and 50 percent less saturated fat than chicken, making it one of the healthiest items that you could eat.
• Salmon is also low in calories. One serving contains approximately 183 calories, making it one of the lowest in calories among other fish.
• Salmon contains enough of every essential amino acid required by our bodies for growth and the upkeep of muscle tissue.

Recipe: Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

• 1 scallion, minced
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 pound center-cut salmon fillet, skinned and cut into four portions
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce. Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

Recipe:  Smoked Salmon Dip

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 oz. smoked salmon, minced

Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt and pepper, and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with crudités or crackers.