Nutrition Articles

How Soda Impacts Your Body

Food for Thought

Weight:

Drinking just one soda per day equates to ingesting 39 pounds (yes 39 pounds) of sugar per year! Drinking soda on a regular basis interacts with the genes that affect weight and more than 180,000 obesity-related deaths each year are linked to drinking sugary beverages.

Kidneys:

The extremely high levels of phosphoric acid (especially in colas) have been linked to kidney stones and other renal problems.  Diet cola packs a two-fold risk : especially if you drink more than two servings each day.

Bones:

Soda consumption has been linked to osteoporosis and bone density loss, mainly because of the phosphoric acid and caffeine.

Teeth:

The high levels of acid in soda corrode your teeth, almost as badly as drinking battery acid.

Heart:

Habitual diet and regular soda consumption leads to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

Brain:

Having too much sugar in your diet reduces the production of a brain chemical that helps us learn, store memories and process insulin.  Consuming too much sugar also dulls the brain's mechanism that tells you to stop eating.

Lungs:

The more soda you drink, the more likely you are to develop chronic lung conditions like asthma and COPD.

Spotlight on: Tomatoes

Eating Healthy

• Besides containing 40 percent of your daily value of vitamin C, tomatoes also contain 15 percent of your daily value of vitamin A, 8 percent of your daily value of potassium, and 7 percent of your recommended dietary allowance of iron for women and 10 percent for men.
• Lycopene, what gives tomatoes their red pigment, acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals that can damage cells in the body.
• Studies show that men who at least eat 10 servings of tomatoes a week can reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer by a whopping 45 percent.

Recipe: Corn and Black Bean Salsa

• 3 to 4 small ears of corn
• 1 can (15 to 16 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly
• 1 large tomato, seeds removed, diced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup minced red onion
• 2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced jalapeno or poblano pepper
• Juice of one lime, about 3 tablespoons
• 3 tablespoons fresh, chopped cilantro
• Dash salt and pepper, to taste

Grill or broil corn to char slightly; let cool. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Cut corn from cobs and add to the mixture.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving time.

Great alternative to sauces, and is especially tasty on grilled fish, chicken or pork!

Recipe: Tomato Casserole with Sweet Onions

• 6 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
• 1 large Vidalia onion or other sweet onion
• 1 teaspoon fresh dill, or scant ½ teaspoon dried dillweed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or scant ½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

Place peeled tomato wedges on paper towels to drain.  Peel onions and slice into ¼-inch rings.  In separate bowl combine dill, thyme, salt, pepper and bread crumbs.  Layer half of the tomatoes and onions in a lightly buttered baking dish and top with half of the minced garlic.  Sprinkle with half of the bread crumb and seasoning mixture, half of mozzarella cheese, and drizzle with half olive oil.  Repeat layers.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until bubbly.

Eat Your Way to Better Sleep

According to Men's Health Magazine, good old mom may have had it all wrong when she offered us a glass of warm milk to help aide our sleeping.  The protein in milk could actually boost alertness rather than calm it.

Instead the magazine's experts offer the following snacks to induce “feel-good relaxation chemicals” thereby calming your nerves and slowing your brain down towards relaxation: nonfat popcorn, oatmeal with sliced bananas, one cup of plain yogurt with two tablespoons mixed nuts, sesame seeds, pretzels, 4-oz. glass of unsweetened cherry juice, and red bell peppers.

Not only is a good night's rest good for your overall well-being, but it is also helpful to keep a youthful appearance and will it will also help you to feel younger, too.

So, pass on the glass of warm milk tonight and opt for any of the above snacks for that peaceful night's sleep.   Good night!

Spotlight on: Watermelon

Eating Healthy

• Besides being made up of nearly 90% water, watermelons are also a great source of significant vitamins and minerals.
• It is chock full of a considerable amount of vitamins A and C. It contains thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate and niacin in small amounts.
• It is a great source of potassium, and also contains magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and iron in trace amounts.
• Watermelon is also very low in calories, free of fats and cholesterol and is rich in carotenoids.

Recipe: Grilled Scallop and Watermelon Kebabs

• 12 sea scallops
• 4 cups boiling vegetable or chicken broth
• 24- 1”x1” watermelon cubes
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger

Cut the scallops into halves across the diameter to create half-moon shapes.  Place them in a heatproof casserole dish in a single layer.  Pour the boiling clear broth over the scallops and let them poach for 5 minutes.  Drain and cool the scallops.  On each skewer alternate one half-moon scallop, then two watermelon cubes, then one half-moon scallop.  Mix together the remaining ingredients and brush the kebabs as they are grilled over a medium-hot grill for 90 seconds per side, turning only once.  Serve warm.

Recipe: Grilled Scallop and Watermelon Kebabs

• 12 sea scallops
• 4 cups boiling vegetable or chicken broth
• 24- 1”x1” watermelon cubes
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger

Cut the scallops into halves across the diameter to create half-moon shapes.  Place them in a heatproof casserole dish in a single layer.  Pour the boiling clear broth over the scallops and let them poach for 5 minutes.  Drain and cool the scallops.  On each skewer alternate one half-moon scallop, then two watermelon cubes, then one half-moon scallop.  Mix together the remaining ingredients and brush the kebabs as they are grilled over a medium-hot grill for 90 seconds per side, turning only once.  Serve warm.

Spotlight on: Plums

Eating Healthy

• Plums, and their dried version known as prunes, are very high in phytonutrients, which function as an antioxidant and provide much benefit to the body.
• Eating plums helps in the production and absorption of iron in the body, thereby leading to better blood circulation leading further to the growth of healthy tissues.
• Consuming plums on a regular basis will help prevent macular degeneration and other eye infections.

Researchers have also found that plums contain anti-cancer agents that prevent the growth of cancerous cells and tumors.

Recipe: Fresh Fruit Salad

• ½ cup water
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
• 15 seedless grapes, halved
• ½ orange, sectioned
• 10 fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 apple, cored and diced
• 1 peach, sliced
• 1 plum, pitted and sliced
• 15 pitted Bing cherries
• ¼ cup fresh blueberries

Bring water and sugar to boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the rhubarb, turn heat to low, cover and simmer until rhubarb is soft, 10 to 15 minutes.  Mash and chill in the refrigerator about one hour.   To serve, mix the grapes, orange, strawberries, apple, peach, plum, cherries, and blueberries with 2/3 cup of the rhubarb sauce.  Stir gently, but thoroughly to coat.  Refrigerate for at least two hours for all of the flavors to blend well.

Recipe: Chicken Breasts with Plum Salsa and Basmati Rice

• 1 ½ cups of water
• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice, rinsed and drained
• ¾ pound plums, pitted and chopped
• ½ medium red onion, minced
• 3 habanero peppers, seeded and minced
• 3 tablespoons fresh minced cilantro
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Place water in medium saucepan and stir in rice. Bring to boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and fluff with fork.  In a bowl, mix the plums, peppers, onions, cilantro and sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Season chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper.  Heat vegetable oil in skillet over medium-heat. Place chicken in oil and brown 1 minute per side.  Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 5 additional minutes per side.  Serve over rice with plum salsa.