Nutrition Articles

Eating Healthy: Spotlight on Zucchini

• Zucchini are made up of more than 95 percent water and are very low in calories : only 13 calories in a half cup of raw zucchini and only 5 calories more when cooked.
• Zucchini contains very useful amounts of folate, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin A.
• The skin color of zucchini squash varies from very light to very dark and the darker the skin the more nutrients the zucchini contains.
• And speaking of the skin, you shouldn't remove the skin from a zucchini squash because the nutrients are contained in the skin.

Recipe: Baked Zucchini Fries

• 3 medium zucchini, sliced into skinny sticks
• 2 large egg whites, beaten
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 2 T grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• Pinch of dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside. In a small bowl, beat egg whites with a fork until frothy. Put the breadcrumbs, basil, oregano, garlic powder and cheese on a plate. Mix well. Dip the zucchini sticks in the egg whites and then into the bread crumb mixture, make sure all sides get coated well. Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake at 425° for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a little crispy. Turn over the fries half way through. Serve warm. Dip in marinara sauce.

Recipe: Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake

2 medium-sized zucchini, cut in slices or half-moon slices 2 medium-sized yellow squash, cut in slices or half-moon slices 2-4 T chopped fresh basil (or even less, depending on how much you like the flavor of basil) 2 T thinly sliced green onion 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 3/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup low-fat white cheese (I used Pizza Cheese, which is a low-fat blend of Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, and Parmesan) 1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan (I would use a little less if you only have the very finely grated Parmesan from a can) salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8" x 8" baking dish with non-stick spray. Wash the squash and cut in slices or half-moon slices. Wash basil, spin dry or dry with paper towels and finely chop. Slice green onions.Combine the sliced squash, chopped basil, sliced green onions, dried thyme, garlic powder, and both kinds of cheese and stir together until the veggies are coated with cheese and the herbs are well-distributed. Season with salt and pepper. Put the mixture in the baking dish and bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes.When the zucchini is nearly cooked through, take the casserole dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese. Put the dish back in the oven and bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and nicely browned and zucchini is fully cooked. Serve hot.

Foods to Help Fight Stress!

Food for Thought

STRESS.  We all deal with it at some point in our lives.  But having too much stress in your life can be very harmful to your health and can make you more vulnerable to everything from colds to high blood pressure and even heart disease.

While there are many ways to cope with stress, eating stress-fighting foods is one good way to start.

From boosting serotonin levels to lowering stress hormones, there are a number of foods that actually counteract the impact of stress on our lives.  The following foods should be part of your diet for stress management:

Complex Carbohydrates : All carbohydrates give a signal to the brain to produce that “feel good” chemical, serotonin.  To keep a steady flow of serotonin, dieticians suggest complex carbs like whole grain cereals, breads and pastas and oatmeal.

Oranges : Because they are a wealth of vitamin C, studies show that oranges are great stress-busting foods, as well as a great immune system strengthener.  Experts suggest taking 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C before a stressful event.

Fatty Fish : Omega-3 fatty acids are important to prevent surges in stress hormones, as well as protect against heart disease.  Try fatty fish like salmon or tuna for your Omega-3's.

Black Tea : Good for lowering levels of cortisol following stressful events, many experts swear by the healing powers of black tea.  Black tea helps you to recover quickly following stresses and helps you to remain calm.

Pistachios : Chosen for their ability to soften the pre- and post-effects of stress, experts suggest eating a handful of pistachios every day to help lower blood pressure so it won't spike when faced with stressful situations.

Health Food Hacks

No one ever wants to admit that their breath may not be the best smelling or even worse that they have some pretty stinky flatulence, but they are both issues that many people have to deal with, among other pesky health problems.

Fortunately there are some easy “food hacks” that will tackle bad breath, smelly gas and much more! Food is your “best weapon” when it comes to helping your body deal with some of these not-so-pleasant situations.

Here are some foods that can help:

Have bad breath?  Try eating some yogurt.  According to experts, eating unsweetened yogurt can reduce the level of odor-causing hydrogen sulfide bacteria in your mouth.  Good bacteria found in yogurt, like streptococcus thermophilus and lactobacillus bulgaricus, overpowered the hydrogen sulfide and helped lower levels by more than half : helping to eliminate the smelly mouth odor.

Have acne? Indulge in some salmon.

Skip the expensive creams and treatments that say they can reduce your pimples and acne and have yourself a big plate of salmon instead!  Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which decreases inflammation.  Studies show that inflammation is one of the underlying causes of acne and pimples.

Gassy? Have some peppermint.

If you find yourself in a situation where flatulence is coming on, find a piece of peppermint and you will be in the clear : instead of clearing out a room!  Peppermint soothes inflammation and pain in the gastrointestinal tract, helping to reduce the amount of flatulence as well as the odors associated with your gas.

Can't sleep? Try some kiwi.

Because of the high levels of antioxidants and serotonin in kiwi, many people with sleep disorders have found that eating kiwi one hour before bed will help with their insomnia.  Peoplhave increased levels of oxidative stress and low levels of serotonin can cause insomnia.  Eating kiwi counteracts this process and can help people catch their ZZZZ's.

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.