Nutrition Articles

Holiday Cranberry Craze

Few people realize that the winter fruit that they typically see amongst their holiday spread is actually one of the most popular of the season: cranberries.

Cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and also an excellent source of fiber.

Cranberries alone can be particularly tart, but in a sauce, juice, or as an ingredient in cakes, stuffing or casseroles, this fruit becomes tastier.

When shopping for cranberries, choose cranberries that are shiny and not shriveled. A deep red or almost brown color actually signals freshness. A good cranberry should be hard.

Cranberries will keep up to two weeks in a refrigerator.

Healthy Tidbit: The Cookie Catch

Want to avoid packing on the pounds this holiday season when you are doing all of your holiday baking? Then follow these tips so you won't fall into the high-fat trap while baking:

Open the window : so the smell won't entice you to overeat!

Clean as you go along : put the beaters and spoons in soapy water right away so you won't want to lick them!

Avoid being sick : don't forget that Salmonella can be contracted through raw cookie dough!

Pumpkins: Not Just for Decorating Anymore

Every year as fall and the month of October rolls around, you will see that many homes use pumpkins to decorate their homes in anticipation of Halloween. But, pumpkins aren't just for decorating anymore and many chefs and at-home cooks are using this fruit in many recipes.

One thing that many people do not know about pumpkins is that they are made up of 90 percent water. Despite this fact, pumpkins also contain other great nutritional aspects including potassium and vitamin A. The bright orange color of pumpkins also tells us that they are a great source of the important antioxidant, beta carotene. Research has indicated that diets rich in beta carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and protects against heart disease. It also prevents some degenerative aspects of aging.

If you plan to cook with your pumpkin and not just carve it up for the front porch, choose a “pie pumpkin” or a “sweet pumpkin.” These pumpkins are generally smaller than jack o-lantern pumpkins, their flesh is sweeter and they contain less water. Also choose pumpkins without blemishes or soft spots for the best and healthiest pumpkins.

Fall Squash and Gourds: A Little Background on These Fall Fruits

Now that summer is coming to a close, it's time to enjoy one of the most popular fruits that fall has to offer: squash and gourds. While in cooking squash and gourds are considered vegetables, botanically speaking squash and gourds are fruit.

Summer squashes like zucchini and yellow crookneck are harvested during the growing season, are eaten almost immediately and require very little cooking time.

Winter squashes like butternut, acorn, spaghetti and pumpkin are harvested at the end of the summer, can be stored in a cool, dry place for eating later and generally require longer cooking times.

Gourds are from the same family as squashes.

When purchasing these fruits, look for squash and gourds that are fairly heavy and firm. Choose squash that have bright, glossy exteriors and avoid squash that have nicks, bruises or soft spots.

Straight From the Headlines: Eating Junk Food An Addiction?

According to a recent study published in the journal “Nature Neuroscience,” a high-calorie diet, including junk food, may be as addictive as drugs like nicotine or even cocaine.

The study, conducted on rats, shows that over consumption of high-calorie foods can trigger addiction-like responses in the brain, thereby turning the rats into compulsive eaters.

Decreased levels of a specific dopamine receptor : a brain chemical that allows a feeling of reward : have been found in these overweight rats, as they are found in humans with drug addictions.

The research was conducted in conjunction with the announcement that obesity-related diseases cost the U.S. and estimated $150 billion each year and an estimated two-thirds of American adults and one-third of children are obese or overweight.

Researchers say that eating snack foods are okay to eat from time to time, it's when we repeatedly overindulge that the problems begin.