Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Bang for your Buck
Let's face it. Produce costs a lot, and it isn't getting any cheaper. You would probably shop around for the best deal on a TV to get the most out of your money, and you're likely to take care of it so it doesn't get ruined. When you buy fruits and vegetables, you are buying nutrients. Shouldn't you try to get the most out of your food, too? First, you need to buy the freshest possible foods. Next, store it properly and don't forget about it. Food loses nutrients over time. Finally, you need to learn how to prepare and cook it in ways that preserve the delicate nutrients.
All fruits and vegetables start losing nutrients as soon as they are harvested, and should be used within a few days of purchase. They also lose more nutrients once they are cut, so prepare them right before you eat them, and use pre-packaged goods as a last resort (they are, after all, better than nothing). Frozen vegetables are picked at the peak of ripeness then blanched and frozen before they are packaged. This locks in nutrients making them a great choice. Canned fruits are handled in a similar manner, but are stripped of their nutritious peel and often packed in sugar water, making them slightly inferior but still better than nothing. Canned goods retain most of their nutrients for 1-2 years.
Should you eat your produce raw or cooked? More nutrients are present in raw foods; however, vegetables contain a large amount of cellulose which must be broken down before nutrients can be released. This can be done by chewing, chewing, chewing, or, more easily, by cooking. Certain compounds such as sulfur (i.e. onions and garlic) and beta-carotene (i.e. carrots) are released and multiplied by heat (cooking), making more health benefits available to the body. While cooking decreases some nutrients, the body doesn't absorb a lot of the nutrients from the raw form, so eat both. If you like it raw, eat it raw. If you like it cooked, by all means cook it, but choose an appropriate method.
Different foods take better to different cooking methods. This should be considered when choosing how to prepare your food. You should also take into consideration that nutrients are lost when exposed to heat, submerged in water, and simply over time. So the worst thing you can do is submerge something in boiling water for an extended period of time. All cooking methods have their advantages and disadvantages. In general, the best cooking methods are as follows, from best to worst:
Pressure cooking, Steaming, Microwaving : Basically these are different methods of steaming. The disadvantage is that any time you use water, even if the food is not submerged, there is some nutrient loss. But these methods typically call for shorter cooking times and/or lower temperatures which are the main factors in nutrient retention. Microwaving is fastest but produces less desirable results.
Sautéing, Stir-frying: Yes, if you use oil, it will add calories. But it also adds flavor, which goes a long way in encouraging consumption. Use a small amount of healthy oil like olive or canola, and cut the vegetables into small, thin pieces (not too far in advance or nutrients are lost to by oxidation) so that cooking times are shorter.
Baking, Grilling/Broiling, Roasting: Certain vegetables (root vegetables, squash, potatoes) taste best this way. The advantage is that there is no water to lose nutrients to, but the disadvantage is the prolonged exposure to heat and higher temperatures. However, vegetables that are roasted tend to have fewer heat-sensitive nutrients, with the exception of vitamin C which is not lacking in most diets. Plus the flavor of roasted vegetables is typically good enough to prompt higher intake, making up for the nutrient loss.
Boiling: One of the worst cooking methods, it can reduce nutrients up to 75% in some vegetables. It is almost never a recommended cooking method. An exception is if you will be using the cooking water in a soup or sauce, or drinking it. Then you will still be getting the nutrients.
Frying: Not recommended for the same reasons as boiling, plus it adds a lot of fat calories with less recourse to recover the nutrients. The advantage is that pretty much everything tastes awesome when it's fried, especially if it has been battered or breaded. You will still be getting fiber from the vegetables, but the decrease in nutrients combined with added calories makes this is a "once in a while" preparation method.
It should be noted that in a taste test among children, the kids preferred vegetables that were either sautéed or roasted. Those that were boiled or microwaved were the least liked. When choosing the best preparation method for your fruit or vegetable, keep in mind that you have to eat it to get the benefits, and you might as well enjoy it while you're at it!
All fruits and vegetables start losing nutrients as soon as they are harvested, and should be used within a few days of purchase. They also lose more nutrients once they are cut, so prepare them right before you eat them, and use pre-packaged goods as a last resort (they are, after all, better than nothing). Frozen vegetables are picked at the peak of ripeness then blanched and frozen before they are packaged. This locks in nutrients making them a great choice. Canned fruits are handled in a similar manner, but are stripped of their nutritious peel and often packed in sugar water, making them slightly inferior but still better than nothing. Canned goods retain most of their nutrients for 1-2 years.
Should you eat your produce raw or cooked? More nutrients are present in raw foods; however, vegetables contain a large amount of cellulose which must be broken down before nutrients can be released. This can be done by chewing, chewing, chewing, or, more easily, by cooking. Certain compounds such as sulfur (i.e. onions and garlic) and beta-carotene (i.e. carrots) are released and multiplied by heat (cooking), making more health benefits available to the body. While cooking decreases some nutrients, the body doesn't absorb a lot of the nutrients from the raw form, so eat both. If you like it raw, eat it raw. If you like it cooked, by all means cook it, but choose an appropriate method.
Different foods take better to different cooking methods. This should be considered when choosing how to prepare your food. You should also take into consideration that nutrients are lost when exposed to heat, submerged in water, and simply over time. So the worst thing you can do is submerge something in boiling water for an extended period of time. All cooking methods have their advantages and disadvantages. In general, the best cooking methods are as follows, from best to worst:
Pressure cooking, Steaming, Microwaving : Basically these are different methods of steaming. The disadvantage is that any time you use water, even if the food is not submerged, there is some nutrient loss. But these methods typically call for shorter cooking times and/or lower temperatures which are the main factors in nutrient retention. Microwaving is fastest but produces less desirable results.
Sautéing, Stir-frying: Yes, if you use oil, it will add calories. But it also adds flavor, which goes a long way in encouraging consumption. Use a small amount of healthy oil like olive or canola, and cut the vegetables into small, thin pieces (not too far in advance or nutrients are lost to by oxidation) so that cooking times are shorter.
Baking, Grilling/Broiling, Roasting: Certain vegetables (root vegetables, squash, potatoes) taste best this way. The advantage is that there is no water to lose nutrients to, but the disadvantage is the prolonged exposure to heat and higher temperatures. However, vegetables that are roasted tend to have fewer heat-sensitive nutrients, with the exception of vitamin C which is not lacking in most diets. Plus the flavor of roasted vegetables is typically good enough to prompt higher intake, making up for the nutrient loss.
Boiling: One of the worst cooking methods, it can reduce nutrients up to 75% in some vegetables. It is almost never a recommended cooking method. An exception is if you will be using the cooking water in a soup or sauce, or drinking it. Then you will still be getting the nutrients.
Frying: Not recommended for the same reasons as boiling, plus it adds a lot of fat calories with less recourse to recover the nutrients. The advantage is that pretty much everything tastes awesome when it's fried, especially if it has been battered or breaded. You will still be getting fiber from the vegetables, but the decrease in nutrients combined with added calories makes this is a "once in a while" preparation method.
It should be noted that in a taste test among children, the kids preferred vegetables that were either sautéed or roasted. Those that were boiled or microwaved were the least liked. When choosing the best preparation method for your fruit or vegetable, keep in mind that you have to eat it to get the benefits, and you might as well enjoy it while you're at it!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Heavenly Harvest
After taking the big step of bringing home new produce, eating it can be a daunting task. What parts do you eat and what do you discard? Do you cook it or eat it raw? What if you don't like the flavor? Do you eat it plain or use it in a recipe? A little research goes a long way. You want to make your first experience a positive one (especially if you are serving it to children) so you better not get it wrong!! Keep in mind that if your new food is different than anything you've ever tried before, it may take several attempts before you learn to like it.
Chances are you'll buy something you are somewhat familiar with. I still recommend the research step because as you do, you may find new ways to prepare even your everyday fruits and vegetables. Perhaps you're already a produce connoisseur but you're looking for new ways to enjoy your 9 servings. To plan a heavenly menu full of healthy harvest, check out the Fruit and Veggie Guru for ideas on including produce in anything from appetizers to desserts, and beverages to sauces. Not a meal planner? Take a quick inventory of your fridge and bring your list to Capay Organics, who has an extensive directory of recipes by specific fruits and vegetables. Don't worry; the recipes still work with conventional produce. :) Now you have a plan and a recipe, and hopefully the right ingredients. Not sure what those directions actually mean? On the Market Fresh website you can find instructional videos for produce preparation.
Don't forget the art of experimentation. What one person on the Internet likes may not be your cup of tea. Go for recipes that have high reviews, and select one that contains ingredients you typically use and is at your cooking skill level. Make it according to the recipe the first time, then decide if it is a keeper. If you don't like it at all, try a completely different recipe the next time. If it isn't bad, try the recipe again with a few of your own variations and adjustments. You might just find a way to enjoy 9 servings of health benefits every day.
Chances are you'll buy something you are somewhat familiar with. I still recommend the research step because as you do, you may find new ways to prepare even your everyday fruits and vegetables. Perhaps you're already a produce connoisseur but you're looking for new ways to enjoy your 9 servings. To plan a heavenly menu full of healthy harvest, check out the Fruit and Veggie Guru for ideas on including produce in anything from appetizers to desserts, and beverages to sauces. Not a meal planner? Take a quick inventory of your fridge and bring your list to Capay Organics, who has an extensive directory of recipes by specific fruits and vegetables. Don't worry; the recipes still work with conventional produce. :) Now you have a plan and a recipe, and hopefully the right ingredients. Not sure what those directions actually mean? On the Market Fresh website you can find instructional videos for produce preparation.
Don't forget the art of experimentation. What one person on the Internet likes may not be your cup of tea. Go for recipes that have high reviews, and select one that contains ingredients you typically use and is at your cooking skill level. Make it according to the recipe the first time, then decide if it is a keeper. If you don't like it at all, try a completely different recipe the next time. If it isn't bad, try the recipe again with a few of your own variations and adjustments. You might just find a way to enjoy 9 servings of health benefits every day.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Pick Your Produce
You know that you're supposed to eat a colorful variety of produce, and you're ready to try something new. You get to the grocery store and look at the okra. How do you know if you are picking a good one? You can barely pick out a good grapefruit and you've been doing that for years!
First of all, if you buy produce that is in season it is more likely to taste good. How do you know what is in season? The easiest way is to go for the cheapest produce. Products that are in season tend to be more abundant which means a lower price. You can also check out the Fruits and Veggies, More Matters website for a comprehensive list. While you are at the store, pick produce that is on the bottom and in back. It is usually fresher than the stuff on top. If you know what you want before you go to the store, you can use my guide to be prepared to pick the best produce for you and your family!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Eat a Rainbow
We all know that we should increase the amount of produce in our diet. But hey, I eat spaghetti three times a week and the sauce counts, right? And I even occasionally throw in some corn and peas.
While this diet is not void of vegetables, it could certainly use some improvement. Most people should get 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. And it shouldn't be the same food over and over. Produce is good for you because it has a high nutrient to calorie ratio, is packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and contains phytochemicals that are good for you, but not yet considered essential nutrients. These components work together to produce health benefits that can't be imitated by a multivitamin or other pill.
Variety is important because each fruit and vegetable has a different set of nutrients and phytochemicals that are important for your health in different ways. The most current research has focused on the compounds that give a fruit or vegetable its color. So the easiest way to diversify your nutrient intake is to eat a variety of colorful produce. Use the guide below to help you.
RED
The red pigment is produced by the natural plant pigments lycopene and anthocyanin. Red fruits and vegetables also contain ellagic acid, quercetin, and hesperidin. These compounds may help reduce the risk of several types of cancer, particularly lung, stomach, and prostate cancer, are potent antioxidants that can protect cells from damage, and may reduce blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels.
Some examples of red produce include red apples, beets, red cabbage, cherries, cranberries, pink/red grapefruit, red grapes, guava, red onions, blood oranges, red pears, red peppers, pomegranates, red potatoes, radicchio, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelon.
ORANGE and YELLOW
Orange and yellow pigments typically come from carotenoids, specifically beta-carotene. This color of produce also contains zeaxanthin, lycopene, and various flavenoids. Once consumed, beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A by the body to help maintain healthy mucous membranes and eyes, improve immune function, and help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. The other compounds are good for your joints, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to promote healthy bones.
Examples include yellow apples, apricots, yellow beets, butternut squash, cantaloupe, yellow figs, cape gooseberries, carrots, golden kiwifruit, grapefruit, lemons, mangos, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, yellow peppers, persimmons, pineapple, yellow potatoes, pumpkin, rutabagas, yellow summer squash, yellow winter squash, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, tangerines, yellow tomatoes, and yellow watermelon.
GREEN
Did your mom ever tell you to eat your Brussels sprouts? Well that's because they are full of chlorophyll, which along with lutein, zeaxanthin, indoles, and folate helps keep eyes healthy, reduces the risk of cancer, optimizes digestion, boosts the immune system, and helps prevent birth defects. But remember there are more greens than lettuce, peas, and broccoli!
Give one of these a try at your next meal: green apples, arugula, artichokes, asparagus, avocados, green beans, green cabbage, celery, chayote squash, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, endives, green grapes, honeydew melon, kiwi, leeks, limes, okra, green onions, green pears, green peppers, spinach, watercress, or zucchini.
BLUE and PURPLE
Blue and purple colors are from anthocyanins. They also contain resveratrol, zeaxanthin, flavenoids, ellagic acid, quercitin, and lutein. Together these compounds help improve mineral absorption, memory function and healthy aging, fight inflammation, and reduce the risk of cancer, stroke, and heart disease.
Examples include purple asparagus, blackberries, blueberries, purple cabbage, purple carrots, black currants, eggplant, elderberries, purple Belgian endive, figs, black grapes, purple grapes, juneberries, plums, purple potatoes, prunes, raisins, and scorzonera.
WHITE
Even white fruits and vegetables have a pigment that makes them white, and they are not any less nutritious than the other colors. They are colored by pigments called anthoxanthins, and also contain allicin, beta-glucan, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and lignans. These may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, may help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancers of the stomach, colon, breast and prostate, activate natural killer B and T cells, and balance hormone levels.
Next time you're at the grocery store grab some extra Jerusalem artichoke, white asparagus, bananas, cauliflower, white corn, dates, garlic, ginger, jicama, kohlrabi, mushrooms, white nectarines, onions, parsnips, white peaches, brown pears, potatoes, shallots, or turnips.
While this diet is not void of vegetables, it could certainly use some improvement. Most people should get 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. And it shouldn't be the same food over and over. Produce is good for you because it has a high nutrient to calorie ratio, is packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and contains phytochemicals that are good for you, but not yet considered essential nutrients. These components work together to produce health benefits that can't be imitated by a multivitamin or other pill.
Variety is important because each fruit and vegetable has a different set of nutrients and phytochemicals that are important for your health in different ways. The most current research has focused on the compounds that give a fruit or vegetable its color. So the easiest way to diversify your nutrient intake is to eat a variety of colorful produce. Use the guide below to help you.
RED
The red pigment is produced by the natural plant pigments lycopene and anthocyanin. Red fruits and vegetables also contain ellagic acid, quercetin, and hesperidin. These compounds may help reduce the risk of several types of cancer, particularly lung, stomach, and prostate cancer, are potent antioxidants that can protect cells from damage, and may reduce blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels.
Some examples of red produce include red apples, beets, red cabbage, cherries, cranberries, pink/red grapefruit, red grapes, guava, red onions, blood oranges, red pears, red peppers, pomegranates, red potatoes, radicchio, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelon.
ORANGE and YELLOW
Orange and yellow pigments typically come from carotenoids, specifically beta-carotene. This color of produce also contains zeaxanthin, lycopene, and various flavenoids. Once consumed, beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A by the body to help maintain healthy mucous membranes and eyes, improve immune function, and help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. The other compounds are good for your joints, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to promote healthy bones.
Examples include yellow apples, apricots, yellow beets, butternut squash, cantaloupe, yellow figs, cape gooseberries, carrots, golden kiwifruit, grapefruit, lemons, mangos, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, yellow peppers, persimmons, pineapple, yellow potatoes, pumpkin, rutabagas, yellow summer squash, yellow winter squash, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, tangerines, yellow tomatoes, and yellow watermelon.
GREEN
Did your mom ever tell you to eat your Brussels sprouts? Well that's because they are full of chlorophyll, which along with lutein, zeaxanthin, indoles, and folate helps keep eyes healthy, reduces the risk of cancer, optimizes digestion, boosts the immune system, and helps prevent birth defects. But remember there are more greens than lettuce, peas, and broccoli!
Give one of these a try at your next meal: green apples, arugula, artichokes, asparagus, avocados, green beans, green cabbage, celery, chayote squash, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, endives, green grapes, honeydew melon, kiwi, leeks, limes, okra, green onions, green pears, green peppers, spinach, watercress, or zucchini.
BLUE and PURPLE
Blue and purple colors are from anthocyanins. They also contain resveratrol, zeaxanthin, flavenoids, ellagic acid, quercitin, and lutein. Together these compounds help improve mineral absorption, memory function and healthy aging, fight inflammation, and reduce the risk of cancer, stroke, and heart disease.
Examples include purple asparagus, blackberries, blueberries, purple cabbage, purple carrots, black currants, eggplant, elderberries, purple Belgian endive, figs, black grapes, purple grapes, juneberries, plums, purple potatoes, prunes, raisins, and scorzonera.
WHITE
Even white fruits and vegetables have a pigment that makes them white, and they are not any less nutritious than the other colors. They are colored by pigments called anthoxanthins, and also contain allicin, beta-glucan, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and lignans. These may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, may help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancers of the stomach, colon, breast and prostate, activate natural killer B and T cells, and balance hormone levels.
Next time you're at the grocery store grab some extra Jerusalem artichoke, white asparagus, bananas, cauliflower, white corn, dates, garlic, ginger, jicama, kohlrabi, mushrooms, white nectarines, onions, parsnips, white peaches, brown pears, potatoes, shallots, or turnips.
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