Archive for January, 2009
HFCS…Still Scary
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a hot topic. After receiving more and more public backlash, The Corn Refiners Association created a new campaign and website to apparently “set the record straight” on HFCS. Have you seen the commercials where they claim it’s completely safe in small amounts? They’re downright scary…and unfortunately, very effective. I can understand why anyone would be confused about whether its truly safe or not.
Well, I just read some striking new information on The Green Fork blog today. A new study from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) found that “over 30% of products containing [HFCS] tested positive for mercury.” Oh, and the worst part is that the FDA has known about the mercury since 2005. Another study from 2005 found that almost 50% of commercial HFCS samples contained mercury.
Check out Leslie Hatfield’s article for more details on how the mercury gets into high fructose corn syrup, what the FDA knew years ago, and why we REALLY don’t want mercury in our bodies.
See also my previous post on HFCS, “Are You Made of Corn?”
Healthy Breakfast To-Go
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Last weekend I heard a mother of four talk about her creative ideas for making healthy meals for her big family. For breakfast, she sometimes makes a big pot of oatmeal the night before and adds fruit and nuts to it. In the morning, all she has to do is warm a little up in the microwave or on the stove, and everyone is fed a healthy meal. If you’re only cooking for yourself, you can store some in the refrigerator and have breakfast ready for the whole week.
I just love this idea, so I tried it out on Monday night. This oatmeal has been hitting the spot on chilly mornings! Here’s my recipe for a great healthy breakfast that will keep you full and energized until lunchtime.
Cranberry-Walnut Oatmeal
1 cup steel-cut oats
4 cups water
2 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Before you go to bed or when you’re making dinner, boil the water in a medium pot. Once it’s boiling, turn off the heat and stir-in the steel cut oats. Cover immediately with a lid, and allow to sit overnight. In the morning, take off the lid and add the cranberries and walnuts. Cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes (or zap in the microwave for 30 seconds). Sprinkle cinnamon and drizzle honey on top before serving (optional). If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Experiment with different fresh or dried fruits and nuts to switch up the flavor. The cinnamon and honey are optional. You can also try agave nectar if you like it sweet.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think if you try it out.
Food and Health in the News
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Today I want to share some great articles and blog posts on the hot topics of healthy food. I enjoyed reading each of these, so check them out if you have some spare time.
High Fructose Corn Syrup - natural or not? - Vicki Koenig, MS, RD, CDN wrote this quick piece on sorting out the truth and lies on HFCS.
Conflicting Nutrition Studies - Joshua Rosenthal discusses the confusion caused by nutrition studies and conflicting conclusions. He also explains the difference between randomized clinical trials, observational studies, and laboratory studies.
10 trends that may dominate 2009’s nutrition landscape - Janet Helm’s article predicts the ten trends that will take over the food industry and advertising in ‘09. Be informed!
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Brrrr….I’m off to make a hot cup of tea. Even Florida’s temperatures are in the low 30s today! If you’re cold like me, take this opportunity to put some warm food and drinks into your body. It will help you feel better.
Combat Your Stress Hormones
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Self Magazine reports that increasing your consumption of potassium and reducing your sodium intake could help reduce your stress levels. Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that increasing potassium and cutting sodium helps lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in your body. (Self Magazine, Feb. 2009, p. 94)
Remember to always check food labels when you’re trying to cut back on sodium. Or, just eat more whole foods (away from the box and food labels) and be stingy with how much salt you add to them. To boost your potassium, try eating more leafy greens, broccoli, tomatoes, raw celery, bananas, etc.
The connection between food and your mood is clear, but this truth is largely unknown by most of the American public. If you’ve got an extra minute, check out this interesting post from Mark’s Daily Apple on “The Mood Diet.”
Three Bean Pasta Veggie Salad
Black Tea Could Protect Against Diabetes
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Black Tea Could Protect Against Diabetes
Natural News reports that some natural chemicals in black tea could help protect you from diabetes. Research published in the journal Aging Cell found that these chemicals can act like insulin in the body. Though the research is preliminary, some studies found that drinking black tea could reduce heart disease and risk of cancer. Lead researcher on the study, Graham Rena, said that although their findings are stunning, “people shouldn’t be rushing to drink masses of black tea thinking it will cure them of diabetes. We are still some way from this leading to new treatments or dietary advice.”
As for me, I was interested in this study because I’ve been considering trying out black tea as a replacement for my morning coffee which has been upsetting my stomach lately. If I cut out coffee, I would still like something warm, healthy, and caffeinated in the a.m. Anyone else drink tea as a morning pick-me-up?
Pistachios in the News
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Penn State University researchers presented new pistachio findings at the Experimental Biology Conference in San Diego in April 2008. They found that some key nutrients in pistachios reduce multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in men and women. Pistachio consumption improved cholesterol levels and reduced cellular inflammation. Dr. Sarah Gebauer said that, “Reducing inflammation at the cellular level is an important finding as it may be a more specific marker of inflammatory status than blood markers, which are general indicators of inflammation in the body…”We are truly excited about these results and what they mean for those at risk for cardiovascular disease.” Currently, CVD is the top cause of death in the United States.
The University of Toronto conducted a study on pistachios in people with diabetes. They found that when pistachios are eaten with high-carbohydrate foods, they help slow down the absorption of the carbohydrates which in turn prevents high peaks in blood sugar. If you want more information on this study, its official title was “Glycemic Response of Pistachios – A Dose Response Study and Effect of Pistachios Consumed with Different Common Carbohydrate Foods on Postprandial Glycemia.” Check out a summary of the study on www.DiabetesInControl.com.
In other news, I recently made it onto another blog carnival. My blog on grapeseed extract was featured in the nutrition section of the Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival 84.
Study Shows Grapeseed Extract Kills Cancer Cells
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Study Shows Grapeseed Extract Kills Cancer Cells
NaturalNews.com recently reported on some amazing new research published in the Clinical Cancer Research journal. Researchers found that leukemia cancer cells could be killed off when exposed to grapeseed extract. The cells quickly died from apoptosis, or cell suicide. Scientists at the University of Kentucky conducted these lab studies where they were able to cause 76% of leukemia cells to “commit suicide” after the grapeseed extract was introduced.
Grapeseed extract seems to speed up the apoptosis process in leukemia cells, “helping them more rapidly assess their own flawed state so they can engage in apoptosis (cell suicide), thus protecting the larger organism (the body).” If researchers can eventually replicate these lab tests in people, “it could potentially position grapeseed extract as one of the most powerful natural chemotherapeutic agents yet discovered.”
If you want to try taking grapeseed extract for cancer prevention, it is available as a supplement. Or you can eat organic grapes with the seeds inside. As you know, most grocery stores don’t even carry seeded grapes anymore, but you need the seeds if you want the good benefits. Look for seeded grapes at a health food store and chew up the seeds before you swallow them. Check out the Natural News article for further information.
Boost Omega-3s with Wine
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
A recent study found that drinking one or two glasses of wine a day could increase the level of omega-3 fats in your blood. Researchers found that wine may affect how your body metabolizes the omega-3s. Wine may also increase your HDL (good) cholesterol, improve the lining of your blood vessels, and reduce your risk of blood clots.
The study on 1,604 adults in Italy, England, and Belgium found that “wine components other than alcohol bestow the benefit; antioxidant compounds called polyphenols may play a role.” The subjects’ fish intake was also taken into account. The wine drinkers had the highest levels of omega-3, compared to beer or liquor drinkers.
