Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Keeping the Pipes Clean: it's a dirty job but someone's gotta do it!

Fiber (aka ruffage, or as my mom calls it, "cardboard") is a component of food that, although not actually a nutrient, bears equal weight as vitamins and minerals in the promotion of health...especially for preventing colon cancer and heart disease. Americans under-consume fiber so much that just 13g more per day across the nation would reduce the colorectal cancer rate by 31%.

Our bodies actually do not derive energy from fiber; it is any material in plants for which we lack the enzymes to digest (but other animals such as cows successfully get energy from fiber such as grass). The not-so-pretty reality is that fiber is an essential fuel for the bacteria residing in our colons. It's a natural and necessary partnership that we have with these little guys, and they do a lot of work that they don't get enough credit for (and get wiped out when people "cleanse" their colons). Resident bacteria are able to use fiber for food, promoting their proliferation. Here's why we want them to succeed:

1) the good bacteria scavenge our intestines for toxins and carry the toxins out when they exit our better end, 2) their colonization prevents pathogenic microbes from taking hold and causing illness, such as E. coli or salmonella, 3) certain bacteria inhibit growth of tumor cells, 4) their eating habits (fermentation) produces an acidic environment that prevents our good bile from being converted to cancer-causing secondary bile acids, 5) Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria prevents the conversion of pro-carcinogens to actual carcinogens 6) they produce fatty acids which serve as fuel for new colon cells, denying toxins or carcinogens the chance to take root. Basically, they do a lot of good work in there, which is why we should feed them.

You'll see fiber in two forms- soluble and insoluble -under the category "dietary fiber" on your food labels. Both are functional and necessary, and a good balance of the two keeps things moving. Together they provide many benefits:
       -Fibers increase our feeling of fullness so can help in controlling hunger and weightloss. 
       -They slow down digestion of a meal, which leads to a more controlled release of nutrients for more
         stable blood sugar levels.
       -Fiber acts like a sponge, sopping up fats and cholesterol in its path and reducing their presence in the
         bloodstream (read: heart and artery health, and lower LDL levels). This property is also why it is
         essential, though, to drink enough water to keep high-fiber foods from clogging the pipes.

As you can see, consuming higher amounts of fiber benefits not only our downstairs tenants, but many other aspects of bodily health. The current daily recommendation is 25g for women and 38g for men. But I don't advocate an increase in fiber supplements, which are usually nutrient deficient. Instead you can find fiber in the following DELICIOUS foods, and many others:

Raw:                                                                        Cooked:
Blueberries - 3.5 g per cup                                       Beans - 11-19 g per cup
Pears - 5.1 g each                                                  Oranges - 3.4 g each   
Almonds - 3.3g per ounce                                        Broccoli - 5.1g per cup
Raisin bran - 5.0 g per cup                                       Brown rice - 3.5 g per cup
                                                                             Oats - 5.7 g per cup
                                                                              
So do your part for colon and heart health - and appreciate all the dirty work that gets done while you go about your day - by incorporating more fiber into YOUR diet!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Oh so sweet

The amount of fat consumed by Americans has decreased by about 10% over the past 50 years... from 42% of total calories in the 1960s to 33% of total calories today. The rate of obesity in the US has tripled - increased by 300% - in that same time period....

It appears that other factors are the major contributors to our nation's struggle with overweight. And it is really a global epidemic...as I have posted before there are now more overweight people in the world than starving people, and the rapid rise in obesity is no longer reserved just for wealthy nations. India, China, Russia, the Phillipines, and Mexico are now seeing an increase in obesity and overweight. My current read "The World is Fat" is a fascinating examination of these global trends by researcher/professor Barry Popkin. While describing how agricultural efficiencies + sedentary lives + manufactured foods + human genes for preventing starvation = a recipe for disaster, Popkin makes a bold claim. He argues that caloric beverages are the largest contributor to obesity worldwide. Drinking our calories is a relatively recent phenomenon - for the first 200,000 years of our species' existance the only liquids we consumed were water and breast milk. About two thousand years B.C. we find records of milk, wine, beer, and juice being consumed. And then in the past one-thousand years is where we see an explosion of caloric beverages: coffee and tea (with milk and sugar), liquor, juice concentrates, soda pop, and "energy" drinks. Popkin theorizes that our human genetics have not yet adapted to these new consumption habits: they were designed for the hunter-gatherer's survival when food was more scarce, and are no match for our appetites in this world of plenty.

Several recent research studies have demonstrated that intake of beverages does not off-set food intake. If we drink a 200-calorie soft drink at a meal, we do not eat 200 calories LESS of food. Drinks are additional calories on top of the calories we eat based on our hunger cues, and our appetites do not compensate for them. The liquids may give us a short-lived feeling of fullness from the expanding of our stomachs, but it then empties much quicker than for solid foods and so we feel hungry very shortly. Other times sweetened beverages actually increase our appetite for food: think of how the sweetness of coke drives us to eat more salty french fries (which the food industry takes full advantage of).

Pensive if this phenomenon, I converted the grams of sugar to teaspoons in the 6 common beverages pictured below for a presentation in school. The amount per serving of 8 ounces was listed on the label of each bottle, but every single one of these contained atleast 2 servings. In our over-sized American minds we feel good about "getting more" for our money and then consume the entire portion available to us, rather than rationing it out to make it last twice as long. The following are the amounts of sugar in the entire bottle of each product:


Sunkist orange soda: 18 tsp sugar
Coca Cola: 14 tsp sugar
Red Bull: 11 tsp sugar
Snapple: 10 tsp sugar                   
Starbucks Frappuccino: 9.5 tsp sugar        
Vitamin Water: 5 tsp sugar

For each beverage, the first ingredient listed is water, and the second ingredient is some form of sugar (cane sugar, crystalline fructose, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, glucose, maltodextrin): they are literally sugar-water. I ask you all: would you find it appetizing to pour one of those cups of solid sugar into your mouth? Probably not. When dissolved in water, the caloric part -the sugar- is hidden, and our brain is partially tricked, although it does register that pleasant sweet taste which we instinctively enjoy. With beverages we also do not benefit from the mouth-feel of the amount of calories consumed as we would with a muffin or a candy bar (both full of sugar), which is a significant way that our body gauges the energy we have taken in.

Caloric beverages can be very useful for periods of prolonged physical activity in which energy stores need to be replenished more frequently to sustain that exertion. In these cases solid food is less efficient than liquid calories: the sugar is the simplest form of energy that our body can use immediately for energy without needing to do much digestion, and it is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. Protein, fat, and more complex carbs spend more time in our digestive tract while enyzmes break them down and then need to be converted by our liver into glucose (the only molecule that our body can use to get energy!). So pure glucose is fantastic for athletes and mountain-climbers, but not so appropriate for those of us who barely manage to get to the gym a couple times a week.

Even so, it has become increasingly common world-wide for a person to have a latte with breakfast, a lemonade at lunch, a coke or red bull mid-afternoon for a pick-me-up, and a beer or glass of wine with dinner. These add up to a lot of extra calories that the world consumes every day, in a time when extra calories are more and more unnecessary. I think Popkin has drawn some very insightful conclusions from his breadth of research, and I would highly recommend the read. I know that this knowledge has changed the way I look at a soda or latte or glass of juice...just picture all those heaping teaspoons of pure, sweet sugar.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Step 1...

step 1: Eat Food
step 2: Eat Enough Food
step 3: Eat Good Food
step 4: Eat Better Food

It used to be that step 1 was a challenge for me; I would often forego eating as the best coping mechanism I had for the stress involved in adjusting to my new restrictive diet. Right now I'd say I'm somewhere between steps 2 and 3... realizing what it is to consume enough calories to support me taking a yoga class, spending 6 hours in lecture, or working an entire serving shift without feeling starving, faint, or nauseous. Believe it or not I had gotten so used to ignoring my hunger signals that I had forgotten what food's function was in my body: to nourish me! It feels empowering to plan a hearty, nutritious meal specifically because I want to be able to hold that back bend or hand-stand and not feel like my muscles are going to collapse. As much as our society focuses on everything we shouldn't eat, we often miss the point that food is what keeps our bodies alive...nearly every mineral, vitamin, protein, and fat molecule involved in the actions of our cells and organs HAVE to be consumed from the food we eat! That brings me to the difference between step 3 and step 4, since the quality of the food we eat can have monumental effects on how we feel. Not only do excess fat and refined, nutrient-empty foods slow us down, make us heavy (literally and figuratively), and cause a state of disease in our bodies, a diverse diet rich in all of the nutrients that we need is energizing, invigorating, and enlightening. With each nutritious meal I make for myself, as the stress of preparing them is diminishing, I feel my body connecting the dots inside and just working more effortlessly.

Viewing food in this progressive step-wise fashion, rather than in absolutes, reminds me that eating habits are on a continuum of "goodness" based on what the goal is to be achieved. A year ago the idea of jumping from step 1 to step 4 was debilitating...if others would advise me to eat very "healthy" meals I was overwhelmed rather than motivated. Similarly, expecting oneself to eat a PERFECT, nutritious diet, always!, is not constructive...it is in the small choices and steps that movement is achieved, and that the benefits of eating "good" food, or "better" food can be felt. And of course, we can't expect any of that if we don't eat "enough" food to give our body the energy to make these choices. 

Thursday, August 19, 2010

As Seen on TV

I recently read a very interesting research study that analyzes the American diet as it is portrayed on TV. The study argues that food advertisements offer a "set of dietary endorsements" which "encourage viewers to eat the foods promoted for sale". Given that the average American household watches over 6 hours of TV each day, and all Americans together view 250 billion hours anually, I can agree with the authors that food advertising has to have a significant impact on the foods people desire and choose to eat. Working in a restaurant, I know very well how just the sight or smell of food can entice the guest's appetite and help us sell our dishes. 

The researchers of this study watched 84 hours of prime-time television (in 2004) on the major networks that 99% of Americans have access to. They recorded all of the foods advertised by sponsors and commericals in their suggested portion sizes, then tallied the nutrient results.

If a person ate a standard 2,000 calorie diet composed of ONLY these advertised items, the researchers found that person would consume: 25 times more sugar, 20 times more fat, and 1.5 times more protein than recommended daily servings, as well as less that half the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. The amount of sodium and cholesterol consumed would be off the charts, and daily vitamin needs not even close to met.

Really no surprise when you think about it...what do food commercials consist of? Domino's and Pizza Hut deals for family-size pasta dishes with free sides of cheese bread or cinnamon rolls...energy drinks...sugary cereals...manufactured diet products...water with no calories or nutrients but plenty of artificial ingredients...perhaps a more wholesome Ralph's grocery commercial thrown in now and then. But sitting down and noticing how much space these nutrient-empty foods occupy in the world of food sales is incredible...I mean, have you ever seen a commercial for asparagus? Food manufacturing is a HUGE business...I've often thought about this when walking through a grocery store and noticing that the majority of aisles are dedicated to foods that come in boxes and bags. We tend not to think of grocery shopping as a bombardment of advertisements, but really the food there is a PRODUCT to be SOLD.

For better or for worse, the influence of prepared and manufactured food products must be acknowledged. The researchers argue that "the pattern of nutritional imbalance found in advertised foods mimics the pattern of imbalance in the common American diet". The study observed zero public service announcements for balanced meals or fruits and veggies during these PRIME-TIME hours, although they do exist in other slots. They also included Saturday morning cartoon hours in their data, to capture the nutritional value of the foods children are influenced to desire...and in turn ask their parents to purchase.


"Nutritional Imbalance Endorsed by Televised Food Advertisements." Journal of the American Dietetic Association, June 2010.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Some things in life don't get to take a vacation

The past week I have been vacationing with my family at a beach house in Laguna Beach, which is an absolutely enjoyable get-away even though it is only 20 minutes from the house I grew up in. The town, the beach, the whole environment is not new to me, but what is new is that this is my first family vacation with celiac disease. Any travels with friends over the past two years felt manageable...I guess because it was just me and one other person. And I do dine out with my family about once a month just to get together and catch up, but I don't mind going-without at that sporadic frequency. Eating with my family for two to three meals a day, five to seven days in a row is a much different experience.

The discussion of what sounds good to eat, the excess of choices available to everyone but me, the appetite-inducing conversation that occurs around every meal, and the communal sharing of appetizers and tasting of each others' plates really wore down the defense mechanisms that I routinely put in place so that I am not constantly disappointed by my eating experience.

What this week made me realize is how valuable it has been to figure out my diet on my own, without the need to plan seperate or modified meals for a group of people as would be the case if I lived in a family household. I can figure out what I have an appetite for, prepare it without worries of cross-contamination, and eat it without feeling envious of what others are enjoying. Like I said to my family to try to depict how I was feeling, normally I can get excited about a simple bowl of cereal and be completely satisfied from eating it. That kind of mentality is not so easy to maintain when there's an entire table full of delicious-looking-and-smelling, untouchable food right in front of me. For better or for worse, this vacation reminded me how this part of my life continues to challenge me in new situations no matter how well I think I have been coping.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Losing It with Jillian

This is my new favorite TV show, starring the trainer Jillian Michaels from "the Biggest Loser", who spends a week at home with a family that is in dire need of losing weight. Although somewhat melodramatic (like most reality TV these days), I am willingly hooked on the cathartic breakdown of the behavioral and emotional contributions to each family's obesity, followed by the rebuilding of self-confidence and self-worth that is both the catalyst and the product of their weight loss achievements. I very much respect that the host focuses on the psychological powers at work in each member's road to their current state of unhealth, and the psychological powers that carry them through their transformation. At no point in the show are calories counted or do diet regimens take the spotlight; the mentality of restriction that begets disordered eating and feelings of failure is not promoted. Rather, Jillian instills in these people the feeling that they deserve to eat better and to feel better, that they are capable of change, and that they are going to reap the benefits of their metamorphosis with new life and new health.

I will say that I am somewhat skeptical about what happens behind the scenes: each episode culminates with Jillian returning in 6 weeks to an "unveiling" of the weightloss that the family has achieved, and in every episode I have seen so far, each member has lost 30-60 pounds...Now most of them begin at 100-200 pounds overweight, so this drastic weightloss may be appropriate. But we do not see what diet or exercise plan the families have been following in this month and a half, so I cannot know that extreme restricting of food or excessive exercise is not practiced. It is definitely possible that this kind of weightloss is not sustainable or not achievable by the viewers who are motivated by their example of quick weightloss. But again, the example is not a quick-fix method for HOW to lose the weight, it is the instillment of motivation and empowerment for positive change in life.

At the very least this is one more public venue for discussing America's obesity epidemic, alongside other big-network shows "The Biggest Loser" and "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution", as well as Michelle Obama's recent "Let's Move" campaign to reduce childhood obesity. The problem is wide-spread enough to merit such public attention, and it has only got to help the movement toward change, right?

You can watch all episodes of "Losing It" right now on Hulu.com

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Gluten-Free EXPLOSION

I have had almost a month hiatus from blogging...as you know life's priorities are often numerous ;) Do not think, though, that for any of those days I was not contemplative about FOOD.

One of the more recent themes occurring is the absolute EXPLOSION of gluten-free-ness everywhere I look! Almost every chain restaurant I have dined at has handed me a gluten-free menu: P.F. Chang's (as always), Claim Jumper, BJ's, Maggiano's, and Yard House, to name a few. BJ's even goes farther than just cutting out gluten-containing ingredients, they actually are making gluten-free pizzas with a designated "gluten-free" section in their kitchen! Bisquik now has GF pancake mix, and Betty Crocker offers GF cake mixes. I even recently bought GF macaroni and cheese in the frozen section of my local GAS STATION! (granted, I do live in West LA) But clearly the market for gluten-free products is taking its place in the mainstream food economy.

What's more, behind this movement I am experiencing even MORE abundance of gluten-free foods at my specialty stores. Last week at Whole Foods I bought cinnamon buns, animal-shaped "graham" crackers, and yogurt-covered pretzels...I can hardly tell you how long it has been since I've eaten any of those things! Very exciting for me. Manufacturers are finally mastering the skill of making GF food that actually tastes good.
And clearly GF consumers' buying power is rising. After all, Celiac Disease Foundation estimates that 1 in 133 Americans have celiac disease.

Along with this GF popularity is coming the trendy belief that gluten is "hard to digest", or just downright "bad for you". I do not doubt that as consumers see more and more "gluten-free" labels on products on the shelves, they increasingly wonder if this is a new ingenious health discovery that could benefit them...the bandwagon phenomenon of advertising. I am coining it the New Low-Carb diet: media taught you in the past decade that carbs make you fat...now media is telling you that carbs make you bloated, "inflamed", and ultimately are still why you're fat!

At this point I'm not very knowledgable about the digestion of gluten in a non-celiac body, nor the validity of or research behind these claims. So I am making it my personal goal to become better educated on this issue, and of course I will in turn share it all with you :) But for now...I'm just enjoying feeling like I can eat food from anywhere other than MY kitchen!

P.S. I'm still waiting for GF goldfish crackers...hint hint

Monday, May 17, 2010

Day 14: NORI

Oh my goodness...I accidentally skipped the letter N!!! And this was my favorite veggie to talk about...so I'm going back to it. My rules.

Nori is Japanese for dried seaweed, also known as "sea vegetable", and like land plants it too undergoes photosynthesis to harness the sun's energy for food. It is actually an algae, which is less "advanced" in structure than plants on land, but does share some similar characteristics. There are many non-edible varieties, particularly those living in fresh water, but the types eaten in Asian, Icelandic, Irish, and many other coastal cuisines for centuries are rich in nutrients. Here in California we typically find nori wrapped around our sushi roll. It took some maturity for me to appreciate the taste of seaweed, but now I even enjoy munching on a sheet of it by itself!

HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:

+ just one sheet (about 2g) has 10 calories: 1g carbs and 1g protein
+ 20% daily vitamin A, and 2% iron, 4% calcium, 14% folate, 4% riboflavin, 7% magnesium, 20% manganese
+ contains phytochemicals not found in land plants which are used in Asia to strengthen the immune system and fight infection
+ also rich in iodine, which is necessary for thyroid functioning, and so used to treat goiter

FUN FACTS:

+ the cultivation and exportation of seaweed from Asia is a $2 billion industry
+ in Belize seaweed is mixed into a drink of milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla...sounds pretty good to me!
+ carrageenan and agar are derived from seaweed, used as thickeners in many food products (as well as toothpaste and cosmetics)

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Celiac Food Fair, aka FREEDOM

This past Saturday May 15th I attended, for the first time, the annual Celiac Disease Foundation Conference and Food Fair. Upon entering the ballroom of a downtown hotel, I was surrounded by people with the same diagnosis as me and oodles and oodles of FOOD! I can hardly express how free I felt knowing that I could eat EVERYTHING in that entire room! Here is a summary of my experience:

+ a vast majority of celiacs in attendance were female, "white", and thin

+ gluten-free baked goods are even more unhealthy than their gluten-containing counterparts

+ I am so glad I only have one food limitation: my freedom would have been spoiled if I were still dairy-free or vegetarian

+ ate lunch next to Marlene, a 45+ y.o. woman diagnosed for 25 years. She still gets excited about being given a gluten-free meal at the annual convention. She says it gets easier but most challenges never change...yay?

+ I truly have adopted an untrusting celiac mentality: with the presentation of a salad, various dressings, and a hot entree with sauce I felt very nervous not asking about the ingredients, even though I knew I was in the best of hands. And the next day when I felt nauseous I wondered if I had been gluten-poisoned, even though I can't imagine how that would be possible

+ met a 21-yr-old USC student with celiac disease AND type I diabetes. She is hoping first for a cure for celiac disease - says it's the more challenging disease

+ I am lucky to have been diagnosed so quickly...most celiacs undergo up to years of testing before doctors perform the right ones

+ symptoms of celiac disease vary WIDELY...some people vomit right away, others like myself would never know the difference

+ the standards for celiac treatment (the rules for food choices and avoiding contamination) are still changing. Vinegar and hard liquor? ok as of 10 years ago. Oats? ok as of 5 years ago (if certified GF). How to eat at restaurants? still very much under debate!

+ I wish I lived in Italy: with my diagnosis I would receive free blood tests and surgical screenings, 2 additional paid days off work each year (fo what I have no clue), money for gluten-free groceries, and restaurant of gluten-free pasta and pizza!

+ although ALL gluten ingested will cause inflammation from the immune response, research shows that up to 2mg per day will not cause the death of intestinal cells which most affects malabsorption and risk for cancer(research still in progress)

+ cookies, cupcakes, pizza, cookies, cake, cookies, cookies, and more cookies

+ I am not alone

Day 13: OKRA


Okra - not so popular in California, but very much so in the South - it is after all the essential ingredient in gumbo. In American cuisine it is traditionally paired with shrimp, but okra is also very common in African, Carribean, Indian, Mediterranean, and Asian cuisines in sauces, stews, and side dishes. Okra is the flowering part of a plant related to cotton, cocoa, and hibiscus, that contains MANY seeds inside (so here's another veggie that's actually a fruit!). I had never had okra in my life until two years ago when I tasted a spicy red curry dish at the Restaurant, but still have never cooked it at home until now. I tried them sauteed with olive oil, white onion, garlic, and lemon juice in a sauce from 1 can of diced tomatoes. I'm partway to gumbo, right??


HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:

+ 1 cup has only 31 calories: 0g fat, 7g carbs (3g dietary fiber, 1g sugars), 2g protein
+ provides 35% daily vitamin C, 66% vitamin K, 22% folate, 50% manganese, and good amounts of vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorous...and the list goes on!
+ contains nearly all essential amino acids in the seeds (though only 2g total)
+ is known to relieve constipation from the "mucilagen" and fiber contained within the pods (the material holding all the seeds)

FUN FACTS:

+ it was brought to the US from Africa in the slave trade
+ okra leaves can also be eaten raw in salads or sauteed (though where one buys okra leaves I have no idea)
+ okra has been around atleast 12 centuries B.C., as the ancient Egyptians reported it in their cuisine
+ overcooking it leads to "okra slime", from the heat's affect on the inner mucilagen. This can also be minimized by trimming the ends of the pod

Day 12: MUSHROOMS


I think it is important that I dedicate a day to another non-vegetable that is used as a vegetable in cuisine...the mushroom. Now, mushrooms get a very bad rap...because they're a fungus after all. Typically we think of fungi in terms of their harmful effects - spoiling that last piece of bread you needed for your sandwich, or overgrowth of yeast of the feminine...you know where. But these are examples of excess that are repulsive by intuition. Heck, we know that excess fats and oils can lead to "gross" obesity, but that doesn't mean that fats are entirely bad (indeed we know they are also necessary to the human body).

A mushroom is actually the structure of fungus that grows above soil - essentially the flower that helps to spread the seeds (spores) of the organism. Not all are edible, but thanks to the trial-and-error of our ancestors we have found those "flowers" that are also nutritious to the human body (doesn't it sound nicer to think of it as a flower?).

The nutrient value of mushrooms differs according to the variety. Shiitake seem to be the most nutritious, followed by white mushrooms, then brown or crimini. And of course you can get into all the fancy expensive mushrooms and truffles (mushroom cousins), but I'm going to keep it simple and review the shiitakes, which are great sauteed with other veggies into a stir-fry, pasta dish, or topping a burger.

HOW GOOD THEY ARE FOR YOU:

+ 1 cup has 7g carbohydrate, NONE of which are sugar, 3g dietary fiber, 0g fat and 3g protein
+ a good source of riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium
+ also contain omega-6 fatty acids
+ add great flavor to your dish without adding a lot of calories (43 in 1 cup)

FUN FACTS:

+ some raw mushrooms contain the carcinogens "hydrazines", but when cooked this compound is destroyed
+ never eat mushrooms in the wild, since many poisonous types resemble those that we buy in the grocery store
+ many mushrooms produce psychoactive effects such as halucinations and euphoria, (you may know them as "shrooms") and they have long been used in native spiritual ceremonies (got to thank the trial-and-error of those ancestors again...)
+ in Asia some specific mushrooms have been used for medicinal properties, including inhibition of tumor growth and enhancement of the immune system. Research in western medicine has increased in the past 50 years
+ penicillin is the antibiotic that was discovered occurring naturally in the fungus penicillium to protect itself from bacteria. Several other antibiotics have been discovered in this way

See, mushrooms can be nutritious, delicious, psychadellic, and medicinal...so let's not be prejudiced against them all!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

There is no "easy" option

Tonight, as I left the grocery store parking lot with my bag of uncooked ingredients for my dinner, my eye was caught by the neon lights of the Panda Express at the other end of the shopping center. I thought "oh, how easy it would be if I could just grab a hot, filling, tastey dinner from there (and for only $6)". And I thought of how many other people driving home from work and errands were doing that very thing. And then I thought of how many people in this country do that always, every day, and how widespread is obesity, mainly due to this human, primitive fact: our bodies instinctively want nourishment in the most efficient way possible, and with ingredients that we can count on to satisfy and last (read FATs).

In some ways the excessive weight of the western world is an accomplishment: for the first time in history there are more overnourished people in the world than there are undernourished. As a race we are not dying of starvation! But we ARE dying of...heart disease. How ironic that this "too much of a good thing" is just that: although we do not struggle to be adequately fed, we struggle to be healthily fed, and it pays its price on all parts of our bodies.

Cue entrance of celiac disease: my life is full of restrictions (and this blog is full of me talking about them ;). But as challenging as it is, I know that the condition is also a blessing - because for me, there is no easy option. I cannot eat whenever or whatever I want from the abundance of food choices available everywhere I look, whether it is Panda Express, McDonald's, or Super Organic Health Restaurant. Feeding myself cannot be as instantaneous as it has now become in the modern world; even if I do not grow my own food, or in the rare cases that I pay to have someone else prepare it, I must be mindful and careful of the way in which it is prepared, which reinserts my consciousness into the process. If to order a hamburger I have to get out of my car to go inside, explain how I need them to clean the grill and use new gloves to handle my patty, then stress about if they will truly do so, it makes the fast food option MUCH less appealing! I might as well grill my own patty of 98% lean meat at home where I know it will be safe.

Because of celiac disease, I am forced into living that old "European" lifestyle that we romanticize, in which Mother shopped at the local market daily for the fresh foods that she would prepare for all of the family's meals. My options for processed, packaged foods are much more limited (although they are increasing) which leads to me cooking more whole foods that are much healthier anyway!

Unfortunately many people actually have reached a level of obesity which really requires the same dietary and lifestyle changes as I have had to make. I remember how, prior to being diagnosed, I thought I was doomed to be a tired person forever; I had completely forgotten what it felt like to feel good and full of energy, and I suspect the same is true for many whose condition of obesity has not yet been confronted. How different the world might be if obesity could be seen with the same urgency and severity of consequences as my disease...would we see those quick and easy food options as a poison, as something that is not even an option.

disclaimer: nothing about this post is intended to be a judgement

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Day 11: LEEKS


I have never, ever, cooked a leek. To be honest, I am very confused about the difference between a leek, a green onion, a scallion, a shallot, and a chive...so hey, why not finally find out for myself! (and anyone else who has wondered!)

Leeks are related to onions and garlic: members of the alliaceae family. A leek's bulb never develops as bulbous-ly, but rather stays cylindrical, and grows tall and wide green stalks. The inner light-green leaves are used more than the darker-green ones because of the latter's bitter flavor. Green onion and scallion actually ARE two names for the same thing: and they essentially look like mini-leeks. They are more mild in flavor than onions, and they never fully grow a bulb (hence why the white part is so small). Shallot, on the other hand, actually is a different plant than the scallion, and its oblong bulb is somewhat sweeter than the onion. Finally, the chive is the smallest of all onion relatives, with the skinniest of green stalks.

HOW GOOD THEY ARE FOR YOU:

+ only 1 ounce of leek actually has a considerable amount of nutrients: about 10% vitamins A, C, and K, and a bit of folate, iron, calcium, and manganese
+ like other onion relatives and garlic, leek phytonutrients help to maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels, and protect the body from growing cancer cells and toxins
+ onion-family flavanoids have been shown in research to lower risk for ovarian cancer

FUN FACTS:

+ the term "ramp" is used for wild leeks
+ Aristotle claimed that the partridge bird's clear voice was due to eating leeks
+ leeks are most commonly prepared in potato and leek soups!
+ avoid over-cooking leeks to prevent them from becoming slimey and mushy

Monday, May 3, 2010

Day 10: KALE


Now to another vegetable that seems to esteem super-power status: kale. I learned about its nutritiousness in my first ever introductory nutrition class about 2 years ago. At that time I was very skeptical and thought it was just for "weird health-food people". But then I had it in a dish I ordered at a restaurant and it was so delicious that I was convinced I could try it at home. And believe it or not, I now LOVE kale even just steamed with a squeeze of lemon juice! Its flavor is much more mild than spinach, and not as bitter as cabbage, while its multitude of leafy folds give it a very satisfying heartiness in the mouth. Rinse kale in water, and chop into strips about 1 inch wide to make more manageable in the pan, either while sauteeing in olive oil or garlic or just wilting until it turns a gorgeous bright green.

HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:

+ 1 cup (raw - about half cup cooked) has only 33 calories
+ 7g carbohydrate, but none of them sugar: this means long-lasting complex carbs! with 1g dietary fiber and 2g protein, 0g fat
+ 200% vitamin A, 150% vitamin C, 680% vitamin K!
+ considerable amounts of calcium, iron, folate, vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese: basically complete in micronutrients for our bodies
+ also a good source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids!

Kale is so packed-full of vitamins and minerals that it has amazing anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Like with chard, I would not suggest eating kale every day due to the risk of toxicity from those fat-soluble vitamins A and K. But I'd say including this as a side to your dinner twice a week is a smart and satisfying choice! Again, a reminder not to boil kale or else lose all of the nutrients in the water you drain from it!

FUN FACTS:

+ kale is considered to be "wild cabbage", whose center leaves never form a "head"
+ also a cruciferous vegetable related to broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, and brussel sprouts
+ contains the chemical "sulforophane" (remember from brussel sprouts, and also in broccoli) that has anti-cancer properties
+ also called "borecole", a Dutch name for "farmer's cabbage"

Sunday, May 2, 2010

the power of a single bread crumb

I met with a new Dietician this past Saturday, a woman who I highly esteem both from reading her books as well as now from being a client of hers. She counsels, writes, and teaches the principles of "Intuitive Eating", which calls on tortured eaters to trust their bodies, their appetites, and their cravings. This approach to nutrition frees the mind from rigid rules which can lead both to overly-restrictive eating as well as to over-eating, bingeing, low energy, yo-yo dieting, and more serious eating disorders. I may write more on this topic later because I have so much to say about it, but here I will try to focus in on my own experience as a client, rather than a student, of dietetics:

A very difficult lesson to stomach is that my celiac disease is ALL OR NOTHING. Since diagnosis, I have not been highly concerned about cross-contamination of gluten with the foods I eat that are primarily gluten-free (examples of cross-contamination: someone grabbing wheat pretzels from one bowl and using the same hand to grab corn tortilla chips from another; frying pure potato french fries in oil that has fried breaded chicken strips; using a lipstick that contains wheat protein; a plain hamburger patty being cooked on the same griddle with toasting buns). But I have now learned that this disregard has consequences that I hate.

As I've said before, I do not have severe reactions from gluten that lead me to throw up, or develop a rash, or have alarming bowel problems, which means that I am very unaware of when I ingest it unintentionally. BUT, I have felt mildly nauseous almost every day since January, and I still don't feel that I have enough energy to work out. Dietician is an expert in this disease, and can attest that even an amount LESS THAN A SINGLE BREADCRUMB will cause my small intestinal lining to be damaged and ruin my absorption of nutrients for an extended amount of time. This miniscule amount of gluten can send people to the emergency room; so even though that does not happen to me I need to expect that it is damaging to my body. Very likely the fatigue and sick feeling after everything I eat is the result of cross-contamination, so the cure is to be highly diligent about what I put in my body.

At one point during the session, Dietician asked me "when was the last time you felt satisfied by a meal that you ate"... and I sat there in silence trying to remember a time. Both of us teared up a bit at this reality. Recently, and frequently over the past 2 years, I have been wracked with stress about eating, leading me to forgo the idea that I can get pleasure from feeding myself - not even hedonistic pleasure, just the humane gratification of having my needs met. If I don't expect to be satisfied, I do not feel the pain of disappointment and hunger. Yet this restrictiveness has taken its toll, which is evident in the half-eaten container of twelve-dollar GF cookie dough that I bought just 2 days ago. Once I find something GF that satisfies a craving, I naturally binge on this food. Like Dietician said, it's as if I've been breathing through a thin straw all this time, and removing the straw will bring the gulp of fresh air that my lungs need.

I realized this about myself recently when a classmate asked me what my favorite food was...and I couldn't answer her. My identity used to include the fact that I LOVE Chinese food... I used to visit Panda Express almost every day of the week in college. Well, I really don't eat much Chinese food lately, since I have not mastered the art of cooking Asian cuisine with my GF soy sauce :) There are foods that I enjoy...ice cream, cookie dough, and on a daily basis fruits and some veggies...but these do not make up a cuisine, they just help me get by. The loss of most of the foods that I USED to eat has left an empty space that I have not yet filled.

I do have faith that I will reach a point at which I will have a repertoire of dishes that I love to cook, and restaurants I can frequent where I can be assured to have a stress-free gluten-free meal prepared for me. It's just that I am just at the beginning of this process, which has been delayed by the difficulty of accepting this loss.

So today, at brunch with a table of fourteen girlfriends from college, I drank my beverage and watched as they enjoyed the plethora of omelettes, cinnamon buns, chocolate-chip pancakes, and egg sandwiches. I felt the pangs of restriction...but on the way home I stopped at the grocery store, stocked up on GF supplies, and cooked myself some pancakes topped with banana, strawberries, chopped hazelnuts, and powdered sugar. I am not yet free from the restricted-mentality life, but I will get there...or atleast closer to it ;)

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Day 9: JICAMA


It's not Jamaica, or formica, or gycima, or your grandma...it's hi-ku-ma! We have a dish at the Restaurant containing this ingredient, and despite the saturation of Latino culture and language in this Southern California area, soo many people have no idea how to pronounce it! I won't hold it against any of you, just wanted to clarify ;)

I must admit that growing up I always thought my mom was crazy including sticks of jicama in the veggie platter...but now I absolutely love it! It's like a crisp apple without the sugar crash! Jicama can also be called "yam bean", which is a rough translation of its Latin American name from where it originates. Jicama is actually the tuber of the root of a bean plant. It is so rich in dietary fiber and low in sugar! Such a healthy source of carbohydrate!

I julienned my jicama without skin, mixed with shredded red cabbage, segments of fresh grapefruit, and candied pecans. Sprinkled with rice wine vinegar and a squeeze of the grapefruit's juice...such a yummy refreshing salad!

HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:

+ 1 cup, skinless, has 46 calories, only 8 of which are from sugar
+ 25% of your dietary fiber need
+ no fat or cholesterol, 1g protein
+ 40% of your Vitamin C! good source of iron, vitamins E and B6, folate, potassium, magnesium, and manganese

FUN FACTS:

+ jicama can be boiled/baked and mashed like potatoes!
+ to be really authentic to its origins, sprinkle raw sticks with chili powder, salt, and lime juice
+ I like that it stars with a J...

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Day 8: HOTHOUSE CUCUMBER


The cucumber is a member of the gourd family: it is related to squash and melon as it grows on a creeping vine! The cucumber is technically a fruit, but so are a lot of other "vegetables" that are deemed so because they are not so sweet. Biologically speaking, a fruit is the product of the plant's sexual organ, the flower, and so is the means of spreading the seeds of a plant for its reproduction. This part of the plant is edible by animals (and tastey too!) which leads to a symbiotic relationship between forms of life: the animal gains nourishment, while the plant is able to spread its seed far beyond what would be possible in its immobile state. And most seeds are undigested by the animal's digestive system, which means it exits in an even better position than before it entered: surrounded by fertilizer!

I do not mean to be gross, but I have always been confused by the distinction between fruit and vegetable. In fact all of these "vegetables" are actually the fruits of their parent plants: pumpkins, squashes, tomatoes, peas, beans, corn, eggplant, chilies, various other spices, and cereal grains! Yep, a wheat kernel and a rice kernel are both edible seeds of the whole plant (the "fruit" part that surrounds the seeds -such as peach flesh around the pit- is very thin and inseperable from the seed). So back to cucumbers: whether or not you consider them a vegetable, I'm allowed to include them in my vegetable challenge (especially cause I can't think of any other vegetable starting with "H").

HOW GOOD THEY ARE FOR YOU:

+ 1/2 cup has only 8 calories, which means lots of water content to hydrate your cells
+ has only 1g sugar, no cholesterol, though no dietary fiber or protein. Insoluble fiber still plays a good role in cleaning out our colons though ;)
+ 11% of your daily Vitamin K need, and a little bit of practically every other nutrient your body needs
+ skin contains phytosterols: plant "fats" that reduce blood cholesterol levels in humans
+ contains ascorbic acid (Vitamin C precursor) which prevents water retention, lending to its use for reducing puffy eyes

FUN FACTS:

+ the Hothouse Cucumber is also known as an English Cucumber: it has a thinner skin, fewer seeds, and is longer and thinner than the standard variety
+ cucumbers originated in India, where you can find the most variety of types
+ the phrase "cool as a cucumber" is fitting because the inside of a cucumber can be up to 20 degrees cooler than its surroundings!

I love sliced cucumbers with any sort of dip or vinegar dressing. A new way I tried them here is mixed with some Greek yogurt and dill herb. Deliciously refreshing!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Flavor-Blind

Tonight at the Restaurant I was reminded of an odd reality that is now part of my life and will be forever. All of the serving staff were tasting a few dishes from the menu to review their ingredients and flavor profiles, so that we can better recommend them to our guests. But none of these dishes were gluten-free, so I was unable to taste them. Instead, I smelled the dishes intently, compared their appearance to other foods that I have eaten in an attempt to identify their taste, and asked my coworkers "what does is taste like? Is it spicy? Is it sweet? Is it salty? Savory?". I relied on them to be my eyes and ears...or really my tongue...to experience the food, similarly to how a blind person relies on the descriptions of others to experience their visual surroundings.

One realization I've had is that it can be very difficult to accurately describe a flavor with words; it's often more effective to compare the tastes of two foods that are similar, since each person has a different experience of how foods taste, as well as what words mean. The other realization is that EATING is a way of relating to people that I am now often excluded from. For example, it has been over 2 years since I have had a beer, and I can't say that I was much of a connaisseur before being GF. I can't very well imagine how different types of beers taste since they are flavors I have never experienced. Yet I am constantly asked to describe different beers to Restaurant patrons and really have no idea what the words coming out of my mouth are.

Food plays such a central role in shared culture: to experience another culture is to taste its cuisine; to feel at home is to eat the dishes your mother cooked for you growing up, or your grandmother made for the entire family every holiday. An ex-boyfriend from the South used to talk about all of his favorite foods (mostly fried ;)) that I just "had to try someday". He wanted to share some of his culture with me, but those were things I could never experience with him (and now it's a moot point). I also sometimes think about how if I return to Paris (I lived there for a summer during college) I won't be able to enjoy the foods that I found to be so essential to the French experience: brioche, crepes, baguettes, etc.

Thankfully (I think) I DO know what so many of these foods taste like since I was not gluten-free until 2 years ago. I HAVE had a crepe from Paris, I HAVE eaten a hamburger with a REAL bun. These sensory experiences are still stored in my memory, and I can recall them whenever I need to relate to something that is now off-limits. This is the double-edged sword of those "would you rather" questions: is it better to have been born blind and never know what sights you're missing, or is it better to have been able to see the world and lose sight later in life? Some think that's torture, others would feel gratitude. I know I feel both!

Of course it is also becoming increasingly possible to replicate gluten-containing foods with gluten-free flours and grains (although it is very difficult to get it right), so it's not the most drastic loss in the world. But what an odd revelation that is shown to me day after day and I have yet to completely accept: that my disease comes with many types of exclusions that were not part of my life before CD.

Day 7: GARLIC


Believe it or not, the stinking rose is classified as a vegetable! It is in the "Alliaceae" family of plants which includes the onion, leek, shallot, and chive. Large amounts of garlic can actually increase risk of bleeding (such as during menstruation or around childbirth). But in smaller doses garlic is a miracle-worker: it is shown to reduce the build-up of plaque in the arteries, thereby reducing risk of atherosclerosis and high blood pressure, reduces blood cholesterol levels, and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Garlic has adverse reactions with bacteria, fungus, and parasites, and has been used to treat infections from these microbes over the course of history. Garlic is also a vasodilator: it stimulates the dilation of blood vessels, resulting in lowered blood pressure and increased bloodflow. It stimulates the immune system and is being used in treatment of persons with AIDS.

This is essential to know: crushing garlic activates the enzymes which do all of its good work, but cooking garlic at high eat (even 1 minute in the microwave!) disables these enzymes! My recommendation is adding garlic at the last second to your pan of vegetables.

HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:

+ 1 oz. has 2g protein, 1g fiber, 42 calories
+ contains significant amounts of Vitamins C and B6, thiamin, calcium, iron, phosphorous, copper, manganese, selenium, and potassium
+ full of important phytochemicals with antioxidant and cancer-preventing effects, especially the sulfur-containing compounds which cause that lovely "garlic breath"


FUN FACTS:

+ garlic's odor - which can emmanate from the pores of the skin in addition to one's breath - comes from the gas "allyl methyl sulfide" which is a byproduct of metabolizing garlic that is absorbed into the bloodstream. But remember - these chemicals are the ones that do such good work in the body
+ people who are allergic to garlic may also have adverse reactions to onions, ginger, and bananas!
+ in the Qu'ran Muhammed forbids going to mosque after eating garlic because the odor will "irritate" fellow worshippers
+ "alliumphobia" is the fear of plants with highly pungent odor and taste

Day 6: FRENCH GREEN BEANS


Life got busy, hence the blog-writing hiatus, but that did not stop me from eating my vegetables! Nothing can keep us apart...we're in love!! Let me fill you in...

Les haricots verts, en francais....the French green bean is much thinner than the American variety, lending itself to be much more delicious, and just as nutritious! I like them simply sauteed in olive oil and topped with some sliced almonds, or even just a bit of garlic. Once you try these delicate legumes you too will find l'amour.

HOW GOOD THEY ARE FOR YOU:
+ 1 cup has only 40 calories, 4g dietary fiber, 2g protein, 4g sugars
+ 120% daily Vitamin K need! essential for bone health and proper blood clotting
+ about 20% of daily Vitamins A and C which neutralize free radicals
+ good source of potassium, folate, magnesium, thiamin, riboflavin, & phosphorous

FUN FACTS:
+ they are the same variety as "string beans" to us Americans
+ originated from South America, cultivated in Asia by European travelers
+ part of the legume family - those with edible pods - which in French actually means ALL vegetables
+ bacteria living among the roots of legumes converts nitrogen in the air to a nutrient for the plant, which results in the higher protein content of these beans

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Day 5: EGGPLANT


Wow, it's only day 5 and already I am finding this vegetable challenge...challenging! What's most difficult is the planning-ahead and preparation time that are necessary to pull off cooking a new dish every day...Typically my meals go like this: when I feel hungry I go look in my kitchen for something that sounds appetizing, combine it with some other ingredients to make a more complete meal, and prepare it based on how much time I have. Sooo, there's basically NO planning that goes into that way of eating. Plus, given that I attend school during lunch hour and work from dinner-time to midnight, I REALLY have to plan WAY ahead (2 meals ahead) to figure out how to eat complete meals 3 times a day. It's also a completely new concept to me to plan for ALL of the ingredients I will need in the week and shop for them ahead of time. I guess this challenge could also be called...welcome to adult life!!! There's no one to stock my kitchen with everything I need except me :)

So eggplant is a veggie that I do like if it is prepared in a way so that it's not mushy nor tough. What I did was cube it (including the skin!) and sautee in olive oil, along with some green peas, sundried tomatoes, and shrimp. Tossed in brown rice pasta it was fantastic! I seriously think it's my new favorite addition to pasta!


HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:

+ eggplant has no fat or cholesterol, 1g protein, and is low-cal (35 for 1 cup)
+ has a small amount of all minerals we need, though nothing to boast about
+ all of the benefits are in eggplant's rich purple skin: 10% daily dietary fiber
and 13 different phytochemicals that are anti-oxidants
+ thought to help fight bacterial infections and to reduce blood cholesterol, though more research needs to be done


FUN FACTS:

+ eggplant was wildly unpopular until the 1700s, rumored to cause leprosy and drive people insane
+ belongs to the "nightshade" family of plants which include: tomatoes, potatoes, chili peppers, and tobacco!
+ it is almost 95% water

Day 4: DAIKON



I've been explaining daikon as "it's like a radish..." for almost two years now at the Restaurant when guests ask about it on the menu. In fact it absolutely is a radish, known as white icicle radish, oriental radish, or daikon meaning "large root" in Japanese. It is often pickled for use as a condiment, and is rumored to help digest starches and fats, which is why they are commonly served with tempura dishes. The flavor is more mild and sweeter than the small radishes we're familiar with, so I chose to use it julienned with carrots in a salad of romaine lettuce and sprinkled crushed peanuts. Topped with a traditional "vinaigrette", this root added a wonderfully crisp and juicy crunch to my greens!

Amazu Dressing:

1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup water, and 1.5 tbs sugar. Warm to dissolve sugar, then cool in fridge

HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:

+ 1/2 cup, raw, has only 18 calories...it's basically half water and half fiber
+ provides 25% of your daily vitamin C needs!
+ 0g sugar, 0.5g protein, 1g dietary fiber
+ a bit of vitamin B, folate, iron, potassium, and copper
+ provides active enzymes (when raw only!) that aid in digestion

not quite as nutrient-packed as chard, but for almost no calories adds a fantastic amount of vitamin C to your salad or stir-fry!

FUN FACTS:

+ another variety of daikon radish, Sakurajima-daikon, can grow up to 2 feet wide and weight up to 100 pounds!
+ juice of daikon is sold both as a digestive aid and as an anti-carcinogen
+ the top part of the root (near the leaves) is sweetest, so best for eating raw; the bottom half tastes better when stir-fried to reduce the bitter flavor

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Day 3: CHARD


Let's just call it chard, whether Swiss, Ruby, Rhubarb, or Rainbow (pictured). It is a relative of the beet, and also a vegetable I never ate growing up. But after learning about this wonder-food I am making it a goal to eat chard every week!

On the recommendation of a dear friend, I prepared my chard by saute-ing chopped leaves and stalks in olive oil and sprinkling with balsamic vinegar before taking out of the pan. Check out these AMAZING stats.

HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:

1 cup chard, cooked, has:
+ 4g dietary fiber and 3g protein
+ 214% daily vitamin A!!
+ 716% daily vitamin K!!! crazy!
+ about 1/3 of your daily need for iron, magnesium, potassium, and manganese
+ small amount of omega-6 fatty acids, and decent amount of vits C and E

A and K are both fat-soluble vitamins (along with D and E)...this means that the body will store any excess amounts in fatty tissue of the liver. Vitamins B and C are excreted in urine when we don't need them, so there's not much danger in over-consumption of those. But there are definitely toxic side-effects from over-consumption of A,D,E, and K, which is why I would not recommend eating chard every day even with its superpower-status.

Interestingly, my celiac disease's damage to the small intestine occurs in one of the areas where fat-absorption takes place. Due to this, active celiac disease can prevent absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins, which is why when I was first diagnosed my doctors all recommended me taking extra supplements of these vitamins as well as calcium and iron. Vitamins are necessary for most mineral absorption, which explains why when I took gobs of iron supplements prior to my diagnosis I saw absolutely NO change in my anemia..it just wasn't gettin' through!

FUN FACTS:

+ chard has amazing anti-oxidant power which neutralizes free-radicals
+ it is shown to reduce arterial plaque and promote colon health
+ those with white stalks are the most tender (and edible)
+ "Swiss chard" was named by the French in order to distinguish it from spinach

Friday, April 16, 2010

Day 2: BRUSSEL SPROUTS


I'll keep this "alphabetical" thing going while I can...plus this happens to be the only other vegetable left in my fridge! Looks like I'll be going to the grocery store tomorrow...

Brussel sprouts have a notoriously bad reputation...I remember refusing to eat them at a friend's house when I was young, and still hadn't touched them until about a year ago when a coworker prepared them for a dinner party and I was obligated to fork a few onto my plate. To the skeptic, they may smell sulfurous or taste bitter. But stripped of the yellow outer leaves and cooked properly, they lose their funk and the densely packed centers' "meaty" quality makes them very satisfying (you'll learn that I'm all about satiety).



HOW I PREPARED THEM:

+ rinsed under water and cut in half down the center
+ spread halves on foil-covered baking sheet
+ drizzled olive oil, cracked black pepper, and sea salt over the top
+ baked in the oven at 400 degrees F for 35 minutes

This method leaves them with a bit more of their crunch, rather than steaming which I have also tried and enjoyed.


HOW GOOD THEY ARE FOR YOU:

1 cup of brussel sprouts steamed or baked (not boiled) have:
+ 37 calories
+ less than 1g fat: includes omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (great unsaturated fats)
+ 3g dietary fiber, 3g protein, and only 2g sugar
+ very low glycemic load (so if you eat them with a more sugar-rich food, this will help to slow down the metabolism of the whole meal!)
+ NO cholesterol, AND some good plant phytosterols
+ a decent amount of potassium, manganese, iron, vitamins A & B, and folate
++ 200% daily value of Vitamin K!! AWESOME!
++ 125% daily value of Vitamin C! - almost as much as 1 orange! and SO much less sugar! (1 orange has 17g sugars)

FUN FACTS:

+ the British consume 6 times more brussel sprouts than Americans (that childhood friend's parents were from England...if I had only known this then, I would have been forewarned from eating dinner at their house...)
+ recent research suggests that one of their nutrients - sinigrin - may prevent colon cancer. This is the same compound responsible for their gaseous smell ;) how ironic
+ cutting an X with your knife at the base of the sprout helps even cooking all the way through to the center


Wow, who knew? Brussel sprouts are awesome, anti-inflammatory foods. I will warn you ahead of time though...they will probably make you gassy, being the cruciferous vegetable that they are! Steaming adequately and chewing well help to reduce gas by helping your body to digest them and allow your GI tract to absorb more of the nutrients :)

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Day 1: ARTICHOKE


Let's start at the very beginning...A is for Artichoke!

Now, I'm actually being very easy on myself because this is a vegetable that I already love, but rarely eat because they're expensive. Right now, though, it is artichoke season so they are on sale! $1 for an artichoke doesn't seem so bad, and having just eaten a whole one by myself I am feeling pretty dang satisfied!

Here's what I think about 'em:

1. EASY to prepare: rinse under water, wrap in plastic wrap, microwave for 4 minutes, let stand for 1 minute, and voila! Perfectly delectible artichoke! Steaming this way rather than boiling in water ensures that the nutrients don't leave the artichoke and end up in your pan. Baking or grilling are also tastey ways of preparing artichoke while preserving nutrients, but I'm all about speed and ease.

2. They're one of those foods that are an EXPERIENCE to eat, like pistachios or pomegranates: you have to work for every bite of food! While some may find this annoying, I like how it limits the pace of your meal (you can't just inhale an artichoke in 30 seconds) and think the process adds to its satiety.

3. DIP in some sort of fat: traditionally one would strip off a leaf of artichoke, dip the non-pokey edge in mayo, melted butter, olive oil, margarine, etc, and scrape the "meat" off with your teeth. Overall you consume no more than 1 tbs of fat, but it adds perfect balance to the meal! A little bit of fat = a lot of satiety!

HOW GOOD THEY ARE FOR YOU:

+ an average medium artichoke has only 25 calories
+ 6g of dietary fiber (25% daily recommendation)
+ only 1g sugar
+ 4g protein
+ no fat, no cholesterol (but any dip will likely add fat)
+ recently ranked #1 in antioxidant content by USDA: contains many phytochemicals that help the liver generate new cells, not to mention a significant amount of potassium, vitamin C, folate, and magnesium
+ known to lower blood cholesterol levels

FUN FACTS:
+ people claim they can cure a hangover
+ California grows almost 100% of artichokes eaten in the US
+ "Cynar" liqueor is made from the artichoke (and tastes like artichoke!)

don't be afraid of this pokey-chokey...try one today!

21-Day Vegetable Challenge!!!!

I am not a big fan of vegetables....fruit, I LOVE, but vegetables I have a hard time craving or even swallowing. While I know I get many great nutrients from fruits, I also find that they raise my blood sugar level too high and leave me feeling some sort of "sugar crash", even if I eat them with almond butter, whole nuts, cheese, or soy yogurt (adding proteins and fats lowers the overall glycemic index of the meal, meaning a slower and more steady release of glucose into the blood and longer-lasting energy). Vegetables, on the other hand, provide many nutrients not found in fruits, have much lower sugar levels, and provide essential fiber, all of which help lead to a more satisfying and filling meal. SOOOO... like your mother always told you, you should eat your vegetables!

This leads me to my challenge: I am going to eat a different vegetable each day for 21 days, trying them in preparations that will hopefully be tastey! In doing so I will hold myself accountable for trying new foods even if I don't think they "sound good", and will hopefully discover some great vegetables with amazing nutrients ,that I actually like to eat too!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

In vinegar we trust?

Tonight I was researching vinegar for my organic chemistry class (since vinegar contains acetic acid derived from alcohol, in case you didn't know or, eh hem, cared) and this simple topic led me to celiac disease, just as so many things in my world seem to do. About 2 months ago I had a celiac guest at the Restaurant to whom I recommended a dish that contained mayonnaise. When it arrived at the table she informed me that she couldn't eat mayonnaise because it contains vinegar, which is commonly made from fermented wheat or barley. Turns out Chef makes his own mayonnaise from rice wine vinegar, which completely delighted her and resulted in a happy ending. But I myself was left a bit lost by the encounter, since all of the books I have read insist that regular vinegar is free of gluten.

So in researching vinegar tonight I learned more about why it is technically deemed gluten-free: white vinegar (most commonly used) is made from distilled alcohols, which have been evaporated from their original source (such as beer) and recondensed as a more pure form of alcohol that will not contain any protein or "prolamines" (which gluten is). This is why celiacs are now told that they can drink vodkas, gins, whiskeys, and bourbons if they are 100% distilled liquors, even though they are orginally made from a wheat, barley, or rye source.

BUT..."old-school" celiacs insist that they get sick even from distilled products, which would include vinegar. This would mean that ketchup, salad dressings, mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, and many many other condiments would be off-limits. It would be tempting to dismiss these people by claiming they are "psyching themselves out", as though they get sick because they know it's from a gluten-source. Or perhaps all of these people simply drink too much alcohol and feel sick just like every other drunk! I do not think it is reasonable, however, to dismiss so many reactions. This makes me wonder if "science" does not yet fully understand the issue: perhaps some component of gluten remains in the distilled product which also triggers the celiac response? Or maybe contamination is at fault, even if the intended product is free of gluten.

Since I still can rarely identify my symptoms of celiac disease, it is very difficult to know how MY body is reacting, if I am having an immune response to all of these vinegars and alcohols without knowing it. Some celiacs get sick, others don't...so who do I trust? Especially when the former stance would mean MANY MANY more restrictions.

Monday, April 5, 2010

What happens to you if you eat it???

This is by far the most common question I get asked when someone finds out I am allergic to gluten. I actually find it VERY difficult to answer. This is because I know that if I ate gluten right then and there, my symptoms would not show up immediately, and very likely they would never be apparent to anyone watching. My common responses of "I get sick", or "my immune system damages my small intestine" are usually too intangible to satisfy the inquisitor.

In the Restaurant we tend to be cynical (not openly, of course) toward difficult patrons with specific needs who insist they are allergic to onion, can't eat garlic, or are allergic to nuts and dairy and wheat, and are vegetarian by choice, etc... The most commonly ludicrous seems to be "I'm vegetarian...but I eat chicken and fish". Often when we try to accomodate this person's dietary restrictions, and warn them "this sauce has [forbidden ingredient] in it", they will eat it anyway. I can't tell you how many times someone has insisted that they need a special dish made for them because of their special needs, and halfway through the meal I see them eating off of all of the other plates which I have clearly told them are NOT safe for them to eat.

We bitch because the diner asks us to jump through hoops for them, often with a big attitude, only to demonstrate that our effort wasn't very necessary or appreciated. But when I think about my own dietary restrictions I become aware that, while so many of us who "know" we must follow dietary restrictions for the good of our health, we struggle even more with restricting ourselves from our appetites. Though I wish these guests were more gracious with us and more honest with themselves, I admit that I too have eaten something that I either didn't want to know I was allergic to or did know but ate it anyway. I know how this can appear hypocritical....but really it is a demonstration of the power-struggle at work once we label a food as forbidden. The ability to "cheat" and eat the forbidden foods is likely correlated to the severity of the symptoms, though I know even "deathly allergic" people will sometimes consciously test their limits (and wind up in the ER).

Celiac disease is a more complex allergy (in fact, it is an auto-immune disorder) with a very wide range of symptoms and consequences, many of which are not life-and-death but which absolutely effect quality of life. Sometimes I wish I had a very simple answer for people, or that they wouldn't need me to turn red and puff up like a fish after eating gluten in order to see my diet as IMPORTANT. Although I do feel challenged by the questions, I realize that most of it is curiosity, and that what is most important at the end of the day is that I don't feel tired, achey, depressed, bloated, anemic, and grumpy.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Reverse Anorexia

It's what they now classify as Muscle Dysmorphia, a newly recognized male eating disorder that seems to be becoming more and more prevalent. This condition is similar to anorexia nervosa in that qualifying men seem "unable to be satisfied with [their] appearance" and engage in potentially dysfunctional behaviors "despite knowledge of adverse physical or psychological consequences". As opposed to anorexia, in which the person feels that they are too big or too fat, these men continue to see themselves as too small despite their actual size. Men characterized by muscle dysmorphia "are obsessively preoccupied with their diets and they manipulate their dietary intake in potentially unhealthful ways", including high-protein diets, excessive exercise, use of steroids, and abuse of legal supplements. Just as an anorexic would obsessively count her/his calories in order to decrease or maintain low body weight, someone with muscle dysmorphia is likely to hold themselves to an extremely rigid diet and exercise plan, often forfeiting personal relationships and overall health in the process. These men are also more likely to use bingeing as a form of weight-control. The disorder is more overwhelmingly seen among homosexual men, obese men, and athletes.

The author of this article states as a given that professionals have long assumed that men "are not susceptible to such [eating] disturbances". While reading I noticed myself that I did not hold as much concern for the men suffering muscle dysmorphia as I would for an anorexic female, and realized that I too would underestimate the emotional toll that low self-esteem and poor body image would have on a man. A social psychology course at UCLA taught me that the body/mass index ratio of female models has decreased drastically in the past 50 years. This article noted that the body/mass index ratio of male models has dramatically increased. These public images take physical features that we idealize as "healthy" and "youthful", and exaggerate them to an unhealthy degree. It is no longer just women who are subjected to these unattainable standards; in some sense this new trend is a great equalizer.

Kaminski, Patricia L., PhD. "Male Body Dissatisfaction and the Growing Concerns About Muscle Dysmorphia." Scan's Pulse. American Dietetic Association. Winter 2010, Vol. 29, No. 1.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Fat sans cholesterol?

Stearic acid is a long-chain saturated fat (it is saturated with hydrogen molecules which lead to its solidity at room temperature, among many other properties). Stearic acid is found in cocoa butter (chocolate!), sheanut oil, butterfat, beef tallow, and lard (animal fats that I always assumed to be "unhealthy).

The Hershey Center for Health & Nutrition (consider the source) has compiled several research studies which find that stearic acid is a "special fat"... It is a saturated fat similar to others like myristic acid, lauric acid, and palmitic acid, but differs in one important way: while all of these other saturated fats are proven to raise cholesterol levels, consuming stearic acid does not.

A diet high in saturated fat is highly correlated with heart disease. These studies' findings, however, suggest that stearic acid in itself is not a risk for heart disease, and perhaps could be substituted for other fats in the diet for those who struggle with their blood cholesterol levels. But because stearic acid is usually consumed along with other saturated fats (butterfat is only 12% stearic acid...so what's the rest?) it would be difficult to say that it is "healthy" or "safe" to eat.

An interesting challenge to the sweeping generalization that fat is bad for you!

Griel, Amy, Ph.D, RD. "Stearic Acid: A Unique Saturated Fat". The Hershey Center
for Health and Nutrition.