Mediterraneans Adopting American Diet

At the same time Americans have been embracing the Mediterranean diet the Mediterraneans have been embracing the American diet. Their income is rising and so is their consumption of meat and saturated fats. In the past the Mediterraneans considered meat more of a side dish than an entree.

Since 1962 the calorie intake of Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cypress and Malta has increased by 30%. Due to higher calorie intake and lower calorie output three-forths of the Greek population is overweight or obese. More than half the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese popualtion are overweight.

Quote from Tufts “The dietary decline has led Greece, Spain, Italy and Morocco to ask UNESCO to designate the Mediterrian diet as an intangible piece of cultural herritage in need of preservation”.   

A Bite of Beef

In the past health and nutrition experts have recommended cutting back on red meat to protect your heart and this is not bad advice. However, if you choose the cut wisely and use the proper preparation, you can still enjoy an occasional bite of beef.

Choose the leanest cuts - round, tenderloin,sirloin, and flank. Name labeling on the package can be misleading in determining the cut you are buying. If you are in doubt check with your butcher.

Grade of beef - choose select or choice rather than prime. The more white you see in a cut of beef the more saturated fat the beef contains.

Ground Beef - ranges from 5 to 30%, stay within the 5 to 7% range

Cooking - Remove any visible fat before cooking. Broil, baking, roasting and grilling are the leanest cooking methods.

A 3oz. serving of beef is a good source of iron, vitamins B12 and B6, zinc, selenium and great source of protein.

It is recommended that you eat no more than a 3oz. serving once a week.

Source: Weill Cornell Medical College    

Eat Fungi- Stay Healthy

Hear the word mushroom and you probably think fungi but the word healthy should come to mind; mushrooms are proving to be healthy for both your colon and your heart.

Lynn Goldstein, MS, RD, CDN, a dietitian at Weill Cornell Medical Center states that mushrooms are a very healthy and tasty addition to your favorite dishes. They are low in calories, very low in sodium and fat, and a good source of potassium, riboflavin, niacin, selenium, and high in fiber.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found white button, crimini, portobello, maitake, shiitake, and enoki to be rich in heart healthy dietary fibers. Portobello and Crimini mushrooms contain oligosaceharides (sugar molecules) only partially digestible and are considered prebiotic (meaning they promote the growth of healthful bacteria in the colon. 

For the sake of your heart and your colon – eat a mushroom.    

The Pros and Cons of eating Chocolate

Over the past 10 yeas studies suggest that the compounds in dark chocolate, flavonoids, have cardiovascular and other potential health benefits. It is thought that the antioxidant, anti-clotting, and anti-inflammatory effects make dark chocolate heart friendly.

Most of the fat found naturally in chocolate is saturated but more than half of that fat is stearic acid, this has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol.

Unfortunately the chocolate bars we have all grown to love is not the healthful chocolate; chocolate used in these studies is cocoa, baking chocolate, or specially formulated dark chocolate.

Even though no one is ready to declare chocolate a health food the University of California, Berkely says “there still may be some health benefits to an ounce or so of chocolate a day”.  

Tips on how to choose the most healthful chocolate

• Look for chocolate that list cocoa beans (or some variation such as cocoa, chocolate liquior, or cocoa mass) as the first ingredient – not sugar. 60 to 75% cocoa is the content to aim for. The darker the chocolate, the less room for sugar.
• Check serving size – a 3oz. bar may contain as much as 450 calories and 30 grams of fat.
• Ingredients like nuts and dried fruit are healthful, carmel and bacon are not. According to this article there is a chocolate bar that contains bacon.
• Cocoa powder is highest in cocoa solids and has more flavonoids if it is not Dutch or alkali-processed.
• White chocolate is not real chocolate — it has no cocoa or flavonoids — just cocoa butter, sugar, and flavorings.

Source: Article from he Wellness Letter, University of California, Berkeley 

Almonds, Good For Your Gut

A study in Applied and Environmental Microbiology reports that almonds may improve your digestion and boost your immune system. The recommendation is that you eat about 25 almonds everyday, quote”this keeps your escape route clear”.

Source - Women’s Health 

Canned Beans

“Beans have the highest antioxidant content, period” states Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD; nutritional director with Prevention magazine.

In a hurry, buy canned beans, they are more expensive than a bag of dried beans but just as nutritious. Look for brands that are low in sodium, salt and prepared with no fat.

I would also add beans are so versatile, eat them right out of the can, add them to soup or your favorite casserole.