Know Food Now

The Truth about Muscles and Weight Loss

2013-05-14T16:33:00.002-07:00

The photo on the left does not show that muscle weighs more than fat, but that 5lbs of fat takes up a larger volume than 5lbs of muscle.

There is no alchemy that transforms gelatinous yellow goop into lean red muscle. When your weight loss program plateaus, you have not built sufficient muscle mass to compensate for the lack of weight loss, you simply have not lost fat and that's why you continue to weigh the same. To reduce fat you need to reduce your caloric intake.

A dieter concentrating on calorie reduction can expect a weekly weight loss of 1 - 2lbs. Caloric deficits are not conducive to building muscle mass, in fact the opposite is true. And muscle building is an arduous and time consuming process that is based on a normal diet, not a weight loss diet. Males can gain 0.25lb of muscle per week under the best circumstances and women half that. So fat loss and muscle mass will never cancel each other out over a given time period.

Muscle mass will make you look slimmer, but the fact that muscle burns more calories than fat is not significant. Studies measuring metabolism vary greatly, but Dr. Cedric X. Bryant, the American Council on Exercise's Chief Science Officer, suggest a pound of muscle only burns about 6 calories a day.

To see what this means for you, there are online body fat calculators with which to measure your fat loss and muscle gain. All you need is a skin fold caliper.

A 2012 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology concluded that aerobic exercise is "the optimal mode of exercise for reducing fat mass and body mass." Of the three exercise modalities compared, aerobic, aerobic combined with resistance training, and resistance training alone, the combined program resulted in the most weight loss but the results were not "significantly better than the aerobic-only group." The resistance only group gained weight.

The take away is to reduce your calories and start walking, running, cycling, swimming or dancing! Muscle training has advantages, but not for weight loss. Develop a mindset that diet and exercise work best in combination.

5:2 Is this Diet for You?

2013-05-01T10:21:00.003-07:00

Do all good things come from the UK? Definitely some TV shows. I watch them while snacking. Perhaps to counteract this tendency, a much touted diet from the same country suggests that it's OK to eat whatever you want for 5 days of the week as long as you seriously, as in 500 calories per day, restrict what you eat for 2 days of the week.

Sounds easy so I was sure it was for me. Of course you have already heard about this diet and perhaps even tried it while I have been procrastinating the start of it.

Note that the research has all been anecdotal, so aside from "testimonials" all the actual testing was performed on rodents. With the disclaimer that I have not read the book, I would like to report back what I learn from my sample of one. My goal weight loss is 5lbs.

Day 1: Since there is no food in my house and I don't feel like going to the store I am making this a fast day. So far I have consumed leftovers from my garden vegetable salad at The Cheesecake Factory, including the French bread loaf, but without butter because I ate all the pats the previous night and don't have any butter. Dinner was steamed broccoli crowns and white Thai jasmine rice, the amount cooked from 1/2 cup raw. I think this has to be less than 500 calories.

Day 2: Ate a hard boiled egg. Went to art class. Ate bag of potato chips for 240 calories plus an apple for 80. Ate a container of Vanilla Swiss Almond Haagan Dazs for dinner. I guess today will not be a fast day.

But you don't have to guess. There is a free calorie counter site that takes guessing out of the equation. Not only does this site count your calories, but it grades your meal for nutrition. Obviously something the snacker in me needs.

Day 3: Ate bagel with butter and coffee. Already I am down 350 calories and realize I should have eaten an egg. I am going to have to review some of my blogs on will power, training my brain, and making food substitutions if I want to stay at 500 calories!

I will update this blog at the end of the week with hopefully a report of weight loss. That's what will determine if this diet is for me. Is it for you is the question.

What color is your Grape?

2013-04-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

Black Grapes by MHallet

No matter how you color them, grapes are the summer season's go to fruit. Although darker grapes contain more resveratrol, all grapes are sources of manganese, vitamin K and vitamin C.

Grapes are low in calories. One cup (151g) of grapes is approximately 104 calories. WHfoods suggests that you treat 15-20 grapes as a one cup equivalent. Grapes are nutrient dense so they make your calories count. Eat them frozen to prolong your enjoyment.

In addition to being a healthy weight loss snack, there are many other benefits to consuming calories from grapes. Cardiovascular benefits have been studied as they relate to the paradoxical consumption of food high in saturated fat and the lower incidence of heart attacks in France.

Some studies show that resveratrol blocks fat formation while others state that the chemical piceatanno is the fat blocker. Enjoy your red wine for this possible benefit, but as in everything moderation is key.

The low GI (glycemic index) of grapes gives them a blood sugar benefit for diabetics. The combination of resveratrol and the water and fiber in grapes helps modulate the blood glucose response so grapes are a safe sweet for diabetics.

Enjoy grapes now while they are at their best.

Got Eggs?

2013-04-01T17:47:00.001-07:00

"Half Dozen" MHallet

Often overlooked and maligned, the egg is a food that you should consider as daily breakfast fare. "The incredible, edible egg" slogan and jingle are just not getting the point across, yet. So, I am doing my part to explain the health benefits of eggs.

Eggs are nature's best wrapped source of protein, low in calories (70) and high in calcium, vitamin D and folate. They are one of the most nutrient dense foods. True there is cholesterol in the yolk, but eggs today have 14% less cholesterol than in 2002 and the amount, 185mg, is below the recommended daily allowance of 300mg (based on a 2000 calorie intake). Free range chickens have less cholesterol and more omega 3 fatty acids and vitamins than those that are cooped.

The American Egg Board states that "Eggs contain one of the highest quality proteins of any food."

Studies show that eggs can be considered a dietary tool because they increase satiety over similar weight bagel breakfasts. The subjects who consumed eggs ate a smaller lunch and the decrease in energy (calorie) consumption lasted 24 hours.

Dragon Fruit or Pitaya - Beauty that is only skin deep

2013-01-13T09:35:00.001-08:00

I recently returned from Cambodia, where Dragon Fruit decorates every plate, and I can personally attest that the beauty of this fruit is only skin deep. The bright white seeded flesh varies from tasteless to too sweet.

Surprisingly, according to a Time Magazine article, the Secrets of the Superfruit, the Nicaragua Pitaya, which looks exactly like Dragon Fruit, but with red flesh, is the new health food. The article mistakenly pictures the white fleshed Dragon Fruit.

This is an easy error because Google Images also conflates the two. But suffice it to say that the red flesh must have a lot more flavor because two young entrepreneurs are staking their fortunes on it.

Dragon Fruit Phnom Penh

Eric Helms of Juice Generation and Chuck Casano of Pitaya+ have products that can be on your table today. I don't know how someone buys exclusive rights to a year's supply of pitaya from Nicaragua, but that is Helms' claim. At his numerous NYC locations, Pitaya juice is one of many products he offers. Casano is promoting social responsibility rather than exclusivity. His only products are made from pitaya.

The problem with this "superfruit" is that it is on the USDA's list of banned produce. It must be imported pulped and frozen. So while nutritionists say stop juicing because of sugar, Eric Helm says, "It (pitaya) is low in sugar."

I could not found a calorie count on his site, but I note at Pitraya+, the juice is watered down with other juice flavors to produce a count of 70 calories per 8oz. This does compare favorably to the 110 calories in 8 oz of orange juice.

As a consumer you have options. It's fun to try something new. Personally, I will consume it as a new flavor rather than as a panacea for health.
beauty, health, sex

Pitaya Nicaragua

Pumpkin Fare: White not?

2012-10-24T11:06:00.002-07:00

Giant White Pumpkin

White or orange the beautiful pumpkin needs to be considered beyond a decorative garnish or dessert for the holidays.

Pumpkins are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin A, but their benefits become adulterated because of the ways we use them. And I am talking about pumpkin pie. Depending on the recipe, and the toppings, the calories can be uncountable.

Of course there are low fat versions of everything, but your best bet with pumpkin is to discover how to use them in foods other than dessert. A cup of pumpkin puree has only 50 calories!

Roasted pumpkin is a great base for soup or a colorful garnish to a vegetable platter. Thinking of pumpkin as a savory instead of a sweet will help you find new uses for this healthy gourd.

White pumpkins can change your perspective. They are associated with curries and East Asian foods, not Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Eat Local, Not Organic

2012-10-09T23:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.time.com/time/
covers/0,16641,20070312,00.html

Eating local, not organic is not a new concept as Time Magazine published this cover March 12, 1007. But food is fashion, and the subject of food origin is in style again with a new Time Magazine, October 15, 2012 article.

But what is eating local? In 2008, USDA stated local is "related to the distance between food producers and consumers," (and) "defined in terms of social and supply chain characteristics."

That distance is described as either 400 miles or within the state of origin. Locavores squeeze this definition further and challenge people to eat within 100 miles of their home. They talk about the "foodshed" where local food is defined ecologically by climate, soil, water, and species.

Can't these two eating concepts co-exist? Land is key. The issue is how much farmland is local and how much local soil is certified organic. While we stand in the grocery aisle debating between pesticides or petroleum, farmers are fighting over a niche market. It is increasing, but it is limited by its parameters. Today it represents less than 1% of the food we eat.

If you want to eat local and organic, consider signing up for a CSA, or community supported agriculture. Purchase a "share" in the farm's outcome and accept what they can produce. If you can't identify what's in the weekly box, want something different, or the growing season is over, Whole Foods and other natural foods markets work well to source food for you.

Feel thankful that you can consider these choices as challenges. Most people eat what is offered by national distributors and produced by large agribusinesses. High energy prices are less challenging than providing a year round food supply of fresh produce in areas of limited growing seasons.

In the end you are what you eat, not where your food comes from. So far pesticide residue has not been proven lethal and it is a pretty sure bet that the planet will survive our carbon footprint.

Article first published as Eat Local, Not Organic on Technorati.

Meat or Potatoes - Which Diet is Best? - Dean Ornish UPDATE

2012-09-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

Are you a meat and potatoes person? According to results of a Texas study, there is no need to choose between proteins and carbohydrates.

The potential benefits of low-fat high protein or low-fat high carb diets were compared by tracking 300 overweight men and women between the ages of 35 and 75.

All the participants were moderately overweight with a body mass index greater than 27, all had type 2 diabetes, and all were randomly assigned to each diet approach.

Long term the two diets were essentially the same. Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian and assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas said these results were not surprising. She emphasized that "bottom line the issue for weight loss is calories, not where those calories come from."

So what does this mean for you? Does it describe a diet when you can eat what you want? Only if you limit your caloric intake to achieve weight loss. And this is the rub. If eating what you want has caused a weight problem, than eating less of what you want is only a first step. A necessary second step is taking a look at your diet and changing it so you feel satisfied. The caveat is to choose a healthy diet.

UPDATE

An article authored by Dean Ornish and published today in the New York Times (9/23/12) points out that being thin and being healthy are not the same thing. According to Ornish, "Being overweight is not necessarily linked with disease or premature death." He continues, "What you eat affects which diseases you may develop, regardless of whether you’re thin or fat." Dr. Ornish is adamantly against any Adkins style diet and cites a study that shows that high protein, low carbohydrate diets promote coronary artery disease.

California Proposition 37 - Required Reading or Not?

2012-09-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

One reason it's so hard to find a good tomato in the supermarket is because tomatoes are a genetically modified crop. In fact they are the first commercially grown GMO food. In 1994, Calgene, made the tomato resistant to rotting and renamed it the Flavr Savr.

But despite the fact that there are 7500 varieties of tomato hybrids, in my opinion, tomatoes with flavor are still hard to find outside farmers' markets.

Hybrids result from cross breeding through pollination and evolutionary changes. Think Gregory Mendel and Charles Darwin. Once considered "abominations of nature" they pale in comparison to the "Franken-foods" being created today. Genetically modified foods result from gene cloning and protein engineering. They cross the species barrier. Although some modifications enhance nutritional values, plants are more often developed to contain natural pesticides than natural flavor.

The creation of new plants was first protected by Congress in 1970 when they passed the Plant Variety Protection Act. This allowed breeders to obtain Certificates of Protection for new plant varieties and provided protection for twenty years. Subsequently, a 1980 Supreme Court decision allowed the patenting of "anything under the sun made by man". This case, which involved a microbiological invention for treating oil spills, also made the patenting of seeds legal. In a 1988 clarification, the PTO (Patent and Trademark Office) announced that: “[t]he Patent and Trademark Office now considers non-naturally occurring non-human multi cellular living organisms, including animals, to be patentable subject matter within the scope of 35 U.S.C. 101.”

There are two key patents that relate to the development of GMO crops. They were issued to Dilip Shah of the Monsanto Company on July 10, 1990, and February 23, 1993, "for genetically altering plant seeds so that the plants are resistant to glyphosate-containing herbicides." This allowed the herbicides to be applied to plants to selectively target weeds without killing crops. Proceeding from that, plants are now grown containing herbicides within the seed.

It has been estimated that upwards of 70 percent of processed foods on supermarket shelves–from soda to soup, crackers to condiments–contain genetically engineered ingredients. Specifically, there are 14 engineered foods allowed on the market: canola, corn, soy, alfalfa, papaya, zucchini, squash, sugar beet, chicory, cotton, flax, potato, rice, and tomato. In addition to these crops are dairy cattle treated with hormones.

So the pesticide argument that makes some people choose to buy organic can be applied to GMO foods which not only contain pesticides on them, but in them. California has placed Proposition 37 on the November, 2012, ballot to provide consumers insight into what they are eating by requiring the labeling of food that is produced through genetic modification as GMO.

What to do with this information is a personal choice, but at least it can be an educated one in California. I think GMO food labeling should be required reading.

Article first published as California Proposition 37 - Required Reading or Not? on Technorati.

Is Eating Organic Worth Your Money

2012-09-10T18:06:00.001-07:00

Of course you're worth it. And if the choice were that simple, everyone would choose health over money. But are organic foods really more healthy? Is the higher price justified? Is there a conspiracy undermining the efficacy of organic foods?

Some suggest a recent Stanford study is just that. The findings, published September 4, 2012, in the "Annals of Internal Medicine," conclude that "The published literature lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods. Consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria."

True believers in the organic food movement have been quick to point out fallacies in the study. Their argument is that food is a delivery device for artificial colors, additives, preservatives, added growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, insecticides and so much more. Robyn O'Brien at "Huffington Post" says the monniker "organic" is about how food is grown, not how much nutrition it contains. The National Organic Program final rule published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) lists standards for organic food production. Ms. O'Brien takes umbrage with the Stanford study for not measuring these added ingredients.

But the label "organic" does not mean that farm workers are handpicking bugs from our produce. It just means that the pesticides used in organic farming are derived from natural as opposed to synthetic sources. But,natural pesticides have been studied less than synthetic ones.

While some people think organic farming could sustain the world's population, agribusiness is still key to food production in the US and additives that enhance production are used. So the real question is whether or not food additives, preservatives and pesticides are safe. The US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs is charged with regulating the use of pesticides for the sole purpose of protecting consumers. To further this program, in 1996, the EPA created the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) to make sure that the food pesticide tolerance levels were brought up to date within ten years, or 2006. The Agency believes they have accomplished their goal of making safe and effective pesticides available to support the production of healthy food.

The Lempert Report (2/29/2011) which provides news and commentary about the food industry, quoted
Dr. Daniel Goldstein, Senior Science Fellow and Lead, Medical Sciences and Outreach, for Monsanto, as follows: "There is no convincing data to suggest that pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables cause harm to health."

If you have reason to believe that our government agencies are not doing an adequate job protecting our food supply, there are strategies you can use to get the best bang for your organic dollar buck. Pesticides do not penetrate all produce to the same degree so there is no reason to squander your fixed dollar investment on fruits and vegetables that do not contain pesticides. There are several lists called the "Dirty Dozen" and the the "Clean Fifteen" and others whose names are not as memorable which more or less agree on which fruits and vegetables contain the most and least pesticides.

Whether or not to eat organic or conventional foods should not be a David and Goliath argument. It's not about little organic farmers vs agribusiness or the environment. It's about food safety. If you think conventional food is harmful and organic food is worth the extra money, vote with your dollars to effect the outcome of these industries.

Article first published as Is Eating Organic Worth Your Money? on Technorati.

Roasted Tomatoes and Lycopene

2012-08-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

So simple, delicious and nutritious, this idea comes from Janie Cohen who used to make roasted tomatoes as a staple in her gourmet kitchen.

Tomatoes, preferably small or cherry sized, sliced in half and then roasted with olive oil at a low temperature if you can wait, or at 375 degrees if you can't, are incredibly delicious. Even not so sweet tomatoes release their sugar with this process. The result can be the basis for sauces, or added as toppings to fish, meat, pasta, omelets or salads. Roasted tomatoes are good hot or cold. Non-cooks will rejoice when they find out how easy it is to up the flavor potential of mundane fare with this treat.

There is incidental evidence that the Lycopene in tomatoes is helpful in the prevention of prostate cancer. Roasting tomatoes with oil increases the body's absorption of Lycopene. Tomatoes are low in calories, however these calories come from sugar. Tomatoes are high in Vitamin A and C.

Health Through Food Certification - SPE

2012-08-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

Is it good marketing or healthy eating? Probably both.Your local government requires permits for food safety, now you can be assured food is also nutritious. Private enterprise has stepped up to the proverbial plate.

Jeremy Bearman, owner of the Michelin star Rouge Tomate in Manhattan, is using his culinary expertise to encourage "sanitas per escam" health through food. Healthy and haute cuisine is the goal and SPE certification is the method. For a fee, his group will review recipes and rework them to meet SPE certification standards. The program's charter gives illuminating details like cooked tomatoes are healthier than raw, foods rich in potassium and protein counteract the adverse affects of salt, and less oil is better. The nutritionally astute may find these tweaks obvious, but not all chefs are practicing nutritionists. Butter and cream are still staples in the restaurant industry.

The SPE is founded on three principles you can implement in your own kitchen: sourcing fresh local ingredients, preparing them with cooking techniques that preserve their nutrition, and optimizing nutrition through food combinations.

Certainly we can only wish this program success. What you eat matters. Not all calories are created equal and professional help to find restaurants that maximize the nutritional benefits in food is good business for everyone.

Mayor Bloomberg Sucks it Up

2012-08-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

Seems that Mayor Bloomberg has fixed all the pot holes in NYC. The latest item on his to do list is regulating the beverages we consume from cradle to grave. In addition to sixteen oz sodas, baby formula is now on the outs in the Big Apple. Starting September 3, 2012, this baby food will be kept under lock and key with the narcotics. Expect to hear intensified wailing on the maternity floor.

While in principle we all know that Mother's milk is best, is government intervention required? Will distributing formula in a hospital setting or including it in a take home gift package actually determine the course of a newborns health? When does the mayor's "Latch On" initiative infringe on a woman's right to choose? And when, as Time Magazine's May 10, 2012 graphically illustrates, will children need to learn to drink from a bottle or cup.

We would not survive as a species if the inability to breast feed was pervasive. But despite the small number of women afflicted with this problem, baby formula was introduced 150 years ago by Henri Nestle for mother's who lost babies to malnutrition. When Nestle distributed free baby formula to third world countries in the mid 1970's it became the subject of boycotts that continue to this day. Poverty and illiteracy caused babies to die when the formula was mixed with contaminated water.

Knowledge is key and the most important thing is that babies be fed round the clock. Breast milk, formula, or a combination can be considered options. There does not have to be a Draconian one size fits all solution to feeding baby. However a young, stressed out or busy mother accomplishes feeding her child, the goal is nutrition.

Rich Text
Article first published as Mayor Bloomberg Sucks it Up on Technorati.

Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash

2012-07-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

http://gourmandeinthekitchen.com

Zucchini is a quixotic food. It belongs in the fruit family, but we consume it as a vegetable. Just 25 calories and high in fiber, the saiety value and high water content in zucchini make it a dieter's delight. Zucchini is an excellent source of vitamins C, B6, and riboflavin.

Sylvie at GourmandintheKitchen, tops zucchini with a sauce that adds even more nutritional value. Her recipe combines Greek yogurt with tahini and cumin. Tahini contains Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B15. Cumin is a great source of iron and manganese. Next to black pepper, cumin is the most popular spice in the world.

I prepared this dish on the grill and enjoyed the contrast between the hot vegetables and cool sauce just like Sylvie said I would.

Food Substitutions - Can they work?

2012-06-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.bistromd.com

I stumbleupon a great graphic that takes all those nasty calorie laden foods you love and tells you why you crave them.

If you don't like pictures there are many charts that break down each of your cravings, tell you what vitamins and minerals your body requires, and suggest healthy foods to substitute for junk food cravings.

The first food substitution on most of these charts is chocolate. If you crave chocolate it's because your body lacks magnesium and this craving can be satisfied by eating raw nuts. Really? Only if you never eat spinach, salmon, beans, and whole grains.

If you did substitute raw almonds for chocolate, where is the advantage? One ounce of dark chocolate contains 140 calories and one ounce of raw almonds, which is 22 almonds, contains 164 calories. Food substitution is not the answer.

The physiological aspect of nourishment is rarely the problem. You are not overeating because your body lacks tryptophan, tyrosine and silicone. For 99% of the people reading this article, your food cravings are psychological and your eating is emotional.

Behavior modification, or will power is where you should put your efforts, not chart reading. Finding behaviors that make eating less impulsive is the solution. In other words exchanging bad eating habits for healthy eating habits is the correct substitution behavior to target.

Summer Diet Foods: Watermelon

2012-06-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

http://www.watermelon.org/Recipes/

No fruit is more associated with summer barbecues and beach picnics than watermelon.

Originating in the Kalahari Desert of Africa, watermelon are depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics. They were held in such esteem that their seeds have been found in the tombs of pharaohs.Watermelons were cultivated in Asia as early as the 9th century A.D. and introduced into Europe by the Moors in the 13th century. Traders carried watermelon along the Meditteranean and it is now part of the eponymous diet. More than 92% water, early explorers used watermelons as canteens.

Watermelon has many advantages of watermelon for your healthy weight loss summer diet. A two cup serving is only 80 calories. When you hydrate with watermelon, you are consuming vitamins A, B6 and C. The high water and fiber content provide satiation and aid weight loss. An additional benefit is that watermelon has more lycopene, an anti oxident carotenoid, than any other fruit or vegetable. A slice of watermelon before your meal will curb your appetite.

Since it's after dinner that is the killer of most diets, what better way to ameliorate your sweet tooth than with the natural sugars in a watermelon cake? The above version can be made low calorie by substituting yogurt for the whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Is What You Eat Your Choice?

2012-06-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

Life has just gotten easier for automatons. But is that who we are? If happy meals in San Francisco and super sizing 16oz sodas in NYC are beyond our decision making capabilities, how can we be expected to make the big choices in life?

Will the government's next step be regulating whether or not people are even qualified to be parents? Everyone is a suspect in the great debate about obesity because, after all, this epidemic is about personal choices.

Do we want a nanny state? Should we be treated with a "one-size-fits-all" solution to the obesity epidemic when we are not an homogenous nation? After all, our cultural context is freedom of choice and expression. We are not living in China.

Although, FDA regulations passed in March, 2010, for restaurants with twenty or more locations under the same brand name, require that they provide calories on the menu, researchers report "we were surprised that we could not detect even the slightest hint of changes in purchasing behavior as a result of the legislation."

Cognitive dissonance shows that attitude changes follow behavior changes. Eventually the child in the photo will have a happy face even if he can't have a happy meal. The behavior that changes is that he is getting a shake or ice cream in lieu of the toy, not that he is eating fewer calories. Of course there are children who are exceptions and maybe they reside in your house.

Bottom line, being "force fed" is un-American.

Article first published as Is What You Eat Your Choice? on Technorati.

Quinoa - Does this trendy food have unintended consequences?

2012-06-03T10:27:00.000-07:00

Anapqui Growers Association

Quinoa, the trendy, gluten free complete protein grown in the arid altiplano regions of Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador is only a super food for those who can afford it.

Cultivated since 3000BC, "chesiya mama," mother grain in Quechua did not gain prominence outside of indigenous cultures until the 1990's when NASA discovered its high protein value, lysine content, and sulfer containing amino acids."While no single food can supply all the essential life sustaining nutrients, quinoa comes as close as any other in the plant or animal kingdom (White et al., 1955)."

The transition from potential space food to health food was hardly immediate, but in recent years demand has increased. Since 2006, the price has tripled to $1 per lb and the indigenous Bolivian population that subsisted on quinoa cannot afford it. To prevent malnutrition among children, the Bolivian government is now including quinoa in school breakfast programs.

While there is little chance that Evo Morales, Bolivian's leftist president, will allow foreign agricultural interests to access this local gold, the income imbalance between between quinoa farmers and llama herders has caused conflicts over land rights. Unfortunately, most Bolivians have never heard the Rogers and Hammerstein song "The Farmer and the Cowman", and this February, hundreds of people were injured. The llamas are necessary to prevent erosion and naturally fertilize the soil to maintain quinoa's organic classification. A balance between herders and farmers rights must be achieved. Mitigating the problem, but not the conflict, growers associations are increasing the number of grazing llamas per acre.

The question is whether feeding first world foodies is enough reason to change a subsistence food into a commodity. While profits from quinoa will transform some of Bolivia's poorest communities in the short term, it is evident that the environmental and social costs will be great. Our 1% is fickle. If quinoa is just a flash in the proverbial pan, the only other offering from the arid plains of the altiplano is the low cholesterol red meat llamas and alpacas. Unfortunately there is USA homegrown competition. And the acquired taste, it's nothing like chicken.

Article first published as Quinoa - Does This Trendy Food Have Unintended Consequences? on Technorati.

Eating Behavior for Weight Loss - Do the math

2012-05-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

Eating behavior for weight loss is based on simple math, subtraction. Eat less, weigh less. But since dieting has become a perennial sport, that equation needs further proof. Fewer calories does mean weight loss, but eating less is a short term strategy. Permanent weight loss requires more complicated mathematical theorems.

Do the math to try to develop your personal eating equation. Look at how you eat and subtract, substitute, and divide your way into new behaviors around food.

To find a starting point, food diaries come in handy. When you see how your calories add up, you can decide which foods you want to eliminate, eat less often or in smaller portions, or substitute for other foods. Make a list and train yourself to choose from it. Use the food pyramid, now choose my plate, to guide your food selections and make sure they are healthy and nutritious.

Obviously there are many programs that have done the math for you. And if you like their foods and philosophies and hate math, you can join the many satisfied customers of these plans. They serve a general audience well. Some plans offer a weigh in, and others let you track your own progress on a bathroom scale. The Biggest Loser Body Fat Bathroom Scale You can feel like you belong to a larger group combating weight loss together.

But, if you are partial to regional cooking, ethnic cooking, have food allergies, or actually like to cook, I recommend personalizing your eating equation for weight loss. Following your own weight loss meal plan is more intuitive than learning the eating behaviors of someone else. And your family can all eat together.

Better nutrition comes from a behavior change you can make each day, not from radical changes that you make all at once.

Article first published as Eating Behavior for Weight Loss - Do the Math on Technorati.

Healthy Snacks - A New View on Popcorn

2012-04-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

Popcorn can be a healthy, filling smart snack. A study presented at the American Chemical Society's annual meeting, reported that "that an ounce of popcorn packed up to about 300 mg of polyphenols—almost twice as much of the same antioxidant as found in an ounce of fruit (160 mg)."

The reason is easy to understand. Joe Vinson, Phd.chemist at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, "explained that the polyphenols are more concentrated in popcorn, which averages only about 4% water, while polyphenols are diluted in 90 % water that makes up many fruits and vegetables."

But there are several caveats. The hull contains about 90% of the anti-oxidants found in popcorn. So as you pick these nasty bits out of your teeth, make sure you swallow instead of spit.

Also preparation and toppings need to be considered. Only an air-popper will do.

Try a little sea salt to reduce the dry quality of this snack.

Vinson states that popcorn is the "perfect snack" because it is the only snack that is 100% unprocessed whole grain. One serving of popcorn will provide more than 70% of the daily intake of whole grains. Per the FDA, foods only have to be 51% whole grain to be labeled whole grain.

Of course anti-oxidants and grains are not the whole story. Popcorn does not contain vitamins so while it is a great great chip substitute and reduces hunger, in my opinion it is less than perfect snack.

Will Power - A Resource of Diminishing Returns.

2012-04-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

http://www.dogtreatkitchen.com

So you're not a well trained dog. But don't beat yourself up. If you can't resist your favorite treat it may be because you have used up your willpower quotient for the day. Both experience and experiments suggest that will power is a resource of diminishing returns.

Sometimes it's just a matter of having too much on our plates. Kelly McGonical, author of The Willpower Instinct says deciding what to eat on a daily basis requires 227 discrete choices. With so much complexity, fatigue sets in and the brain loses focus.

There have been several famous studies about will power and self control that use food. In 1970, the bait was marshmallows. In 1998, cookies were supreme. In an experiment constructed by psychologist Roy Baumeister , participants were asked to choose radishes over cookies and then solve a complex puzzle. The radish eaters spent significantly less time trying to solve the puzzle than the cookie eaters. One conclusion to this event was that the poor performers had "run out of self control." Furthermore, it developed that self-control is a general strength that's used across different sorts of tasks -- and it could be depleted.

Self control became analogous to a muscle that could be improved by regular exercise or boosted with glucose. Professor McGonical states that when glucose levels rise we can defer self-indulgence. So if thinking doesn't work, perhaps we should drink a glass of orange juice when confronted with a difficult choice.

Cognitive dissonance suggests we are not rational beings and justify behaviors that are in opposition to our views. The desire for a cookie and being on a diet is a classic example. We know we can't have a cookie and still be on a diet, but we eat one anyway. And then we eat them all because the diet has been blown. Again, the correct choice would have been orange juice.

Since self control, particularly around food is difficult, the place to make the hard choices is in the grocery store. Common sense suggests that you shop after imbibing orange juice,or after a meal, never when you are hungry. Confine yourself to the perimeter of the store. Do not buy forbidden foods. Now, when you are too tired to exercise self-control, you won't have to because those decisions that fatigue willpower have already been made.

Article first published as Will Power - A Resource of Diminishing Returns. on Technorati.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

2012-04-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

http://gourmandeinthekitchen.com

What I love about Sylvie Shirazi's recipes is that I always learn something new. In this case, the use of hemp seeds in soup is the take home information.You won't get high off this soup unless "warmth and nourishment" make you feel good. Sylvie confesses to eating her broccoli soup every day this winter. I would concur that it is delicious.

Hemp and marijuana are varieties of the Cannabis sativa plant and both are illegal to cultivate within the US. You can, however, buy hemp products, including seeds. If your local health food store does not stock them, there are many online sources for purchase.

Pureed into the vegetables they impart an almost imperceptible nutty flavor. But their nutritional value is significant and hemp seeds makes this simple soup a complete meal. The garnish of feta adds a nice contrast, but the soup can be vegan. The soup gets its creaminess from pureeing.

Hemp seeds contain a near perfect balance of amino and fatty acids.

Will Power - Training Your Brain to Work for You

2012-03-25T15:48:00.003-07:00

Laugh, but this is a great illustration of how hard it is to diet. If there's a choice that can be made, psychologist Kelly McGonical, author of The Willpower Instinct, says that our impulse center, or midbrain usually wins.

The New England Journal of Medicine in a 2007 study said that 40% of all deaths are attributable to personal behavior. Citing the decrease in tobacco consumption as an example of positive change, the study suggests we can do better in the area of self-regulation. But to combat obesity, public health officials have their work cut out for them. The pre-frontal cortex of the brain needs to be trained to work for us so we can commit to controlling our desires..

Our focus at Know Food Now, the simple task of making healthy eating decisions, according to McGonical is not simple at all. Even if we use our higher brain functions, it requires 227 discrete choices to feed ourselves each day. Exercising will power over each decision is exhausting so it's easy to understand why we cop out and grab what's in reach. The solution is stocking our refrigerators with healthy food to eliminate temptation and bad choices.

Scientists can see the relationship between the brain's impulse and control centers in real time using functional magnetic resonance imaging. But since we are not consuming food as an experiment, we need to pay attention to what we eat and how we eat. Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, says the "golden rule of habit change is to keep the old cue (the signal that leads you to initiate a routine) and the old reward (the gratifying experience that reinforces the routine) but insert a new routine in place of the old one."

The willpower instinct is about changing our habits to produce positive results. Behaviors that make us less impulsive can be acquired through practice and basic behavior modification techniques. Train yourself like Pavlov trained his dogs. Just make sure the rewards you use are not food.

Gene Diets - DNA and Your Weight Loss Strategy

2012-02-21T07:43:00.000-08:00

Despite our genetic similarity, human beings have evolutionary advantages over chimps that help us live longer. Writing in "Futurity", USC professor Caleb Finch tells us the "meat adaptive" gene is unique to humans. Because this gene regulates cholesterol, inflammation, and many aspects of aging in the brain and arteries, we live longer than chimps.

So you're a vegetarian? That doesn't mean that you don't have genetic predispositions that affect your health and longevity. Think celiac disease, lactose intolerance, and obesity. "We know that 50% of our predisposition to weight is genetic..." says Elizabeth K. Speliotes, MD, PhD, MPH. And, diet related disease is the leading cause of premature death.

The new science of diet and genetics, nutrigenomics, suggests that DNA controls the outcome of your weight loss strategy. Of course if you come from a family of overweight people, you intuitively understand this. Recently, several companies have capitalized on the association between genes, diet, and lifestyle to manage health and wellness. With a sample of your DNA, they offer personalized nutrition based on genotype. The idea is to find foods that match your genes for positive outcomes. And of course it is also to sell you the DNA testing kit and associated nutrients that will enhance your dieting success.

Remember the diets that were matched to your blood type? DNA markers are the next, albeit more scientific steps in tailoring diets to you. It makes sense because genes control our metabolism. However, although studies show clear relationships between genetic markers and weight reduction, nutrigenomics is a science in its infancy.

Article first published as Gene Diets - DNA and Your Weight Loss Strategy on Technorati.

The Mediterranean Diet - More Reasons To Eat Like an Italian

2012-02-12T16:57:00.000-08:00

According to the February 20, 2012, Time Magazine, "Italians who followed the Mediterranean Diet were 30 % to 40% less likely to suffer heart disease than those who ate unhealthy diets."

To extrapolate, you don't have to live in Italy to eat like an Italian. You don't even have to visit there, as the original Mediterranean way of eating studied by Dr. Ancel Keys in 1957, has morphed into a diet like ours, unhealthy.

In 1957, when Dr. Keys studied the population of Nicotera, Italy, their poverty made them survive longer. As farmers, they exercised in and ate from their fields. Whole wheat bread, slow cooked beans, fresh vegetables, dried fruit and nuts, and olive oil were staples. According to "Time," globalization and higher incomes have created new eating habits and altered food production in Italy. Small subsistence farms have been replaced by chain stores. As a result, Italian children between the ages of 8 and 9, have one of the highest obesity levels in Europe today.

Although there is no easy way back, nutritionists have discovered that the Mediterranean Diet is even more healthy that Dr. Keys realized. Laura Di Renzo, a nutritionist from the Vergata University in Rome, states the Mediterranean Diet is "more effective than a low fat diet at minimizing heart attacks and strokes and better than a reduced carbohydrate diet at cutting the risk of diabetes. It also helps combat colon, prostate and breast cancer and aids in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's."

These reasons should be sufficient to get you to stock your refrigerator with Mediterranean basics, enjoy fresh food, and live longer.