Another site I found is The Trust Bridge ‘across the pond’ which has a free GDPR Glossary of Terms which you can take a peek at if say you’re not sure what the difference is between ‘Personal Data’ and ‘Sensitive Personal Data,’ etc. http://thetrustbridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Trust-Bridge-glossary-MARCΗ18.pdf

A major overhaul/updating of this website is planned, however, in the interim, if you go to the ‘Disclaimer’ link on the bottom of the Home page and other pages of this site, and click on it, it will take you to this site’s Disclaimer, at the bottom of which you will see a link to this site’s custom updated Privacy Policy. https://www.sensorynutrition.com/privacy-policy/ Alternatively, you can use the search box on the site and enter the word ‘privacy’ and the page for the Privacy Policy will come up.

Privacy is a freedom which all sites should respect.

P.S. Speaking of freedoms, during this Memorial Day Weekend in the USA, we hope anyone there stays safe from/free from foodborne illness and other safety issue concerns all weekend long. There’s a good general article in Food Safety News “Memorial Day meal musts” mentioning details about the fruit fly that you just might find surprising. http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/05/memorial-day-meal-musts/#.WwdspS_MwUE

Remember, when it comes to food year round, be sure to Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill to help maintain food safety!

The post EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Subsequent Updating of Privacy Policy Details appeared first on Sensory Nutrition.

Lifestyle matters! This year’s National Nutrition Month® (NNM) is “BITE INTO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE ” with the spotlight on YOU!

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is encouraging you to review your own lifestyle. Consider what might work best for YOU to promote your overall health and well-being. (Note that all images in this blog post are the property of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and only displayed in honor of the Academy’s celebration of National Nutrition Month® and National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day).

Adopting a healthier lifestyle involves individual choices. It involves focusing on the basics of eating and fitness habits you already have.

Are your current food and fitness choices helping to promote a healthier lifestyle for you?

It’s up to you to consider:

●How can you best achieve and maintain a weight you feel healthy at?

●How can you reduce your risk of chronic disease(s) and their complications?

●How can you potentially improve your overall quality of life in terms of overall health and well-being?

Making Informed Lifestyle Food Choices

One very important part of any lifestyle equation involves making informed food choices, preferably with an eye towards choosing healthier-for-you options.

Although various agencies and organizations may make dietary suggestions referencing population-based health information, those are always going to be GENERAL dietary guidelines. They are NOT intended as being specific to any one person’s unique health situation. Rather, the licensed health care professional(s) you utilize to address your health care needs should consider your unique situation when you consult with them. Working together, the goal is to mutually develop a lifestyle plan truly individualized just for you.

(Remember that this site only provides general infotainment. You are urged to utilize your own licensed health care practitioners for personalized health care input tailored specifically for YOU).

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the Academy) is an organization which will always reinforce general population-based dietary guidelines when it comes to lifestyle. An example is reinforcing the US government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), with the 2010 DGAs* having been released on 31JAN2011. Currently, updated DGAs are released ~every five years through joint efforts of the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) as well as the Department of Agriculture (USDA).

When you check out the Academy’s Total Diet Approach to Healthy Eating infographic addressing lifestyle, keep that caveat in mind.

Besides highlighting the DGAs, the Academy’s infographic also brings up the DASH Diet approach, USDA MyPlate Food Guidance System, and the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” Campaign for improving the overall quality of children’s diets and increasing their physical activity (hoping that combining the two efforts will reduce child obesity levels).

That infographic reflects the Position of the Academy titled “Total Diet Approach to Healthy Eating” dated February 2013 and references the 2010 DGAs.

The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) of experts has already submitted their Scientific Report to the Secretaries of each of those government agencies. On 19FEB2015 the report** was made public via the Federal Register and the Dietary Guidelines website. (A shorter piece from DEc 2014 is the Science Base Chapter: Food and Nutrient Intakes, and Health: Current Status and Trends). Keep in mind that the Scientific Report is only advisory in nature, and the determination of the final DGAs is in fact made by staff at DHHS & USDA.

Broad, general guidelines concerning lifestyle that are released by DHHS & USDA do affect policy and thus various government programs serving segments of the national population, so they do impact each community in some way. Nonetheless, the advice is still GENERAL and aimed to influence the entire general population of a large  country of millions of people, hoping to improve national health, especially in light of rising health care costs that impact the national budget.

DGAs are NOT meant to be specific for any one individual–namely, you! It is important that you confer with the licensed health care professionals overseeing your care to give them the opportunity to always consider your unique situation in regard to your lifestyle. It is their responsibility to interpret & apply known information based upon good quality research and practical application experience in their own and their colleague’s experience when working with each individual under their care. Such an effort utilizes what is often called an evidence-based practice approach when counseling clients regarding lifestyle.

Engaging in Lifestyle Regular Physical Activity

Also keep in mind that making informed positive food choices for you is only one part of engaging in a healthier lifestyle. Another part is engaging in regular physical activity, preferably through daily exercise aimed toward improving/maintaining your physical fitness.

Paraphrasing Jennifer McDaniel, Academy spokesperson, potential benefits of regular exercise can include a more positive mental attitude and feeling better about yourself, enjoying a better quality of sleep, and experiencing relief from some of the stress of modern life–totaling up to an overall healthier lifestyle.

When it comes to your physical activity, consider how much you “move” now in terms of regular physical activity as part of your lifestyle. The Academy spokesperson notes it is important to keep in mind that your bones and muscles benefit when you are able to help strengthen them through regular movement. That is especially true as the intensity level of any exercise trends toward a moderate level.

She goes on to mention that how long you exercise during the course of each week also matters. Although daily activity is preferable, getting at least ~150 minutes of total exercise each week (trending towards a moderate level) can promote a healthier lifestyle for many of us.

Take Lifestyle Action This March!

Do something positive for yourself this March.

“Bite into a healthy lifestyle” through choices you make when it comes to both food and exercise as the Academy advises for NNM for the general public.

Look for tweets about NNM on Twitter using the hashtag #NNM.

RDN DAY is on March 11th this year, so if you don’t already have a personal RDN, take the opportunity to learn more about one by checking out this RDN Day Fact Sheet.

If you want advice that is personalized just for you, then consult with a Registered Dietitian (RD) aka Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) in your area who is accepting new clients and is willing to work with your physician and other licensed health care providers on your team.

*The 2010 DGAs came out as a lengthy booklet after the 2010 DGAC of experts submitted their report to the respective Secretary of each of those government agencies (DHHS & USDA). Per report, “…Very little of the 2010 DGAC report was reflected in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines.” Per a member of the 2010 DGAC, Roger Clemens, who gave a presentation entitled “U.S. Dietary Guidelines: History or Hysteria” at the Ohio State University Food Innovation Center 20NOV2014 held conference on “The New Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Preparing for the 2015 Release,” the actual 2010 DGAs were developed by the two government agencies involved. It was ~6 months later that the DGAC members found out about the actual content of the 2010 DGAs on the Friday before they were officially released on January 31, 2011.

**It is up to the Secretaries of those two federal government agencies as to exactly what content winds up being in the actual 2015DGAs that are eventually released sometime this year.

The post Lifestyle Focus For 2015 National Nutrition Month® appeared first on Sensory Nutrition.

Ramadan daylight fasting is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.

This June, our blog site Guest Author is Teba Abdul Lateef, a Registered Dietitian from Pakistan who is contributing to a two-part blog series on Ramadan. Teba is sharing some of her expertise as a devout Muslim when it comes to Islamic traditions. Please see Part 1 of this two-part blog series for links to Teba’s background. (Grand Mosque picture courtesy of barunpatro at rgbstock).

Part 1 covers some background from Teba concerning Ramadan as well as some reported culinary trends during Ramadan for Muslims living in various parts of the world. This Part 2 includes some thoughts from Teba for devout Muslims to consider when it comes to maintaining their health during Ramadan.

Remember that this blog site only provides infotainment. We respect each person’s right of choice.

We urge each devout Muslim who is considering practicing daylight fasting during the month of Ramadan to please check with his or her personal physician. Each devout Muslim should carefully weigh the individualized health care advice received from that health professional before making any decision regarding personal fasting.

Please note that a health care professional personally working with any devout Muslim who chooses to fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan may suggest the taking of specific dietary aka nutrient supplement(s). Such supplement(s) may contain particular levels of minerals and/or vitamins designed to promote wellness and protect health considering the circumstances of daytime fasting and the consumption of fewer meals during Ramadan. Any such recommendation should be personalized for each devout Muslim’s unique individual needs.

Please see Part 1 of this blog series for more details on Islamic religious doctrine regarding those Muslim faithful who may be considered exempt from fasting during Ramadan.

Intermittent fasting during daylight hours of Ramadan, which is considered a religious duty for non-exempt mentally and physically fit adult Muslims, has been reported to be accomplished safely when reasonable precautions are taken when eating and drinking during allowed meals of Ramadan.

Many healthy adult Muslims firmly believe fasting during daylight hours of Ramadan can be beneficial for their health. Health Care Professionals urge that all healthy adult Muslims take great care to consume food items from all of the food groups during allowed meals along with adequate clear fluid intake in order to best protect their health during Ramadan.

Muslims are concerned that non-Muslims may have a misconception about prolonged intermittent daylight hour fasting during the month of Ramadan. Non-Muslims may incorrectly believe that prolonged intermittent fasting is the same as non-stop continuous fasting aka starvation.

Starvation is an unhealthy state in which the body is not getting enough food to produce sufficient energy to meet its energy needs and thus the body is forced to use its own protein sources for energy. Breaking down muscle tissue and later organ tissue occurs in starvation in an attempt to meet the body’s most critical needs for energy.

Starvation is NOT the same as intermittent fasting.

People throughout the world at times must engage in overnight intermittent fasting prior to having blood work drawn the following morning. In such instances, the fasting period lasts for 8-12 hours including while one sleeps. The body typically enters into a fasting state approximately eight hours or so after completion of the last meal. After such an overnight intermittent fast,  liver glycogen, a storage form of the sugar glucose, can be broken down to release glucose into the blood stream to provide energy to the body of a healthy person. Muscle glycogen can also be available to the body.

The same principle of drawing upon body stores of energy applies to daylight intermittent fasting with the exception that one is typically active during daylight hours and that activity places a greater demand upon one’s body to draw upon energy stores of liver and muscle glycogen. It is typically closer to 24 hours of fasting when the body can draw on fat stores and break them down so that fat can be used as an energy source once liver and muscle glycogen stores have been used up.

Fast durations during daylight hours of Ramadan will vary depending upon the time of year in which Ramadan occurs and the country in which the Muslim faithful are living. Fast durations can potentially extend to 15-16 hours or more in length in peak summer months in both Eastern & non-Eastern countries. Extremes of the “midnight sun” in certain parts of the world where the sun is visible for up to 24 hours such as north of the Arctic Circle or South of the Antarctic Circle (no human settlements exist in the latter location) can pose difficulties for the Muslim faithful during Ramadan, however, the majority of Muslims do not live or travel in such places. Guidelines are available for when devout Muslims may eat at “Sehr” (Suhoor aka Suhour aka Suhur) and Iftar if they happen to be in “midnight sun” areas during the time of Ramadan.

Making Better Halal Food Choices During Ramadan

Beyond consuming water as a beverage*, it is typically suggested that Halal food choices from each food group should be consumed in the two allowed meals of Suhur and Iftar (plus any snacking after Iftar) in order to obtain a sufficient array of nutrients from one’s diet to promote health. For information on Halal, please see a publication from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) titled The Kosher and Halal Food Laws (you can download a full pdf from the abstract link page) and/or a publication  from the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) Halal Foodservice Kit.

Suhur* (pre-dawn meal eaten at Sahar) should be composed of more wholesome food choices to provide energy to last through the daylight fasting hours. Iftar (breaking the fast after sunset) should be a complete meal to contribute to replenishing a person’s energy levels during the following overnight hours. Snacking judiciously late evening/at night (preferably 2-3 hours prior to bedtime) to obtain needed nutrients during Ramadan is another strategy Muslims can utilize.

Suggested Meal Patterns for Iftar and Suhur

• Fruits and vegetables: Servings per meal of vegetables (2-3) and fruits (1-2) should be consumed. These carbohydrate-rich food sources should be consumed especially during suhur as they give a person a feeling of fullness because each contains fiber. *The water content of vegetables and fruits can also help keep a person hydrated during the rest of the day during fasting hours of Ramadan. Total vegetable and fruit consumption for a 24 hour period can typically range between 5-9 normal size servings.
• Whole grains: Serving(s) per meal of whole grain bread and whole grain alternatives (1-2-3) should be consumed. Whole grain bread or brown rice are often preferred. Whole grains contain complex carbohydrates which release glucose slowly (glucose is a form of sugar the body uses for energy) and help to sustain more even energy levels for the body for longer periods of time than refined grains do. Total whole grain consumption for a 24 hour period can range between 3-6 oz aka 3-6 normal size servings.
• Meat, fish and alternatives (such as cooked legumes/beans/pulses): One serving per meal of leaner meat (2-3 oz cooked) or its alternatives can be desirable. As rich sources of protein, they can help repair body tissues and contribute to maintaining the immune system. Cooked legumes/beans/pulses can contribute valuable fiber intake helping to prevent constipation during times of intermittent fasting. Total meat and alternatives consumption for a 24 hour period is typically adequate at 5 oz cooked meat equivalent.
• Dairy products: Serving(s) per meal from lower fat or non-fat dairy products (1-2) may reduce the incidence of joint and bone pain which are among frequent complaints voiced by Muslims during Ramadan. Total dairy products consumption for a 24 hour period is typically adequate at 3 normal size servings each equivalent to 7-8 grams of protein).

Dining Choices that are Discouraged in Many Countries During Ramadan

Foods to avoid during Ramadan include highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates (such as refined white flour, high sugar content items, refined flour made cakes, refined flour made biscuits), as well as other food items high in fat (even if they don’t appear fatty) along with food items high in sodium (even if they don’t taste salty). It is fine to use white whole wheat flour as it is made from a whole grain and is NOT refined white flour.

Although many different kinds of dessert items are frequently available in various Muslim cultures during Ramadan, higher saturated fat intake is usually discouraged.

It would be worth avoiding caffeine as much as possible in the diet during Ramadan. Caffeine is a known diuretic and stimulates more rapid body loss of needed water, which is a serious concern in extremely hot weather when Ramadan occurs during peak summertime heat. Caffeine is present in tea, coffee, certain carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolate, etc.

Cooking Method Awareness During Ramadan

Deep fat frying, and excessive sautéing should be avoided during Ramadan. Although some limited fat intake is reasonable, sufficient fiber and water intake may help to ameliorate potential episodes of constipation. High fat intake should also be avoided because in the process of slowing down digestion it can lead to prolonged acidity in the stomach and a sense of indigestion after a meal.

Tips For a Healthier Ramadan

• Drink adequate clear water and other fluids, but avoid caffeinated beverages as much as possible especially since Ramadan falls during a peak time of heat and humidity this year in many parts of the world and concerns for dehydration are thus increased.
• Break your fast at iftar with a little fruit which has a high content of fructose (a form of sugar) such as 2-3 dates (for almost “instant energy”).
• Avoid fried foods as much as possible and be judicious when consuming high sugar content items other than some fruit (avoid excessive dessert intake temptation despite the offering of so many high sugar and high fat dessert items popular in each culture during Ramadan).
• Include adequate real, wholesome food intake from each food group as much as possible in each allowed meal.

Since one’s diet plays an important role in one’s observation of Ramadan, it is hoped that faithful Muslims will practice healthier eating when they dine during Ramadan.

Ramadan Mubarak! (May your Ramadan be blessed!)

*Suhur is also known by other spellings (including, but not limited to) Sahari, Sahur, Sehri, Sehur, Suhoor and Suhour

The post Ramadan Dining Considerations appeared first on Sensory Nutrition.

Once again, we have invited  Teba Abdul Lateef, a Registered Dietitian (RD) certified by the Pakistan Nutrition and  Dietetic Society, to contribute as a Guest Author for this month. Teba was last featured as a Guest Author back in March for National Nutrition Month. During the academic year, Teba serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan Govt. College of Home Economics in Karachi. (Grand Mosque picture courtesy of barunpatro at rgbstock).

When it comes to this important Islamic tradition of Ramadan, Teba is contributing to a blog series sharing her insights as a devout Muslim and her expertise as a RD. Collaborating with Stephanie, Teba provides some valuable insights into the food and nutrition culinary trends during Ramadan as celebrated by the Muslim faithful around the globe in this Part 1 and then in Part 2 she shares some suggestions for enjoying a healthier Ramadan.

Please keep in mind that this blog site only provides infotainment. We respect each person’s right of choice.

We urge each devout Muslim who is considering practicing daylight fasting during the month of Ramadan to please check with his or her personal physician and carefully weigh the individualized health care advice received from that health care professional before making any decision regarding personal fasting.

Please enjoy this two-part series with a unique perspective on Ramadan.

The Culinary Trends of Ramadan

Original Article Draft by Teba Abdul Lateef; Content Editing and Formatting by Stephanie

Beginning with either the physical sighting or calculated time of the first crescent of a new moon, Ramadan lasts for 29-30 days encompassing the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Ramadan is preceded by the month of Sha’aban and followed by the month of Shawwal.

Since the Islamic lunar calendar is ~11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar (used in the West), the exact time period on the Gregorian calendar for observance of Ramadan will shift every single year per Ramadan Facts published by the Council on Islamic-American Relations (CAIR).

Ramadan is of great importance to all Muslims as the followers of Islam. Throughout the world, Muslims observe Ramadan by fasting from sunrise to sunset, although there are total exemptions for children below the age of puberty, as well as those who are sick, elderly, mentally incapacitated, or not otherwise considered mentally and physically capable as noted in Ramadan Begins (The Practice of Fasting) from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Other persons may have temporary exemptions from dawn to dusk fasting such as menstruating women or females who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as travelers, however, missed days of fasting must then be made up later as each one of these individuals is able (in some situations acts of charity may be substituted).

General guidance when it comes to food and nutrition matters during Ramadan is available from healthcare professionals. An example includes the Healthy Eating During Ramadan Survival Guide  from the Muslims in Dietetics and Nutrition (MIDAN) member interest group (MIG) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association). Another example is Achieving Good Nutrition During Ramadan or Understanding Muslim Fasting Practices by Registered Dietitian Nour El-Zibdeh.  Still another example comes from Communities in Action which has published a Ramadan health guide .

Note that although having a condition such as diabetes mellitus can indeed fall under the exemptions from fasting, many Muslim faithful persons with diabetes Diabetes and Ramadan (DAR) Forum. Best practice guidelines for health care professionals and teachers, etc., who may work with the Muslim faithful, including persons with diabetes who insist upon observing fasting times during Ramadan, are available. Please see the end of this blog post for details.*

During Ramadan, even foreigners who are not Muslims are required to fast from dawn to dusk in Saudi Arabia. This is true in other primarily Muslim faithful countries as well, which non-Muslims need to consider and plan accordingly for prior to traveling to such locations. It should be noted that in a number of instances, periodic fasting has also been included as a ritual among the practices of the faithful of other religions around the world.

During Ramadan, the Islamic faithful also engage in intense worship, recite the Qur’an, and give to others through acts of charity (zakah or zakat which means giving alms from one’s wealth to those who are less fortunate).

Fasting is a religious obligation of Islam as it was a practice of the Prophet Muhammad. Fasting during daylight hours of the month of Ramadan is the third of five “pillars” of Islam. The purpose of fasting is to learn self-control/self-restraint and discipline. Muslims can neither eat nor drink nor chew gum nor take oral medication during daylight hours of fasting (unless they are exempt).

Muslims believe that fasting in this manner leads to a higher level of spirituality, which in turn means a faithful follower of Islam becomes closer to Allah (the Muslim God). A secondary purpose of fasting in this manner is to control hunger, which causes a faithful person to think about the needs of others who lack adequate food the rest of the year because they are poor.

Faithful Muslims believe that Ramadan raises awareness of and highlights ideas/thoughts of healthy eating and a healthy life style as mentioned in Ramadan and fasting: An opportunity to improve health. Such a perspective is along the lines of “mindful eating” which is promoted in many cultures. Because of this heightened awareness of self and increased sense of spirituality, even those Muslims who may be exempt from participating in fasting during Ramadan may engage in it.

Non-Muslims should be aware of the importance of Ramadan to all Muslims and demonstrate cultural sensitivity respecting the right of choice of Muslims to follow their faith regardless of where they live.

Ramadan Typical Halal Meals

There are a total of two Halal** meals which the Muslim faithful can consume during each 24 hour period during Ramadan. The first meal is called “suhoor” or “suhur” which translated from the Arabic means “pre-dawn meal” and thus would be eaten prior to sunrise. After suhur, Muslims fast during daylight hours until sunset after which the second meal known as “iftar” can be eaten to break the daytime fast. Thus the word “iftar” means “breakfast”. In winter months, the fasting period during daylight hours of Ramadan will be shorter than in the summer months when the daylight hours are longer.

Reported Ramadan Halal Food Trends in Different Countries

Every country has its own unique foods trends and culinary patterns including those observed during the month of Ramadan. Following are some reported food trends which may be observed during Ramadan around the world. [Editor’s Note: the online articles which Teba is aware of and has verified such as one from thekitchn.com written by a freelance writer, etc., are the source of some of these reported culinary trends during Ramadan which are being mentioned here for infotainment purposes only.]

Afghanistan: Main dish (protein) is served with “naan”, an oven baked flat bread. Iftar is considered incomplete without naan.

Bangladesh: Two famous dishes commonly served at iftar are “piyaji” and “begun”. Piyaji is a spiced lentil and onion fritter. Bejuni is slices of eggplant dipped in a gram flour batter and deep fat fried.

Brunei: Iftar is referred to as “sungkai” and the breaking of the fast is observed at a restaurant buffet.

China: “Paomo” is a bread and mutton soup which is consumed at the time of iftar.

Egypt: “Fried kaftan” is a minced meat ball which is deep fried. Egyptian “Fattah” is a baked dish consisting of varied ingredients as bread, rice, sauce and meat.

India: “Haleem” is served during iftar. Haleem is a spiced porridge prepared by using a slow cooking method. It consists of lentils, meat (either chicken or beef) and broken wheat.

Indonesia: The dessert “kolak” is served during iftar. Kolak is made with palm sugar, coconut milk and pandan leaves.

Iran: “Zolbia” and “Bamieh” are served together at the time of iftar. Zolbia is made of yogurt and starch which is then fried by being poured into oil to create long thin swirls. Bamieh is oval-shaped, deep fried dough. Both are dipped in honey or rose syrup.

Jordan: Stuffed lamb is a traditional dish of Jordan, also served at iftar. “Mansaf” is lamb dish served with rice at iftar.

Lebanon: “Fatayer” is a common dish usually eaten during Ramadan. This dish consists of pastry with a cheese filling. “Stuffed green chillies” locally called “Filfil Mahshi” (type of stuffed peppers) is also served at iftar.

Malaysia: “Babur Lambuk” is the special stew served at iftar. It has varied ingredients including aromatic spices, herbs, meat, coconut milk, ghee and coconut oil.

Morocco: “Chorba” is a famous traditional dish. It is a lamb stew made with tomatoes and chickpeas. A dessert, called “chabbakia” is also served at iftar. It is made of a fried dough flavored with orange blossom water and coated with sesame seeds and honey.

Pakistan: Fruit salad, chickpeas, salad, “dahi baray” (made of lentil flour which is deep fat fried, then mixed into buffalo milk yogurt). Deep fat fried items are always part of iftar.

Saudi Arabia: “Qataef” is often served at iftar. It is a type of Arabic pancake filled with sweet cheese and nuts.

Singapore: “Kueh Lapis” is a layered glutinous steamed cake. The popular rainbow colored dessert is made from tapioca starch, coconut milk, pandan leaves and white sugar.

Syria: “Shish Kebab” is served at the time of iftar.

Turkey: Iftar is considered incomplete without Sherbet. Sherbets are made by combining fruit juices, extracts of flowers or herbs, water and white sugar. “Ramazan kebab” is a dish made with lamb, onions, yogurt and pita bread.

Please see Part 2 of this blog series for details of Ramadan Dining Considerations to help maintain health during Ramadan.

Ramadan Mubarak! (May your Ramadan be blessed!)

*Some links for best practice guidelines when working with persons with diabetes who wish to observe intermittent daylight fasting during Ramadan: One example is Diabetes and Ramadan (How to achieve a safer fast for Diabetics) by the Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians. Another example is Recommendations for Management of Diabetes During Ramadan Update 2010 as published by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Still another example is Diabetes and Ramadan: how to achieve a safer fast for Muslims with diabetes by Mohammed M Hassanein MB CHB, FRCP, FRCP, MPhil, who also presented a webinar for the Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute in June 2014 titled Diabetes and Ramadan fasting; a challenge or an opportunity. Mohammed Hassanein is a member of the previously mentioned Diabetes and Ramadan (DAR) Forum whose members seek to raise awareness of potential increased health risk “for hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia and dehydration” for those persons with diabetes who choose to fast during Ramadan.

**For information on Halal, please see a publication from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) titled The Kosher and Halal Food Laws (you can download a full pdf from the abstract link page) and/or a publication  from the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) Halal Foodservice Kit.

The post Ramadan Culinary Trends appeared first on Sensory Nutrition.

In Part 2 of 2 of this latest two-part series referencing Pakistani cuisine, we focus in on a glimpse of a typical Pakistani cultural dietary pattern. Once again, for National Nutrition Month (NNM), we feature our Guest Author, Pakistani Registered Dietitian, Teba Abdul Lateef.

Teba shares details of her observations of some of the traditional food ingredients utilized in preparing Pakistani cuisine. She compiled the listing based on her experience living in Karachi, thus it is not meant to be all-inclusive. In Part 1, Teba shares details about the wonderful nuances of some of the better known cultural dishes and spices that help to bring out the distinctive flavors of Pakistani cuisine which can dazzle your senses.

We introduced Teba in the first series of articles for NNM focusing on “Tasty Food Can Be Both Delicious and Nutritious,” including some of her tips in Part 1 and a couple of her original recipes in Part 2.

Teba is helping us to globally celebrate the 2014 NNM theme (education and information campaign slogan) “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right.” {Please note that the term “taste” is being used broadly here in the NNM theme to refer to more than just the sense of taste, but also to refer to the larger concept of flavor.}

Any NNM celebration has typically showcased Registered Dietitians (RDs) / Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) in the United States of America (USA) encouraging consumers to think more about the food choices they make and the impact those can have on health, not just during NNM, but everyday. NNM is sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the USA, which also offers food and nutrition focus public service announcements via EatRight Radio.

We wanted to go global in celebrating NNM this year, since the Academy is encouraging consumers to explore some tasty food choices which may be new to them, as well as “experiment with new flavors and new flavor combinations” when seeking to put together tasty, nutritious meals to support health.

Pakistani Cultural Dietary Pattern

Although Pakistani Cuisine can vary some from region to region within the borders of Pakistan, there are food staples that are used across the regions to prepare the majority of recipes.

In Pakistan, those followers of the predominant Muslim faith follow the dietary restrictions of Halal year round which is why no recipes will contain any pork. Dietary principles of food selection and preparation consistent with Halal practices are observed. Fish types with scales are permitted. Alcohol is not permitted. For more details about Halal, please see the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) produced IFANCA Halal Foodservice Kit.

Some of the key ingredient selections across the various regions in Pakistan are noted below, however, be aware that the list is NOT all-inclusive.

Bread, Cereal, Pasta, and Rice Group: Pulse-based flour (various); rice; wheat flour; and white flour.

Cheese, Milk, and Yogurt Group: Butter (from Buffalo milk); Cheese (cottage cheese is prepared at home from buffalo milk); cheddar and mozzarella (both of which are store purchased from imported brands);  ice cream (eat-in only parlor shops feature ice cream made from buffalo milk, while store bought branded options also made from buffalo milk can be brought home; margarine (greater use in urban areas); milk (buffalo); and yogurt (from buffalo milk).

Dry Bean, Egg, Fish, Meat, Poultry, and Nut Group: Bean (kidney bean); beef; cashew; chicken; fish (fresh water and sea water species); lamb, legume (green lentil, red lentil, split bengal gram (locally called chola dal); white lentil; white chickpea also known as garbanzo bean); and mutton.

Fat, Oil, and Sugar/Sweet Group: Canola oil; clarified butter (locally called ghee); corn oil; honey;  olive oil; soybean oil; sugar (white and brown); and sunflower oil.

Fruit Group: Apple; banana; cantaloupe, date; grape; guava; orange; lemon; peach; pomegranate; ripe mango (locally called aam); sapodilla (locally called chikoo), and watermelon.

Vegetable Group: Bitter Gourd; cabbage; carrots; cauliflower; chili peppers; coriander (also known as Chinese parsley or cilantro); cucumbers; eggplant; garlic; ginger root; gourds; green onions; okra; onions; pea; potato (russet and white); spinach; tomato (usually plum type);  and zucchini.

Postscript:

RDs/RDNs in the USA recognize how important traditional family food preferences are when it comes to making food choices.  They are sensitive to and respect cultural traditions and preferences and will make suggestions of options that are culturally appropriate for consumers to choose from. Ultimately, they know how important the choices consumers make are for their own health and the health of their families.

Here at Sensory Nutrition, we always respect your right of choice.

As always, we offer infotainment here on the blog site, and encourage you to contact your own health care professional(s) with any questions you may have when it comes to your own health or that of family members and friends.

Be sure to check out Part 1 of this series in which Teba shares some particulars of her native Pakistani cuisine.

This NNM and all year round, consider stepping out of your comfort zone at times and trying some offerings in other cultural dietary patterns and cuisines that are new to you. No matter what cultural or other dietary patterns and cuisines might appeal to you, choose tasty food that is both delicious and nutritious and “enjoy the taste of eating right”!

The post Pakistani Cuisine Will Dazzle Your Senses Part 2 appeared first on Sensory Nutrition.

Earlier this month, we introduced our Guest Author for 2014 National Nutrition Month (NNM), Pakistani Registered Dietitian, Teba Abdul Lateef, who recently accepted a college lecturer position in Karachi.

Teba is helping us to globally celebrate the 2014 NNM theme (education and information campaign slogan) “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right.” {Please note that the term “taste” is being used broadly here in the NNM theme to refer to more than just the sense of taste, but also to refer to the larger concept of flavor.}

Any NNM celebration has typically showcased Registered Dietitians (RDs) / Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) in the United States of America (USA) encouraging consumers to think more about the food choices they make and the impact those can have on health, not just during NNM, but everyday. NNM is sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the USA, which also offers food and nutrition focus public service announcements via EatRight Radio.

We wanted to go global in celebrating NNM this year, since the Academy is encouraging consumers to explore some tasty food choices which may be new to them, as well as “experiment with new flavors and new flavor combinations” when seeking to put together tasty, nutritious meals to support health.

After Teba, a dietetic and nutrition colleague, reached out to us from across the globe in Pakistan, we decided to collaborate to share some of Teba’s excitement when it comes to food and nutrition. You can read more about Teba in the first series of articles for NNM focusing on Tasty Food Can Be Both Delicious and Nutritious, including  some of her tips in Part 1 and a couple of her original recipes in Part 2.

Just like Stephanie, Teba encourages consumption of real, whole food whenever possible. Registered Dietitians in Pakistan are gradually helping the public there to explore ways to reduce added oil and other added fat content of many traditional recipes which have had higher total fat content. They are also promoting greater plant food intake. Just as such positive dietary change continues to take time in the USA, it is also taking time in Pakistan.

When asked to write about Pakistani cuisine, Teba responded by providing some details in English for Stephanie to work with, even though Urdu is Teba’s native language. Below is the first part of their collaborative effort in which Teba shares some particulars of her native Pakistani cuisine. Part 2 will feature details of a typical Pakistani cultural dietary pattern. We hope you enjoy both blog entries!

The Dazzling World Niche of Pakistani Cuisine

Draft by Teba Abdul Lateef; Content Editing and Formatting by Stephanie

Pakistani cuisine is famous for its rich flavors punctuated by its distinctive aromatic qualities.

To a certain extent, Pakistani cuisine is more similar to North Indian Moghul cuisine, as opposed to say Chinese, Japanese or Singaporean cuisine. (Image of Pakistani national dish of traditional nihari courtesy of Teba Abdul Lateef) showcasing garnishes of corriander, ginger root (julienne cut), green chili slices, and lemon slices, along with a starch choice of naan bread.

Within the borders of Pakistan, cuisine nuances vary from province to province. Other bordering nations of Pakistan besides India include Afghanistan, China, and Iran, and cross-cultural influences do exist. Central and South Asian influences upon Pakistani cuisine also cannot be denied, nor can Middle Eastern influences.

Pakistani cuisine has evolved and developed its own distinctive characteristics that are enjoyed by its native people and visitors alike for not only its unique aromatic spicy aspects, but also for its sour, sweet, and other elements that contribute to its cultural flavor profile. Recipes are handed down from generation to generation reflecting traditions from the past and adaptations to the present.

The intense flavors of Pakistani cuisine are primarily due to the very extensive use of spices. These spices frequently include coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and an “all-spice” powder (locally called garam masala). Although these are some of the more common spices used in preparing Pakistani cuisine, a multitude of other spices may also be used for preparing various dishes and will vary from recipe to recipe.

In Pakistan, creating the “all-spice” blend for a basic garam masala* typically involves grinding spices in an electric spice mill, such as cinnamon bark, cumin seeds, cloves, small green cardamoms, large black cardamoms, black peppercorns, nutmeg and mace. Sometimes garam masala powder is formed into a paste for cooking purposes by mixing it with a liquid such as coconut milk or white vinegar or even water.

At breakfast, hot tea with milk using buffalo milk, tetra pak blend (aka vegetable and dairy blend) or tea whitener and white sugar is consumed in tea in Pakistan until and unless someone is diabetic. Tea is often traditionally served along with paratha (which is a flat and round bread made of kneaded all-purpose white flour (wheat) dough which is either deep-fat or shallow-fat fried) and a whole egg omelet. Tea is also sometimes consumed at the workplace taking advantage of portable tea bags.

Trends at breakfast are changing, however, and some people are moving towards eating either cold breakfast cereals (including flakes options such as corn or wheat) or hot wheat porridge, either typically prepared with buffalo whole milk, instead of preparing and eating the more traditional hot breakfast.

On weekends, many people enjoy a slightly more substantial breakfast by having the famous Pakistani breakfast (think “brunch”) served often on Sundays known as “halwa poori” or “halwa puri”. Halwa is a sweet, soft, semolina-based yellow-orange colored dessert that is eaten along with poori/puri bread (a round, small sized, deep-fat fried bread made out of a white flour dough) sometimes served with chana masala (a dry and spicy chickpea based dish).

Another potential accompaniment of halwa poori (aka halwa pori) is potato curry. Sometimes an unripe mango (locally called kairee) pickle or an onion pickle may also be served along with fresh buffalo whole milk yogurt. Halwa poori/puri can also be eaten at other times of the day besides breakfast. Sometimes it is eaten at Iftar (at the time of day called sunset when an otherwise all-day fasting period opens up allowing eating for only an evening meal) during Ramadan** and other special Muslim festival times.

Any lunch or dinner meal contains two courses until and unless it is big occasion. One main dish could be either a primarily vegetable and/or lentil/pulse focus dish (which may rarely include nuts, such as cashew nuts, for added protein), or a primarily animal protein focus dish. For lunch or dinner, some of the vegetable and lentil/pulse focus choices may include various dishes such as chana ki dal (featuring split Bengal lentils), masur ki daal (based upon red lentils), sarso ka saga, spinach bhujia, vegetable bhujia, vegetable cutlets, and many others including even a potato-based potato bhujia.

Various animal protein dishes can include choices such as chicken biryani (made with rice), chicken stew, nihari (think of a slow cooker made spicy stew, usually featuring beef, but containing almost no vegetables), qeema aloo (basically a minced beef with potatoes dish), qorma, and many others including barbecued kebabs.

(The image of traditional nihari already garnished is from a family recipe courtesy of Teba Abdul Lateef).

The accompanying starch dish for lunch or dinner is either chapatti (aka chapati or chappati or chapathi) which is also known in Indian cuisine as “roti” (round, flat bread made out of white all-purpose wheat flour) or white rice (medium or large grain, sometimes Basmati in type, that is either boiled or fried). Another yeast leavened bread choice is naan served with nihari.

Many Pakistani desserts may be made using basic ingredients such as dry fruits, buffalo milk, and rice. Some well-known Pakistani sweets include barfi, gulab jamun, jalebi, kalakand, kheer, panjiri and zarda.

In Pakistan, those followers of the predominant Muslim faith follow the dietary restrictions of Halal year round which is why no recipes will contain any pork. Dietary principles of food selection and preparation consistent with Halal practices are observed. Fish types with scales are permitted. Alcohol is not permitted. For more details about Halal, please see the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) produced IFANCA Halal Foodservice Kit.

*In India and reportedly in some other parts of Pakistan, creating garam masala can sometimes include first dry pan toasting all of the whole spices (while constantly stirring them) for perhaps a couple or however many minutes are needed for them to become just “aromatic” (yet not overly dry pan heating them which could cause them to become bitter) prior to grinding them all together. Typically this is done over medium to high heat using a pre-heated, heavy cast iron pan.

Dry pan toasting of spices can be considered a ten minute (or less) flavor development tip.

In India, other spices that might be included in a garam masala mixture there could include, but do not necessarily include, one or more choices, such as bay leaves or malabar leaves, fennel seeds, fenugreek, garlic, ginger root powder, mustard seeds, saffron, star anise, tamarind, and turmeric powder.

**Each year, those of the Muslim faith observe a time called Ramadan for 30 days based upon the Muslim calendar they follow which causes the exact dates of Ramadan to vary from year-to-year. During Ramadan (the ninth month of their twelve month Muslim calendar), Muslims are expected to fast each day from sun up to sun down and ONLY after evening prayer may they eat. If you are not of the Muslim faith, it is very important to respect their beliefs and thus to NOT eat in front of a fasting Muslim at any time during Ramadan.

Postscript:

RDs/RDNs in the USA recognize how important traditional family food preferences are when it comes to making food choices.  They are sensitive to and respect cultural traditions and preferences and will make suggestions of options that are culturally appropriate for consumers to choose from. Ultimately, they know how important the choices consumers make are for their own health and the health of their families.

Here at Sensory Nutrition, we always respect your right of choice.

As always, we offer infotainment here on the blog site, and encourage you to contact your own health care professional(s) with any questions you may have when it comes to your own health or that of family members and friends.

Be sure to check out Part 2 of this series which features a typical Pakistani cultural dietary pattern provided by Teba.

This NNM and all year round, consider stepping out of your comfort zone and trying some offerings in cuisines that are new to you. No matter what cuisines appeal to you, we encourage you to choose tasty food that is both delicious and nutritious and “enjoy the taste of eating right”!

The post Pakistani Cuisine Will Dazzle Your Senses appeared first on Sensory Nutrition.

Tasty recipes from Pakistan are being featured this March, courtesy of our Guest Author, as we go global in our effort to promote eating right during National Nutrition Month® (NNM).

In Part 1 of 2 in this blog series, our Guest Author shared some useful tips to consider when making your meal/snack choices. For Part 2 of 2 in this blog series, our Guest Author shares some personal recipes to prove tasty food can indeed be both delicious and nutritious!

Read on for all the details.

This March 2014 marks the 41st anniversary of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ month long promotion of National Nutrition Month® (NNM).

Any NNM celebration has typically showcased Registered Dietitians (RDs) / Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) in the United States of America (USA) encouraging consumers to think more about the food choices they make and the impact those can have on health, not just during NNM, but everyday.

The NNM theme (education and information campaign slogan) for 2014 is “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right.” {Please note that the term “taste” is being used broadly here in the NNM theme to refer to more than just the sense of taste, but also to refer to the larger concept of flavor.}

For more details about this year’s NNM theme, please see Part 1 of this blog series.

This year, the Academy is encouraging consumers to explore some tasty food choices which may be new to them, as well as “experiment with new flavors and new flavor combinations” when seeking to put together tasty, nutritious meals to support health.

We thought, for NNM, why not feature some tasty new recipes and flavor profiles we haven’t highlighted in the past?

A dietetic and nutrition colleague reached out to us from across the globe in Pakistan, echoing that sentiment. In Part 1 of this blog series, we took the opportunity to introduce our Guest Author for this NNM, Teba Abdul Lateef, who holds a Registered Dietitian certificate from the Pakistan Nutrition and Dietetic Society.

Teba enjoys sharing food and nutrition knowledge with others, as well as sharing a passion for both cooking and gardening. In a joint collaboration, Teba translated a couple of original recipes from the Pakistani native language of Urdu into English, and Stephanie contributed some content revision and other editing, including formatting. Just like Stephanie, Teba encourages consumption of real, whole food whenever possible.

Stephanie has previously been traveling and was unable to test out these recipes herself, so she is totally relying on Teba’s expertise in sharing these examples of Pakistani cuisine.

Please keep in mind that in Pakistan, extensive use of spices is rather common, so you may choose to adjust down the amount of more pungent spice levels perceived as “hotter” when preparing any recipes for American palates.

Here’s hoping you enjoy Teba’s tips in Part 1 of this two part blog series, as well as Teba’s original recipes below. It is our pleasure to bring them to you for this year’s NNM celebration.

 Tasty Chickpea Salad/Chana Chaat

Yield: 5 servings

Serving size:  slightly exceeds 1/2 cup

Category of Recipe: Side Salad or Snack

Photographer: Teba Abdul Lateef

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked, dry chickpeas aka garbanzo beans; after soaking, rinsing and later cooking, the dry beans will swell up to equal approximately 2.5 – 3 cups of cooked beans; a 15 oz. can of cooked garbanzo beans yields approximately 1.5 cups; if you purchase canned, cooked beans, be sure to drain off any liquid and then to rinse the beans in a sieve to remove excess sodium;
• 2 medium cooked (steamed is preferable to boiled), diced white potatoes
• 1 small sliced red or sweet onion
• 1 medium diced plum tomato
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp red chili pepper flakes*
• ½ tsp red chili powder**
• ¼ cup tamarind paste
• Optional: pinch of salt (if you cook chickpeas aka garbanzo beans from dry state)
• ¼ cup Tasty Yogurt and Mint Dressing (see below)

Method:

1. Mix cooked chickpeas aka garbanzo beans and diced potatoes in a mixing bowl
2. Add all spices, tamarind paste, onion slices and diced tomato; mix well
3. Serve on plate or in a bowl, drizzling Yogurt and Mint Dressing on top
4. Be sure to properly cover and promptly refrigerate any leftovers.

{Although traditionally, Chana Chaat is served with broken pieces of fried papdi (fried dough balls) served on top as a crunchy addition, you can substitute crushed unsweetened cereal flakes or small broken/torn pieces of baked pita chips}. Tasty chana chaat is then ready to eat.

Tasty Yogurt and Mint Dressing

Yield: Just over 1 cup

Serving size:  Use amount stated in recipe

Category of Recipe: Dressings

Photographer: Teba Abdul Lateef

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain yogurt (no thickeners added)***
• 2 Tbsp. cream**** (or substitute less “milk” to reach desired pourable consistency)
• 1 bunch mint leaves (separate and use leaves; discard stems)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch sugar
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Method:

1. Add all ingredients into a blender and process until a smooth puree is achieved
2. Drizzle a total of 1/4 cup of yogurt and mint dressing over the Chana Chaat salad or another salad of your choosing
3. Be sure to properly cover and promptly refrigerate any leftovers.

*If you prefer a less pungent chili presence in your food, then decrease the amount of red chili pepper flakes

**If you prefer a less pungent chili presence in your food, then decrease the amount of red chili powder

***In Pakistan, homemade yogurt is usually prepared from Buffalo sourced whole milk, such as that prepared by Teba’s mother; but in the USA you can substitute purchased fat-free or low-fat Greek style yogurt or other plain unsweetened yogurt of your choosing, or make your own thicker yogurt at home.

****In Pakistan, cream refers to either “dairy cream” from Buffalo farms, or else a substitute product which is a “vegetable and dairy blend” sold in what is known as an aseptic “tetra pak”  or “tetra brik” there (what we call a “brik pak” here in the USA). Such products are shelf stable until opened, after which they do require refrigeration.

Postscript:

RDs/RDNs in the USA recognize how important traditional family food preferences are when it comes to making food choices.  They are sensitive to and respect cultural traditions and preferences and will make suggestions of options that are culturally appropriate for consumers to choose from. Ultimately, they know how important the choices consumers make are for their own health and the health of their families.

Here at Sensory Nutrition, we always respect your right of choice.

We encourage you to do a little experimentation of your own this month in trying out some new recipes and new flavors as you take the opportunity this March to “enjoy the taste of eating right.”

The post Tasty Food Can Be Both Delicious and Nutritious Part 2 of 2 appeared first on Sensory Nutrition.

Tasty and nutritious food can contribute to better health no matter where you live, so let’s go global in promoting eating right as we celebrate National Nutrition Month® (NNM)!

This March 2014 marks the 41st anniversary of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ month long promotion of National Nutrition Month®.

We’re featuring a Guest Author on the blog this month. Read on for all the details and some new Pakistani cuisine recipes.

Any NNM celebration has typically showcased Registered Dietitians (RDs) / Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) in the United States of America (USA) encouraging consumers to think more about the food choices they make and the impact those can have on health, not just during NNM, but everyday.

The NNM theme (education and information campaign slogan) for 2014 is “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right.” It first appeared as a NNM theme back in 1990. Denny S.  National Nutrition Month: A Brief History. J Am Diet Assoc . 2006;106:365-366

{Please note that the term “taste” is being used broadly here in the NNM theme to refer to more than just the sense of taste, but also to refer to the larger concept of flavor. Technically “taste” only refers to the known sense which involves taste receptors found in the mouth, throat, and even the lungs and gut which can send information to the brain enabling humans to perceive bitter, salty, sour, sweet, and umani elements, and now even fat elements have been added to that list by some researchers. “Flavor” per se, on the other hand, is so much more than just taste, however, writers and the public often use the terms interchangeably, as the Academy has done in recycling this year’s NNM slogan. The Academy does go on to further reference flavor, however, as noted below.}

This year, the Academy is encouraging consumers to explore some tasty food choices which may be new to them, as well as “experiment with new flavors and new flavor combinations” when seeking to put together tasty, nutritious meals to support health.

We thought, for NNM, why not feature some tasty new recipes and flavor profiles we haven’t highlighted in the past?

A dietetic and nutrition colleague reached out to us from across the globe in Pakistan, echoing that sentiment and we would like to introduce our Guest Author for this NNM, Teba Abdul Lateef.

Teba shared some background which includes completing a B.S. degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Rana Liaquat Ali Khan Government College of Home Economics, in Karachi, Pakistan, as well as completing a year of clinical experience in a well respected hospital in Karachi. Teba has earned a Registered Dietitian certificate from the Pakistan Nutrition and Dietetic Society. Teba described experiencing great enjoyment whenever sharing food and nutrition knowledge with others in Pakistan. Additionally, Teba shared having a passion for both cooking and gardening. Currently, as it is Springtime in Karachi, Teba has started a garden using plants she grew from seed over the winter, including herbs, vegetables, and even some flowers.

Teba’s native language is Urdu, however, fortunately Teba is able to communicate in English. By working together with Stephanie, the two Registered Dietitians were able to successfully collaborate. After weeks of editing and revision in English, Teba’s contributions for NNM are ready to share with blog readers here on the Sensory Nutrition site. Just like Stephanie, Teba encourages consumption of real, whole food whenever possible.

Below in this Part 1 of the two part blog series are tips from Teba.

In Part 2 of 2 in the blog series, you’ll find a couple of recipes Teba has graciously agreed to share with blog readers.

Please keep in mind that in Pakistani cuisine, extensive use of spices is rather common, so you may choose to adjust down the amount of more pungent spice levels perceived as “hotter” when preparing any recipes for American palates.

As always, we offer infotainment here on the blog site, and encourage you to contact your own health care professional(s) with any questions you may have when it comes to your own health or that of family members and friends.

Here’s hoping you enjoy Teba’s first jotting being featured for NNM:

“How to Enjoy Tasty Food While Eating Right”

Concept and Article Draft by Teba Abdul Lateef; Content Editing and Formatting by Stephanie

Yes! It’s March, National Nutrition Month. This time, the theme is “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right.” As a Registered Dietitian, I have been asked many times by my clients “how can we still enjoy tasty food while eating right?”

Many people seem to think that a food choice can’t be both tasty and healthful–as if they were two incompatible terms. Although the two terms are different, they actually can be compatible. People can enjoy tasty food, rich with flavor, and consume that food as part of a balanced diet aimed to promote health. Eating right shouldn’t mean you have to give up wonderful flavors in your meals.

You can enjoy food that is both nutritious and tasty at the same time, but some effort on your part is needed to turn nutritious food choices into delicious meals.

Here are some useful tips to consider, which respect the tasty, flavorful sensory aspects of food as well as it’s nutrition content when making your meal/snack choices:

Cooking method:

• Choose healthier cooking methods in food preparation which include going easier on the use of oil and making smart choices when it comes to the type of oil used;
• Grilling, steaming, braising, broiling and sometimes poaching can be healthier options;
• Frying and sautéing methods use more oil and as such should be used judiciously;
• Cooking food on lower heat settings can help to preserve heat-sensitive vitamins along with phytochemical bioactive substances in food, while also helping to develop certain aspects of tasty flavor profile(s).

Portion sizes:

• Focus on portion sizes, since by controlling portion sizes you can reduce overeating;
• See USDA’s My Plate information for some recommended serving sizes.

Snacks:

• Eating food choices high in sugar and/or fat for snacks will add more calories, but usually not important nutrients for growth, development and maintenance;
• Instead, eat tasty snacks which are nutrient-rich in the essentials your body really needs such as vitamins, minerals, and amino acid building blocks of protein, plus perhaps some non-nutrient bioactive substances such as certain phytochemicals;
• To energize yourself at work, during break time enjoy a combination of no sugar added yogurt with either unsalted fresh or dry roasted nut pieces and/or unsweetened fruit pieces/puree, including whatever varieties you like.*

Make meals/snacks more colorful:

• Add colorful veggies from the rainbow of colors to your day’s menu, since such veggies, rich and deep in jewel tone colors or white as freshly fallen snow, will make your meal more appetizing;
• You can either add vegetables to some main dish recipes as you cook, or enjoy vegetables on the side as a cold or wilted salad; you can add fresh, dark green spinach or other richly colored lettuces to your salads to increase their potential health benefits;
• See a recipe for Tasty Chickpea Salad (also known as Chana Chaat in Pakistan); it includes both plant protein and fiber and is eaten either with meals or as a snack.

Flavor combination:

• Try new flavor combinations without adding unnecessary sodium; add spices, herbs, vinegar and mustard without added sodium to perk up the flavor of food;
• Favorite Pakistani cuisine combinations of mint and mustard, onion and cinnamon, as well as garlic and ginger are some examples of perhaps unexpected flavor combination possibilities for those of other cultures, but combinations that can, nonetheless, work well together.

Experiment with dressings:

• Make your own “salad dressings” that work well with either your side dishes or main dishes, including sometimes with drier protein choices;
• Experiment with mixing and matching ingredients; as an example, see the recipe for homemade Tasty Yogurt and Mint dressing.

Just remember that there really is no need to choose between eating more healthful food choices or eating tasty food choices, since you can have both at the same time. This NNM, choose tasty food that is both delicious and nutritious and “enjoy the taste of eating right”!

*Stephanie enjoys either non-fat or low-fat plain Greek style yogurt because it is so versatile. For a quick snack, she can add a few drops of real vanilla extract, a sprinkling of ground cinnamon bark, and a touch of sweetness from one of several possible sources, plus she may add a sprinkling of some healthy nut choices. (One brand of non-fat yogurt she particularly likes contains within each 1/2 cup serving some 10 grams of good quality protein and 5 grams of carbohydrates, for a total of 60 calories; she can use that yogurt as a snack as described, or incorporate it into other dishes since it is plain and blends well into many recipes).

Postscript:

RDs/RDNs in the USA recognize how important traditional family food preferences are when it comes to making food choices.  They are sensitive to and respect cultural traditions and preferences and will make suggestions of options that are culturally appropriate for consumers to choose from. Ultimately, they know how important the choices consumers make are for their own health and the health of their families.

Here at Sensory Nutrition, we always respect your right of choice.

For Teba’s original recipes being featured for NNM, please check out Part 2 of 2 in this blog series.

The post Tasty Food Can Be Both Delicious and Nutritious appeared first on Sensory Nutrition.

(2017 UPDATE NOTICE: Unfortunately, the Let’s Move website is no longer active since Michelle Obama is no longer the current First Lady.

You may find that previous availability of recipes and information from the Let’s Move program may have been scrubbed from other government related websites as well.)

Selected healthy focus recipes were featured at the luncheon. (Image of Kids’ State Dinner graphic property of Let’s Move and shown for identification purposes only).

The DC Central Kitchen was again the site utilized for the finalist judging for the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge Kids’ State Dinner entries back on May 31, 2013 (courtesy of Michael Curtin, CEO). Per report, some 1,300 recipe submissions were narrowed down to just 2 recipes per submission state/(territory aka possession)/ (federal) District of Columbia of the USA to be prepared and from which the actual winners were chosen.

Judges also included former White House Chef Sam Kass (also former Exec. Director of the  Let’s Move initiative), Tanya Steel of Epicurious, plus staff from the USDA and the USED (and also a White House liaison to USED), as well as two child judges who are graduates of the Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters program by the names of Sabrina Burton and Cha’lita Willia. For a peek at what the judging involved, check out a youtube video.

In 2013, 54 junior chef (8 – 11 years old) child winners (up to one per above location) along with a parent/guardian per child were deemed eligible to attend the Kids’ State Dinner at the White House courtesy of the Let’s Move Initiative and their partners in the 2013 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge.

Live viewing of the event was scheduled for Tuesday, 09JULY2013 at 11:25 A.M Eastern Daylight Savings Time. 

It’s exciting to know that young people have been so enthusiastic about how real food can help shape their own lives and those of others in a positive way. They represent the “melting pot” of America and you just might find that reading some of their stories inspires you with their can-do attitude and creativity.

The 2013 eCookbook featuring all of the winning recipes was available through USDA.
Enjoy!

The 2013 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge

 Winning Recipes:

ALABAMA  Kale, Broccoli, Chicken, and Apple Salad

ALASKA  Alaskan Ceviche with Mango

ARIZONA  Banana’s Black Bean Burritos

ARKANSAS  Confetti Spring Rolls with Orange-Cilantro Sauce

CALIFORNIA  Pork and Tofu Lettuce Cups

COLORADO  Sushi Salad

CONNECTICUT  Quinoa “Risotto” with Shrimp and Kale

DELAWARE  Tortilla Bowl Deluxe

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA  Inga Binga’s Salmon Salad

FLORIDA  Summer Salmon

GEORGIA  Sweet Potato Turkey Slider

HAWAII  Curried Chicken Salad and Taste of the Tropics Fruit Bowl

IDAHO  Veggie Barley Salad with Orange-Honey Vinaigrette

ILLINOIS  Black Bean Wrap with Jicama–Grilled Corn Salsa

INDIANA  Sneaky Chili Surprise

IOWA  Stone Curry with Brown Rice

KANSAS  Fun Mini Pizzas with Veggies & Cauliflower Crust

KENTUCKY  Raisin Bran Muffins

LOUISIANA  Sweet and Spicy Stir-Fry

MAINE  Vegan Powerhouse Pesto Pasta

MARYLAND  Chicken Masala Wrap

MASSACHUSETTS  Shefali’s Scrumptious Spring Roll

MICHIGAN  Picky-Eater Pita Pizza Pockets

MINNESOTA  Garden Stir-Fry

MISSISSIPPI  Pan-Seared Mississippi Catfish on a Bed of River Rice

MISSOURI  Confetti Peanut-Ginger Party Pasta

MONTANA  Healthy Vegetable Fried Quinoa

NEBRASKA  Terrific Tuna Casserole

NEVADA  Chex Chicken and Bellaberry Smoothie

NEW HAMPSHIRE  Liv’s Curry Chicken Salad  Sandwich

NEW JERSEY  Hawaiian Turkey Sliders with  Mango-Pineapple Salsa

NEW MEXICO  Spinach Frittata

NEW YORK  Super Rescue Soup

NORTH CAROLINA  Spring Rolls

NORTH DAKOTA  Asian Fajitas

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS  Kangkong Pomegranate Salad

OHIO  Kickin’ Colorful Bell Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa

OKLAHOMA  Taco de Camarón

OREGON  Salmon Fried Rice

PENNSYLVANIA  Lentil-Spinach Soup and  Mint Chutney

PUERTO RICO  Yummy Eggplant Lasagna Rolls

RHODE ISLAND  Italian Garden Salsa with Crunchy Chicken Tenders

SOUTH CAROLINA Bring It On Brussels Sprout Wrap!

SOUTH DAKOTA  Hidden Veggie Lasagna

TENNESSEE   Makenna’s Bodacious Banana Muffins

TEXAS   Slam Dunk Veggie Burger

UTAH  Lucky Lettuce Cups

VERMONT  Champ’s Maple BBQ Turkey Burgers

VIRGIN ISLANDS   Zucchini Pancakes & Passion Fruit Banana Smoothie

VIRGINIA  Orange-Chicken Lettuce Wraps

WASHINGTON  Nummy No-Noodle Lasagna

WEST VIRGINIA  Spicy Tofu Lettuce Cups

WISCONSIN  Wisconsin Solar Oven–Simmered Chili

WYOMING  Scrumptious Chili with Zucchini Cornbread

The post 2013 White House Kids’ State Dinner appeared first on Sensory Nutrition.

(2017 UPDATE NOTICE: Unfortunately, the Let’s Move website is no longer active since Michelle Obama is no longer the current First Lady.

You may find that previous availability of recipes and information from the Let’s Move program may have been scrubbed from other government related websites as well.)

Winners of the recipe contest were announced around late June 2013, although winners in some cases received some local celebrity in their home town locations in advance of the announcement.

We had written about the 20AUG2012 1st ever White House Kids’ State Dinner because we thought it brought positive attention to a worthy subject. The dinner (held at lunchtime) celebrated the nation-wide Healthy Lunchtime Challenge open to “junior chefs” between the ages of 8-12.

The challenge gave children an opportunity to compete via a “healthy” recipe submission in order to represent their part of the nation. Any child within the age range could submit a healthy lunchtime recipe developed to adhere to the Let’s Move initiative promoting USDA’s My Plate, which is based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Since the goal of the challenge has been and continues to be to encourage younger Americans to build healthier meals, the rules for entry submission included that any entry (single dish per se as part of a balanced luncheon meal) must represent at least one of the 5 key food groups (fruits, lean proteins, low-fat dairy, vegetables, whole grains) recognizing that approximately half the entire luncheon meal plate with featured recipe must incorporate veggies/fruits.

The 2013 nationwide recipe challenge was announced back in April 2013.

While professionals had been busy preparing for eventually issuing what was the backgrounder for the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, children (along with their parent/guardian) from all over any part of the United States submitted their recipes for the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge aiming to conform to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. The cut-off date for submissions was back on May 12. Once again the submission site was Epicurious.com and per report came in from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, with only one potential winning junior chef per each of those locations.

Judging was apparently challenging in and of itself. There were over 1,000 entries that come in. Sam Kass (who has been a White House chef as well as Executive Director of Let’s Move) was one of the judges tweeting from the tasting session back in May. One Tweet included a photo from right after the judging. Others joining him in judging included Tanya Steel from Epicurious.com, along with staff from USDA as well as the U.S. Department of Education, plus a chosen child judge.

As was the case in 2012, a planned free, downloadable and printable eCookbook was offered featuring the winning recipes along with some nutritional analysis information, drawings, and photos from the White House Dinner event. Sites that were scheduled to be hosting the 2013 eCookbook included the former LetsMove.gov, USDA.gov, ED.gov, as well as recipechallenge.epicurious.com.

The dinner (aka luncheon) was held right at the White House (just the way State Dinners are) prepared by White House culinary staff. Mrs. Michelle Obama was in attendance. In 2012, President Obama made an effort to stop by as well. The program allowed the winners–up to 56 children (along with a parent/guardian per child) to travel by air in order to participate in the event, enjoying hotel accommodations provided in the area.

Previous, photos from the 2012 Kids’ State Dinner event and details from the 2013 Kids’ State Dinner event were available. For a link to the 2012 eCookbook from that year’s challenge and some other free “Kid Friendly” eCookbooks, check out our 20AUG2012 blog post on same. If you desire additional inspiration, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Kids Eat Right site is also available to you.

Enjoy healthy tastes of summer!

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