Carole Carson

Eating Done Right: Peaches-Food of the Week

Which enchanted fruit grants eternal life? Chinese legend would have us believe that eating magical peaches bestows health, virility and immortality.

Peaches came to the United States from China via Spanish explorers in the 16th century. While commonly enjoyed now, peaches were once a rare delicacy. In the 19th century, Queen Victoria would eat a fresh peach on a decorative napkin with every meal.

Today peaches are the second-largest commercial fruit crop grown in the United States. Besides being a delicious summer fruit, peaches are rich in fiber, antioxidants, potassium, vitamin A and other vitamins. One large peach contains 61 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrates. Peaches come in hundreds of varieties, but the most well known is the nectarine, which is a smooth version of the fruit.

The recipe below turns peaches into a wonderful side dish for a summer supper and is found on the Dickey Farms website.

(You’ll find additional imaginative dishes starring peaches on this site as well.)

Grilled Balsamic-Glazed Peaches

Serves 6

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 firm, ripe peaches, halved
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine the vinegar, sugar, pepper and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Place the peach halves in a shallow dish. Pour the vinegar mixture over the peaches, tossing gently to coat. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove the peaches. Whisk together 2 tablespoons of the vinegar mixture with the oil in a small bowl, blending well, and set the vinaigrette aside. 

Place the peach halves, cut sides down, on a lightly greased grill rack. Cover and grill over medium heat (350 degrees) 5 minutes on each side or until firm and golden, basting with the remaining vinegar mixture. (If you don’t have a grill, you can use your oven broiler.) When serving, spoon the vinaigrette over the peaches.

Here’s a word of caution. Whether you eat fresh or cooked peaches, you may not become immortal. You can, however, be certain that you will enjoy great taste and bonus nutritional benefits.

Bon appétit!

P.S. Do you have any peach recipes to share?

Photo courtesy of Carlos Alvarez

Location: www.sxc.hu

99 Ways to Get More Exercise

Americans are hard working people. We are so task oriented that we are able to transform what should be an enjoyable activity―playful exercise―into a dreary chore, yet another task on our already burdened “to do” list. Some of us also make the mistake of thinking that exercise requires a block of dedicated time rather than seeking ways to incorporate movement throughout our day.

If you’re finding exercise hard to begin or stick with, you can start by expanding your range of options. Here are 5 tips for making exercise an ongoing part of your lifestyle. You’ll find an entire list of 99 ideas when you visit www.fitnesstipsforlife.com.

1. Get off the couch and change the channel manually—or better yet, turn off the television!
2. Spend as much time outdoors as possible.
3. Always use the stairs.
4. Park the car as far away from the entrance as possible.
5. If you have access to a swimming pool, jump into water sports, particularly water walking and aerobics.

Consider sharing this list with your mate, friends, children and grandchildren so that you can surround yourself with folks who are having fun with movement. Or take the time to make up your own list. I’m fairly confident that even 99 tips don’t exhaust the ways to incorporate more exercise into our lives. What additional tips do you have?

Photo courtesy of Jenny Z

Location: www.sxc.hu

 

Eating Done Right: Mangoes-Food of the Week

Considered sacred in India, many Indians believe that the mango tree has the power to grant wishes for wealth, health immortality—and even grandchildren. Given the belief in the mystical quality of the mango, Indians use the leaves in weddings to assure the future fertility of newlyweds.

Mango trees, which sometimes reach 60 feet, grow best in tropical and sub-tropical climates, and most of the mangoes eaten in the United States come from Mexico.

Hailed as the king of fruit or fruit of the gods, mangoes are packed with fiber, potassium, vitamins A and C, antioxidants and beta carotene. Medicinally, mangoes contain a stomach soothing agent that acts as a digestive aid triggering a feeling of contentment. (In contrast, the leaves and stems of mangoes are toxic.)

This exotic recipe calls for an unusual mixture of tropical fruits and vegetables. This delicious and nutritious recipe comes from the Mango Recipe Guide, a website that features dozens of unique mango recipes.

Spicy Tropical Gazpacho
Serves 4

1 cup tomato juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup chopped peeled mango
1/2 cup chopped peeled papaya
1/2 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 to 1 tsp hot sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse four times or until combined. Cover and chill. The gazpacho is best served with crusty bread on a hot summer day.

Bon appétit!

P.S. Do you have any mango recipes to share?

Photo courtesy of Mohamed Aly

Location: www.sxc.hu

 

Food Pyramid Crumbles

In an effort to promote healthful eating and lessen the incidence of obesity, the United States Department of Agriculture recently introduced a new symbol replacing the 20-year-old food pyramid. What is this symbol?

1. A dinner plate suggesting the relative proportion of food groups and serving sizes 
2. An ascending staircase showcasing six food groups with the healthiest on top
3. A pie-shaped chart with color-coded food groups

 

If you guessed number 1, you are correct. The original pyramid, which never gained traction, was upgraded in 2005. The revised version increased the number of food groups to six and added a person climbing the pyramid to convey the importance of exercise. But even these improvements failed to convey a clear message about what constitutes healthful food choices, according to public health officials, dietitians and healthcare providers; hence, the pyramid was replaced with a plate.

The new food plate intends to communicate the following messages:

• Enjoy your food but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains.
• Switch to nonfat or low-fat (1 percent) milk.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread and frozen meals and choose the foods with lower numbers.

How well will the food plate work? Initial feedback is generally positive; however, the real test will be whether the symbol conveys information that helps individuals improve their choices about what and how much to eat.

Eating Done Right: Carrots—Food of the Week

I grew up on a small, 100-acre farm in Iowa. To make ends meet for our family of seven, my father sometimes worked in nearby Illinois as a tool and die maker. He’d commute to his job on Sunday night and return the following weekend. In the summertime when school was out, my younger sister and I would sometimes travel with my father to his urban home to escape hot and boring days on the farm. (We could also escape working in the garden this way as well.)

During my 13th year, I spent one full summer in Rockland, Illinois, in a house my father had rented. My mother stayed in Iowa with the older kids to keep the farm going, so I was charged with cooking and cleaning for my father and younger sister. Since my cooking skills were limited (and playing outdoors beckoned), I seldom gave much thought to the nightly meal. Mostly, I fried a few potatoes and a piece of meat. The obligatory vegetable was boiled carrots.

As an adult, I’ve often marveled at the patience and uncomplaining nature of my dad. Night after night, especially after a hard day’s work, he sat down to the same unimaginative fare without complaint. I can only surmise that maybe my dad was happy for his daughters’ company  because the food was pathetic.

For their faithful service during the inexperience of my youthful cooking days, carrots won my undying devotion. Later, I learned about their nutritional virtues. Carrots are very low in saturated fat and cholesterol and contain vitamins A, K, C and B6. Besides being a good source of dietary fiber, carrots contain folate, pantothenic acid, iron, potassium and copper.

I’ve branched out since the callow days of my boiled-carrot youth; however, carrots are still a staple in my kitchen. Besides being a basic ingredient in soups and stews, puréed carrots give zing to my meatballs (an old Betty Crocker recipe) and meat loaf.  I also use puréed carrots in spaghetti sauce. Puréed carrots also add moisture to most cakes, including my favorite: zucchini-chocolate cake. During cold winter days, Rachael Ray’s Curried Carrot Soup is a whole meal by itself. And once summer temperatures start to rise, who can resist a refreshing carrot-orange-scallion salad?

Summertime Carrot Salad
Serves 6

2 oranges, peeled, sliced and separated into segments
3 cups grated carrots (about 6 large carrots)
1 cup finely chopped scallions
1/2 cup raisins, dried cherries or dried cranberries, optional
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate
6 leaves lettuce

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oranges, carrots, scallions and dried fruit. In a small mixing bowl, combine the maple syrup, salt, sesame oil, lemon juice and orange juice concentrate. Pour the dressing over the orange-carrot-scallion mixture. Toss lightly. Serve the salad on your favorite lettuce leaves.

Photo courtesy of Kata Szikora

Location: www.sxc.hu

Restoring a Tarnished Reputation: Fat No Longer Gets an "F"

To eliminate the evil of sugar, hundreds of sugar-free products were introduced to American diets over the past several decades. Nonetheless, Americans continued to gain weight.

Fats were the next nutrient to be demonized; consequently, a ubiquitous spate of low or nonfat products appeared on grocery shelves. Once again, Americans continued to gain weight.

Carbohydrates, especially pasta, rice and bread, became the next sinful indulgence, especially as the Atkins’ diet peaked in popularity. Not unsurprisingly, the percentage of overweight Americans increased.

While the presence of surplus pounds (even among children) remains a constant source of worry for public health officials and educators, food fads change, if not with the seasons than with the latest conclusions from research studies.

The latest reversal of fortune focuses on fat. Instead of being viewed as the enemy of fitness, fat, or at least some forms of fat, is emerging as an essential nutrient that can enhance health. Some consumers have yet to be persuaded that any fat is good for us. Indeed, they are confused about whether to eat fat, how much and what kind.

Here are the latest research results, some of which you may find contradictory:

Good Fats Promote Heart Health: According to a recent study published in American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, a diet high in fat can benefit the heart. But researchers are not suggesting individuals consume a supersized platter of French fries. They warn that not all fats are created equal. Certain fats (trans and saturated fats) are detrimental to our health, while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, are healthful for the heart. With heart disease the leading cause of death in the United State, these distinctions on fat provide useful guidelines.

Distinctions among Heart-Healthy Fats: Three healthy fats, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids, seem to protect the heart and promote general health. Monounsaturated fat, which lowers LDL “bad” cholesterol and increases HDL “good” cholesterol, is found in avocados, canola and olive oil. This fat has also been shown to aid weight loss efforts. Polyunsaturated fat, which also lowers bad cholesterol, is found in nuts and vegetable oil. In addition to other health benefits, Omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon, flaxseed and walnuts, protect against diabetes and arthritis.

High-Fat Diet May Help Patients Suffering From Kidney Disease: A high-fat, low-carb diet reversed kidney disease in experimental mice. Mice with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes were placed on a kerotenic diet (87 percent of calories from fat, with some protein and few carbohydrates) while the control group of mice was fed a standard high-carbohydrate diet. After eight weeks, kidney disease was reversed in the mice fed a high-fat diet. These results appear both promising and puzzling for diabetes patients with kidney disease; obviously, more research will be needed researchers recommend this high-fat diet for humans.

High-Fat Diets of Monkey Mothers Trigger Anxiety In Offspring: For some time now, researchers were aware that children whose mothers were obese during pregnancy were more likely to be obese. Later studies suggest that the mother’s diet during pregnancy may also have an impact on her child’s psychological development. In an experiment with monkeys, researchers found that the offspring of mothers who consumed a high-fat diet were much more likely to suffer anxiety when exposed to stressful stimuli. Based on these results, pregnant mothers have yet another reason to eat a healthful diet.

What can we take away from this research? Reading the somewhat conflicting studies on fat reinforces an idea introduced by Alexander Pope, an 18th century English poet, that I’ve paraphrased here:

    In fat, as fashions, the same rule will hold;
    Alike fantastic, if too new, or old:
    Be not the first by whom the new are tried,
    Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.

Pope is right. Moderation, rather than demonization or uncritical acceptance of the latest finding, remains the most prudent course.

But being prudent doesn’t mean we have to be bored. In an effort to promote fitness, I’ll continue to share exciting breakthrough studies on food and its impact on our bodies.

Photo courtesy of Brybs

Fat Chance: Don’t Fall Prey to Weight-Loss Scams

Would you buy a laser light from a retailer who claims that the light opens up cells and drains the fat away? Would you buy a liquid that, when placed under your tongue, promises to melt away a pound or two a day?

Based on nominations by health professionals and consumers across the country, these weight-loss scams were selected as two of the worst by the Healthy Weight Network and the National Council Against Health Fraud.

Why are the scammers working overtime? Because the potential market for weight-loss products is huge. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight and troubled by that fact.

According to the 2011 Food & Health Survey conducted by the International Food Information Council Foundation, 70 percent of the Americans surveyed report being concerned about their weight, and 77 percent are trying to lose weight or maintain their weight. Consumers, desperate to shed unwanted pounds, are easy prey for scam artists selling fraudulent “get thin quick” schemes.

Like the size of our waists, the size of the US market for weight-loss products is expanding. Growing at an annual rate of nearly 11 percent for the past five years, the market for weight-loss products(food, drugs, supplements, services, ingredients, devices, accessories and cosmetics)in 2014 is projected to reach $586 billion.

Fraudulent products trim your bank account, and some can rob you of your health—even your life. Michael Levy, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Division of New Drugs and Labeling Compliance, warns consumers that the agency has found supplements that contain dangerous concoctions of hidden ingredients that can cause death. “Make no mistake—they can kill you,” Levy says. The problem has become so big that the agency is asking for help from consumers and the food supplement industry to identify these dangerous products.

Protect your health and your wallet by learning how to spot weight-loss scams. Here are three claims tip you off to fraudulent products:

1. Lose ugly belly fat with our revolutionary product. Discover the benefits of this miraculous diet supplement that safely produces rapid weight loss in even the most stubborn cases. Thousands of satisfied customers can’t be wrong.

2. Indulge in your favorite foods, forget about boring exercise—and still lose weight! Our researchers discovered a breakthrough supplement that can effortlessly boost your metabolism and make fat cells and cellulite disappear while you sleep.

3. Try our product today before the special introductory offer ends. Order a six-month supply of our exclusive product and enjoy more energy, better sleep and more satisfying sex. If you’re not completely satisfied, return the unused portion, and your money will be refunded.

As you can see, the features of the scams typically include an undocumented research breakthrough, unrealistic claims, effortless weight loss and a wide range of benefits unrelated to weight loss. Scammers also ask for payment up-front, count on the fact that most dissatisfied customers will not bother to request a refund. Customers who do request a refund may be ignored.

If you need to lose weight, begin with a healthcare professional, such as a dietitian or your local physician. Check to see if your hospital has a wellness center that offers free or low-cost health education. Focus on improving your health by adopting more healthful habits. And before you purchase any weight-loss product, check the Food and Drug Administration’s consumer update. Your goal is to become fit—weight loss is a wonderful by-product.

Independent of what any advertisement claims, the rules for losing weight remain unchanged—exercise regularly and consume fewer calories each day than your body burns. You can be certain that any claim that tries to persuade you otherwise is a scam.

Photo courtesy of Rob Owen-Wahl

Prevent Travel from Becoming a Broadening Experience

Workers who are on the road year-round are now being joined by hundreds of summer vacation travelers. But whether you’re on the road for work or play, you still need to find ways to stay fit while traveling.

Here are five questions and answers that can help you return without unwanted souvenirs around your middle:

1.) What are some general tips on staying healthy while traveling?

Consider staying healthy while traveling to be a wonderful challenge rather than a problem. Your goal should be to use travel as an opportunity to improve your health and fitness. Think of the positives. You won’t be able to go into a restaurant kitchen for seconds. You may have more opportunities to walk and move than when you are at home. And when eating out, you can order exactly what you want and have your meal prepared how you want to minimize calories. Exercising will be convenient because most motels and hotels offer on-site workout facilities. Travel is also stimulating and demanding, so you won’t find yourself bored and going to the refrigerator or vending machine for distraction.

Create goals for yourself before heading out and challenge yourself to return healthier, happier and rested.

2.) How can travelers incorporate exercise during trips without joining a gym? 

The key to sustaining a fitness program is to find one or more ways to exercise that you enjoy. Walking outdoors is great because it requires little gear and is readily available; however, safety and weather are sometimes issues. Netflix offers videos of exercise routines that can be used at home or on the road, and dozens of workout routines are available on the Internet. When I travel for an extended period, I pack an inflatable exercise ball, two hand weights, a flexible band and a jump rope. With these exercise toys, I can maintain my daily floor routine wherever I travel.


3.) Travel frequently involves busy and irregular schedules. How can you counter the difficulties of hectic days?

Take every opportunity you have to move. If you are meeting with someone, suggest a “walk and talk.” If you have a choice of stairs or an elevator, use the stairs. Park at a distance from your workplace. While waiting in lines, push up on your toes to flex your leg muscles. If your job requires a lot of sitting, use your chair for creative arm and leg exercises.

4.) What’s the best way to eat on the road and what traps should travelers avoid?

Food on the road has become healthier. Many chains now offer healthier options and post caloric content, thereby helping us make conscious choices. Almost all eating sites offer items that can form an appropriate meal. Eating healthy while traveling, however, is more challenging on two counts.

First, portion sizes in fast-food establishments and restaurants are huge! A platter of food that could easily feed two to three people may be served as an individual portion. Sharing items with a travel mate, packing food to eat later or simply discarding surplus food may be necessary.

Second, traveling can easily trigger an indulgence mentality. Here’s the thought process: “Normally I don’t have a cheeseburger, fries and milk shake for lunch. But since I’m traveling and everyone else is eating fast food, I can make an exception.” Our bodies don’t know that we are traveling or that we are making an exception, so surplus calories will be stored.

5.) How can I team up with like-minded fitness friends while traveling?

Check out resources in the surrounding community. You may be able to swim at a local club or join a walking group. If your schedule does not permit extended stays in one location, consider joining an online community, such as the AARP Fat 2 Fit online community, and report your weekly goals and daily progress. Surrounding yourself with like-minded fitness friends will counter the tendency to abandon a commitment to staying healthy while traveling and ensure that the only thing you gain during your travel is enhanced self-esteem.

Creating goals for yourself before you head out and surrounding yourself with supportive travel mates will turn your journey into a broadening experience—not at the physical level, but at the emotional, intellectual and spiritual levels. Because of your healthful choices, you’ll return home with a spring in your step and a renewed zest for life.