Carole Carson

Eighteen Nutrition Myths: How Many Do You Still Believe?

As part of our ongoing battle to keep ourselves healthy, we learn about the latest nutritional information and hope to glean insight so we can make appropriate adjustments to our diet. However, the rate at which conflicting advice triggered by research floods the Internet, magazines, television, radio and newspapers creates as much confusion as clarity. Today’s food fact is tomorrow’s food fiction.

Here are 18 popular food Myths that have been debunked. Use the list to update your knowledge and stay current on the latest in nutritional advice:

Myth #1: High-fructose corn syrup is worse than table sugar.

Sugar is sugar. Your body can’t tell the difference between the cheap high-fructose corn syrup and more expensive forms of sugar. Cutting out all unnecessary sugar is a smart move.

Myth #2: Sea salt is a healthier version of regular salt.

Sea salt and table salt, contrary to what you may have heard, cannot boast any substantial differences. Both contain roughly 2,300 milligrams of sodium per teaspoon. The best course of action is to reduce sodium intake, whatever the variety.

Myth #3: Energy drinks are less harmful than soda.

While energy drinks may claim to be healthier than soda, research has shown that the reverse is true. Energy drinks actually contain more sugar than soda does and are 11 percent more corrosive to your teeth than soda is. If you need an energy boost, try regular coffee instead.

Myth #4: Diet soda is harmless.

Researchers have discovered a link between obesity and artificial sweeteners used in diet soda. A study conducted at Purdue University found that rats fed artificial sweeteners before mealtime tended to eat more than rats fed sugar sweeteners, and another study found that people who consumed three diet sodas per week were 40 percent more likely to be obese than people who did not consume diet sodas.

Myth #5: Low-fat foods are better for you than a normal diet is.

Low-fat foods often replace fat with other ingredients that are just as unhealthy or unhealthier. For instance, the fat in low-fat peanut butter is sometimes replaced by maltodextrin, a fast-digesting carbohydrate. Some fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts, fish and olive and other oils, are healthy for the body in balanced amounts.

Myth #6: “Trans-fat free” foods are indeed trans-fat free.

The link between trans-fats and heart disease has been firmly established by the World Health Organization. So we can all feel good about eating foods that claim to have no trans-fats, right? Wrong. By law, food companies are allowed to list zero grams of trans-fat on food labels, even if the food in question contains trace amounts. The best strategy is to avoid eating foods with partially hydrogenated oil.

Myth #7: Foods labeled natural are healthier than other foods.

Many foods labeled natural or made with natural ingredients are common junk foods dressed up as healthy fare. Always read ingredients, independent of the food claims on the packaging.

Myth #8: Egg yolks raise your cholesterol.

Eggs have been demonized because of the belief that they raise cholesterol. While eggs raise dietary cholesterol, this form of cholesterol (in contrast with serum cholesterol) has not been linked with heart disease. Eggs are a good source of protein and make a great breakfast food.

Myth #9: Eating junk food helps battle stress.

When you’re stressed out, reaching for that pint of ice cream or bag of potato chips may initially make you feel better. But studies have shown that people who consumed overly processed foods were over 50 percent more likely to be depressed than those who ate a diet low in unprocessed foods. Choose healthy snacks and find other ways of relieving stress—such as a long soak in the bathtub or a walk.

Myth # 10: Eating (milk) chocolate is good for you.

Recent research has shown that dark chocolate promotes health. Cocoa contains flavonoids and a (healthy) saturated fat that increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels. However, the same cannot be said for milk chocolate, which contains more fat and sugar than dark chocolate does. If you’re going to indulge, stick to dark chocolate.

Myth #11: Granola is good for you.

Granola starts off healthy enough—the cereal is loaded with oats. But because the oats are coated in sugar and baked in oil, they lose many of their health benefits. Try oatmeal instead or make your own granola.

Myth #12: Bananas are the best source of potassium.

While bananas are often touted as an excellent source of potassium, there are other foods that contain similar amounts of potassium but fewer calories. Potatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe, apricots and sun-dried tomatoes are all excellent sources of potassium. To see a more complete list of fruits and vegetables that contain potassium, go here.

Myth #13: Oranges are the best source of vitamin C.

Vitamin C has many health benefits. In addition to oranges, other foods that contain this essential nutrient include bell peppers, broccoli, papaya, brussels sprouts and strawberries. For a more complete list, go here.

Myth #14: Organic is always better than nonorganic.

Generally speaking, the difference between organic and nonorganic produce is the use of pesticides. While foods with permeable skins—such as celery and strawberries—are better to purchase organic, foods with impermeable skins—such as onions—are safe to buy commercially since very few pesticides are used. To see a complete list compiled by the Environmental Working Group, go here.

Myth #15: Meat is bad for you.

Despite its bad reputation, meat is a primary source of protein and provides all of the essential B vitamins. Processed meats (that is, meat that is cured, smoked or chemically preserved) are the unhealthiest. Unprocessed meats are the healthiest.

Myth #16: Avoid nuts if you want to lose weight because they are fattening.

Nuts are high in both calories and fat, but this fat is healthy fat and does not clog arteries. Nuts are an excellent source of protein and fiber that can be beneficial to weight loss if consumed in small portions.

Myth #17: Food eaten after 8:00 p.m. is more likely to be stored as fat than food eaten earlier in the day.

The time of day food is consumed does not affect weight. What does affect weight are the kinds and amount of food consumed combined with the level and amount of physical activity. Bodies store excess calories as fat independent of the hands on the clock.

Myth #18: Red wine is the only alcohol good for your heart.

The ingredient that protects the heart is found in any alcoholic beverage. The key ingredient, ethanol, raises the levels of good cholesterol (HDL), which protects the arteries from plaque buildup. Consequently, any alcoholic beverage consumed in moderation provides the same health benefits and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Nutritional advice, like a river flowing to the sea, seems to be in a constant state of flux. Researchers eagerly publish the results of their latest findings, and healthcare and fitness journalists (like me) assess what’s worth noting and pass the nuggets of advice on to our readers.

Before you jump on the next food wagon, though (whether the new superfood is tangerines or acai berries), do your homework. Whatever the latest food trend, product or supplement, keep an open mind and a tight grip on your wallet.

Photo courtesy of James Farmer

Location: www.sxc.hu

 

Eating Done Right: Grapes—Food of the Week

From wine to jelly to raisins, grapes can be enjoyed in a number of ways. So it's no wonder that grapes are the second-most popular fruit (they come in a close second to oranges) and that growing and processing grapes is one of the world’s largest food industries.

One of the earliest cultivated fruits, grapes were introduced in biblical times, and the consumption of wine is an important motif in both Old and New Testament literature.

Grapes come in a number of different shades (blue, black, green, red, golden, blue-black and purple). There are more than 60 species and a staggering 8,000 varieties of grapes.

Grapes are known as the “queen of fruit" because the fruit contains a polyphenolic phytochemical compound called resveratrol, a powerful anti-oxidant that has been shown to help prevent cancer, coronary heart disease, degenerative nerve disease and Alzheimer’s.

Grapes have the added advantage of being juicy and flavorful but relatively low in calories and cholesterol—100 grams of fresh grapes contain 69 calories and no cholesterol. Finally, grapes provide respectable amounts of copper, iron and magnesium, as well as vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin K.

Grapes can be incorporated into salads or even meat dishes to add depth and flavor. The recipe below was given to me by a friend who found a variation on the dish on www.foodnetwork.com. Both recipes incorporate grapes in a surprising way that gives the dishes an unusual flavor and richness.

Sausage, Grapes and Cabbage Entrée

Serves 4

6-8 chicken sausages (spicy or seasoned), pricked with a fork
1 medium red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound seedless grapes (purple or white)
1/2 pound Napa cabbage or coleslaw, sliced into 1/8-inch pieces     (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Broil or grill the sausages until fully cooked. Transfer to a large casserole and cover. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil soft and lightly brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the grapes and cabbage. Cook until the cabbage is soft and half of the grapes have expanded, 12 to 15 minutes.

Add the vinegar and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture over the sausages. Reheat the dish for 20 minutes or until steaming. Serve with crusty bread and, of course, a glass of wine.

Bon appétit!

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

Photo courtesy of Zirzuke

Location: www.sxc.hu

Staying Trim the NEAT Way

Vigorous exercise is one way to burn calories. NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) is another. That’s a mouthful, but NEAT is simply the actions you take that get you out of your seat during a normal day. These activities include walking to lunch, pacing while on the phone, cleaning the house, cooking, climbing stairs, standing while talking to a friend—even fidgeting.

NEAT is important because it significantly influences whether we gain weight or stay trim and fit, according to research conducted by James Levine, an endocrinologist and professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Levine confirmed that people who spend their waking hours sitting weigh more than people who move around. His conclusion? Living in a chair-based environment can result in obesity.

Unfortunately, the chair-based environment is everywhere. We may sit at a table to eat breakfast, sit in a car or bus on our way to work and sit during our workday. We may sit during lunch and sit driving home, only to sit before the television with a remote control in hand. On the weekend, we may sit through a movie, ride a lawn mower or snow blower or sit in a car as we pick up fast food at a drive-through. For some people, 23 out of 24 hours are spent sitting or sleeping.

Dr. Levine has a visionary plan to create more opportunities for NEAT that will get us moving and keep us fit and trim. He’s designing dynamic environments for offices where work stations are mounted on treadmills. Instead of meeting in rooms with tables and chairs, employees conduct meetings while walking on specially designed parallel tracks. Walking side by side, the employees conduct business while engaging in exercise.

Dr. Levine is also continuing an educational drive to make people aware of how much they sit and suggest ways they can introduce more movement into their lives. Walking, shopping and moving around for any reason shouldn’t be underestimated, according to Dr. Levine.

After thinking about the implications of Dr. Levine’s research, I appreciate the layout of my home even more. I live in a two-story house, so I am constantly running up and down stairs. In addition, my office is located outside the house over the garage. If I’m working in my office and want to throw in a load of laundry, I have to walk down a flight of stairs, walk upstairs to get the laundry, back downstairs to the washing machine and then back upstairs to my office. To accomplish my task, I am forced to move because of the different levels.

Besides appreciating the layout of my home, I welcome Dr. Levine’s development of the NEAT concept for a distinctly female reason. His research gives me another excuse, in addition to retail therapy, to go shopping.

Photo courtesy of Siewlian

Location: www.sxc.hu

How Much Fat Should You Eat?

The amount of information and advice swirling around us on how much and what kind of fat to eat is enough to make a person dizzy. We’re told some fats are bad for us (saturated fats and trans-fats) and others are good for us (monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fats). Some diet experts, such as Dr. Dean Ornish, suggest a low-fat diet. Others, such as the Atkins diet, promote a high-fat diet. According to the following studies, however, even too much of a good thing may be too much: 

Rats Fed High-Fat Diet Experienced Decreased Brain Function: In a recent study, scientists report that rats fed a high-fat diet experienced brain injury that resulted in reduced brain activity. After documenting the short- and long-term effects of a high-fat diet, researchers concluded that a high-fat diet triggers reduced brain activity. Rats that were fed a diet with the amount of fat consumed in a typical American diet not only gained weight, they also experienced a swelling of the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates weight. In addition, scientists detected damage to (and even loss of) weight-regulating neurons.

Fat Causes Grey Brain Matter to Shrink: For some time now, obesity has been considered a key factor in the development of medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Adding to that list, researchers have found compelling evidence linking obesity with memory loss in dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. Being obese or even overweight can age grey matter—the thinking part of our brains—by as much as 16 years.

Along the same line, researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found the risk of dementia to be 71 percent higher for overweight individuals than for people of normal weight. In addition, scientists have discovered that consuming too many fatty and sugary foods actually changes the way we think. In other words, eating an excess amount of junk food causes the brain to crave more of the same. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however; subjects of the study who lost weight also improved brain function.

High-Fat Diet Changes Dopamine Levels: A high-fat diet wreaks havoc with dopamine levels in the brain, according to Mitchell Roitman, a researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Rats fed a high-fat diet experienced a significant reduction in dopamine levels over a six-week period. Commenting on the link between dopamine levels and obesity, Roitman said, “Previous research has demonstrated reduced dopamine transporter numbers in association with obesity and exposure to a high fat diet. Our research shows that these changes lead to major differences in the way dopamine functions in the brain.”

Could Stem-Cell Research Retard the Growth Of Fat Cells? Scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have discovered a stem-cell marker produced in mice and in human adults associated with obesity and weight gain. The marker, called delta-decorin, shows up on adipose cells. Commenting on the link, Alexes Daquinag, PhD, coresearcher and postdoctoral fellow at the UTHealth Medical School, said, “In obesity, you have an overgrowth of white adipose tissue. It is made of adipocytes (fat cells) and one way to stop obesity is to target the progenitor cells—adipose stem cells.” Although the research is still in its preliminary stages, the discovery of this stem-cell marker may eventually lead to weight-loss drugs that target fat.

Cutting all fat out of our diet isn’t a viable option because healthy fats help manage mood, provide energy and create a sensation of satiety. But given this research, if we are to optimize our health and well-being, we will need to make healthy choices (replacing bad fats with good ones) and manage the amount of fat we consume so that we experience none of the downside and all of the benefits.

Photo courtesy of Pat Herman

Pantry Makeover

If you’re ready to start a makeover to slim down and give your body the nutritional boost it needs, consider a pantry makeover. The March 2011 Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter provides great ideas. Listed below are ideas for items to add to your pantry or use as replacements for less healthy counterparts:

Barley: Good for your heart and for lowering unhealthy cholesterol levels, barley packs plenty of fiber and nutrients. Add to soups or stews or serve as a side dish.

Beans: A rich source of protein and a good source of B vitamins, beans are a hearty, healthy food. If you eat the canned variety, you can reduce nearly half of the sodium content by draining and rinsing the beans.

Brown rice: Made of whole grains, brown rice is a healthy and satisfying staple. Unlike its counterpart, white rice, brown rice lowers your risk for diabetes.

Canned fish: Albacore tuna, canned sardines and canned salmon are packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Tuna packed in water is best. If you make tuna salad, remember to go easy on the mayonnaise (or switch to low-fat mayonnaise).

Canola oil: Canola oil contains an ideal mix of unsaturated fats that promotes heart health. Canola oil supplies the body with essential fatty acids.

Cooking spray: As a no-calorie alternative to oil, cooking spray works well when you need just enough oil to prevent sticking.

Cornstarch: As an alternative to flour, cornstarch works well for thickening soups and sauces. A teaspoon of cornstarch is relatively low in calories (10) and adds twice the thickness of flour.

Dried fruit: Dried fruit makes a great snack or a nutritious topping on cereal or yogurt. Blueberries are particularly healthy. Check the ingredients and avoid dried fruits that contain added sugar.

Green tea: Packed with healthy antioxidants, green tea also produces feelings of satiety. Drink a cup or two with meals to suppress the urge to overeat.

Hot sauce: Hot sauce is great for adding flavor to food without adding calories or sodium. Check the label to make sure the sodium content is low.

Lentils: Quick, easy and nutritious, lentils are a good source of fiber, protein, iron and potassium.

Low-sodium chicken stock: Many recipes call for chicken stock. Make sure you use a low-sodium brand.

Nuts and nut butters: A good source of protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, nuts are often avoided because of their high calorie content. In moderation, nuts make a healthy snack.

Oatmeal: Oat groats and steel-cut oatmeal are the most nutritious, but even the quick-cook variety is chock-full of good ingredients.

Olive oil: Olive oil in vinaigrette makes a great substitute for bottled salad dressings. Add vinegar and a little Dijon mustard for a tasty vinaigrette.

Popcorn: Literally popping with antioxidants and loaded with fiber, popcorn makes a healthy snack. Remember to go easy on the salt.

Powdered egg whites: As a substitute for liquid egg whites, powdered egg whites are an excellent low-calorie, low-fat source of protein.

Quinoa: A healthier substitute for rice, quinoa makes a great side dish.

Sugar substitutes: Choose from a variety of zero-calorie sugar substitutes to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding pounds.

Vinegar: Red-wine vinegar contains only one milligram of sodium per tablespoon and no saturated fat. A caloric bargain, vinegar has only three calories per serving. Add to salads or your favorite dish.

Whole-wheat flour: Whole-wheat flour can be substituted for bleached white flour (up to one-third) in most recipes. For lighter baked goods, check supermarkets for whole-wheat  white and whole-wheat pastry flours.

Whole-wheat pasta: Stock up on this healthy alternative to white pasta. Substitute whole-wheat couscous for white rice.

Wild rice: Although some varieties of wild rice take extra time to prepare, quick-cook varieties are now available. Heat the quick-cook versions in boiling water or microwave for a nutritious and wholesome side dish.

The average American consumes 35 percent of his or her calories from SoFAS—solid fats and added sugars. Your pantry makeover can move this number down for you and your family, and the lower number will help trim surplus pounds. This list of ideas will turn your pantry into your ally in looking and feeling your best during the days ahead. And if you’re cooking for family members, they’ll appreciate the pantry makeover as well.

Photo courtesy of Shannah Pace

Got Soup? It’s a Dieter’s Best Friend

Leaves are turning gold, nights are turning frosty, days are getting shorter and budgets are getting tighter. Outside my kitchen window, I can see scurrying squirrels busily hiding seeds. Like the squirrels, I have a primordial urge to prepare for winter.

This year, the impulse to get ready for the season’s storms is particularly intense. Like most of my friends, I have nagging worry about the economy and how it will affect us all.

In response, I make soup. I make lots of soup, and I make lots of different kinds of soup. By the time I finish this year’s soup-making orgy, my refrigerator may not have all the soup that’s fit to eat but it will surely contain a good sampling.

Here are a few of my favorites with a link to the recipe:

• beet and apple soup
• next day chili
• butternut squash soup
• curried carrot soup
• white clam chowder
• turkey vegetable
• split pea soup
• Canadian potato soup
• navy bean with ham
• French onion soup

Soup has many virtues. As a first course, soup is wonderfully filling, making it that much easier to resist seconds later in the meal. I also feel virtuous when I incorporate leftovers into a soup. At a time when many of us need to stretch our food budget, soup becomes a bargain—a bowl costs pennies. And soup nourishes our bodies in a comforting way, warming us from the inside out.

Soup is also a time-saver. By doubling the recipe, I usually have enough for several meals. With butternut squash soup, for example, I roast a large squash and freeze soup-sized portions of the cooked vegetable in plastic bags. On nights when I’m rushed or tired, I have the main ingredient prepared and simply need to add broth and seasonings.

Soup is also a calorie bargain and typically low in cholesterol. I can usually find ways to cut calories from recipes without sacrificing taste. For example, for a beet and apple soup, instead of sautéing the vegetables and apple in oil or butter, I roast the vegetables and apple together in their own liquid. With the clam chowder, I replace cream with a combination of skim milk and chicken broth.

When making chili, I drain the canned kidney beans (reducing starch and salt) and wash the browned beef in hot water (to eliminate fat). With the French onion soup, I fill a crock pot with onions, set the heat at low and leave it for 24 hours. At the end of the cooking time, without the bother of stirring or extra calories from oil, the onions have carmelized to a dark brown. To finish the soup, I add vegetable or beef broth plus a little sherry. Before serving, I spoon the rich onion broth into cups and top the soup with with rye toast and melted gruyere cheese. Mmmmmmm!

If you don’t have one already, consider adding a stick blender or hand blender to your kitchen toys. My French daughter-in-law introduced me to pureed soups using this wonderful tool. You can purchase one for as little as $15.00. A hand blender requires little space, is easily cleaned, and as appliances go, is relatively inexpensive. (When summer returns, you can use it to make smoothies.)

If you want more calorie-cutting ideas for soup recipes, send me your request. While you’re at it, send me your favorites and I’ll share them with others.

Unless we’re mindful, economic uncertainties can challenge our equanimity and well-being. But who can be anxious about the future when the aroma of steaming soup fills the home?

Next week, I’m going to try a new recipe for corn chowder.

What’s your favorite?

An Apple a Day: Food for Thought

If you read the latest reports on the health benefits of eating apples, you’ll find that apples are credited with the following:

• Reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
• Reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke
• Boosting the immune system
• Reducing the risk of breast, colon, prostate and lung cancer
• Preventing tooth decay
• Aiding hair growth
• Protecting skin against the sun
• Preventing menopausal bone loss
• Improving symptoms for sufferers of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Stabilizing blood sugar
• Aiding in the prevention of kidney stones
• Aiding weight loss

The list is impressive, and it will likely grow as more research is conducted. Evidently, the 1900s adage “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is solid advice.

Apples are indeed a nutritional superfood. An average apple has only about 80 calories, yet it contains potassium, folic acid, vitamin C and 3.7 grams of fiber. Apples also contain trace amounts of B vitamins, iron, magnesium and more. The skin and the portion of apple just under the skin contain most of the nutrients. Consequently, eating unpeeled apples provides the greatest nutritional benefit; however, unpeeled apples need to be washed thoroughly to make sure they are free of toxic pesticides.

Apples didn’t start out with a good reputation. Remember the role of the tempting apple in the biblical story of Adam and Eve? And what about the wicked witch who poisoned the beautiful red apple she gave to innocent Snow White?

Johnny Appleseed (whose real name was John Chapman) was untroubled by the apple’s questionable reputation. Legend has it that in the 1800s Johnny walked thousands of miles throughout the Midwest and planted apple trees wherever he went. In fact, he was a nurseryman who planted orchards for local farmers before continuing his journey and planting more apple trees.

Johnny Appleseed must have done his job well because the variety of apples today seems almost countless. Over 300 varieties are identified by www.allaboutapples.com.

With all their nutritional benefits, apples shouldn’t be limited to the role of occasional afternoon snack. With a little imagination, we can spruce up any menu with apples. Add a chopped apple to your favorite green salad. Doesn’t a steaming bowl of beet and apple soup sound good? Top off your meal with slices of apple and cheese or serve an easy-to-make, delicious apple crisp dessert. And the next time you bake a cake or a batch of muffins, remember to substitute applesauce in equivalent amounts for oil or shortening. The applesauce enhances the flavor, and your baked goods won’t dry out.

One of my fondest childhood memories is that of sitting in an apple tree with my oldest sister in the front yard on our Iowa farm. We would spend lazy afternoons talking about life as we ate apple after apple. As much as I loved apples then, my appreciation of them rose exponentially since I reviewed the latest research on the considerable health benefits that apples provide. I’d write more, but I need to take a break—I’m hungry for an apple.

Photo courtesy of Robert Michie

For Weight Loss and Optimum Health, Tip the Scale with Fiber

For too long, fiber has been a neglected orphan in the American food family. Gritty drinks, supersized pills and cardboard-like bran cereal seemed to be the only alternatives for adding fiber to one’s diet. Maybe the lack of options explains why the typical American consumes only half of the recommended daily amount of fiber (25 to 38 grams).

Fiber’s numerous health benefits, however, cannot safely be ignored. A reduced risk of heart disease is one important benefit of a high-fiber diet. Fiber also stabilizes blood glucose levels, thereby helping to prevent and manage diabetes. Consuming essential fiber also lowers the risk of infectious and respiratory diseases. And a diet high in fiber has one additional advantage for those of us seeking to lose weight: foods high in fiber keep us feeling fuller longer than nonfibrous foods do, thereby making our appetite and impulse eating more manageable.

Because of the cumulative benefits, fiber is in the driver’s seat for food manufacturers who are busily incorporating fiber into food products. For example, inulin, a prebiotic fiber found in chicory root, is being used as a fat replacement in milk products (such as cottage cheese and yogurt), margarines, baked goods and dressings. Inulin tastes creamy, so the additive can be incorporated into foods without advertising its status as a fiber.

Other isolated fibers being added to food include maltodextrin, oat fiber, soy fiber, modified wheat starch, sugarcane fiber and polydextrose. These added fibers, however, do not provide the benefits of fiber found naturally in vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

In our commitment to eat more healthfully, we don’t have to sacrifice taste or rely on food additives. Here are 10 delicious tips for adding more fiber to your diet:

1. Change your spreads. For example, make a hummus spread (chickpeas, olive oil and spices) for a sandwich filling.

2. Bake healthy. Replace flour in baked goods with puréed breakfast cereal. Run the breakfast cereal through a blender and substitute an equivalent amount for up to half the flour in baked recipes. Oatmeal works particularly well in pancake recipes. Replace calorie-laden crusts with crushed cereal-laden crusts. Purée whole-grain crackers or cereal and add enough melted butter and water to press into a crust.

3. Choose whole fruit over juice. For maximum fiber, eat fruits with edible seeds, such as blueberries, kiwi, raspberries and figs. Other fruits high in fiber are apples, pears, oranges, dried and fresh plums, raisins, pineapples and bananas. 

4. Eat plenty of vegetables. Vegetables high in fiber include greens, eggplant, beets, winter squash, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, okra, artichoke hearts, peas, corn, white and sweet potatoes and beans. Snack on popcorn and nuts.

5. Fake fried chicken and fish. Purée your favorite cereal with spices. Coat chicken or fish first in low-calorie yogurt, then roll in cereal bread crumbs. Bake in oven for crispy treat.

6. Eat occasional vegetarian meals. Add vegetables in sandwiches, top pizza with vegetables and incorporate vegetables in sauces. For example, pureed carrots added to spaghetti sauce increase fiber.

7. Give your salad some crunch salad. Toss a fistful of your favorite cereal on your salad before you put on low-calorie dressing. And add unpeeled salad fixings (cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, radishes and so on) for extra fiber.

8. Top off dishes with cereal. Use a fistful of cereal as a topping for yogurt, ice cream, pudding, cottage cheese or even soup.

9. Make your own fiber bars. Combine oatmeal, other cereal, raisins, cranberries, dried cherries or other dried fruit. Pour a mixture of melted chocolate chips and skim milk over the cereal and stir. Chill in a flat pan, cut and serve.

10. Replace white pasta and white rice with whole grain pasta and brown rice. Quinoa pasta can double as both a carbohydrate and source of protein. Other grains are also high in fiber, such as barley, bulgar, kasha, amaranth and couscous.

Use these creative tips to make sure you consume adequate amounts of fiber. You can be confident that consuming a diet high in fiber will tip the scale in favor of weight loss and optimum health.

Eating Done Right: Chickpeas—Food of the Week

Chickpeas, otherwise known as garbanzo beans, enjoy a huge popularity in kitchens all over the world. In most Middle Eastern countries, chickpeas are included in a variety of different foods, from hummus to falafel, and in some places in India, chickpeas are consumed on a daily basis.

Two varieties of chickpeas dominate: desi and kabuli. The darker desi is eaten more frequently in India, Mexico, Ethiopia and Iran, while kabuli, the lighter-skinned variety, is popular in Southern Europe, Chile, North Africa and Afghanistan.

A member of the legume family, chickpeas originated in the Middle East about 7,500 years ago and were originally cultivated by ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Spanish explorers introduced chickpeas to other parts of the world in the sixteenth century.

Chickpeas are a nutritional bargain. An excellent source of protein and fiber, they are often a go-to food for vegetarians, as well as for those who wish to lower their cholesterol. Because 65-75 percent of the fiber content is insoluble fiber, garbanzo beans support the health of the digestive tract, thus lowering the risk of colon cancer. And since chickpeas may help lower blood sugar levels, they are a good choice for diabetics and people with hypoglycemia or insulin resistance.

While chickpeas contribute a healthful, nutty-tasting goodness to many meals, they may also be enjoyed as a stand-alone snack. This recipe from the popular Allrecipes.com website is sure to spice up your afternoon.

Roasted Chickpeas

1 (12 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt (optional)
garlic salt (optional)
cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Blot chickpeas with a paper towel to dry them. In a bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil, and season to taste with salt, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper, if using. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and crunchy. Watch carefully the last few minutes to avoid burning.

Bon appétit!

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

Photo courtesy of Steve Ford Elliott