Nutrition Guidelines from American Heart Association

Some tips to improve nutrition in kids and teens:
Excerpt from
Circulation Journal of the American Heart Association
Practitioners: Consensus Statement From the American Heart Association

Dietary Recommendations for Children and Adolescents  2005

TABLE 2. Tips for Parents to Implement AHA Pediatric

Dietary Guidelines

Reduce added sugars, including sugar-sweetened drinks and juices

Use canola, soybean, corn oil, safflower oil, or other unsaturated oils in

place of solid fats during food preparation

Use recommended portion sizes on food labels when preparing and serving

food

Use fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables and fruits and serve at every

meal; be careful with added sauces and sugar

Introduce and regularly serve fish as an entrée

Remove the skin from poultry before eating

Use only lean cuts of meat and reduced-fat meat products

Limit high-calorie sauces such as Alfredo, cream sauces, cheese sauces,

and hollandaise

Eat whole grain breads and cereals rather than refined products; read labels

and ensure that “whole grain” is the first ingredient on the food label of

these products

Eat more legumes (beans) and tofu in place of meat for some entrées

Breads, breakfast cereals, and prepared foods, including soups, may be

high in salt and/or sugar; read food labels for content and choose

high-fiber, low-salt/low-sugar alternatives

"Target ain't people" and Pizza ain't vegetable

A win for pizza companies a loss for child nutrition. I love pizza like everyone else, but I am under no illusion that it is a vegetable. Sure pizza can be made healthier but the standard fare served at schools is high in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and low in fiber. Can a little tomato paste really make it a vegetable? NO!
"House protects pizza as a vegetable"

Kids Eat Right Monday August 22 Message

sanitize your sponges

Ages: Gradeschooler, Teen

Topics: Food Safety

Do you know what's lurking inside of your kitchen sponge? A smelly, wet sponge is a sure sign of one thing: bacteria. Reusing a sponge that's contaminated is dirty business. You can easily spread bacteria to other kitchen surfaces and utensils, increasing your chances of foodborne illness.

Keep your kitchen clean by swapping out kitchen sponges regularly and following these rules:

• Replace worn sponges rather than reusing.
• To clean a sponge, wash it in the hot cycle of your washing machine or wet the sponge well and microwave it on high for about 2 minutes. Microwaving a dry sponge could start a fire.
• Pay close attention to what the sponge was used to wipe up. If it was a drip from raw meat, it's necessary to clean the sponge and sanitize it in a diluted bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach added to 1 gallon of water) before using a second time.

Since bacteria also can live in dishcloths and kitchen towels, wash these items often on the hot cycle of your washing machine, too.

Yikes! I put mine through the microwave, gets it steaming hot!

Kids Eat Right Monday Message August 8, 2011

Celebrate the Watermelon!

Ages: Toddler, Preschooler, Gradeschooler, Teen

Topics: Fruits, Vitamin C, Fiber, Cooking Methods, Food Library, Meal Planning, Preparation, Breakfast, Dessert, Dinner, Lunch, Snacks

It's fitting to celebrate the watermelon, since no summer gathering is complete without it. In addition to being a tasty treat, watermelon is a good source of vitamins A and C and contains lycopene, fiber and potassium. It's also more than 90% water, so it can help you stay hydrated on hot days too.
Try a new twist on an old favorite with these ideas:

• Caramelize watermelon slices on the grill, then drizzle with honey, lime and a pinch of salt.
• Pair with shrimp on a kabob.
• Carve out a watermelon to use as a bowl and fill with fruit salad.
• Use watermelon in place of tomatoes in a citrus salsa.
• Use its juice as a glaze on shrimp or pork.

Of course, watermelon is also a crowd pleaser "as is." Slice it up and you have an instant appetizer, side dish or dessert.

Kids Eat Right August 1, 2011

article of the week

Fake a Homemade Dinner

If you don't have time to whip up a homemade meal, you can still enjoy all the benefits of a family dinner. Here are four speedy meals you can dish up without breaking a sweat. more »

Review Average: 4 stars

reviews (4)

more articles

Cherries!

We can't grow melons or peppers without a greenhouse but we can grow cherries!
It's been a  great cherry season here.
I made preserves and froze a bunch of cherries.
Soon I will dry some and make more into jelly.
Northwest Cherries website inspired me to make
Fresh Northwest Cherry Salsa:








From www.nwcherries.com
FRESH NORTHWEST CHERRY SALSA

• Appetizer

Servings: 

2 servings

Ingredients: 

1 cup pitted Northwest fresh sweet cherries
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped green peppers
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and grated lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon salt
dash bottled hot pepper sauce

Directions: 

Chop cherries in food processor or manually. Combine all ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Value: 

Nutritional Analysis Per Servings: 124 Cal., 1.6 g pro., 0.2 g fat (2% Cal. from fat), 32.1 g carb., 0 mg chol., 4.5 g fiber and 168 mg sodium.

I made some changes to make it my own here is what I added:

4 cups pitted bing cherries

1/2 green pepper

1/2 cup fresh basil

1 jalapeño pepper

1 clove garlic

1 shallot

lime juice instead of lemon

3/4 to 1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce

fresh ground pepper

1/2 -3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp hot sauce from bottle

Follow the preparation instructions from NW Cherries website

FREE Brown Bag Discussion Today!

Bring your lunch to a free interactive discussion on fats and oils.
Sample some tasty easy to make vinaigrettes too!

Center for Healing and Arts 

( former location of TJs books)

205 South Almon

Noon- 1 pm

Coming this fall, Intuitive Eating discussion and encouragement group.

Monday Message from Kids Eat Right for July 25, 2011

napa valley glazed salmon

by Mary Hess, MS LD LHD FADA

Servings: 4 (3 Ounces Per Serving)

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 3 Ounces
Amount per serving
Calories 270
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g
	Saturated Fat 1.5g
Cholesterol 90mg
Sodium 135mg
Total Carbohydrate 10g
	Dietary Fiber 0g
Protein 32g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Elegant and gourmet-delicious, this salmon recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes. I like to serve it with grilled leeks over white beans seasoned with vinegar, honey, and fresh thyme, or atop gently steamed baby spinach, both Napa Valley trendy.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon white pepper
1¼ pounds salmon, cut into 4 pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Combine the honey, thyme, mustard, lemon zest, and pepper in a small bowl. Arrange the salmon in a shallow roasting pan lined with cooking foil. Using the back of a spoon, spread the honey mixture to coat the top of each fillet.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the salmon flakes with a fork.

CookingTip

Serving Suggestion: Slice leftover salmon and place on top of a bed of mixed greens and chopped tomatoes for an easy lunch or dinner.

Variation: Substitute your favorite dried or fresh herb for the thyme — or combine several.

Tip: To store fresh fish a day or two after purchase, rinse and place in a bag with ice. Pour off melted ice and replace with more ice chunks.

Nutrition Nugget: The white droplets accumulating on the top of salmon are rich in omega-3s. So is the gray-colored meat right next to the skin. Enjoy both to reap the most omega-3s.

Rate this article: Average 0 out of 5

About the author:

Mary Hess, MS LD LHD FADA

Contributor to "American Dietetic Association Cooking Healthy Across America" by American Dietetic Association and Food and Culinary Professionals, a Dietetic Practice Group of ADA. John Wiley and Sons, 2005.

Summer Cabbage!

Last year we had the wonderful opportunity to visit Ireland.
While there we had cabbage, but it wasn't the head of cabbage we are most used to here in the US.
It was a green leafy summer cabbage.
My style of cooking is to throw stuff in a skillet for this recipe I don't specific measurements.

I made a tasty dish with summer cabbage:
Ingredients in order of thrown in the skillet

Splash of canola, safflower, or olive oil
Shallots ( they are easy to grow I recommend growing them they are expensive to buy)
garlic scapes
Turkey bacon
(Let soften and brown)
carrots, sliced
splash of vinegar cider or red wine
water or broth to cover carrots
(cook until carrots tender)
summer cabbage chopped up ( lots of it it shrinks)
red bell pepper chopped
salt and pepper to taste
dash of cayenne

C.S.A. adventures

Our generous neighbors asked if we would like to split a share of weekly produce from Affinity Farms here in Moscow Idaho. We jumped at the opportunity. I have been interested in community supported agriculture (CSA) in the past but the appeal to farmers of having customers pay upfront for the whole season $200-500+ dollars was a deterrent to my husband and I in the past. This share we pay for weekly which is great and I hope works for the farmers too.
Anyway we have had a constant supply of beautiful greens and other vegetables.
Each week we must get creative to use our produce as best we can especially what to do with broccoli rabe???
 Any leftovers become a treat for our chickens.
In addition to the CSA I have been growing a variety of different vegetables, but that experience makes me appreciate professional farmers all the more.

Looking forward to this week....

Kids Eat Right Article for Monday July 18, 2011

Flaxseed!


Put this flaxseed oil dressing on your family's next green salad. Its flavor and omega-3 fatty acids will prompt your kids to give it an A+!http://bit.ly/nMCMim

photo © 2009 Alisha Vargas | more info (via: Wylio)

Cochrane review doesn’t change our advice on salt reduction, AHA

Cochrane review doesn’t change our advice on salt reduction, AHA

Research on nutrition and dietary habits can be very tricky to interpret. This article provides a bit more insight into the issue.

Note the comment too by the RD Angie King-Nosseir on Potassium to Sodium ratio.

Kids Eat Right Article for Monday July 11, 2011

There’s lots of talk about going gluten free. Can your child benefit from a g-free diet?http://bit.ly/qEJqro

Diet Soda and Waist Circumference

Research on diet soda and aspartame presented at the American Diabetes Association's 71st Scientific Sessions from June 24-28 in San Diego have sparked a lot of media attention.
As Science Daily summarizes:


ScienceDaily (2011-06-28) -- In the constant battle to lose inches or at least stay the same, we reach for the diet soda. Two studies suggest this might be self-defeating behavior. Epidemiologists report data showing that diet soft drink consumption is associated with increased waist circumference in humans, and a second study that found aspartame raised fasting glucose (blood sugar) in diabetes-prone mice.


The study presented by researchers at the University of Texas Health and Science Center at San Antonio looked at the relationship between drinking diet soft drinks and long-term change in waist circumference in 474 participants, aged 65-74 yrs at baseline, in the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (SALSA). They found that over the 9.5 year study average increases in waist circumference of people drinking two or more diet soft drinks a day were five times larger than people that did not drink diet soft drinks.
Here is the graph posted at the American Diabetes Association website:

http://ww2.aievolution.com/ada1101/index.cfm?do=abs.viewAbs&abs=10061


I could not find this research in a published peer reviewed journal  and did not attend the conference so was not able to look at  the details of the study such as how diet soft drinks are defined e.g. is it only sodas or other drinks with artificial sweeteners? It is a very interesting study and gives one a lot to think about.  Notice the age range is 65- 74 at baseline would the results be different in a younger group? What about waist circumference among regular soft drink users? There is some interesting research into artificial sweeteners and blood sugar too, but that is for another post.
I did come across another study by the same authors looking at the same group in the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (SALSA) observed a connection ( they did not state it cause and effect) between artificial sweetener use and increase BMI over the 7 to 8 year study period. This study did not distinguish between type of artificial sweetener and did not include fruit flavored drinks/powders/mixes.


The article was published in the journal Obesity in 2008 and the full text is free at www.nature.com

Lettuce Eat Well Free Lunch and Learns

Bring a bag lunch to the Center of Healing Arts ( 205 S. Almon Street in Moscow) 

and learn about a variety of food and nutrition topics.

The free Lunch and Learns
 held one Wednesday a month 

start next June 29

from noon to 1 pm.

Next week's topic:

The New Food Plate 

and

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010

Lettuce Eat Well website

I have activated my business website for Lettuce Eat Well.

Find out more about my nutrition consulting practice at www.lettucebewell.com

Health Life Log - A Logbook to Track Your Health by Knock Knock

This log has everything in one place.

I might have to get some in bulk to use with Lettuce Eat Well.

Health Life Log - A Logbook to Track Your Health by Knock Knock

Veggie Van Art

www.freedigitalphotos.net

EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides | Environmental Working Group | EWG.org

EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides | Environmental Working Group | EWG.org

This is a great resource for prioritizing your organic or no-spray produce purchases.

You can also find a list of "Clean Fifteen" on the EWG website too.

Why Supermarket Tomatoes Suck | OnEarth Magazine

Why Supermarket Tomatoes Suck | OnEarth Magazine

Kids Eat Right Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the week

Caprese Salad on a Stick

A new spin on the classic Italian salad is fun for the whole family! Pair with your favorite grilled entrée and whole grain side dish and you have a well-balanced meal. more »

Try it out if you get the chance and let me know what you think of this recipe.

USDA Revises Recommended Cooking Temperature for All Whole Cuts of Meat, Including Pork, to 145 ºF

USDA Revises Recommended Cooking Temperature for All Whole Cuts of Meat, Including Pork, to 145 ºF

Food Irradiation and e.coli outbreak

In light of the most recent scare of E.Coli related deaths and illness in Europe I thought it would be a good time to take another look at food irradiation. This week's Newsweek article "Rise of the Superbacteria" Carl Zimmer interviews  Philip Tarr a microbiologist and an expert on E.coli strains from Washington University on the European outbreak most heavily affecting Germany.  The strain causing illness and deaths is called O104:H4 a strain that has never been associated with epidemics before however the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cite two cases of diarrheal illness in the Republic of Georgia caused by a with a slightly different structure that was less resistant to antibiotics.
As of June 8 the World Health Organization reports the 2808 people have developed

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) or Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS)( a type of kidney failure) and 26 people in Germany have died as a result of these conditions.   E. Coli strains range from not causing any illness to those producing Shiga toxins that cause diarrhea often bloody, mild fever, urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and kidney failure. 

While the source of the e.coli strain causing illness in Europe is not yet identified Germany health officials have advised against eating raw sprouts, tomatoes, leafy salads, and cucumbers grown in North Germany.

The CDC's website lists the most common sources of E.coli here is an excerpt:

 

"Exposures that result in illness include consumption of contaminated food, consumption of unpasteurized (raw) milk, consumption of water that has not been disinfected, contact with cattle, or contact with the feces of infected people. Some foods are considered to carry such a high risk of infection with E. coli O157 or another germ that health officials recommend that people avoid them completely. These foods include unpasteurized (raw) milk, unpasteurized apple cider, and soft cheeses made from raw milk. Sometimes the contact is pretty obvious (working with cows at a dairy or changing diapers, for example), but sometimes it is not (like eating an undercooked hamburger or a contaminated piece of lettuce). People have gotten infected by swallowing lake water while swimming, touching the environment in petting zoos and other animal exhibits, and by eating food prepared by people who did not wash their hands well after using the toilet. Almost everyone has some risk of infection."

This leads back to the idea of food irradiation as PHilip Tarr said in this week's Newsweek article "We'r going to have to rethink food safety. It may even be necessary to take a drastic step, such as irradiating fresh produce. I can tell you how to cook a hamburger to make it safe, but I can't tell you how to prepare a head of lettuce to make it safe. "

Another barrier ( fear of getting sick) to Americans eating fresh produce is a concern considering most Americans don't eat much produce. The top vegetable eaten is potatoes usually in the form of french fries. 

Here is a link to the CDC's page on Food Irradiation: Food Irradiation

Kids Eat Right Article

Whole white wheat flour: tasty and nutritious

by Nour El-Zibdeh, RD

Ages: Baby, Toddler, Preschooler, Gradeschooler, Teen

Topics: Grains, Vitamin C, Calcium, Fiber, Iron, Cooking Methods, Food Library, Meal Planning,Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Snacks

Do your kids turn up their noses when you try to get them to eat bread or other foods made with whole wheat? Then you haven't tried whole white wheat flour!

Whole white wheat flour is made from wheat kernels that have white-colored bran (the outer shell). The term "white" refers to the type and color of the kernels, and the flour is considered a whole grain. It is completely different from the traditional white flour you are used to, known as refined all-purpose flour, which is not whole grain and is made from red wheat kernels after the bran has been removed. What most Americans traditionally identify as "whole wheat flour" is milled from red wheat kernels, whose bran has a dark color, heavy texture, and a strong flavor that some don’t like.

In the Kitchen

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that people eat more whole grains and many think their only choice in the kitchen is whole wheat flour. But this type of flour, while full of nutrients, is not a favorite for baking because the final product is often heavy and unsmooth. To get around this, recipes often mix whole wheat flour with refined all-purpose flour, but the final baked product won't be 100% whole grain.

Whole white wheat flour, on the other hand, is lighter in color and texture, milder in flavor, and sweeter in taste. You can use it alone in your recipes to get all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals in the whole grain, without sacrificing the taste. "Baked goods prepared with whole white wheat flour tend to mimic their refined counterparts in color and texture," says Marisa Moore, MBA, RD, LD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. It is a great way to boost your family's whole grains intake with minimal effort because "the milder flavor of whole white wheat may be more acceptable to children," she adds. The sweetness of whole white wheat also allows you to use less sugar or other sweeteners when baking.

In the Store

Most mainstream grocery stores sell several brand names of whole white wheat flour and products made with it. Moore advises parents to "look for words like '100% whole wheat' on the package when shopping for bread and other products touting a whole grain status." Alternatively, you can look for the Whole Grain Council's "100% Whole Grain" stamp. To distinguish between products made with whole white wheat flour and others made with regular white flour, look at the ingredients list and make sure the type of flour used is whole wheat, not refined or enriched wheat.

My Food Plate Released

The new food icon to help people eat healthy was released this morning. It looks like the Idaho Plate Method. It is very easy to remember and understand. Find out more at www.myfoodplate.gov