July/August 2007

Quiz: Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Penelope Wall-Web Producer/Writer — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:30:23 +0000

Are You Getting Enough D?

Answer the following questions and tally up your score for a rough estimate of how your vitamin D status stacks up.

1. What is your age?
a. __ Over 50
b. __ Under 50

2. Describe your complexion:
a. __ Dark-skinned
b. __ Medium tone
c. __ Fair-skinned

3. How much milk do you drink each day (including vitamin D-fortified soy “milk”)?
a. __ Never drink milk
b. __ 1 (8-ounce) glass
c. __ 2 glasses
d. __ 3+ glasses

EatingWell Editors

Answer these questions to see how your vitamin D status stacks up.

July/August 2007

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What’s the healthiest type of bread—one that’s high in fiber or one that’s “whole-grain”?

Penelope Wall-Web Producer/Writer — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:58:25 +0000

Question:

What’s the healthiest type of bread—one that’s high in fiber or one that’s “whole-grain”?

Answer:

To get the biggest health bang for your buck, choose a whole-grain bread over one made from refined grains with added fiber. Here’s why: Fiber is just one healthy whole-grain component. Whole grains (e.g., wheat, oats, rye) are rich in vitamins and minerals and contain at least as many antioxidants as some fruits and vegetables. These synergistic nutrients come from all three parts of the grain: the bran (its fiber-rich outer coating), germ (the part that sprouts into a new plant) and endosperm (which serves as food for the germ).

Refining grains removes the bran and germ. Even if you add fiber back in—and more of it—you’re still missing the other nutrients that were stripped away in processing. And research shows that when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and reducing blood cholesterol, whole grains are far more powerful than fiber alone.

Look for bread that’s labeled “whole grain,” then double check that a grain is listed first in the ingredients list. Keep in mind that for wheat, oats, corn, rye and barley, unless the word “whole” precedes the grain name, you can’t be sure that the entire grain is intact. (Brown and wild rice, buckwheat, triticale, bulgur, millet, quinoa and sorghum are also whole grains, even if the word “whole” doesn’t appear on labels.) Pick a bread that has 0 grams of trans fats and does not include “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredients list.

Some whole-grain products—including many breads—are not high in fiber, and that’s OK. Just strive for at least three servings of whole grains each day and enjoy other fiber-rich foods (fruits, veggies, beans, nuts).

America's Top Farmers' Markets

Sarah Hoff — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:46:17 +0000

America's Top Farmers' Markets

The markets are booming. No, not the Dow or Nasdaq. Farmers’ markets. According to the USDA, there were 4,385 organized, local markets across the country in 2006, a dramatic 18 percent rise since 2004. That’s a heartening statistic, especially since the Tufts Food Awareness Project claims that “the average mouthful of food in the United States travels 1,300 miles before it is finally eaten.”

Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough

EatingWell readers vote for the best of the bunch.

July/August 2007

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EatingWell's Favorite Farmers' Markets

America's Top Farmer's Markets: Dane County Farmer's Market

America's Top Farmer's Markets: Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

America's Top Farmer's Markets: Portland Farmers Market

America's Top Farmer's Markets: Sunset Valley Farmers Market

America's Top Farmer's Markets: Union Square Greenmarket

America's Top Farmer's Markets: Five More Favorites

America's Top Farmers' Markets: Full List of Readers' Picks

Easy Homemade Panini

Nifer — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:41:15 +0000

Panini are hot! Hailing from Italy, these simple pressed sandwiches are generally found at Italian truck stops, airport food stands and bars, where you’ll often be presented with a variety of cold assembled sandwiches that are pressed to order. Now they’re making their mark in America. Restaurants devoted entirely to these delights have opened across the country. Even supermarket chains have jumped on the panini bandwagon, giving customers the option to have their sandwiches made into panini.

Carolyn Malcoun

Quick pressed sandwiches in minutes—no fancy equipment required.

July/August 2007

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Healthy Panini, Sandwiches and Grilled Cheese Recipes to Try

Grilled Eggplant Panini

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Turkey & Tomato Panini

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Turkey & Tomato Panini 500-Calorie Menu

How Much Folate Do You Need?

Sarah Hoff — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:23:12 +0000

Joyce Hendley

Folate, or Folic Acid is a B vitamin found in fruits and vegetables and beans.

July/August 2007

Recipes Rich in Omega-3s and Folate

Nutrient Library

Quick & Budget-Friendly Suppers with Canned Beans

4 Health Tips for Planning for Pregnancy

Pregnancy Diet Center

Every time the body makes new cells, it needs folate, the B vitamin that’s abundant in beans, fruits and vegetables—leafy greens in particular. Folate is essential for processing vitamin B12, and recent studies suggest it might help protect against Alzheimer’s disease, colorectal cancer and strokes. Folate also helps prevent neural-tube birth defects (NTDs), such as spina bifida. In fact, since 1998 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began requiring enriched cereal grain products (including white flour, pasta and white rice) to be fortified with folic acid—the form of the vitamin used in supplements—the incidence of NTDs has dropped by about 25 percent.
folate

New Research on Folate

However, new research published last January in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition provides the first inkling that folic-acid fortification may be a problem for older people. The trouble stems from the vitamin’s close relationship with vitamin B12, which your body becomes less able to process as it ages. If you are deficient in B12—a problem more common after age 55—folic-acid megadoses can mask the early symptoms that warn of the B12 deficiency. Left undetected and thus untreated, B12 deficiency can lead to irreversible nerve and brain damage.

When Martha Savaria Morris, Ph.D., and her colleagues at Tufts University reviewed data from 1,459 elderly people (average age 70) who participated in a recent federal nutrition survey, they found that about one-quarter of them were low in vitamin B12. Within this group, those who also had the highest blood levels of folate were five times more likely to have symptoms of advanced B12 deficiency—including slower responses on a standardized test that measured ability to combine numbers with symbols—than those with lower folate levels.

Ironically, some of the worst problems were seen in health-minded folks who took supplements on top of eating a variety of folic-acid enriched foods. Breakfast cereals, some fortified with 100 percent of the daily recommendation of 400 micrograms (mcg), were a particularly potent source—especially for people who, like many of us, poured themselves a bigger serving than what was specified on the cereal box. “Some people got around 1,000 mcg of folic acid from breakfast alone,” says Morris.

Bottom Line on Folate

Unless you’re a woman of childbearing age, eating plenty of vegetables, fruits and beans is all the folate insurance you’ll likely need; 1⁄2 cup of pinto beans or 1 cup of orange juice or romaine lettuce supplies about one-fifth of the daily requirement. Without even trying, most of us meet our needs with fortified grains like cereals and rice. If you’re over 55, it’s OK to take a basic multivitamin, but don’t take a specific folic-acid supplement, says Morris. “You’re unlikely to need it and it may be harmful.” Women capable of becoming pregnant should consume 400 mcg from supplements or fortified foods in addition to intake of food folate from a varied diet.

EatingWell Taste Test: Barbecue Sauce

Sarah Hoff — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:25:23 +0000

Slather on the Sauce

It’s probably a safe bet to say that most homes have a bottle or three of barbecue sauce in the refrigerator. What easier dish is there in the summer than barbecued chicken? Simply slather on some sauce, head out to the grill and dinner is served.

EatingWell Editors

Find your way down a crowded aisle to a healthier barbecue sauce.

July/August 2007

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Related Recipes

A Dozen Ways to Use a Bottle Of BBQ Sauce

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Basic Barbecue Sauce

Maple Barbecue Sauce

Asian Barbecue Sauce

Blueberry-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

But have you ever looked at a barbecue sauce label? Most brands list high fructose corn syrup as the first ingredient and contain tons of sodium. Our guidelines for this test were simple: no high fructose corn syrup or artificial colors in the ingredient list, less than 300 milligrams of sodium and 12 grams or less carbohydrate per serving. The worst offender I found on our local supermarket shelves had 540 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, two types of sugar and artificial colors. Luckily we found several healthier options.

EatingWell staff tasters: Carolyn Casner, Stacy Fraser, Hilary Meyer, Carolyn Malcoun, Jessie Price
EatingWell Smart Choice: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Sensuous Slathering Sauce

365 Organic Texas Barbecue Sauce
With 100 calories and 8 grams of fat per serving, as well as a honey-dijon color and consistency, this sauce from Whole Foods Market seemed more like a sandwich spread than a barbecue sauce. “Where’s the tomato flavor?” Stacy asked.
Calories: 100
Total fat (g): 8
Sodium (mg): 260
Carbs (g): 7
Sugars (g): 6
Taste (1-5 stars): 2 stars

Annie’s Naturals Organic Smokey Maple BBQ Sauce
Of the three sauces from Annie’s Naturals, the Smokey Maple flavor came out on top (Hot Chipotle was close behind). Carolyn M. dug the rich, mahogany color and an almost chocolate-like flavor. Carolyn C. noted an odd celery flavor.
Calories: 45
Total fat (g): 1
Sodium (mg): 220
Carbs (g): 9
Sugars (g): 5
Taste (1-5 stars): 3 stars

Consorzio Organic BBQ Sauce
A sister company of Annie’s Naturals, Consorzio makes a variety of dressings, marinades and sauces. Its barbecue sauce garnered average marks. We all thought it was a bit too sweet; not surprising since it has the most sugar, as well as carbohydrate and sodium.
Calories: 45
Total fat (g): 0
Sodium (mg): 280
Carbs (g): 11
Sugars (g): 9
Taste (1-5 stars): 3 stars

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Sensuous Slathering Sauce
Calories: 25
Total fat (g): 0
Sodium (mg): 240
Carbs (g): 5
Sugars (g): 5
Taste (1-5 stars): 4 stars

Wild Oats Natural Texas Style Smoky & Hot Barbeque Sauce

A few tasters thought this offering from Wild Oats tasted more like steak sauce. A bit vinegary, with some clove and allspice notes. It was the lowest in sugar and sodium and lower in carbs than most of the others.
Calories: 25
Total fat (g): 0
Sodium (mg): 190
Carbs (g): 6
Sugars (g): 4
Taste (1-5 stars): 3 stars

Analysis per 2-tablespoon serving

Tilapia: the fish for the future?

Sarah Hoff — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:23:50 +0000

Nutrition experts urge us to eat more fish; yet, worldwide, we’re already consuming seafood at a rate that is not sustainable. Wild fisheries are overexploited and, some say, fish farmed in traditional open pens can pollute surrounding water. What’s an environmentally conscious consumer to choose? In terms of sustainability, you can’t beat tilapia from a tank, says Michael B. Timmons, Ph.D., professor in the biological and environmental engineering department at Cornell University and author of Recirculating Aquaculture (Cayuga Aqua Ventures, 2007).

Nicci Micco

Explore this delicious eco-friendly fish.

July/August 2007

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Healthy Tilapia Recipes to Try

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon

Beer-Battered Tilapia with Mango Salsa

Tilapia & Summer Vegetable Packets

Tilapia Corn Chowder

Grilled Smoky Eggplant Salad