Striving4Zen

Salmon (and other fish) develop a gray-brown layer of insulating fat between their skin and flesh. This is in addition to fat deposited within the flesh. Yes, it’s okay to eat it.

A large amount of the healthy omega-3 fats in salmon are found here. For cosmetic reasons, however, vendors who remove the skin also take off as much of the gray fat as they can. But you may still find some of it on your salmon fillets or smoked salmon.

In general, the fatty layer adds an intensity of flavor, but it has a consistency that some people may dislike. If you scrape it off, rest assured that you are still getting significant amounts of omega-3s from the flesh of the salmon.

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Labels: canned salmon, Fat, healthy cooking, healthy diet, Omega-3s, Omega-3s fish oil, salmon

Plastics, as used for food preparation and storage, have been linked to a sobering list of health conditions: hormonal imbalance, heart disease, impaired brain development, altered development of sexual organs, and various cancers.

So what should you do?

Plastics of different types are assigned corresponding resin numbers. The types, 1-7, look something like this.

• #1 polyethylene terephthalate – aka PET/PETE – soda bottles, mouthwash bottles, bottled water, etc.
• #2 high density polyethylene – aka HDPE - milk jugs, household cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, etc.
• #3 polyvinyl chloride – aka V/PVC – meat packaging, some household cleaner bottles, rigid plastic containers, household pipes, etc.
• #4 low density polyethylene – aka LDPE – newspaper bags, grocery bags, sandwich bags, cling wraps, frozen food bags, etc.
• #5 polypropylene – aka PP – yogurt/sour cream tubs, ketchup bottles, medicine bottles, etc.
• #6 polystyrene – aka PS – coffee cups, packing peanuts, to-go containers, etc.
• #7 “other” (Category assigned for mixed plastics or plastics introduced after 1987. The category includes polycarbonate, plant-based polylactide and other new hard plastics.) – baby bottles, water cooler bottles, rigid containers for food storage, lining for canned food, etc.

Are there better / worse options?

Although you’ll find criticism/skepticism about every category in some corners, most experts believe that better bets include #2 (HDPE), #4 (LDPE) and #5 (polypropylene) plastics because they appear to be more stable and less prone to leaching when used properly.

Of high concern are PVC (#3), polystyrene (#6) and the polycarbonate plastics (subcategory of #7). PVC contains phthalates, known endocrine disruptors and carcinogens, that present a particular risk to children. As for polystyrene, studies have linked this plastic to cancer, neurological damage and reproductive issues (PDF). And we’ve all likely heard the debate about BPA, a component of polycarbonate plastics. Although industry has fought the link tooth and nail, it’s becoming clear that BPA can seriously impact hormonal balance and reproductive function. (1, 2, 3)

Finally, some research suggests that a common plastic for water bottles, PET plastics, leach estrogenic compounds. These compounds, xenoestrogens, can disrupt hormonal balance in both men and women, although the single use of these plastics may lessen the overall leaching impact on consumers.

So, what can you do to prevent leaching? First off, there’s your own use of plastic. Use plastic containers only in accordance with their originally intended use (e.g. Don’t reheat a microwave dinner container or wash a single use water bottle and use it over and over – especially after continual washing in a hot dishwasher.) Second, avoid heating any plastic whenever possible or storing hot food/drink in plastic containers. In much of the “leaching” research, plastics are heated to high temperatures for long stretches of time, but even brief heating can be enough to allow chemical shedding of sorts. Remove plastic packaging and use a good old glass bowl or stove top pot for heating and a regular mug instead of a foam cup for your morning coffee. (And use a plain paper towel, preferably unbleached, to cover food in the microwave rather than plastic wrap.) The same goes for storage. (A liquid or moist food item has the potential to absorb more from its container than loose “dry” items.) Acidic food reacts more with the materials it comes in contact with. Keep your tomatoes and juices preferably in glass. Finally, look into alternatives to plastic bags like wax paper sandwich bags or stainless steel Bento boxes. (Just be sure to wrap those acidic foods in wax paper before storing them in stainless steel or aluminum.)

Read Full Article on Mark's Daily Apple!

Labels: BPA, healthy cooking, living holistically, microwave, plastic, PVC, toxic, toxins

Before you get ready to throw your next steak on the barbie, consider adding in an extra step that'll flavor your meat — and possibly improve your health.

According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, marinating steak in beer or red wine reduces the number of cancer-causing compounds in the meat. Cooking food of any kind, and especially frying and grilling meats, increases the level of compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HAs) that cause cancer.

Following the University of Porto study, marinating steak in red wine slashed levels of two types of HAs by up to 90 percent compared to unmarinated steak, and marinating steak in beer reduces levels even more.

Thanks for the Tip!!

Labels: beer, cancer, healthy cooking, marinated steak, red wine, study

New eatery Rouge Tomate is helping its clientele cut the fat by offering fare the restaurant hopes is as appealing to the taste buds as it is to the waistline.

Neither spa cuisine nor diet food, the menu under executive chef Jeremy Bearman (a Joel Robuchon and Daniel Boulud alum) is based on the principles of S.P.E. (Sanitas Per Escam or "Health Through Food"), a nutritional charter conceived by its Belgian owner Emmanuel Verstraeten to offer maximum health benefits and culinary pleasure.

A three-course meal can clock in at just 550 calories. Butter and cream are verboten, as are frying and grilling; vegetables are seasonal and in heavy supply and even the sodas like ginger ale, tonic and lemon-lime are homemade. But if the Rouge Tomate team has their way, you won't even notice what's not on the plate. "The main direction we give the chef is to make the food taste good," explains Rouge Tomate vice president Nil Sönmez. "And then at the end of the meal the great thing is, 'Oh, by the way, it's healthy.'"

The Location: The former Nicole Farhi store and restaurant space across the street from Barneys New York.

The Details: 10 East 60th Street; 646.237.8977; rougetomate.com

Source

Labels: cool new place, healthy cooking, NYC, restaurants, Rouge Tomate

By now, most people know they should be eating more vegetables. But are there ways to get more from the vegetables you already eat?

When it comes to vegetables, it’s not only how much we eat, but how we prepare them, that influences the amount of phytochemicals, vitamins and other nutrients that enter our body.

The benefits are significant. People who consume lots of vegetables have lower rates of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, eye problems and even cancer. But how should they be served?

Surprisingly, raw and plain vegetables are not always best. In The British Journal of Nutrition next month, researchers will report a study involving 198 Germans who strictly adhered to a raw food diet, meaning that 95% of their total food intake came from raw food. They had normal levels of vitamin A and relatively high levels of beta carotene.

But they fell short when it came to lycopene, a carotenoid found in tomatoes and other red-pigmented vegetables that is one of the most potent antioxidants.

“There is a misperception that raw foods are always going to be better,” says Steven K. Clinton, a nutrition researcher and professor of internal medicine at Ohio State University. “For fruits and vegetables, a lot of times a little bit of cooking and a little bit of processing actually can be helpful.”

The amount and type of nutrients that eventually end up in the vegetables are affected by a number of factors before they reach the plate, including where and how they were grown, processed and stored before being bought. Then, it’s up to you. No single cooking or preparation method is best. Water-soluble nutrients like vitamins C and B and nutrients called polyphenolics are often lost in processing.

Studies show that after six months, frozen cherries have lost as much as 50% of anthocyanins, the healthful compounds found in the pigment of red and blue fruits and vegetables. Fresh spinach loses 64% of its vitamin C after cooking. Canned peas and carrots lose 85 - 95% of their vitamin C, according to the University of California, Davis.

Fat-soluble compounds like vitamins A, D, E and K and the antioxidant compounds called carotenoids are less likely to leach out in water. Cooking also breaks down the thick cell walls of plants, releasing the contents for the body to use. That is why processed tomato products have higher lycopene content than fresh tomatoes.

In January, a report in The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry concluded that over all, boiling was better for carrots, zucchini and broccoli than steaming, frying or serving them raw. Frying was by far the worst.

Still, there were tradeoffs. Boiling carrots significantly increased measurable carotenoid levels, but resulted in the complete loss of polyphenols compared with raw carrots.

That report did not look at the effects of microwaving, but a March 2007 study in The Journal of Food Science looked at the effects of boiling, steaming, microwaving and pressure cooking on the nutrients in broccoli. Steaming and boiling caused a 22 - 34% loss of vitamin C. Microwaved and pressure-cooked vegetables retained 90% of their vitamin C.

What accompanies the vegetables can also be important. Studies at Ohio State measured blood levels of subjects who ate servings of salsa and salads. When the salsa or salad was served with fat-rich avocados or full-fat salad dressing, the diners absorbed as much as 4 times more lycopene, 7 times more lutein and 18 times the beta carotene than those who had their vegetables plain or with low-fat dressing.

Because nutrient content and taste can vary so widely depending on the cooking method and how a vegetable is prepared, the main lesson is to eat a variety of vegetables prepared in a variety of ways.

Source

Labels: healthy cooking, healthy diet, NY Times, vegetables, Vitamins

How Long To Cook Them?

1 cup of: Water: Time:

amaranth 2 1/2 cups 20 minutes
brown rice 2 cups 50 minutes
barley 2-3 cups 60-90 minutes
buckwheat 2 cups 20 minutes
millet 2-3 cups 30 minutes
quinoa 2 cups 20 minutes
rolled oats 3 cups 30 minutes
wild rice 2 cups 60 minutes

1 – Be sure to rinse your grains before cooking.

2 – (Optional) Many people recommend soaking grains in a bowl of water before cooking (anywhere from 1/2 hour to overnight) – it makes their nutrients more bio-available, and removes their layer of phytic acid, which can interfere with absorption of some minerals. If you do decide to soak, be sure to drain the grains and discard the soaking water before cooking.

3 – You can add a pinch of sea salt when cooking, or even better – throw in a piece of kombu (or your sea veggie of choice) – it helps to make the grains more digestible and flavorful, and adds important minerals.

4 – Never stir or disturb your grains while cooking – they’ll cook more evenly and have a better texture if you just let them be.

For more ideas on cooking with whole grains, check out Rebecca Wood’s fabulous cookbook, The Splendid Grain. You’ll find loads of inspiration for dressing up your favorite grain varieties!

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Labels: cookbook, healthy cooking, how-to, Whole grains

Made from the seeds of grapes left over from the wine-making process, one tablespoon contains only one gram of saturated fat to olive oil's two grams. It is also high in polyunsaturated fats, which have been found to lower the bad cholesterol. The brag sheet doesn't stop there. Grapeseed oil has been found to raise HDL cholesterol (that's the good kind), which is rare for polyunsaturated fats. Grapeseed oil is very high in vitamin E and other antioxidants, similar to ones found in grapes and wine. Not only that, it is high in linoleic acid (omega-6 fatty acids).

Cookingwise, grapeseed oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil making it ideal for sautés; smoke point is where an oil burn starts to breakdown. It's also a very mild nutty taste so the flavor of the food you are cooking really shines. Grapeseed oil also has great emulsifiying properties (keeping everything mixed together) making it an excellent oil for salad dressings.

It can be difficult to find expeller-pressed (meaning harsh solvents and chemicals are not used to extract the oil from the seed) grapeseed oil.

SOURCE

Labels: grapeseed oil, health food, healthy cooking, linoleic acid, Vitamin E

"At first glance, you might not see East Harlem as the place for fresh thinking about healthy urban living - Go Green East Harlem will change your mind." Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer

I am excited to inform you of a very special project we've created. Integrative Nutrition has teamed up with the Borough of Manhattan to create a cookbook and to offer free health counseling for the people of East Harlem.

The cookbook will showcase 100 recipes (in English and Spanish) provided by restaurants, caterers, farmers' markets and community members of East Harlem. Recipes come from many neighborhood favorites like the Greenmarket's peach-corn salsa, Mo-Bay's collard greens and Rao's famous Lemon Chicken. We have provided recipe comments and an icon system to help readers understand the health benefits of the recipes.

In addition, we will be offering free group counseling. Sessions will meet once a week for 8 weeks at a facility provided by the city.

Labels: cookbook, East Harlem, free radicals, health counseling, healthy cooking, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, recipe

For an unexpected way to add flavor, variety and nutrients to your diet, try experimenting with extra virgin coconut oil.
It's loaded with omega-3s and doesn't burn as easily as olive oil, making it perfect for cooking and baking.
Want to try? Use it in this recipe for Swanson 150 Watt Cookies to get a sweet little energy boost.

Thanks!

Labels: baking, coconut oil, cooking oil, healthy cooking

Frequent reports on potentially dangerous pots and pans have us wondering: what's cooking with cookware?
Recent studies have allayed some fears (most metal cookware doesn't seep into food), but the consensus on nonstick pans is not as clear.
Nonstick pan coating (Teflon) contains perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that's considered a "likely carcinogen" by the EPA's Scientific Advisory Board. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, studies suggest PFOA can cause cancer in animals and might be hazardous to humans.
While EPA officials give Teflon the official ok for cooking, these precautions will reduce your risk:
-Stay in a ventilated area when using nonstick cookware.
-Don't let pots and pans get too hot -- very high temperatures can break down the coating, releasing fumes that can cause flu-like symptoms (and possibly kill house pets like birds). For this reason, never leave dry or empty cookware on heat.
-Don't use pans that have started flaking, which can cause uneven heating and higher emissions. -Avoid using abrasive cleaners and metal sponges or utensils.

Labels: carcinogen, healthy cooking, living holistically, pans, pots, Teflon

How Is it Made?
People have been extracting vegetable oil from plant materials for thousands of years. The very earliest methods of pressing vegetable matter probably yielded at best 10% of the available oil. More modern methods involving chemical solvent extraction can extract all but 1% to 2% of the oil.
Some cooking oils, including olive, peanut, and some coconut and sunflower oils, are expeller-pressed, meaning that the plant part from which oil is derived is crushed and pressed to produce the oil. The oil is then left crude or refined. Crude oils may have a cloudy appearance and are more flavorful, but they have a shorter shelf life than refined products.
Some manufacturers label their products cold-pressed to indicate that the plant materials were not heated during oil extraction. However, this label term is largely unregulated and cannot always be relied on to mean that the oil was never exposed to high heat.
Most cooking oils are extracted from ground plant material with a chemical solvent. After extraction, the oil is cleaned, refined, and filtered and/or distilled. This process produces a bland, clear oil.

What Happens When You Heat It?
All cooking oils will oxidize and therefore hydrogenate to a small degree if repeatedly heated to a very high temperature, as is done in commercial frying. This means the fats become more saturated and start to contain some trans fat over time. However, it is almost impossible to oxidize fat to this degree in home cooking.
Cooking oils differ in their “smoke point,” or the temperature to which they can be heated before they smoke, discolor, and break down. At the smoke point, the oil not only smokes and begins to emit unpleasant odors, but it also imparts unsavory flavors onto the food. Reaching the smoke point means you are approaching the “flash point,” which is when the oil can erupt into flames.
Cooking oils with a high smoke point can be heated to high temperatures before burning. Knowing a cooking oil’s smoke point gives you some indication of whether it is good for cooking and frying. In general, the best oils for high-temperature cooking methods such as deep-fat frying are safflower, sunflower, peanut, soy, and canola oils.

Storing oils
All cooking oils, whether refined or unrefined, are sensitive to light, heat, and exposure to oxygen (air). Cooking oil that is spoiled (rancid) will have an unpleasant smell and taste. To prevent spoilage, store oils in the refrigerator or in a cool, dark place. Oils may thicken in the refrigerator, but they will return to liquid if left standing at room temperature. Refined oils that are high in monounsaturated fats will keep for up to a year. Cooking oils high in polyunsaturated fats such as soybean, corn, safflower, and canola spoil more quickly: If stored properly, these oils will keep for up to six months. Some manufacturers put “use by” dates on product labels.

Choosing An Oil
For heart health, select cooking oils with the lowest levels of saturated fat and the highest levels of monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids. Examples of heart-healthier oils include canola oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, and walnut oil. If you are looking for an oil to add flavor to your cooked dishes or salad dressing, choose a nut oil, toasted sesame oil, or an unrefined olive oil.

About Some Common Oils

Oils high in monounsaturated fat:
Olive oil. The oils extracted from olives range from light amber to green in color and from bland to very strong and even spicy in flavor. Olive oil can be graded or classified as virgin, refined, or pure. Virgin or extra-virgin means the oil has been produced by the use of physical means (expeller-pressed) and there has been no chemical treatment during processing, resulting in a full-flavored oil. Extra-virgin oil is the highest grade and comes from the first pressing of the olives. Refined means the oil has been chemically treated to neutralize strong tastes and acids. Pure olive oil and products simply labeled “olive oil” may be a combination of virgin and refined oil. Unfiltered means the oil contains small particles of olive flesh. Light refers to flavorless or refined olive oil; it is not lower in calories. Olive oil blends are mixtures of olive oil and other, often less expensive, oils.

Canola oil. This oil is extracted from rapeseeds (a plant in the mustard family). It is versatile, neutral tasting, high in omega-3 fatty acids, and very low in saturated fat. It can be used in salad dressings or in cooking.

Sesame oil. This pressed oil is made from either untoasted sesame seeds, resulting in a light-colored oil, or toasted sesame seeds, for a dark-colored oil. Light sesame oil has a nutty flavor and is good for frying, while dark sesame oil has a strong flavor and is generally added to dishes in small quantities for flavor just before serving. Sesame oil has a high smoke point and is the least prone among oils to turn rancid. It is a good source of both monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.

Oils high in polyunsaturated fat
Corn oil. This tasteless oil is made from the germ of the corn kernel and is widely used in cooking because it is inexpensive and has a high smoke point. Corn oil is a common ingredient in margarine.

Cottonseed oil. This oil is extracted from the seeds of the cotton plant after the cotton lint has been removed. It is commonly used to make snack foods such as potato chips.

Flaxseed oil. This oil is made from the seeds of the flax plant and is often used as a dietary supplement rather than a cooking oil. It is high in omega-3 fatty acids and contains a group of chemicals called lignans that may play a role in cancer prevention.

Grapeseed oil. This light-tasting, medium-yellow oil is pressed from seeds of various varieties of grapes and is a by-product of wine making. It has a high smoke point and is typically used in salad dressings and marinades and for stir-frying.

Safflower oil. This oil made from the seeds of the safflower plant is almost flavorless and colorless. It is a favorite for salad dressing, because it does not solidify when chilled, and is also used in cooking. Safflower oil that is labeled “high-oleic” has a higher monounsaturated fat content than safflower oil that is not so labeled.

Soybean oil. This refined, mild oil is produced by cracking soybeans and chemically extracting the oil. Soybean oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids and is used extensively in commercially prepared foods but less often as a home cooking oil.

Sunflower oil. This light, odorless oil is pressed from sunflower seeds and is a good all-purpose oil. Like safflower oil, sunflower oil labeled “high-oleic” is higher in monounsaturated fat than sunflower oil not labeled with that term.

Oils high in saturated fats
Coconut oil. This oil, also known as coconut butter, is extracted from the inner flesh of coconuts. It has a longer shelf life than other vegetable oils and is highest in saturated fat of all cooking oils. Unrefined, or virgin, coconut oil is derived from fresh coconut. Refined coconut oil is derived from copra, the dried coconut meat.

Palm oil. Palm oil is obtained from the fruit of the palm tree. It is reddish in color because it contains high amounts of beta-carotene. It is also high in saturated fat and semisolid at room temperature. Palm oil is the most widely produced vegetable oil in the world and is used primarily in processed foods.

Palm kernel oil. Palm kernel oil is extracted from the seeds, or kernels, of the palm fruit. It is also high in saturated fat and is most widely used in processed foods.

More Info Here!

Labels: cooking oil, healthy cooking, healthy living, olive oil