Nutrition

Hear the word mushroom and you probably think fungi but the word healthy should come to mind; mushrooms are proving to be healthy for both your colon and your heart.

Lynn Goldstein, MS, RD, CDN, a dietitian at Weill Cornell Medical Center states that mushrooms are a very healthy and tasty addition to your favorite dishes. They are low in calories, very low in sodium and fat, and a good source of potassium, riboflavin, niacin, selenium, and high in fiber.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found white button, crimini, portobello, maitake, shiitake, and enoki to be rich in heart healthy dietary fibers. Portobello and Crimini mushrooms contain oligosaceharides (sugar molecules) only partially digestible and are considered prebiotic (meaning they promote the growth of healthful bacteria in the colon. 

For the sake of your heart and your colon - eat a mushroom.    

Over the past 10 yeas studies suggest that the compounds in dark chocolate, flavonoids, have cardiovascular and other potential health benefits. It is thought that the antioxidant, anti-clotting, and anti-inflammatory effects make dark chocolate heart friendly.

Most of the fat found naturally in chocolate is saturated but more than half of that fat is stearic acid, this has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol.

Unfortunately the chocolate bars we have all grown to love is not the healthful chocolate; chocolate used in these studies is cocoa, baking chocolate, or specially formulated dark chocolate.

Even though no one is ready to declare chocolate a health food the University of California, Berkely says “there still may be some health benefits to an ounce or so of chocolate a day”.  

Tips on how to choose the most healthful chocolate

• Look for chocolate that list cocoa beans (or some variation such as cocoa, chocolate liquior, or cocoa mass) as the first ingredient – not sugar. 60 to 75% cocoa is the content to aim for. The darker the chocolate, the less room for sugar.
• Check serving size - a 3oz. bar may contain as much as 450 calories and 30 grams of fat.
• Ingredients like nuts and dried fruit are healthful, carmel and bacon are not. According to this article there is a chocolate bar that contains bacon.
• Cocoa powder is highest in cocoa solids and has more flavonoids if it is not Dutch or alkali-processed.
• White chocolate is not real chocolate — it has no cocoa or flavonoids — just cocoa butter, sugar, and flavorings.

Source: Article from he Wellness Letter, University of California, Berkeley 

A study in Applied and Environmental Microbiology reports that almonds may improve your digestion and boost your immune system. The recommendation is that you eat about 25 almonds everyday, quote”this keeps your escape route clear”.

Source - Women’s Health 

The label states “Made With Real Fruit or Contains Real Fruit Juice”; any food making that claim must be healthy or at least that is what the company selling this processed food would like you to think.

This is a classic example of a label loop-hope; there is no law that requires how much fruit has to be included before a company can make this claim. Translation, if there is so much as one grape or one drop of juice it is legal to claim that this food is made with real fruit or fruit juice. If the first or second ingredient is high frutose corn syrup and/or sugar chances are there is not enough fruit to be of any benefit.

Source: The information provided is from an article written by Tanya Jolliffe; she holds a B.S. in Dietetics and has over 15 years of nutrition counseling and education experience.   

Quote from “Eat This Not That For KIds” by David Zinczenko

Survival Strategy: Cornell researchers have discovered a “health halo” at Subway, which refers to the tendency to reward yourself or your kid with chips, cookies and large soft drinks because the entree is healthy. Avoid the halo and all will be well. 

Also check out the original “Eat This Not That” by David Zinczenko