Link Between Added Sugars and Cholesterol Levels

My parents send me the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter after they read it each month, which is great because I learn something and occasionally get material for the blog. The cover article for July was about how sugars affect cholesterol levels, which is something I thought many of you would be interested in. I often get e-mails from people asking what foods are good for lowering cholesterol. This is always a tough question. I know people who eat a healthy diet who have high cholesterol, and I know people who eat terribly but have low cholesterol. So, it’s difficult to tell someone what to eat without knowing a lot more about their family medical history, current diet, exercise routine, and more.

This article claims that the first study was conducted on the relationship between sugar and cholesterol levels, and the conclusion was that sugars added to processed foods can increase LDL cholesterol, lower HDL cholesterol, raise triglycerides, and increase overall risk of heart disease.

It states that Americans get about 16% of our total daily calories from added sugars found in processed foods. That’s about 90 grams of sugar, or 21.4 teaspoons. Gross!

The group that ate increased levels of added sugars from processed foods had lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels at the end of the study, and higher levels of unhealthy triglycerides. The interesting part, though, is that LDL (bad) cholesterol levels increased only in women in this group. There wasn’t really any explanation as to why men’s LDL cholesterol was not affected by the processed foods in the same way the women’s was. I was surprised to hear these results, but I recommend taking them with a grain of salt. Not that I know more than the medical experts at Tufts, but I don’t want men to read this and think it’s okay to eat more processed foods! We all know that processed foods can take a toll on our health in many different ways, and the best diet is one consisting of fresh, whole foods and minimal amounts of processed foods.

There’s one other interesting part of the article I wanted to point out. Towards the end, they provide some “tips” for reducing sugar intake. One tip reads, “Buy sugar-free or low-calorie beverages.” Besides the fact that I completely disagree with this, there is another tip they give that says to “Use zero-calorie sweeteners in moderation.” Now, I agree with using zero-calorie sweeteners in moderation, but these are the sweeteners used in sugar-free or low-cal beverages, which they are encouraging people to drink! Makes no sense to me.

Either way, it’s an interesting article and I’m glad there is some concrete evidence that sugars from processed foods are not good for cholesterol levels. So many people are constantly concerned about their cholesterol levels, yet continue to eat a diet high in processed foods. Maybe this will give them the motivation they need to transition into a more whole foods based diet! And remember that even foods that appear healthy usually have lots of added sugars and are still highly processed. They may advertise the protein or fiber, but always check sugar content!

Have a great weekend!

Source for this post: Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, July 2010, Volume 28, Number 5

Imitation Crab Meat

On Sunday evening, Ed and I ordered sushi for dinner. One of our favorite rolls is the spider roll, which is filled with soft shell crab. Ed introduced me to soft shell crab (pictured below) a couple years ago when they had them fresh at our local butcher’s shop. We bought two, threw them on the grill, and ate them for dinner – you can eat the entire thing, including the shell, and it was delicious! I’m a Midwestern girl so my seafood exposure was pretty minimal until I met Ed and was introduced to things like soft shell crab and Maine lobster. Anyway, back to the spider roll… I noticed it was also filled with some imitation crab, which I didn’t like. Imitation crab is also (and, most commonly) found in a California roll. Any food with the name “imitation” in it raises a red flag, so I decided to do some research.

According to Wikipedia, imitation crab is made from pulverized white fish flesh that is shaped and cured such that it looks like a crab leg. It does not contain any real crab meat – the primary fish used is Alaskan pollock from the North Pacific, but cod is also used. Egg whites or other binding ingredients are often mixed in with the white fish, and then artificial or crab-derived flavorings are applied to make it taste more like real crab. The texture is rubbery, and it tastes slightly salty.

But the worst part is the red outer-layer. I’m sure you’ve noticed that imitation crab has a bright red surface. Well, this is actually food coloring! Sometimes I wonder why so much effort is put into making something “imitation”. Why not just call it “Alaskan pollock sushi” and skip the food coloring and artificial crab flavoring?

Imitation crab meat is highly processed, and since it’s cooked during the curing process, it is never raw. Aside from being used in sushi, soups and salads, imitation crab is used as fish bait. From a nutritional standpoint, it has less protein and potassium than real crab meat, and also a lot more sodium. However, some people eat imitation crab in place of real crab because it is lower in cholesterol. One serving of imitation crab has about 80 calories, less than 1 gram of fat, 30% of your daily sodium intake, and about 6 grams of protein. Real crab has about 80 calories per serving, 1.5 grams of fat, 10% of your daily sodium intake, and about 17 grams of protein. Imitation crab contains about 20 mg of cholesterol, while real crab has about 45 mg.

Sushi can be very healthy and nutritious, but I recommend staying away from the imitation crab. It’s not the worst food in the world, but it is highly processed and contains artificial colors and flavors. The rest of sushi is actually made up of whole foods, and is especially beneficial when ordered with brown rice instead of white rice. The fish contains many healthy omega-3s, and there are usually some veggies or avocado included as well. One thing to be aware of is that some sushi restaurants use mayonnaise in their rolls to make them more flavorful and easier to stick together. I’ve found that the nicer the restaurant, the less likely it is that they’ve used mayonnaise. Also, try to order a seaweed salad with your sushi. Tomorrow I'll blog about the benefits of seaweed in the diet.

Green Tea

I often get asked if coffee is bad. It’s not really a yes or no answer, and I tackled that question a few months ago, here. Some people worry they drink too much coffee, and try incorporating green tea into their diet to get the caffeine without the negative side effects of coffee. Green tea’s health benefits have been talked about for a long time now, and there are even products like green tea ice cream and Starbucks’ green tea latte (which I think is pretty gross because it’s this limey-green color, which just cannot be natural…).

Last week, my parents sent me the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter. My aunt Julie gave them a subscription as a gift, because they love reading about health and nutrition (a love I seemed to inherit!). There is an article in there about green tea, and I found it interesting and thought it would be good to reiterate the importance of green tea in the diet.

SO, consider this a refresher/reminder on why we should all be drinking green tea!

The researcher at Tufts who is studying the many health benefits of green tea says we can almost think of green tea as a plant food. Green tea comes from the leaves of the camellia sinesis bush and contains many natural antioxidants. Green tea has a higher level of antioxidants than other teas because of the way it is processed. As we know, the more processed a food, the fewer nutrients there are within that food. Green tea leaves are withered and steamed, and that’s it. Other teas go through further levels of processing, including fermenting, which alters the plant such that some antioxidants are lost.

Traditionally, green tea was used as a stimulant, diuretic and astringent, and was known to protect the heart, regulate blood sugar, improve digestion, treat gas or bloating, and strengthen the mind. Recent studies have shown that people in China and India, who have been using green tea for half a million years, were onto something:

• A 2006 study found that those who drink 5+ cups of green tea per day have a 26% lower risk of death by cardiovascular disease than those who drink 1 or fewer cups per day.

• The polyphenols in green tea may help reduce plaque buildup on teeth and prevent cavities and tooth decay.

• The Cholesterol Treatment Center in New Hampshire conducted a study and found that green tea catechins (antioxidants) may help lower LDL cholesterol and increase vascular function.

• Green tea may inhibit growth of early-stage cancer cells in those who drink at least 2 cups per day.

• Green tea can help with weight loss, particularly abdominal fat. Drinking 2-3 cups per day can lower triglyceride levels and BMI.

• The antioxidants in green tea can combat the growth of viruses and bad bacteria. They also help keep us young by reducing DNA damages associated with aging.

Most of us have tried green tea and many people enjoy it. The hard part, at least for me, is drinking enough of it to reap all of the health benefits listed above. Here are some ideas for ways to incorporate green tea into your diet:

• Brew a big pot of green tea and keep it in a pitcher in your fridge. Add to smoothies in place of juice.

• When you make iced tea this summer, make it half green tea, half regular. The taste won’t be altered much and you’ll get the extra antioxidants.

• Try adding green tea to soups. They usually call for water anyway, so green tea will be an easy substitution.

• One or two days per week, have green tea instead of coffee.

• Add honey, fresh lemon, or ginger to your green tea to make it more enjoyable and contribute to the health benefits.

• Remember in December when I told you about Drazil Foods? Try adding green tea to your kids’ smoothies or fruit juices so they can benefit from the antioxidants too!

Hydrogenation

We are still studying fats in my Nutrients class, and yesterday the assignment was to create a client handout on something related to fat. When we make client handouts, the purpose is to give clear, solid information on a topic that is relevant to a client’s health. I chose hydrogenation. There is so much information out there about hydrogenated oils, partially-hydrogenated oils, foods containing these oils… many people don’t know what to make of it all.

How Does It Work?

Hydrogenation is the most common method used for altering natural oils. It is also extremely harmful to our health. During hydrogenation, unsaturated and essential fatty acids are altered using high temperatures, high pressure, hydrogen gas, and a metal catalyst. The metal catalyst is usually nickel. However, it can be called nickel as long as it is 50.1% nickel, and this is usually the case – the other half is aluminum. The aluminum remains in the final product, and is therefore eaten by the consumer. Aluminum is linked to Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis and even cancer.

So What is Partial Hydrogenation?

Partial hydrogenation is simply hydrogenation that is not fully completed. This keeps the oil at a consistency that is still useable in many products. However, partial hydrogenation also changes anywhere from 10% to 55% of the oils original fats into harmful trans fatty acids and other unnatural fatty acids. Full hydrogenation produces only saturated fatty acids, but is difficult to use in products because of its harder, waxy consistency.

The chemical changes made during partial hydrogenation alter fat molecules to the point where they are interfering with normal biochemical processes inside our bodies. Trans fats increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, interfere with liver detoxification, and inhibit proper function of essential fatty acids (which leads to obesity and other disease). All essential fatty acids (omega-3s and omega-6s), which are vital for health, are destroyed during hydrogenation.

Partially hydrogenated oils are found in products such as margarine, shortenings, shortening oils, certain vegetable oils, some salad dressings, fried foods, candies, and bakery products.

Why Is Hydrogenation Used?

Hydrogenated oils will not spoil, so shelf life is increased. The process of altering the oils makes them usable in a wider variety of products. Also, the hydrogenation process is inexpensive and products made with hydrogenated oils have extremely high profit margins.

A classmate mentioned last night that margarine, which is made from hydrogenated oils, is one molecule away from being plastic. And, rumor has it that if you leave a stick of margarine and a stick of butter outside, over time the butter will get completely eaten by bugs and squirrels and birds, but the margarine will be left untouched. What animals and insects want to eat plastic?? I can assure you I will be performing this experiment as soon as it gets warmer outside, so stay tuned!

What Does It Mean For Health?

During the hydrogenation process, the following items are removed from oils:

• All protein
• All fiber
• 95-99% of all minerals
• 65-100% of all vitamins
• Almost all lecithin and phytosterols (both very beneficial nutrients)
• All or some essential fatty acids

In addition, toxic substances are added into the oils so they are in optimal form for being inserted into food products. Trans-fatty acids and hydrogenated oils are foreign to our bodies. Because of this, they completely throw off balance and lead to the following health issues:

• Obesity
• Cancer
• Damage to cell membranes
• Harmful to the heart’s proper functioning
• Impair energy flow and production
• Interfere with pregnancy
• Can cause low birth weight and other birth issues
• Decreases insulin response (precursor to diabetes)
• Other major diseases and health issues

What You Can Do

The best thing you can do is to completely avoid anything containing hydrogenated oils (partial or otherwise). Labeling can be unclear – depending on the degree of hydrogenation, the food company may or may not be legally required to label it “partially” hydrogenated. So, whether the label says “hydrogenated,” “partially hydrogenated,” or even “shortening,” just avoid it altogether. And when you see things advertised as “zero trans fats,” be careful. If the product has less than 0.5 grams of trans fats, they can claim to have 0 trans fats. So they may still contain trans fats, and if it is something you eat on a regular basis, that adds up.

Buy butter, not margarine or any other buttery spreads, as we talked about here. Of all the options out there, real butter is the only 100% whole food. And you know how I feel about eating only whole foods!

And, perhaps most importantly, educate yourself on fats. Essential fats are so vital to our health and without them, our bodies will eventually fail us. Too many of us are terrified of fats, leading us to consume only products labeled “low-fat” or “fat-free”. But if you do your homework, you will realize how harmful these products really are. So, go enjoy your butter (buy raw – it’s much better!) and remember that fats do not make us fat, as long as you’re eating the right kinds!

How to Lower Your Cholesterol With Nutrition

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According to the book I am reading, the average total cholesterol level for Americans is 220 mg/dl. For those with cholesterol at 240 mg/dl, death rate from cardiovascular disease is four times higher than average. For people who live in poorer countries and live on diets containing only whole grains, vegetables, and some animal foods, cholesterol levels are in the 120 – 160 range and cardiovascular disease is extremely rare.An interesting fact: cholesterol consumption has remained about constant for the last 100 years, while cardiovascular disease has increased 300% and cancer has increased 500%. So in those 100 years, what type of consumption has NOT remained constant? Sugars and fake, refined, processed foods. Again, this leads me to believe we need to focus on eliminating these “fake” foods we have introduced into the American diet and return to the way people used to eat: fresh, local, whole foods.

Someone with high cholesterol really needs to focus on increasing vitamin, mineral and antioxidant intake. I read that only 30% of people are actually subject to increasing blood cholesterol from increased consumption of cholesterol in food (animal foods). The other 70% are protected by an efficient regulating mechanism in which their body produces less cholesterol if they are consuming more, and produces more when they are consuming less. The point is, while eating animal food (meat, dairy, eggs) can increase cholesterol, it is more important and useful to focus on eliminating the processed, refined and fake foods that are so harmful to our health.

Cholesterol needs to be transported through our blood, and to do this requires binding to an essential fatty acid. Therefore, as I mentioned Monday and Tuesday, essential fatty acids are crucial for every diet, but especially for people with high cholesterol. After transport, cholesterol must be changed into bile acids so it is properly excreted. Vitamin C is required for this – another important nutrient for those trying to lower their cholesterol. When cholesterol cannot work the way it is meant to inside our bodies, we lose our health.

People trying to lower their LDL cholesterol should stay away from any excess or processed sugars, including boxed cereals, alcohol, cookies, cakes, pastries, bread products that are not “whole” grain or wheat, and flavored yogurts. If your LDL is really high, you may even consider reducing or eliminating honey and sweet fruits to see if that helps lower cholesterol levels. Refined, hydrogenated oils should AWAYS be avoided. Read labels!!!

Copper actually can be used to lower LDL cholesterol. Food sources of copper include beef liver (described by my Nutrients teacher as “the most nutrient-dense food you can eat” – more on this in a couple weeks!), rye, dried beans, cashews, black strap molasses, sunflower seeds, almonds, millet, prunes, pecans, and sesame seeds.

Chromium has also been known to lower cholesterol, in conjunction with niacin. Chromium is found in liver, green peppers, rye, carrots, apples, banana, spinach, cabbage and blueberries. Long term deficiencies in chromium lead to elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Niacin is a B-vitamin (B-3) and food sources include liver, chicken, salmon, halibut, brown rice, sunflower seeds, almonds, whole wheat and eggs.

Remember, fiber is also needed because it removes excess cholesterol from the body. Good food sources include apples (with skin), beets, carrots, flax, beans, oats, cabbage, tomatoes, strawberries, pears and some types of seaweed. Also, cold-water fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel and sardines protect against cholesterol deposits.

In addition to lowering LDL, people with high cholesterol should focus on increasing HDL. HDL carries cholesterol to our liver for removal. We can increase HDL by consuming foods such as garlic, onions, ginseng, fish, chromium, vitamin C and vitamin E. Another great way to increase HDL (and our health overall) is to exercise more often. Below: Ed and me, with friends Mandy and Andy, after hiking to the top of Highlands peak in Aspen. Elevation: 12,392 feet. Exercise? I think so!

“Neither animal eaters nor plant consumers need fear cardiovascular disease is they take their foods from unrefined natural sources… Refined sugars, refined starches, hard fats, and refined, denatured oils from which vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein have been removed should be expected to create problems. Sugar consumption and high serum triglycerides correlate with cardiovascular deaths at least as highly as do serum cholesterol levels.”

I hope the information on cholesterol the past few days has been helpful. Eat whole foods, and avoid processed foods. If you do have high cholesterol, please take it seriously. I know it’s not fun to make sacrifices in your diet, especially if you are still young, but long-term health is so important and really not worth compromising for a beer here or there or your daily Starbuck’s muffin. Make changes that will support your health – I promise it will be worth it!

Processed Foods and Cholesterol

Day 2 of cholesterol info at PWN…

As we learned yesterday, essential fatty acids are necessary for removing excess cholesterol from the body. A diet too low in essential fatty acids can lead to high blood cholesterol levels. Foods containing essential fatty acids include flax seeds, walnuts, salmon, halibut, shrimp, scallops, winter squash, hemp oil, almonds, dark leafy green vegetables, lean meats and eggs. But if someone is eating plenty of these foods, what else can cause high blood cholesterol?

A diet that contains many processed foods, such as fast food, potato chips, sodas, cake or brownie mixes and other baked goods, frozen meals (even those such as “Smart Ones” or labeled “lean” or “lite”!), sugary granola or fiber bars, pop tarts, boxed crackers or sugary yogurts, can increase cholesterol. These foods produce an excess of acetate in the body. Acetate is a compound of fat. When we have an excess of acetate, the body automatically uses the acetate to synthesize more cholesterol, causing our levels to rise.

Trans fats should be avoided at all costs. The problem is, trans fats are everywhere! Some surprising foods that contain trans fats include the line of Special K weight loss foods; boxed granola bars; Fig Newtons; microwave popcorn; and Ritz crackers. Some of these products may now write “no trans-fats” on their packaging, but they can still contain up to 0.5 grams and write that. Trans fats not only increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol but they also decrease HDL (“good”) cholesterol. They are also linked to some cancers, including breast cancer.

Bottom Line: Like always, we come back to the importance of eating fresh, whole foods!

Usually people have high cholesterol for multiple reasons. A diet high in refined carbohydrates and processed foods, and low in essential fatty acids and other vitamins and minerals, is only one reason. Other factors that contribute to high cholesterol include stress, genes, obesity, alcohol consumption and exercise level.

One very important thing to keep in mind is that each person is different. Some people can have a few drinks each night, eat lots of processed foods and exercise very little, while still maintaining normal cholesterol levels. Their genes may cause them to have naturally low cholesterol levels, so these lifestyle choices don’t matter as much (although they still matter tons for other reasons, in my opinion!). Other people, though, may have to cut back to only one or two drinks per week, or exercise for an hour every day, or eliminate processed foods almost completely, just to keep their cholesterol levels in check. Each person must figure out what works for them. There is no magic diet or trick that can fix all cholesterol problems. Sacrifices must be made, and for some people this is tough to accept. But it's a matter of health, and people must decide what is more important. If you do have high cholesterol, I recommend trying something for six months and getting it checked again before turning to cholesterol-lowering drugs.

ps: 2 days left to sign up for PWN’s first giveaway! The Blog Aid Recipes for Haiti cookbook can’t be found anywhere else, so sign up here to win! All you have to do is leave a comment. And for those of you who just signed up for the blog this week, you are still eligible to enter, so head over and read more about it here! Thanks!

Cholesterol: An Overview

So many of you have e-mailed me with questions about cholesterol and nutrition. I am finally starting to learn more about this topic in class, so I wanted to start sharing some good information.

Most people go to the doctor, get their cholesterol levels checked, and leave with a very basic knowledge of their “good” and “bad” cholesterol levels: too high, too low, or just right. But how many of us actually go home and do further research on what exactly these levels mean and signify about our health?

I am going to provide a basic overview of how cholesterol works inside our bodies. Later this week, I will begin to incorporate some nutrition into the equation. Keep in mind that every individual is different and so many things – such as genes, diet and lifestyle – can factor into cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is important for our bodies. It is an essential structural component of cell membranes and it manufactures bile acids, steroid hormones, and many fat-soluble vitamins. Within the cell, it is needed for transport and nerve conduction. However, high levels of cholesterol can lead to buildup and thickening of artery walls. This causes difficulties with blood flow and eventually leads to serious heart problems.

LDL stands for low-density lipoproteins, and is the “bad” cholesterol you hear so much about. LDL carries fats and cholesterol from our foods and from our liver to our cells. HDL stands for high-density lipoproteins, and is the “good” cholesterol. HDL carries cholesterol from our cells back to our liver, where cholesterol is changed into bile and excreted into our intestines and then out through our stool. When you see a Total Blood Cholesterol reading, it refers to all cholesterol in transit to and from cells, so both LDL and HDL levels.

According to the medical world, a high HDL (“good”) level (50-75 mg/dl) indicates that excess cholesterol is being properly removed from our blood, which therefore means we are not at risk of cholesterol buildup in the arteries. A high LDL (“bad”) level (above 120mg/dl) may indicate our body is overloaded with cholesterol from either food, internal production of cholesterol, or improper removal of cholesterol. This excess cholesterol is deposited into our arteries and increases risk of cardiovascular disease.

Thought: Is the issue too much cholesterol in the diet, or is it not enough vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, which are required to remove excess cholesterol?

Cholesterol comes from two sources: foods or our bodies. Food sources of cholesterol are animal foods: eggs, meat, dairy, fish and shellfish. Plant foods are always cholesterol-free. About half of dietary cholesterol is actually absorbed; the rest is passed through our body unused. The amount of cholesterol produced by the body depends on the amount received from food. If we consume lots of cholesterol, the body makes less; if we have a low-cholesterol diet, the body is forced to make more cholesterol.

Our cells manufacture cholesterol based on need. For example, when we consume alcohol, the alcohol dissolves cell membranes. In response, cells create cholesterol and use it to build the membrane back up. As the alcohol wears off, the membrane hardens, and some of the excess cholesterol binds to essential fatty acids and travels through our blood to the liver, where it is converted to bile and removed from the body through our stools. The liver, intestines, adrenal and sex glands also produce cholesterol for proper functioning.

Thoughts: Lowering alcohol intake may help reduce cholesterol levels because our body will not need to produce cholesterol in response to alcohol’s damage to our cells. Also, essential fatty acids are crucial as they are responsible for removing excess cholesterol from our bodies; a diet low in essential fatty acids may lead to increased blood cholesterol levels.

Unlike carbohydrates, fats and proteins, cholesterol cannot be broken down by the body. It must be removed through our stool in the form of bile acid and cholesterol molecules. Dietary fiber aids in the removal of cholesterol, and without fiber, up to 94% of cholesterol and bile acids are reabsorbed. Therefore, low-fiber diets can lead to increased blood cholesterol levels.

Thought: If you have high cholesterol, perhaps try increasing fiber in your diet as one way to remove cholesterol from your body and lower your overall cholesterol.

Tomorrow I will talk more about nutrition and cholesterol. I have always emphasized balance inside the body, and high cholesterol levels can indicate an imbalance caused by nutrition alone. Since people with heart disease often have cholesterol buildup in their arteries, cholesterol is often identified as the cause of heart disease. However, some believe that lifestyle choices such as high consumption of alcohol, a poor diet, smoking or lack of exercise actually lead to heart disease, and the cholesterol buildup is just one side effect. There are many different theories and it is up to the individual to decide which approach they'd like to take: treatment by drugs, treatment by lifestyle changes, or a combination of both.

Also, please don’t forget to sign up for my cookbook giveaway! You have 3 days left to sign up. Simply go here to see the cookbook (it benefits Haiti!) and leave a comment so you are entered!

Beets: Health (and other) Benefits

It was brought to my attention that I neglected to include any information in yesterday’s post about the health benefits of beets. This is too important to let slide so here they are:

Beets actually have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, which is one reason they make such a good choice for homemade baby food. Babies will be drawn to the sweetness and the bright colors.

Beets are very high in folate, magnesium, potassium, fiber and vitamin C.

As many of you mothers know, folate is a very important nutrient during pregnancy. 1 cup of boiled beets provide about a third of your daily recommended folate intake. Folate helps ensure normal tissue growth for your baby, and is required for spinal column development.

The magnesium in beets helps increase calcium absorption, which is important for prevention of osteoporosis. I think I’ve mentioned before that without proper levels of magnesium, calcium is not absorbed and therefore you do not get the health benefits associated with it. Many people eat plenty of calcium but not enough magnesium, so still suffer from calcium deficiency.

The vitamin C in beets is beneficial in many ways, including the prevention and treatment of asthma symptoms and supporting healthy structure of capillaries.

Beets are known to help protect against heart disease and certain types of cancers. Like many other brightly-colored fruits and vegetables, beets contain high amounts of antioxidants. These help to eliminate toxins from the body inside the liver (the body’s primary detoxification organ). Toxin buildup is what eventually leads to cancer and other disease. Some studies have even shown that beet juice can slow down formation of tumors in the body and inhibit cell mutations in the stomach. The antioxidants are also helpful in prevention of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Many of you have expressed interest in more information about cholesterol. Consumption of beets is associated with a lowering of cholesterol, lowering of triglyceride level and blood pressure, and increase in HDL (good) cholesterol. If you or someone in your family has high cholesterol, beets may be a good food to add to your shopping list.

Golden beets have a milder taste than red beets, but are very similar. My mom has become famous in the St. Paul area for a golden beet recipe she has perfected. Maybe, if we’re lucky, she’ll share it with us soon! Another great golden beet recipe, which even Ed, the beet-hater, liked, is just a simple salad consisting of any type of greens, roasted or boiled golden beets, goat cheese (the more the better), all topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of herbs.

Home Remedies?

Beets detoxify the blood and renew it with minerals and natural sugars. This may be why beets were traditionally used to treat fevers. Beets are also good home remedies for constipation and digestive disorders, and beet greens are sometimes used on wounds to aid in healing.

Speaking of beet greens…

The beet greens contain high amounts of iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Only eat them if they look healthy. They will keep for 4-5 days in your fridge in a plastic bag. Use them as you would any other type of greens. This morning, I put them into my smoothie along with avocado, banana, flax meal, tofu and kefir.

Sugar

About 30% of our sugar today comes from sugar beets (the other 70% from cane). Beets are harvested, the sugar is diffused out of the vegetable, and goes through a refining and crystallization process to turn it into sugar.

Other Uses?

Meet Daniel:

Daniel lives in St. Louis, and brought to may attention an alternative use for beets. Apparently, the Gateway to the West has been receiving some snow lately, and the salt they are using to de-ice the roads is not working. They have tried adding beet juice to the salt, and have seen some success. They are using a byproduct of the extraction of sugar from sugar beets, which is a thick, syrupy molasses. This sticky substance helps keep salt confined to the roads for longer time periods, resulting in more melting of the ice. It’s a rather new technique that is mainly used in the Midwest. So to all my St. Louis readers, I’d watch out for sticky shoes, boots and pant hems if I were you!

Sunflower Butter

Remember a few months ago when I showed you guys how to make your own nut butter? Well, I decided to try sunflower seed butter last week, and it turned out great. The color is a little scary at first, but the taste is perfect, and a nice change since we usually eat fresh almond butter.

Sunflower seeds are very oily, but the good kind of oil (polyunsaturated). They also provide almost 100% of your daily vitamin E, 50% of your daily vitamin B1, and tons of manganese, tryptophan, selenium, folate, and vitamin B5.

The vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that works to eliminate free radicals throughout your body. It has an anti-inflammatory affect and is beneficial for people with conditions like arthritis, asthma and eczema. The vitamin E also keeps cholesterol under control by preventing it from oxidizing (cholesterol can only block arteries when it is oxidized). The phytosterols in the vitamin E help lower blood cholesterol as well.

Magnesium found in sunflower seeds can help lower blood pressure and alleviate migraine headaches. In addition, the selenium works to repair damaged DNA in cells, which helps prevent cancer from forming and spreading.The sunflower butter is good with almost anything – on sandwiches with some raw honey or bananas, used as a dip for apples, carrots or celery, or mixed into smoothies or yogurt. You could even try baking with it! Plus, it’s really fun to make, and since the seeds are so oily you get a really nice creamy texture pretty quickly.

Recipe

Place sunflower seeds (preferably unsalted) into food processor. Process until very smooth and creamy.

As a sidenote, I tried to grow sunflowers in my garden last summer but didn't get much more than a sprout. It's tough in these little city gardens... but not impossible! I have a friend who did it, but she also is a Master Gardener and walking through her backyard is like walking through a tropical rainforest! Maybe I'll try again this summer though.