Why Calorie-Counting Doesn’t Work for Weight Loss

Happy Friday! Remember to sign up for PWN's Giveaway announced on Wednesday - you can win free stuff AND help Haiti at the same time! Go here to read more.

I used to be a calorie-counter. Not because I wanted to lose weight or because of any sort of fad diet book I was reading, but because I thought maintaining my current weight was a simple math problem: calories in – calories out = net calories for the day. So I had this number in my head of how many calories I could eat to stay the way I was, knowing that 3,500 calories is equal to 1 pound. But a few years ago I realized this was not a healthy approach to food and eating because it was causing some bad habits: tendency to eat foods that are low-fat or sugar-free; lack of variety in the diet; and even skipping meals so I could eat a bigger dinner if I had plans to go out. Plus, it just wasn’t fun!

So, I was happy to see the title of a chapter in a book I am reading for my Nutrients class: “Why Calorie Counting Fails & What to Do to Lose Weight”. I think this is an important topic because so many people have the same thinking I did, that low-calorie foods are key to weight loss, but they don’t realize that the key to weight loss is a balanced body. If we are not giving our body fresh, whole foods, it will not digest and metabolize properly, which can lead to funky things like fluctuations in energy level and mood, fat stores, blood sugar issues, and even weight gain.

In my opinion, the key to weight loss is this: eat fresh, whole foods and vary your meals often; wait at least 4 hours in between each meal; drink plenty of water; and EXERCISE every single day.

Here are some of the points from the chapter in the book we read (Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill by Udo Erasmus):

• Many factors besides calories affect our weight. If we fail to consider other nutrient and life-style factors, calorie counting will fail.

• When we eat proper amounts of all essential nutrients, we feel satisfied and full; if we eat empty calorie foods, our body tells us it wants more nutrients by telling us “I’m hungry!” and so we eat more.

• Foods that lack fiber and other nutrients (processed foods) slow down our intestinal activity: they take 75 hours to pass through the intestinal tract, and our body absorbs calories that entire time; nutrient-dense whole foods take only 15 hours to pass though.

• Food cannot be metabolized unless we have enough minerals and vitamins. SO, empty calorie foods (processed foods such as pudding cups, potato chips, sugary yogurts, frozen meals, cake mixes, and pop tarts) are immediately stored as fat, no matter how many calories we are eating.

• Processed foods have the following items removed: minerals, vitamins, and essential fatty acids. This is why these foods cause us to feel tired, hungry and like we have no energy.

• “There are so many factors that modify the rate at which our body burns calories that simply regulating the number of calories we consume is ineffective in the battle against the bulge.”

• At high levels of intake, essential fatty acids increase our metabolism, increase fat burning, and lead to weight loss (examples are olive, flaxseed or coconut oils, seeds, nuts, salmon, halibut, etc.).

• Genes, hormones, nutrition, exercise, and health all affect metabolic rate, therefore affecting rate of weight loss or gain. Essential fatty acids, B-complex vitamins, and minerals all increase efficiency of metabolism and rate of weight loss.

• One hour of exercise increases our metabolism for 12-16 hours. Not to mention it increases mood, confidence, heart health, and so many other things! (Can you tell I’m trying to emphasis the exercise here?!).

• Refined sugars are absorbed very quickly and our body immediately turns them into fat to prevent toxic reactions.

• 30% of Americans are “fat and starving,” meaning they are eating enough calories but they are eating junk, and not enough nutrient-dense foods. America is the only country where you can be "poor and fat," because of our cheap processed foods.

It’s a lot of good information. The author is obviously passionate about his theory that people need fats and should not avoid them as an attempt to lose weight. I think he made some great points, but I want to add that another reason (and possibly the most important reason) why low-calorie diets can be harmful is the potential for long-term disease and poor health. If your body is not receiving the vitamins, minerals and fats it needs for extended periods of time, it will be out of balance and this leads to disease.

So, again, it all comes back to eating fresh whole foods and avoiding processed foods. As Michael Pollen says: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

Bagels!

First of all, thanks to everyone who has signed up for my FIRST GIVEAWAY! If you haven't yet, please do - you have until Wednesday the 24th. I am giving away an awesome cookbook written by well-known food bloggers, and it benefits Haiti! Read more about it here.

Bagels are used in so many ways – bagels and cream cheese, breakfast bagels with egg and sausage, lunch sandwich bagels, mini bagels, bagel chips… there are even square bagels, or “squagels”. Some places have turned them into more of a dessert than anything else, creating them with chocolate chips, cinnamon and sugar, asiago cheese, or even caramel.

For those who have asked about bagels, the honest answer is that they are not the most nutrient-dense foods out there (nutrient-dense foods are high in nutrients, low in calories – think vegetables). BUT, that doesn’t mean we can’t eat them, of course! We just need to choose wisely.

Whole wheat bagels can be found fairly easily now. Wheat, in its most unrefined, natural state, provides many nutrients including manganese, fiber, tryptophan and magnesium. Whole wheat bagels provide some of these nutrients too (but they are still not the strongest food sources of them).

Manganese is needed for strong bones, proper absorption of other nutrients (they all depend on one another, which is why variety in your diet is so incredibly important), steady blood sugar levels, and protection of cells from free radical damage (which leads to diseases such as cancer). Other foods high in manganese include pineapple, brown rice, garbanzo beans, spinach, whole grain rye, whole grain oats and cloves. If you are not getting enough manganese in your diet, you may be experiencing skin rashes, high blood sugar, bone loss, or reproductive system difficulties, among other things.

Fiber supports regular bowels and helps to maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It is also crucial for those wanting to lose weight, because it keeps your digestive system functioning properly. Other sources of fiber include split peas, lentils, barley, all types of beans, collard greens and even raspberries! People with high blood sugar, high cholesterol or constipation may need more fiber in their diet.

Tryptophan is an important amino acid because it helps regulate appetite, improve quality of sleep and elevate our mood. Our bodies need amino acids in order to create proteins. Tryptophan is one of the essential amino acids, meaning it must be obtained from food (vs. nonessential amino acids, which are synthesized by the body). Other food sources of tryptophan include tuna, soybeans, beef and chicken, nuts, seeds, bananas and dairy products. If you are experiencing cravings for carbohydrates, depression, anxiety, unexpected weight gain or loss or impulsiveness, your tryptophan levels may be too low.

Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxer, helps keep bones healthy and improves blood circulation. Other foods containing high amounts of magnesium include spinach, swiss chard, pumpkin seeds, salmon, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, black beans and halibut. Signs of a magnesium deficiency include high blood pressure, muscle spasms, fluctuations in blood sugar and headaches.

One thing to remember is that “wheat” is not the same thing as “whole wheat”. Wheat usually has certain parts of the grain removed, and can be lacking in important nutrients. Whole wheat, however, is the complete grain and a more wholesome food. Remember what I said last week about eating the entire egg, not just the egg white, in order to get all of the health benefits? The same goes with the grain. Always choose whole wheat over plain wheat, and if you’re not sure if something is whole, don’t be afraid to ask. The Ezekiel (Food For Life) brand of bagels sold in many health food stores is great because they are made from sprouted grains, which are easier for us to digest.

Whereas whole wheat bagels can contain many important nutrients, plain white bagels are considered a simple carbohydrate and don’t do much for us other than elevate our blood sugar and lead to increased hunger and sugar cravings throughout the day. Whenever possible, try to choose whole grain bagels. If those are not available, choose one that has oats or seeds.

Topping your bagel is another topic, but here’s my two cents: stick to the nutrient-dense foods like smoked salmon, eggs, veggies, hummus, turkey, or nut butter. Try to avoid processed cheeses, cream cheese, mayo, etc.

And remember that bagels are high-calorie foods, containing 300-450 calories each (not including toppings). If you’re heading into your office cube for the day, you may not need such a high-carb, high-calorie breakfast. But if you’re heading up to Vail to ski 12 inches of fresh snow all day, it may be just what your body needs! In other words, use judgment when choosing to eat a bagel for breakfast. Sometimes I just eat half if it’s the only option, and it’s plenty to keep me full as long as I top it with some good fats and protein.

PWN’s First Giveaway!

Most blogs do giveaways, and I haven’t done one yet. Some of you have casually mentioned I should do one, but I was waiting for the right giveaway to come along. Well, I found it.

The Blog Aid: Recipes for Haiti Cookbook!

The Blog Aid cookbook was created by Julie Van Rosendaal, blogger over at Dinner With Julie. Julie and 26 other amazing food bloggers teamed up. They’ve combined some of their best recipes – everything from red quinoa salad to roasted tomato soup with sage to whole wheat pumpkin spice muffins with cinnamon cream cheese glaze. Julie coordinated the entire thing in about three weeks, as a direct response to the earthquakes in Haiti. 100% of proceeds from the Blog Aid cookbook will go directly to Haiti relief efforts, including Doctors Without Borders and Red Cross. Over 1,800 cookbooks were sold in a little over a week, and almost $50,000 was raised (including matched funds). What a success! Read more about the cookbook here.

This cookbook includes recipes from some of the most well known food bloggers out there, like Gluten-Free Girl, Savory Sweet Life, Tartelette and Tea & Cookies. It is no longer for sale and guess what… I have an extra copy!

To enter, simply leave a comment on this blog. Make sure you leave your e-mail address so I can contact you, OR check back next week to see if you're the winner! If you receive PWN blog by e-mail, you'll need to go to the actual blog to leave a comment.

If you are on Twitter, tweet this giveaway for a second entry (please include a link to the blog post and my Twitter name, @annpierce, so I can give you the second entry). Please encourage your friends to enter as well!

You’ll have until Wednesday, February 24th to enter. Thanks and good luck!

Beautiful Blogger Award, continued!

Yesterday, I accepted the Beautiful Blogger award from Sara, the lawyer/ newlywed/ runner/ fashionista/ decorator/ cook/ world traveler who blogs here. I came up with 10 things you may not know about me, but today is the fun part. I get to introduce you to some of my favorite bloggers and hope you will start following these lovely ladies’ blogs (yes, they all happen to be female)!

1. Haute Apple Pie: Katie, Stef and Anne - You’ve heard me mention them before, and I even got to guest blog at the beginning of the year! These ladies really are the hostesses with the mostess, and they work hard to teach us how to be one too! Looking for the perfect spring break getaway? I have a feeling these three have some ideas up their sleeves…

2. The Social Secretary: Katie’s new blog has already covered a lot of ground – from a Mad Men-inspired party to a baby shower to gifts for the hostess who has it all, this girl knows what to do. And, she’s taken it upon herself to show us. I mean, who doesn’t want their very own social secretary? I’ve put in my request for a St. Patrick’s Day cocktail party, and can’t wait to see what she comes up with!

3. Elimination Diet by Umami: This blog is all about clean, healthy eating. Miriam journeyed through an Elimination Diet and blogged her recipes to prove that you can still eat wonderful foods on the diet. Just reading Miriam’s recipes and seeing her beautiful photos makes you crave those fresh, colorful foods! Miriam was a classmate at my school, Nutrition Therapy Institute, and will be starting a chef program very soon. She’s an amazing cook and a wonderful person.

4. Free Fly Flown: Colleen blogs about travel. If you feel like you need a vacation, head over to FFF and let her take you away somewhere. Her recent post on Anguilla was especially tempting. But I’d have to say my favorite part of Colleen’s blog is the travel fashion. I love having someone show me the hottest bags, shades and bikinis for my getaways! Her love of travel is obvious and the girl gets around, so head over and see where she’s going next!

5. Family Feeding Dynamics: If you have kids, this is a good one to add to your list. Katja is a family doctor but focuses on helping families raise healthy kids. She emphasizes a healthy, normal relationship with food and works to reduce the number of kids, teenagers and adults with poor body images and unhealthy eating habits. The best part about her blog is the personal aspect of it – she has a toddler and shares stories about her struggles and successes with her own daughter.

6. Fed Up With School Lunch: This woman is absolutely AMAZING. I already think being a teacher is one of the most difficult jobs, and Mrs. Q is taking things one step further: she has committed to eating the school cafeteria lunch every single day in 2010. You should see some of the things these kids are fed (she takes photos)! I admire her very much and her commentary is so interesting and informative. Recently I asked her to comment on the length of time kids are allowed for eating, because I feel that eating when rushed and in a high-stress environment can be harmful to their little digestive systems. Turns out they get 20 minutes, which includes getting lunch, finding a seat, eating, throwing away, and getting back into your classroom. Crazy! This blog is truly fascinating.

I think six blogs is enough to leave you with – catching up with these ladies should last you until Friday at least J. Remember the rules, bloggers! To accept the award, you must acknowledge the person who sent it to you, list 10 things about yourself that your readers may not know, and pass it on to other bloggers you feel are deserving!

Tomorrow: Party’s over, back to nutrition.

Blog Award!

It’s Monday, and I’m going to take a couple days off of nutrition blogging. Yay!

Why?

Because Sara, from the blog Running From the Law, has passed on the Beautiful Blogger award to me. Here are the rules of the award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and insert a link to their blog.

2. Pass on the Beautiful Blogger award to other bloggers (and let them know).

3. Say 10 things about yourself.

Sara is a newlywed who blogs about creating a home and a life, including things like vacations, cooking classes and do-it-yourself projects. I learned how to hang photos in my stairway by following her instructions here. She hung about 40 frames and I hung two, but who’s counting?

See Sara’s stairwell here.

My stairwell:

Sara and my sister Alice are friends and both live in St. Louis. So, another reason I love Sara’s blog is because I can get caught up on what Alice is doing! They do things like take cooking classes together and run races together.

And I cannot forget to mention the absolutely gorgeous wedding Sara and her husband Ryan had in Jackson Hole. I mean, the groom rode in on a horse! Check out the photos here. Thanks, Sara, for passing on this award to me! I am glad to have a break from nutrition blogging!

10 Things About Myself

You guys know I love nutrition and every once in a while I mention a few other things about my personal life, but here are some of the things you may NOT know about me:

1. I hunt. My dad taught my sisters, brother and me how to hunt when we were young and we all make it back to Minnesota almost every year to shoot some ducks and pheasants. He grew up hunting with his family and has continued the tradition with us. Hunting with my family is one of my favorite childhood memories and I hope the tradition stays in our family for a long time. Plus, it’s stunningly beautiful, a very intense workout, extremely satisfying and exciting to shoot a pheasant or duck, and there is nothing better than eating fresh, wild pheasant! So healthy for you (that’s a blog post for another day… wild pheasant or duck vs. farmed!). Below: Ed and me hunting, and my sis Madeline and me with our dog Mayme!

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2. I am learning to flyfish. My husband Ed loves it and has started to teach me. I have my own waders and boots and rod, and we’ve fished in Colorado many times; in Montana with my mom and dad (my mom loves to flyfish too); and in Wyoming. We have some flyfishing excursions planned for 2010 as well. It’s really fun and, like hunting, just so beautiful to be outside on the river. It’s a little less intense than hunting (think fly rod vs. gun) and I hope it’s something Ed and I can do together for a long time.

Now I feel like I need to redeem myself a bit and reclaim my femininity…

3. I love reality tv. It’s my escape from the stresses of life. The Bachelor and 16 & Pregnant/Teen Mom are my two favorites right now. Biggest Loser is up there too. I cannot stand Jersey Shore. I think it’s boring and dumb. But I seriously look forward to Mondays so I can sit and watch The Bachelor.

4. My sibs are my best friends. It wasn’t always that way though – Alice was mean to me; I was mean to Madeline; and we were all tough on Teddy. But luckily that’s all changed and now it’s just funny to remember those times. Teddy lives in Denver too, so Ed and I are lucky to be able to spend time with him and his girlfriend Allison (who we love). We are so thankful to have family in Denver. Alice and her husband Ryan live in St. Louis, and Madeline lives in Cincinnati.

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5. Ed and I love to walk to restaurants. Once we walked to our favorite restaurant, Duo, from our house. It was 6 ½ miles each way. The food tasted amazing by the time we got there. And by the time we got home, we’d done a half marathon of walking (13 miles total!) so our food was digested and we slept really well.

6. I have taken the Myers-Briggs test three times for various reasons (school, work, etc.). Each time, it said I was an extrovert. But I’ve always thought I was more of an introvert, so maybe I’m half of each.

7. I love winter. I used to prefer summer or spring or even fall, but that changed. Snow is beautiful and winter sports are so much fun – skiing, snowshoeing, running or walking in the snow… I don’t think I could ever live somewhere that didn’t have winter weather. Ed and I even chose to get married in Minnesota in January, and it was -11 degrees on our wedding day.

8. I have a speech impediment. I’ve had it since I could talk and had to take speech therapy classes throughout grade school and high school, and even in college I took a few to help me prepare for job interviews. I have trouble saying my “ch” and “sh”. This is a source of endless entertainment for my friends and siblings. My little sister Madeline and I shared a bedroom when she grew out of her crib, so as she was learning to talk, she picked up the same speech impediment. Sorry, Madsie!

9. I invited every girl in my grade to my 9^th birthday party, without telling my parents. Only 1 couldn’t make it. There were 40 girls at my party, and I got 6 koosh balls, 3 skip- its, and 2 skip sticks. After that, my parents made us write “no gifts please” on all birthday invitations. My siblings still resent me for it.

10. I’m working on my decorating skills. It takes a lot of trial and error. My sister Alice is really good – minimalist and modern, but still very warm and personal. Ed’s mom is an amazing decorator, and she’s helped us out a lot in our home. Our most recent project was our bedroom. I think we did a pretty good job – definitely an improvement from its original state! And yes, Ed and I did do it all ourselves. Below: our bedroom Before & After!

Tomorrow I’m going to pass the Beautiful Blogger award on to some of my favorite bloggers! I can’t wait to share them with you.

Eggs

What kind of eggs do you buy?

There are so many options. Regular white eggs are a bargain at under $2 a carton. There are brown eggs, but you have to read the cartons to figure out what’s going on: some are organic or cage-free, some are omega-3 fortified, and then there are some labeled free-range. These brown eggs tend to be pricier, but how do we know which ones to choose?

The first thing to know is that the color of the egg depends on the breed of chicken. Their genetics determine the pigment that will be deposited before the egg is laid. Most of the time, chickens with white ear lobes produce white eggs, and chickens with red ear lobes produce brown eggs. But this is not always the case, and there are blue or green eggs that can also be laid. The main point here is that just because an egg is brown does not mean it is necessarily healthier for you.

Organic eggs come from chickens who are fed organic feed, meaning it is not treated with any pesticides or fertilizers. But, organic does not mean free-range. They can still be caged. It also does not indicate whether chickens are fed corn or grass or something else; just that no chemicals are added to their feed. This means these chemicals will not be passed onto us, which is a good thing.

Caged chickens

These could be considered free-range chickens:

Free-range or cage-free eggs come from chickens who are allowed to roam and are not kept in cages their entire lives. However, this is not very closely regulated. Chickens could be cage-free but kept in a barn all day. Or maybe they are packed into one tiny area so even though they are not in cages, they have very crowded living situations. Also, free-range or cage-free makes no indication of what these chickens are fed. Some eggs are labeled “organic free-range,” which is a better choice.

Free-range grass-fed chickens

Recently I bought farm fresh eggs from Denver’s year-round indoor farmer’s market. These eggs come from grass-fed chickens who are allowed to roam freely their entire lives in large, grassy outdoor spaces. Grass-fed chicken eggs are much more nutrient-dense than other types of eggs. They have about 4 times more vitamin D than the original white eggs you buy in the supermarket, and one thid less cholesterol. They have less saturated fat, more vitamin A, more vitamin E, more beta carotene, and double the amount of healthy omega-3 fats. The color of the yoke from a farm fresh grass-fed egg is indicative of the health of these chickens and all the nutrients they receive. These chickens are in the sunshine all day and get plenty of vitamin D, which is vital to health (read about it here).

My Nutrients teacher took a picture of an organic cage-free egg from a local health food store, and then took a picture of one of her farm fresh grass-fed eggs, and brought them in for us to see. The yoke of the organic cage-free egg was much more pale and dull than the bright, orange-yellow yoke of the farm egg. I tried a similar experiment at home. My camera is broken so these are all taken with my iphone, so the quality isn’t the best but you can sort of tell the difference.

Eggland’s Best cage free eggs

Eggs from a local Colorado farm's grass-fed chickens

Find out if there are any local farms that produce eggs from grass-fed chickens in your area. Often they sell their eggs at independent grocery stores or farmer’s markets. Other times you may have to meet them somewhere in the city to purchase your eggs. If this is not possible, try to buy grass-fed, organic, free-range eggs whenever possible. They are rich in nutrients and taste so much better!

Another tip: many people eat only the egg whites, because they want to avoid the fats found in the egg yokes. However, an egg is a whole food, and like all whole foods, must be eaten as such in order to get all of the health benefits. The nutrients in the whites work with the nutrients in the yoke to properly digest and absorb into your body. Without both components, some nutrients will be lost. If you are on a low-fat diet, I recommend just eating half the egg (white and yoke), rather than the entire white and no yoke. Also keep in mind that the fats in the egg yoke are wonderful fats that our bodies need and utilize to be fully balanced. It’s the processed foods and sugars that make us gain weight, not something from a food as perfect as an egg!

English Muffins

Eating English muffins in the morning brings me back to my childhood. Sitting in my great-grandmother’s light blue dining room, table set with her best china, sliver and cloth napkins, waiting anxiously for her to bring in each tray of food: strawberries tossed in sugar with a side of cream; homemade bran muffins topped with a soft, generous cube of butter; freshly-squeezed orange juice; and of course a fluffy white toasted English muffin, again slathered in warm butter. It was the perfect breakfast and my mouth still waters thinking about it.

Now we have so many options when it comes to English muffins. There were Thomas’ originals, and now they’ve added whole wheat, lite, high fiber. Then Oroweat introduced their line of English muffins and most recently came up with double fiber English muffins. And I noticed last week that they now sell Rudi’s Organic products in discount grocery stores, from tortillas to bagels to English muffins. If you shop at an organic grocery store, you may have tried Ezekiel products or another local brand.

So, which ones are best?

Unfortunately, not the Thomas’ originals. (But, if I am ever offered one that is lightly toasted and smothered in warm butter, I can assure you I will not turn it down – in honor of my Grammie, of course!).

The whole grain English muffins are a good option. Any bread product made from whole grains will have a higher nutrient content and keep you full longer than regular white bread (make sure it’s “whole wheat” and not just “wheat” – there is a difference). Every grocery store offers a whole grain variety of English muffins, so you should have a few options.

Beware of English muffins labeled light, low-fat or sugar-free. These foods are often more highly processed, have added fake sugars or flavors, and can be stripped of their good, healthy nutrients along with the fat or sugars. I know at one point Oroweat products were under scrutiny for having high fructose corn syrup, but since then they have removed this ingredient. However, you never know what they might come up with next.

This is not always the case, but read the labels and if there are too many strange ingredients, go for the regular. Regular whole wheat English muffins are still fairly low-calorie and low-fat.

Oroweat has some products that have become popular recently, like their 100-calorie sandwich thins. I’ve had these before, and they are definitely “thin” – thinly sliced but also thin on taste. They have some protein and fiber, but that’s about it. Instead of buying these, save your money and enhance your health by following this tip for sandwich bread.

Oroweat and Thomas’ are owned by the same company, Bimbo Bakeries USA.

Another option at most grocery stores is Rudi’s Organic English muffins. These seem to have similar nutrients to the Thomas’ and Oroweat whole wheat English muffins, but probably use higher quality ingredients. I haven’t done a taste test, but I’m willing to bet the Rudi’s Organics taste a little fresher. This guy seems to think so, and he even mentions that Rudi’s ingredient list is much shorter than Oroweat’s, which is a sign of a more nutrient-dense and higher quality food.

Lately we’ve been eating some Ezekiel products – tortillas and English muffins. I think the company is actually called Food For Life, but they also have that Ezekiel name on them and most refer to them as Ezekiel. Anyway, all of their products are made from organic, freshly sprouted live grains (not flour). Sprouting the grains increases nutrient content greatly, and also helps with digestion. It preserves the enzymes, making it easier for our bodies to break down the grains. Those with mild gluten sensitivities may be able to tolerate Ezekiel breads because of this. Also, they use filtered water and do not add any conditioners, additives, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. If you are looking for an English muffin that is highest in nutrients, go for the Ezekiel products. They may also be something good to try with your kids if you suspect they have a mild gluten allergy. Ezekiel English muffins will probably cost an extra dollar or two, depending on current specials at the store. But give them a try and maybe you’ll become a convert. These can be found at most local health food stores, such as Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage, Sunflower Market, or others.

This morning we had cinnamon raisin and they were delicious. Don’t forget to top your English muffins with some healthy fats, either butter or a nut or seed butter, to help you stay full longer and increase your nutrient intake and absorption at breakfast.

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!

Recipe: Beet Soup

I am on Twitter, as I've mentioned in the past. And I am pretty obsessed with it, because I follow amazing food bloggers, my favorite Denver restaurants, and other people who are interested in holistic nutrition. From all of these people, I learn so much about health, nutrition, food and cooking. If you're not on Twitter, I highly recommend signing up. There is so much out there to learn!

Yesterday I came across a tweet from a girl I follow, @TheBlissfulChef. She has a wonderful blog here, but happened to be guest blogging here for @GreenBlossoms.

Have I confused you yet? Not if you're a fellow tweeter!

Anyway, the recipe looked like something I wanted to try: Beet Soup. I know that Ed hates beets. I once made a golden beet salad and he ate it up and seemed to have changed his mind on beets, but I think the large amounts of goat cheese topping the beets may have had something to do with it.

So, knowing I was about to cook something my husband wouldn't like, I bundled up and walked through the [extremely beautiful] snow to Whole Foods to stock up on beets, carrots, dill and bay leaves.

I changed Chef Christy's recipe only slightly by adding extra vinegar, extra lemon juice, and also some grated ginger. I think it was my attempt to mask the taste of beets so Ed would eat the soup, but they were good additions. Also, I saved all the beet greens so I can juice them for breakfast. There are so many important nutrients in the beet greens so please don't throw them out! You can put them into smoothies, on salads, or sautee them with your eggs in the morning.

Recipe

1 tbsp olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

2 red beets, peeled and chopped (I used red and golden beets)

6 cups water

1 cup red lentils, washed and drained

3 bay leaves

Juice of 1 lemon (I used 2)

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Dash of pepper and sea salt

Sour cream or yogurt and chopped dill for garnish

Heat oil in large soup pan over medium flame. Add carrots and beets and a pinch of sea salt and saute for 3 minutes. Add water, lentils, bay leaves, and another pinch of sea salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, partially covered, 25-30 minutes.

Remove bay leaves. Puree in small batches in blender and return to pot. Stir in vinegar, lemon and pepper.

Serve warm or cold, garnished with sour cream or yogurt and chopped dill.

Note: Take the instruction to "puree in small batches in blender" very literally. My first "batch" was too large, and let's just say I am still finding red speckles on my kitchen walls, and our kitchen rug may or may not be on its way to the cleaners... (luckily it's an oriental rug, so the red blends right in!).

I served the soup warm, with plain low fat yogurt and dill. We ate it with the shitake, cremini and oyster mushrooms we got Saturday morning at Denver's indoor farmer's market (delicious!). Ed thought the soup was okay, not great. But, he doesn't love beets. I love beets and loved the soup. And I found it very satisfying to have a dinner that consisted of three different veggies - carrots, beets and mushrooms. I was completely full and satisfied for the rest of the night! If you like beets, I definitely recommend the recipe.

Thanks Christy for providing such a nutritional recipe!

The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread…

…is unsliced bread.

For the past six months or so, we’ve been buying unsliced bread from places like the Whole Foods Bakery (and occasionally, when we’re lucky, from Denver Bread Company… if only they weren’t all the way across town!). And rather than having them slice it for us, I request it unsliced. I have come to realize that unsliced bread has some great benefits.

Benefit #1: You get to determine the size of your slice. Sometimes you may want an ultra-thin slice of bread to accompany your vegetable omelet. Other times you may be in a hurry so you can slice off a thick piece and spread some nut butter on it and take it to go. Kids usually need thinner slices; athletes may want thicker. Texas toast or tea sandwiches? You can do both with a loaf of unsliced bread.

Benefit #2: It stays fresher. The first time the inside of the loaf is seeing air is when you slice it right before you eat it. This allows you to have the freshest bread possible. It is also good for small families, like mine. We are only two, and we travel often. Therefore, it takes a long time for us to finish a loaf of bread. So in order to keep it from going bad, I often slice the loaf in half and freeze one of the halves. Unsliced bread freezes better.

Benefit #3: You can eat the end pieces earlier. Ed and I both love the end pieces. Which is rare, I know. Usually there is that one weird guy who loves end pieces and everyone else gladly lets him eat them, but in our house we fight over them. When you have an unsliced loaf, you can take the entire loaf out of the bag and choose which end you want to slice from. You can have a double-end piece sandwich without making a mess!

Benefit #4: This one ties back into #1 – you save money when you buy unsliced bread. YOU, not the bread company, are in control of how many slices you get out of your one loaf. You can slice thin and stretch the loaf. Why only get 10 sandwiches out of the loaf when can really get 15?

Buying fresh bread and freezing it is not a bad option. My parents buy great bread from this guy in St. Paul, MN. They buy a dozen loaves and freeze them, which makes life a little easier. Ed and I went to the Denver Urban Homesteading indoor farmer’s market (it’s at 2^nd and Santa Fe, for those of you who live in Denver) on Saturday morning and got a fresh loaf that tastes better than anything we’d buy at the grocery store. It was about $1 more expensive, but since it comes unsliced I know I can make it last longer than a regular loaf.

This is just a small tip that can make a big difference in both your health and your wallet!