How To Eat Sustainably

The most recent issue of Whole Living (formerly Body + Soul) magazine had a section on sustainable eating. Since we are doing a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) this year, I am more in tune with the idea of sustainability and I am making a more conscious effort to eat locally whenever possible. I really liked some of the ideas in the article, and wanted to pass them along to you guys. Enjoy!

• Use the whole vegetable. The stems of cauliflower or broccoli, the inner leaves of celery, the fronds of fennel, the greens of beets, even the stems of herbs: all edible, all tasty.

• Be a farmers’ market regular.

• Google your milk. Until the USDA revised the standards last year, 30 to 40 percent of the milk sold in the U.S. that was labeled organic was actually from factory farm-raised cows. Regulations are tighter now, but not all organic milks are created equal. Check your brand at www.sustainable.org, and opt for antibiotic- and rBGH-free (no artificial bovine growth hormones).

• Buy local bread. Shop at your neighborhood bakery or farmers’ market. You’ll eliminate a plastic package and a fuel-burning journey, and the bread’s likelier to be made with fewer ingredients.

• Read PLU codes. If the number on the produce sticker at the supermarket starts with 9, then the item is organic.

• Be a smarter carnivore. Skip the additives by buying only absolutely antibiotic- and hormone-free meat. Choose domestic meat. You can imagine how eating lamb from New Zealand might affect your carbon footprint. Eat it seasonally. There’s a reason we have turkey at Thanksgiving – the birds mature in the fall. Look for lamb in spring and goose around Christmas.

• Pour on the honey. A huge amount of water is required to produce regular table sugar. Honey, on the other hand, is a perfectly renewable resource that requires little more than healthy bees and healthy plants and flowers from which to pollinate. Try adapting your favorite recipe to use honey instead of dry sugar.

*All of the above were taken from the August 2010 issue of Whole Living magazine.

Calendula: The herb that does it all

Even though I’m in nutrition school and not herbal school, I still love learning about different herbs and their medicinal qualities. I’m not opposed to taking some over-the-counter meds for the little things that come up like headaches, constipation or skin rashes, but if I can treat it with herbs (or nutrition) successfully, it’s my preferred method. However, my home remedy knowledge is limited… I use things like peppermint tea and ginger root to ease an upset stomach; I put raw honey on cuts or bug bites; and I’ve experimented with a few herbs such as Oregon grape root, barberry root, fenugreek, and nettles. Oh, and for those that have an iPhone, there’s an app for herbs. I use it occasionally but I’d have to say I’ve been underwhelmed with the information the app provides so far.

Calendula is one herb I learned about recently that seems worth pursuing. As my teacher said, “it’s a great herb to just have around.” Calendula comes from the daisy family of plants. They bloom into brightly-colored flowers, and are edible so they are often used in salads or other recipes.

External Uses

One common use of the herb calendula is for healthy skin care. Topically, it can be applied to soothe eczema, yeast infections, herpes, gingivitis, ringworm, athlete’s foot, varicose veins, and other cuts, burns or wounds. It contains many important phytochemicals, which are known to accelerate skin cell repair. It is also effective in treating dry skin in very specific areas, such as hands or feet.

Carotenoids are a specific phytochemical found in calendula that make it so powerful for healthy skin cell production, whether that be in the case of someone who has to heal a wound or scar, or someone who just wants healthy aging of their skin. The essential oils and salicylic acid that are naturally found in calendula make it a great herb for someone treating acne or other skin infections.

Internal Uses

A tincture or tea of calendula can be very helpful for digestion problems, irritable bowel, yeast overgrowth, and inflammation. It promotes healthy digestion and stimulates bile production, which aids in fat digestion. The herb stimulates the gall bladder, liver and uterus, and also supports heart health. Calendula also helps with swollen glands and other types of inflammation found internally. The flavonoids that are so abundant in calendula are what help to reduce and treat inflammation.

Calendula has also been successfully used to treat abdominal cramping and constipation. Since it has the power to aid in digestion and promote healthy bacteria in the intestines, it makes sense that cramping and bloating would subside and regular bowel movements would be more easily obtained with the use of calendula.

Calendula for Babies

When babies get diaper rash, calendula can be a perfect herb to use. It is very safe and gentle, and will reduce the discomfort and heal the rash. Calendula cream is also good for babies with eczema and other skin sensitivities or rashes. Many companies make organic calendula creams, shampoos, and other products specifically designed for babies’ sensitive skin. I don't have kids so have never used calendula cream for babies, but if any of the mothers out there have, please share your experiences in the comments section!

How Do I Get It?

Calendula can be taken in many different forms – pills, powders, tinctures, oils, extracts, seeds and teas. You may find it at your local health food store or a specialty botanicals store. For those of you in Colorado, I recommend MoonDance Botanicals or Apothecary Tinctura. Mountain Rose Herbs is a great online source that I use, but there are many online stores that sell high quality herbs. Just do some research and make sure the herbs are organic and come from a reputable company.

So, like my teacher said, this is a great herb to keep around for just about anything that can come up! I love the idea of having one herb that can treat so many different issues, because it simplifies things and the herb can do many beneficial things at once. Plus, there are fewer negative side affects of using herbs than there are of other medications, so they are always a good thing to try.

Coffee & Migraine Headaches

I had class on Monday, which was technically a holiday since July 4^th fell on a Sunday. Needless to say, only a small group of us showed up, and our teacher finished an hour early in case we wanted to enjoy the rest of the day with friends and family. However, she did offer to stay a little later and answer any questions we had. Despite wanting to go home and rest (I had flown into Denver from Maine earlier that morning and was exhausted), I had to stay because this is always the best part of class! Our teacher is a naturopath, so she knows a lot about many different health issues and the natural remedies that can help them.

Someone asked about coffee, and why it can sometimes ease a migraine headache. If you are someone who has experienced a migraine, you know that they are extremely painful and debilitating. But why does coffee relieve this pain?

Coffee is a vasoconstrictor. Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of blood vessels that occurs when the muscular walls of the vessels contract. It causes decreased flow of blood in a localized area or throughout the body, and is one way the body regulates arterial pressure. Migraines, on the other hand, are often caused by vasodilation of the cranial blood vessels. Vasodilation refers to the expansion of the vessels, which leads to increased blood flow. So, when someone drinks a cup or two of coffee, this can initiate vasoconstriction, which can then relieve some of the migraine pain. In fact, many migraine medications act just as caffeine would – they work to narrow the blood vessels so blood flow in the head is more regulated. Some other common medications that are also vasoconstrictors include antihistamines, decongestants, and ADD or ADHD stimulant medications.

Some people are addicted to the caffeine in coffee (or, other drinks such as soda or energy drinks), and their bodies become dependant on the caffeine to regulate vasoconstriction. When they eliminate caffeine for an extended period of time, vasodilation occurs, making them crave more caffeine. If they give into these cravings, the caffeine will temporarily relieve the headache pain. However, if they continue to abstain, eventually the body will correct itself and start regulating the vasoconstriction and vasodilation without the aid of on outside stimulant such as caffeine.

If you are someone who is addicted to caffeine and experiences regular headaches, I would recommend reducing caffeine intake slowly, which will allow your body time to adjust to the changes. Hopefully, this will lead to fewer headaches and less dependency on caffeine. However, if you experience terrible migraine headaches and never consume any caffeine, just remember that if you’re in a pinch, a small cup of coffee may help relieve that pain. I don’t recommend becoming dependent on this remedy, but it’s something that may help every once in a while.

Asparagus: Why does it make our urine smell?

We’ve all noticed that our urine smells funny after eating asparagus, and may appear to be slightly foggy or more yellow than normal. This happens to everyone to some extent, and there is an explanation behind the phenomenon.

Asparagus contains certain compounds that, when broken down and metabolized by humans, release a strong odor and are excreted through the urine. These compounds are called mercaptans, and they are actually the same things that give skunks their distinctive smell! If you have not noticed a distinct odor in your urine after eating asparagus, it may be because either your body does not break down these compounds into the strong-smelling chemicals, or you don’t have a great sense of smell. However, it could also mean that you are just very well hydrated. The more dehydrated someone is, the stronger the scent and deeper the color of the urine. So, one option to minimize the smell is to stay very well hydrated before, during, and after eating asparagus. But, if you do experience the strong odor don't be worried - it's actually a good thing because it means your kidneys are functioning properly!

Fruits vs. Vegetables: What's What?

Ideas for my blog posts are often inspired by my teachers, who pour nutrition information into our brains each week and take the time to answer all of our eager questions; or they are inspired by family, friends or other PWN readers – people who are fairly interested in nutrition and knowledgeable enough to ask really great questions. Today’s post, though, is inspired by a group of 7-year olds. And, it happens to be an extremely tough question that has me stumped!

As I’ve mentioned before, I spend some time each month working with an organization that teaches nutrition and cooking skills to underprivileged people. It’s very fun and fulfilling, and I especially love working with the kids. The class I am doing right now is all kids, and last week during their nutrition lesson they asked us what the difference is between a fruit and a vegetable.

This question caused all of us to pause. It’s one of those things that is often discussed but rarely agreed upon. For some reason it’s hard for us to grasp and accept that, say, a tomato is a fruit.

So, I think I’ll clear this up for once and for all! Or at least I'll try...

A fruit, according to the dictionary, is “the developed ovary of a seed plant with its contents and accessory parts, as the pea pod, nut, tomato or pineapple”.

A vegetable, then, is “any plant whose fruit, seeds, roots, tubers, bulbs, stems, leaves, or flower parts are used as food, as the tomato, bean, beet, potato, onion, asparagus, spinach, or cauliflower”.

Still confused? Me too.

Other sources say that anything with one or more seeds should be considered a fruit. This would include things like tomatoes, avocados, peppers, green beans, zucchini and cucumbers. And apparently in 1983 the Supreme Court ruled that tomatoes should be classified as vegetables when it comes to tariffs. But, that doesn’t mean it’s a vegetable, so I guess it’s still a fruit. Vegetables, rather, are edible parts of plants that don’t have seeds. These “edible parts” include leaves, stalks, roots, flowers or stems.

So, the difference between a fruit and a vegetable is still fairly confusing, but hopefully the more technical definitions at least shed some light on what’s what. And at least now I have some fact-based information to go by when this subject comes up in conversation!

Cheese

I had lots of good questions this week – green tea, soba noodles, and cheese. I saved cheese for last because it’s a tough one. Cheese is a food that many people crave and love, and it pairs well with so many different snacks and meals and beverages that sometimes we find ourselves eating too much of it. But, it’s just so good! So how do we find the right balance between enjoying a food we love and not getting too much fat and sodium?

Many of you know that I do not like to tell people they have to completely cut something they love out of their diet. In a perfect world maybe all of us would be eating a 100% clean diet, but that’s not very realistic or fun or interesting! So with cheese, as with many other foods, I recommend enjoying it in moderation. I also recommend buying the best quality cheese you can so that when you decide to eat some, it tastes that much better.

Cheese is made directly from milk by separating the curd from the whey and then aging the curd. Fresh cheese is very high in calcium, protein, vitamin A, fats, and other vitamins and minerals. However, it is also high in saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol, which many people tend to watch in their diets. For those who avoid products made from cow’s milk, goat’s milk cheese and sheep or goat’s milk feta are available and are a great alternative. Some of the lower-fat cheeses include mozzarella and other cheeses that are made from skim milk (it will say so on the label). These can be good for someone who loves cheese but is trying to reduce their overall fat intake.

When choosing your cheese, try to find the freshest and purest cheese you can. As you may have guessed, this does not include the individually wrapped “Kraft singles.” Those are awful! They don’t even taste good, so why bother with them? They are full of additives and artificial colors and are highly processed. All processed cheeses and cheese spreads are higher in fat and sodium than natural cheeses, and much lower in calcium, vitamins and minerals. Remember, when food is processed most of the vitamins and minerals are stripped out. Sometimes the company will fortify the food with specific vitamins, but it is not the naturally occurring vitamin you are eating. Most cheeses labeled “American” tend to be more highly processed and contain artificial ingredients. Other cheeses to stay away from include cheesy spreads and (even worse) cheese sprays.

Cream cheese is higher in fat and lower in protein and calcium than fresh cheese. Use sparingly! The powdered cheeses found in boxed macaroni are also unacceptable by my standards – sorry! But, making your own mac & cheese at home is easy and much more wholesome and delicious. Cottage cheese is high in protein and tends to be lower in fat and calories than other cheeses. This can be a good food to include every once in a while into your diet.

Try to choose cheeses such as mozzarella, feta, Brie, blue cheese, Swiss, parmesan, ricotta, cheddar, Monterey jack, Colby or goat cheese. These are all pure cheeses as long as you are buying them from a reputable company that does not add things to the cheese or highly process the cheese. The best places to buy fresh cheese are places like the farmer’s market, local health food stores, or directly from a dairy farm. Lately, we've been buying our cheese from In Season Local Market in Denver. It's all made at Colorado dairy farms and it's always delicious!

So, cheese isn’t bad and can contain some really great nutrients if you are buying fresh, wholesome cheese. Kids and adults love it, and it really does make many foods taste better. The biggest things with cheese are to avoid processed cheeses and to use all cheese sparingly.

Soba Noodles

I had a PWN reader e-mail me this week about soba noodles, wondering if they were a healthy choice, or if she should stick with whole wheat pasta instead. There are so many different types of healthy noodle alternatives out there now, since pasta is one of those foods that some people just aren’t willing to give up (and, as we know, white pasta has very few redeemable qualities!).

Soba noodles are a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat. They are very thin and are served either hot or cold. Soba noodles are relatively low in calories, with one cup of cooked noodles having about 115 calories. They have no fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, and about 6 grams of protein per serving. Whole wheat pasta tends to be a bit higher in calories, carbohydrates, and protein per serving.

Buckwheat contains vitamins B1 and B2; selenium; zinc; and also a certain bioflavonoid called rutin that is found in things like green tea and red wine. Rutin can strengthen our capillaries and help with circulation and high blood pressure, and it also is an antioxidant that helps fight free radicals. Choline is another compound found in buckwheat that contributes to health. Choline supports healthy metabolism and can also contribute to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

Another benefit of soba noodles is that if they are made from pure buckwheat, they are a gluten-free noodle. With so many people on a gluten-free diet these days, it’s nice to have so many options. Just read labels carefully because sometimes soba noodles are made from a combination of buckwheat and whole wheat, and therefore will contain gluten.

The conclusion? Soba noodles are a healthy choice, but just like any pasta, should be eaten in moderation for people who are trying to lose weight. When compared to whole wheat pasta, soba noodles may be a bit healthier but both are great options. Also, keep in mind that some restaurants that serve Japanese food use a lot of sodium and may even use MSG, so try ordering things that contain less broth or sauce and more vegetables and protein. Or, even better, prepare the soba noodles yourself at home using a great Japanese recipe. For some recipes, try this one from one of my favorite blogs, 101 Cookbooks, or this one from the ladies at Haute Apple Pie.

Green Tea: Decaf or Caffeinated?

Dear PWN,

I have a green tea question for you. I've been drinking green (iced) tea all summer. I just went back and re-read your entry on green tea (read it here). Health benefit-wise, is there any issue with drinking decaf green tea as opposed to regular green tea?

This is a great question, and I had to do some research to find the answer. My gut told me that since green tea is naturally caffeinated, it would have to go through some level of processing to become decaffeinated and therefore the nutrient content and health benefits could be compromised. I was partially correct. Here’s what I found:

One green tea bag contains about 20 mg of caffeine on average. If the bag is reused for a second cup of tea, the caffeine content decreases. 20 mg is not much – for the sake of comparison, one cup of coffee (5-oz cup, not a “small” or “tall”) contains about 80 mg of caffeine. So, the caffeine content in green tea is naturally less than that of coffee or even soda. All caffeinated tea comes from the same plant, the Camellia sinesis, which naturally contains caffeine. Any herbs that are added to teas to create different herbal teas do not contain caffeine, which is why herbal teas such as peppermint or chamomile tea are very low in caffeine.

Some studies show that decaffeinated green tea may have fewer antioxidants than caffeinated green tea. The caffeine must be removed through one of a few different processes, and depending on the process used, some of the antioxidants are also lost. Sometimes the decaffeination process will be noted on the tea label. The “CO2” process tends to retain many of the antioxidants, whereas the “ethylene acetate” process kills off 70% of the antioxidants and some flavor as well. Apparently there is one process in which 95% of the antioxidants are retained in the green tea. If the label does not indicate which decaffeination process is used, feel free to call the company and ask about this. I always encourage people to be proactive if they have a question about something they are purchasing as it relates to their health!

Decaffeinated green tea will still contain some valuable antioxidants and if you are sensitive to caffeine, it is still beneficial to include this tea in your diet as much as possible. Too much caffeine can be harmful to health, although the levels in green tea are fairly low and a few glasses per day won’t hurt a healthy person. If you are drinking multiple cups of tea per day, it may be wise to reuse the tea bag once or twice. This will not only allow you to get a good combination of high antioxidants and low caffeine levels, but it will also save you money.

Thanks for the great question! And to the others who have sent me questions this week, they are on my list so check back over the next week or two for your answers!

Rhubarb

I am spending the week in Maine with Ed’s parents, because I had a wedding here last weekend and another next weekend. Not a bad place to be parked for the week! Last night, I helped Ed’s mother make a strawberry rhubarb pie. I had never cooked with rhubarb before (although, I’ve enjoyed many rhubarb pies in my lifetime). As is the case with most foods, now that I've cooked with rhubarb once it is much less intimidating to me.

The pie turned out perfectly. But, I became curious about the health benefits of rhubarb. It looks like celery but has more flavor and color, and since celery is extremely healthy then rhubarb must be off the charts, right?

Right!

Rhubarb is a vegetable that actually comes from Tibet. The leaves of the plant are usually poisonous, and the stems can even be toxic if eaten raw in large amounts, so rhubarb should always be cooked. A small amount of raw rhubarb is okay to eat though, and is sometimes used for its bitter flavor. Rhubarb is very high in fiber, phytonutrients, calcium and other minerals. Raw rhubarb is naturally high in vitamin C, although much of that is lost when the rhubarb is cooked. Traditionally, dried rhubarb was used as a remedy for a wide range of illnesses, including vomiting and nausea.

Some studies have shown rhubarb to have anti-tumor properties. Apparently there are certain chemical components of the vegetable that have anti-cell proliferation abilities and that increase the number of white blood cells (which fight disease) inside our bodies. The dietary fiber in rhubarb is beneficial for those suffering from indigestion. Rhubarb root can be taken in therapeutic amounts to relieve constipation, indigestion, and to support colon health. The antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of rhubarb make it a good vegetable to apply topically to cuts or burns.

In addition to all of these health benefits, rhubarb has antioxidant properties, helps those with allergies, is an anti-inflammatory, and can benefit those with high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol. And for women going through menopause, rhubarb is a great food because it is high in calcium so can help prevent osteoporosis, and also helps reduce hot flashes.

When choosing rhubarb, choose stalks that are flat, not curled. The redder the stalk, the sweeter and richer-tasting it will be. I haven’t tried growing rhubarb, but I found a great website for those of us in Colorado who want to give it a try. If you’re interested, go here to read more about growing rhubarb in high altitudes.

So, rhubarb is definitely a health food and now I will be much more inclined to buy some next year and use it in sauces and pies!

Deli Meat

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of being a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding. She is from Chicago, her husband is from Chicago, and pretty much everyone who attended the wedding was from Chicago, with the exception of a few people. Her family and friends are great, and many of them read my blog. In fact, if I were making money each time I got a new blog reader, I’d have to pay her family commission!

The brother of the bride asked if I would do a blog on deli meat. However, he made it very clear that if I had nothing nice to say about deli meat, he’d like me to “cancel the blog” because he’s clearly not willing to remove it from his diet. Well, Colin, you’ll be happy to know that not all deli meat is bad and I actually think it can be a great way to easily fit some protein into your diet!

The biggest things to look out for in terms of deli meat are highly processed meats and those containing nitrates. Some of the most highly processed meats include bologna, ham or roast beef. Basically, these are meats that are seasoned with things like sugar, spices, sodium, and other MSG-containing flavors, and then formed into a symmetrical shape and packaged up for a long shelf life. Anything that is perfectly shaped is definitely processed. One statistic I read said that 15% of the meat produced in the US is used to make over 200 varieties of processed meats. A long list of ingredients on a package of deli meat should be a red flag. Things like turkey and chicken are sometimes formed from pieces of meat that are bonded together and then sliced thinly. It is possible that they can also be highly processed and contain additives and preservatives.

Nitrates are used to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria on deli meat. In addition, they act as a color fixative for cured meats. However, nitrates can also combine with something in the stomach to form compounds that are associated with cancer. Nitrates have been linked to cancer of the oral cavity, bladder, esophagus, stomach and brain.

One nitrate-free deli meat brand that many people like is Applegate Farms. Their meats are sold at Whole Foods and do not contain preservatives or other chemicals. Hormel Natural Choice can be found at most grocery stores and also claims to have no added preservatives or nitrates. However, it still can have other flavorings added to the meats so make sure you read the labels carefully. Boar’s Head deli meat has some types that are nitrate-free – most of their ham contains nitrates but some chicken and turkey does not.

It’s difficult to know which sliced deli meats contain nitrates and other harmful chemicals, and which are more pure. I recommend buying organic whenever possible to ensure that the meats are made from 100% actual animal meat, not parts and pieces of the animal that are molded together and sliced to look like chicken breast. If the animals are grass-fed, that is even better. I would also try to read ingredient lists if you are buying pre-packaged meat. Just make sure you understand what each ingredient is and making a conscious decision to eat those things. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions at the deli counter. They can show you ingredient lists if they’re not displayed, and you can use that information to make the best choice about what you buy.

Some people will avoid deli meat altogether, but that isn’t really realistic for most of us. While eating a perfectly clean diet is ideal, it can sometimes prevent us from getting the protein and other nutrients we need each day. So, my advice is to just do the best you can, and if you do have a choice of meats, choose the ones that are the least likely to be processed and contain chemicals and additives. I wouldn't go out and buy bologna on a regular basis for your kids - things like that are easy to work around and there are plenty of healthier alternatives.

Of course, another great option is to make your own sliced meat by cooking chicken breasts or a ham, and then slicing it and using it in your sandwiches. This is not realistic to do every week, but once in a while it is good to incorporate the more real meat into your diet. Plus, it tastes so much better this way!