Nutrition

Coffee Each Day Keeps the Doctor Away

More than half of the adults in the U.S. drink coffee, according to the National Coffee Association. However, until recently, a few of us wondered whether it was negative or positive for our health.

Let's list out the positives:

1. When people find out they are at risk for developing disease, coffee can be one pleasure from which they don't need to deprive themselves. Coffee doesn't have any serious detrimental health effects. It can cause an inverse association with the risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver cancer and liver cirrhosis.

2. In a recent study with 50,000 participants, men with a high daily intake of regular or decaf coffee, who drank six or more cups a day, had an up to 60 percent lower risk of advanced and lethal prostate cancer. More research is needed to confirm these findings.

3. Coffee is thought to contain chemicals that lower blood sugar. Extensive research has been done on the relationship between coffee and Type 2 diabetes.  In a report from the University of Sydney in Australia it was stated that drinking four cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 25 to 35 percent.

4. In recent years, coffee has been shown to be safe for heart-attach survivors, and it may ward off cardiovascular disease. Scientists think antioxidants in coffee may reduce inflammation and protect blood vessel walls.

5. And last, but not least, coffee may not only make life more pleasurable, it may even extend it. Studies suggest that drinking coffee decreases the risk of premature death, especially in women. Women who drank at least five to seven cups a week had a death rate 26 percent lower than for non-consumers.

Here's the negative:

1. Although coffee drinking isn't harmful for most people, that may not be true for pregnant women. Research has linked miscarriage to caffeine consumption of 200 milligrams or more per day. A typical cup of coffee has 100-150 milligrams.

For more details on the research studies and sources above, see costco.com.

To find coffee at it's best price at your favorite store, click here.

I'm a "whole grain whiz". . .

. . . well at least according to the good folks at General Mills. They have a simple yet educational test on their website EatBetterAmerica.com that will help you understand whole grains and explain the importance of whole grains to your family.

I find that it is a lot easier to meet the dietary guidelines of the USDA's My Pyramid if I understand the various components of what used to me known as the Food Pyramid.  With all of the research going into nutrition now there is a surprising amount of mis-information amongst consumers. It's really no big surprise when you consider that most consumers recieve their nutritional information in the form of commercials between their favorite television programs. Marketers can be very clever in how they label and package their products.

So take a moment like I did to check out whole grains and understand what makes General Mills' line of whole grain cereals so good. If you hurry you can also print free online coupons here for a savings at your grocery store worth $.75 off which when applied to the sales going on in many supermarkets add up to a great savings.

What makes a grain whole?

A whole grain is “whole” if it contains all three parts of the grain kernel:
the bran, the endosperm and the germ. When whole grains are
processed, the bran and germ are often removed, along with all of
their nutrients and much of the fiber. Scientists believe that the fiber,
vitamins, minerals and other substances contained in whole grains
work together to provide maximum nutrition and health benefits

I use oatmeal to help meet my family's nutritional needs. So what makes oatmeal a great choice you ask?

Oats are good for the heart.
Oats help aid weight control.
Oats offer super-charged nutrition.

 Check our site for free grocery coupons on Quaker Oatmeal products.

Read more:
The Whole Grain

Quaker Oat recipe ideas

Another reason to eat those vegetables!

Women who have higher dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin, compounds that are found in yellow or dark, leafy vegetables appear to have a lower risk for developing cataracts according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

"The oxidative hypothesis of cataract formation posits that reactive oxygen species can damage lens proteins and fiber cell membranes and that nutrients with antioxidant capabilities can protect against these changes," the authors write as background information in the article. Vitamin E, vitamin C, beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are all believed to have antioxidant properties. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids - yellow plant pigments - present in the lens of the human eye and may also protect against cataracts by filtering harmful blue light.

William G. Christen, Sc.D., of Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues analyzed dietary information from 35,551 female health professionals who enrolled in the Women's Health Study in 1993. The women were then followed for an average of 10 years, and the diets of those who developed cataracts were compared with the diets of those who did not.

A total of 2,031 women developed cataracts during the study. When the participants were split into five groups based on the amount of lutein and zeaxanthin they consumed, those in the group who consumed the most (about 6,716 micrograms per day) had an 18 percent lower chance of developing cataracts than those who consumed the least (1,177 micrograms per day). The one-fifth who consumed the most vitamin E from food and supplements - about 262.4 milligrams per day - were 14 percent less likely than the one-fifth who got the least (4.4 milligrams per day).

"In conclusion, these prospective data from a large cohort of female health professionals indicate that higher intakes of lutein/zeaxanthin and vitamin E are associated with decreased risk of cataract," the authors write. "Although reliable data from randomized trials are accumulating for vitamin E and other antioxidant vitamins, randomized trial data for lutein/zeaxanthin are lacking. Such information will help to clarify the benefits of supplemental use of lutein/zeaxanthin and provide the most reliable evidence on which to base public health recommendations for cataract prevention by vitamin supplementation."

Read more:

Science Daily

Six super foods to pay attention to

One of our researchers sent me an article from an LA television website that states the facts in such an uncomplicated manner I had to pass it along. Too often today the subject of nutrition, what to eat and how to cook is overly complicated by the media. Keep it simple and enjoy!

I will give you the first 3 and go to KABC TV to get the rest.

Nutritionists say there are six so-called "super foods" that every woman should incorporate into her diet as often as possible.

Following are the six foods that should be included in every woman's diet.

1. Low fat yogurt - Nutritionists say yogurt has the potential to decrease the risk of breast cancer and can reduce problems associated with digestive tract disorders and stomach ulcers.

2. Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel - Fatty fish is packed with two types of omega-3 fatty acids. It helps protect women from heart disease, stroke, hypertension, depression, and may even Alzheimer's disease.

3. Beans - Beans are a good source of protein and fiber. They're low in fat and help protect against heart disease and breast cancer.

More: KABC TV

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) organization is comprised of several national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working in partnership to build breast cancer awareness, share information and provide access to screening services.

 

This year, nearly 200,000 women and men will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Awareness of breast cancer is the first vital step in combating the disease. According to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the chances of overcoming the disease are greater if the cancer is detected early. In fact, when breast cancer is confined to the breast, the 5-year survival rate is greater than 98 percent.

To help raise awareness for breast cancer, General Mills will introduce special pink packaging on an assortment of its most beloved brands during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, including Cheerios Cereal, Nature Valley Granola Bars, Progresso Soup, Hamburger Helper Dinner Mixes, Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, Pillsbury Crescent and Sweet Rolls and Refrigerated Cookie Dough, Cascadian Farm Granola Bars, Total Cereal, and Betty Crocker Cookie Mixes, Warm Delights Desserts and Potatoes. 

The pink products are available in stores around the country through the month of October. By supporting these brands, consumers help ensure that General Mills can continue to support the fight against breast cancer. 

General Mills has made a $2 million donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and will donate an additional $1 for every story shared on PinkTogether.com, up to $100,000, through October 31, 2007.

 Resources:

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

American Cancer Society programs

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

General Mills

Quick and easy ways to add fruits and vegetables into your diet

Add fruit to your breakfast cereal or oatmeal (not just bananas, try apples, grapes, berries, peaches, or mandarin oranges).

Snack on mini-carrots or dried fruit at work instead of candy.

Add to your take-out dinner with fruits and vegetables from home.

Microwave a vegetable to add to your dinner or eat some fruit for dessert.

Some quick and tasty ways to prepare fruits and vegetables.

Salads and Sides:
Open and rinse cans of kidney beans, wax beans, chickpeas, and green beans, and toss with a low-fat or fat-free vinaigrette for an ultra-fast bean salad.

Try adding fresh herbs to vegetables before you roast, stir-fry, or steam them. For example, tomatoes go well with basil and oregano, and carrots go well with dill.

Broil sliced vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes for just a few minutes until they blacken around the edges. Serve warm with a low-calorie dressing of lemon juice, low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise, and black pepper.

Entrees:

Add 1-2 cups of frozen vegetables to canned soup before heating; serve on top of rice in a shallow bowl.

Use a 12-inch, pre-baked packaged pizza crust to create a 20-minute dinner; add sliced zucchini, fresh spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and low-fat cheese and bake at 400 F until the cheese bubbles.

Add grapes, sliced apples, and pears to a chicken salad made with low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise.

Add tomatoes, radishes, and green bell peppers to a tuna salad made with low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise.

Top broiled lean meat, chicken, or fish with salsa. Each 1/2 cup of salsa counts as a 1/2 cup of you daily vegetable needs.