Antioxidants and good health

Who isn’t interested in upping their immune system and boosting their health during this COVID-19 pandemic?  One way to do so is to boost your intake of foods rich in antioxidants.  Everyone has heard of our need for vitamins and minerals, but for good health we also need the oh so important antioxidants.  MSN has a good article this month, Why antioxidants are so important to your overall health . 

What are antioxidants?    NIH notes “Antioxidants are man-made or natural substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage.”  Some vitamins and minerals have antioxidant properties like Vitamins C and E and the mineral, selenium.  But there are other antioxidants naturally present in foods like carotenoids (think orange like carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe) that include beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin.  No need to remember the chemical names, but what is important to know is which foods are rich in these antioxidants. 

To add antioxidants to your day, rely on food, not supplements.  In fact, NIH states that “Rigorous scientific studies involving more than 100,00 people combined have tested whether antioxidant supplements can help prevent chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and cataracts.”  In most cases, the supplements of antioxidants did not reduce “the risks of developing these diseases”.   

What foods are rich in antioxidants?  You have a lot of ways to add more antioxidants to your day.

Fruits and Vegetables:  NIH notes, “Vegetables and fruits are rich sources of antioxidants.”   But don’t rely on any one vegetable or fruit.  The different colors in fruits and vegetables mean different antioxidants.  Some fruits rank very high in antioxidants such as cranberries, blueberries and blackberries.  Running a close second are apples and dried fruits. 

·         Red:  means lycopene – think tomatoes, salsa, tomato sauce, tomato juice, catsup, watermelon, pink grapefruit. 

·         Blue/Purple:  these provide the antioxidant, anthocyanin.  Look for foods that are deep purple, blue, or deep red.  Blueberries are often called a “superfood” and one reason why is they are a rich source of this antioxidant.  Other sources are blackberries, beets, black currants, red cabbage, cranberries, purple grapes, and cherries.  My husband just bought some fresh cherries so I will be loading up on anthocyanin this week.   One study found that a cup of berries will provide “all the disease-fighting antioxidants you need in a single day.” 

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants.

·         Orange:  these provide the antioxidant, carotene, and include oranges, mangos, cantaloupe, peach, tangerines, apricots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, yellow and orange peppers, acorn squash. 

Does cooking foods destroy antioxidants?  No.  In fact, in cooked tomatoes such as tomato sauce, catsup, spaghetti sauce, the lutein is even better absorbed.  Heating up some blueberries will actually enhance the antioxidant level.  Good to know as I like to put some frozen blueberries on my oatmeal before I zap it in the microwave. 

How many servings of fruits and vegetables should you have each day?  USDA recommends at least 5 A Day.  To help stave off COVID, a relative says she and her husband are boosting their immune system by eating at least 7 A Day.  So, to boost your immune system this week, load up on more fruits and veggies.  Fresh, frozen, cooked – doesn’t matter.  And, remember, vary the color to vary the kind of antioxidants you are getting.

At least 5 A Day, more is even better.

Sources:  Why antioxidants are so important to your overall health, NIH, carotenoids, supplements, notes , lycopene , anthocyanin , study , Orange , cooking  Image sources:  Wild blueberries    , Antioxidants ,   5 a Day   

What are the best water choices?

Water – who would think one has different choices for plain water?  Growing up, there was water from the tap and some businesses had the water in the large bottles and you held a paper cup under to get a very small drink of water.  Now, there are so many choices and a lot of misinformation on what water is best to drink.  With the heat of summer upon us, hydration is important as drinking water is always a good way to stay hydrated.  But what “water” is best and which “water” should you avoid?

Water is actually a nutrient and we need water to keep our temperature normal, to help cushion and lubricate our joints, and to get rid of wastes through perspiration and urination.  In hot weather and when we are physically active, we need even more water.  Since plain water has no calories, researchers have found drinking water can help one control body weight and can cut back on calories if plain water replaces sugared sodas.   And we are drinking a lot of water.  CDC reports that in the U.S., youths drank about 15 ounces (about 2 cups) of water a day, while adults drank an average of 39 ounces (almost 5 cups) a day.  And Americans really like their bottled water.  In 1997 we were drinking about 13.5 gallons of bottled water annually and by 2007 we were drinking about 29 gallons of bottled water a year. 

Recommended Water Choices

1. Plain tap water – public water is regulated by the EPA so is safe to drink.  It is also fortified with fluoride so is good for your teeth.  If you want more purified water, you can choose a refrigerator or pitcher filtered water.  We have a filter in our refrigerator and the water just seems to taste better.  If you are concerned about the safety of your local water supply, you can check out the Environmental Working Group’s database on water contamination at:  https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/
2. Spring Water – when I ask my husband to buy some bottled water, he always makes sure it is Spring water.  To be labeled as “Spring Water” the water has to meet FDA’s standards of being “derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface, this water must be collected only at the spring or through a borehole that taps the underground formation feeding the spring.” 

Choose Spring Water

3. Mineral Water – FDA defines mineral water as coming “from an underground source and contains at least 250 parts per million of total dissolved solids.  Minerals and trace elements must come from the source of the underground water” and not added later.  Thus, this type of water from underground reservoirs may provide minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and sodium.  Some believe these extra minerals are beneficial to one’s health.  MedicalNewsToday notes, “Mineral water rich in magnesium may therefore help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.”  And they note the calcium in mineral water can help promote bone health.

Mineral water - choose glass bottles or cans.

4. Sparkling Water – a good replacement for sugared sodas.  You get some flavor without the added calories and all the added sugars.  Researchers recommend reading the label to be sure there are zero calories and zero added sugar in the sparkling water.  Look at the ingredients to be sure there is no high fructose corn syrup or other sugar added.   If the sparking water is flavored, that is fine. 

Waters to Avoid Drinking

1. Distilled Water – not a healthy choice to drink.  Use distilled water in your iron or in appliances that call for distilled water, but don’t drink it.  Distilled water is made from the steam of boiling water; this removes most of the minerals.  It tastes pretty bland as most of the minerals have been removed.  Since most minerals have been removed, it is not a healthy choice for drinking.  WebMD notes that “distilled water may not help you stay hydrated as well as other kinds of water.” 
2. Purified tap water – When you are buying bottled water are you just buying tap water that has been filtered?  As noted above, when buying bottled water my husband makes sure it is Spring Water and not purified tap water.  WebMD says about 25% of the bottled water Americans buy is just purified tap water including Aquafina and Dasani.  To avoid buying purified tap water, look for the words “spring water” on the label. 

Purified tap water.

3. Alkaline water – some people are promoting alkaline water as being healthy as it has a higher pH, usually above 7. But our kidneys work hard to keep the pH in our bodies balanced.  Others claim that alkaline water is better for your after a workout as this water has more hydrogen and thus better for hydration.   Unfortunately, there isn’t the  research to support this.  It may be safe to drink, but save your money and hydrate with tap water, spring water, mineral water or sparkling water.

If you want to hydrate and save money, drink some tap water.  Concerned about impurities in tap water, then drink some filtered tap water such as the filtered water from your fridge or use a pitcher that filters water.  If you are buying bottled water, skip the purified tap water and choose spring water or mineral water or many of the sparkling waters now available.  I try to buy bottled water in glass bottles or cans to lessen the plastic waste from plastic water bottles.  When we do buy in plastic bottles, we recycle the plastic bottles.  And many times, I fill up a reusable metal bottle with filtered water from the fridge. No recycling and inexpensive.

Sources:  nutrient , calories , CDC , bottled , safety , https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/, FDA’s , defines , minerals , MedicalNewsToday , Researchers , Distilled , notes , 25 , claim , support   Image sources:  Tap Water , Poland , Perrier

 

Enjoy Some Snacks

Snacks – who doesn’t love to snack? When I visit foreign countries, I am amazed at how little some people snack in other countries.  They eat well at meals, but just don’t seem to snack much.  Not true of Americans, we love our snacks.  About 57% of us enjoy a snack at least once a day.  About 31% say they snack a few days a week.  Why do people snack?  Some say because they are hungry.  And that may be true, especially for growing children and teenagers.  Some are craving sweets and others are craving a salty snack.  Some people think snacking is bad for your health.  But is it?  Yes, some snacks like Cheetos are not a healthy choice.  But many snacks can be good for your health.  Children in particular, need snacks.  They have small stomachs and should have snacks between meals.  Pre-school kids should have morning and afternoon snacks.  School-age kids should have an afternoon snack.  KidsHealth notes, “A well-timed snack can even out spikes in hunger and provide much-needed energy boost between meals.”   And, “Snacks can keep younger children from getting so hungry that they become cranky, and they can keep older kids from overeating at larger meals.” 

How can you have some healthy snacks on hand? 

1. Plan those snacks.  Rather than opening a cupboard or the fridge and grabbing anything, plan ahead.  Most of us, about 59%, grab a snack without planning what we will eat.  By having healthier snack options on hand, it is easier for adults and kids to choose healthy snacks. 
2. Snacks can fill nutritional gaps – choosing fresh fruit or veggies can help you get in the recommended 5 A Day of fruits and veggies.  Short on dairy?  Grabbing a yogurt or having some cheese and crackers can add dairy to your day.  Short on whole grains?  Satisfy that salty snack urge by enjoying some whole grain chips like Sun Chips or Late July chips.  Add some salsa and you are adding even more good nutrition to your snack.

Enjoy some whole grain chips.

What are some good snack options for adults?

1. Fruit and veggies – aim to add some fruit or veggies to every snack.  Why?  Because so many Americans aren’t eating enough fruits and veggies.  The salsa counts as a vegetable as does guacamole.  Keep hummus on hand as a dip for carrot sticks.
2. Protein – you need protein to build and maintain your muscles.  Dairy provides a very high-quality protein – as long as it is real dairy and not a fake milk or fake yogurt.  Choose some low-fat cottage cheese and fruit, yogurt with fresh fruit.  Melted mozzarella on a half of an English muffin. 
3. Fiber – many of us are short on fiber on our diets.  Enjoy some popcorn.  Popcorn is whole grain.  Fresh fruit like fresh raspberries are good sources of fiber.  Fiber helps you feel full and feeds those “good bacteria in your gut”.    Nuts are another good snack choice – a handful of nuts, not the whole can.
4. Choose 2 food groups for your snack like yogurt for dairy and fresh blueberries for the fruit. 

 What are some good snack choices for kids? 

Kids need snacks as noted above.  They have small stomachs and get hungry between meals.  Active kids need snacks for energy as they can burn up a lot of calories playing.  Try to have snack time at the same time each day. Let kids get involved in making the snack.  Offer the kids some snack choices and let them choose the snack they want. 

Easy to make, Pizza Toast.

1. Breakfast cereal – buy any General Mills cereal (all are whole grain) and let your kids enjoy cereal as a healthy snack.  Add some real milk and you have 2 food groups, dairy and grain.
2. Fruit – cut up into small pieces to avoid choking.  For small children, even grapes should be cut up.  Add some yogurt or cottage cheese.
3. Graham crackers with peanut butter.
4. Applesauce on top of some cottage cheese.
5. Whole grain chips and salsa
6. Smoothies – let older kids make their own smoothie with fresh fruit and real milk or yogurt.
7. Pudding or Chocolate Milk – yes, these contain some added sugar but pudding and chocolate milk also provide calcium, protein and many other nutrients growing children need. Let your kids help make the pudding.  Younger kids can easily stir for the 2 minutes.  Older kids can measure the milk, stir, pour into bowls and make this snack on their own.
   
8. Mini pizzas – cheese, salsa on a whole grain English muffin
9. Grab and go snacks – granola bars, cheese sticks, trail mix, popcorn, dried or fresh fruit.
10. Check out “30 Super Speedy Snacks for Kids” – fun snacks any kid would enjoy.

When grocery shopping this week, choose some healthy snack options to have on hand for you and for your kids.

Sources:  snack , people , KidsHealth , healthy , feeds , kids , 30 Super Speedy Snacks for Kids   Image sources:  Toast , Chips  , After School 

Eating for healthy skin

Are there foods that promote healthier skin?  Students in my class often ask what foods they can eat for healthier skin.  As it turns out there are lots of foods that promote skin health.  Environmental Nutrition recently had an article, “Eat to Glow” and they outlined many foods for eating to glow.  WebMD and other sites also provide guidance on eating for healthy skin.  What are some of their recommendations?

1. Fruits and Vegetables – “eat the rainbow”.  Many people know that fruits and veggies are healthy but many don’t know the different colors of fruits and veggies pack different antioxidants that are good for you.  For great skin, focus on vitamin A and carotene which turns into vitamin A in our bodies.  Think dark green and dark orange like spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, green peppers, broccoli and cantaloupe.  Interesting, foods that are red – not only provide carotenes but also the healthy antioxidant, lycopene.  Think fresh tomatoes, salsa, spaghetti sauce, red bell peppers.  Researchers have found that eating more carotenes can improve skin discolorations like redness in just 6 weeks.  How much do you need to eat?  About 3 servings a day.  So, enjoy a handful of baby carrots at lunch, add some dark greens and bell peppers to your dinner salad. Skip the lettuce as it provides little vitamin A and carotenes.  Another benefit of all this carotene is it helps protect your skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays. Eating your veggies may even help protect against getting a sunburn.

2. Nuts – Dr. Oz recommends a handful of nuts a day and nuts, especially almonds, are good for your skin. Eat more almonds and they may help reduce wrinkles as one study found.  How many almonds did study participants eat? About 2 ounces a day as a snack.  But be patient, the study lasted 16 weeks, so there aren’t overnight changes.  Walnuts and flaxseed are good sources of healthy fats that promote skin health. 

Almonds may help reduce wrinkles.

3. Grapes – grapes have been known for resveratrol but now researchers have found dark grapes can help prevent your skin from the damaging rays of the sun.  Yes, you still have to use sunscreen but snacking on some dark grapes can help your skin.

4. Mediterranean Diet -  As noted in a previous blog, the Mediterranean Diet is ranked the number one diet for good health.  It is also a diet to follow for great looking skin.  Following the Mediterranean Diet over a period of years can reduce skin cancer risk.  One component, tomatoes, has the lycopene that seems especially protective from UV induced skin cancers.  So, load up on some fresh tomatoes, enjoy the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich.  Eat some salsa with whole grain chips.  Salsa is low in calories and high in nutrition.

5.  Low-fat dairy – real low-fat milk and yogurt is fortified with vitamin A.  Your body doesn’t have to convert the carotene into vitamin A as real milk provides real vitamin A.  Aim for 2 servings of real dairy a day. 

6.  Hydration – keep your skin cells hydrated with water.  Skip the sugared soda, sweet tea and choose plain water or the refreshing seltzer waters that are so popular.

Visit your local farmer’s market this week and pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables.  My husband just came back with fresh raspberries, blackberries, tomatoes and green peppers.  Add some fresh fruits and veggies to your day and enjoy some low-fat dairy this week to boost the health of your skin.

Sources:  Environmental Nutrition, WebMD, almonds, fats, blog    Image Sources: rainbow  ,  Almonds  , Grapes