Can foods help you fight stress?

 Have you ever heard someone say that when they are stressed, they like to eat?  When you are stressed are their foods that might help calm you? Help fight that stress?  If you research foods and stress, you will come across any number of headlines:  9 Foods and Beverages That May Promote Calm, What are some foods that east anxiety?, 13 foods that fight stress.  So, what foods might you keep on hand or seek out when you want some calm in your life? 

Fruit – satisfy your sweet tooth with some fruit, especially berries.  All those healthy antioxidants in berries can “help protect your cells from stress and may help ease feelings of depression.”   Oranges are another fruit good for fighting stress.  It is the vitamin C that helps fight anxiety.  Studies have shown that diets rich in C “may help calm you and put you in a better frame of mind“.    (See:  Are you getting your daily vitamin C?) 

Raw fruits and vegetables – interesting that eating fruits and veggies raw, versus cooked, canned or processed, seems to promote a more positive mood.  Some top raw foods that promote good mental health include:  apples, bananas, carrots, citrus fruits (also good for that vitamin C), cucumbers, the fresh berries noted above, grapefruit, and kiwi.  A doctor from California noted, “…studies suggest that the ingestion of raw fruits and vegetables can result in improved mood as compared to processed, canned or cooked vegetables". 

Boost your magnesium intake.  What is magnesium?  A mineral that is an important nutrient for many reasons and one of them is energy.  As I noted in one of my blogs, not having enough magnesium in your diet can lead to feeling tired or fatigued.  (See:  Feeling tired?  Maybe you need more magnesium.)  What foods are good sources of this good for you mineral?

• Whole grains – enjoy some whole grain crackers like Wheat Thins, Triscuits, whole grain bread, a whole grain bagel, whole grain English muffins, quinoa, and brown rice.  Have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.  Or, choose any General Mills cereal as all are made from whole grains.  “Eating whole grains can also have a calming effect, according to the Mayo Clinic.  That’s because it’s believed that carbs increase the amount of serenity.”  
• Nuts – enjoy a handful of nuts or some peanut butter or nut butter.  Two tablespoons of peanut butter provides 49 milligrams of magnesium, an ounce of almonds about 80 mg and an ounce of cashews about 74 mg.
• Seeds – so healthy.  Enjoy some flaxseeds, chia seeds sunflower seed.
• Yogurt – real yogurt made from real milk.  A cup of yogurt provides about 30 mg of Magnesium.
• Vegetables – enjoy some leafy greens.  No, not a small slice of lettuce on a fast-food burger which many of my students counted as their “vegetable serving”, but some darker greens like spinach, kale, collard greens or Swiss chard. 

Complex carbs – you may have heard people talk about “complex carbs” versus “simple carbs”.  But many people do not understand what the difference is.  Complex carbs are the foods with starch, but you want healthy starches like the oatmeal, whole grain cereals, whole grain bread.  The fiber in these carbs slows down absorption so you get a steadier supply of energy.  This helps keep your mood on a more even keel. 

Dark chocolate – who doesn’t love chocolate?  Dark chocolate provides flavonoids from the cocoa that is an antioxidant.  This one may help keep your blood pressure lower and help “make you less anxious”.  But not all chocolate provides this benefit.  Look for the dark chocolate that is “at least 70% cocoa”.  But keep the amount small as it does provide calories, fat and even some caffeine.    

Tea – a cup of tea can be very soothing.  Some teas have more calming effect like chamomile.  “Researchers have found, for instance, that drinking tea lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol.”  As little as a half cup of green tea a day can keep those blues away.  Tea provides some of those healthy antioxidants.  My sister sent me a few boxes of herbal tea as a gift.  There are so many different varieties of tea to try.  Find some varieties that you enjoy.

 Water – stay hydrated.  Why?  Because “Even milk dehydration can affect your mood.”  I always told my students to drink plenty of water before a test so they would be hydrated and more alert. 

So many ways to help fight off stress and some of those ways are to add some of the above beverages or foods to your day.  Maybe crunching an apple or some raw carrots may do the trick. Or relaxing with a hot cup of tea.  Try some of these ideas and see what works best for you.

 

Sources:  9 Foods and Beverages That May Promote Calm , What are some foods that east anxiety? , 13 foods that fight stress , berries , Studies , Are you getting your daily vitamin C? , mental health , doctor, Feeling tired?  Maybe you need more magnesium , whole grains , chocolate , Researchers , Water , hydrated    Images:  Vitamin C , Magnesium rich foods , Tea

How healthy are apples?

Have you heard of the old wives’ tale, “an apple a day will keep the doctor away”?  Fall is apple season and a great time to visit an apple orchard for some fresh apples.  Growing up I often heard that apples did not provide much nutrition. But now researchers know that apples provide some good nutrition including adding some antioxidants and fiber to one’s diet. 

Does an apple a day keep the doctor away?

Apples do have many nutritional benefits.  Apples are low in calories, have no fat, and do provide fiber which many American diets are low in.  Unlike many American snack foods, apples have no sodium but do provide potassium which helps prevent high blood pressure.  The American Heart Association notes, “Foods that are rich in potassium are important in managing high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) because potassium lessens the effects of sodium.”  Apples are a great grab and go snack and may help satisfy one’s sweet tooth.  “Research on apples points to their benefits for heart health, diabetes, cancer, gut health, weight loss and inflammation.”  Dietitian, Sarah Schlicter, says, “Apples are high in antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C and low in calories.”   Well, not really “high in C” but they do provide some vitamin C.  The Nutrition Journal notes, “Apples are a widely consumed, rich source of phytochemicals, and epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular [heart] disease, asthma and diabetes.”

A medium apple provides:

• Calories   - 95
• Carbs – 25 grams
• Fiber- 4 grams
• Vitamin C – 8 milligrams
• Potassium – 214 milligrams
• Antioxidants – apples provide a variety of antioxidants 

 

How to add some apples to your day.  Besides eating a fresh apple, here are some other ways to add some apples to your day:

• Baked whole – so easy to do in a microwave.  A great dessert that also adds some nutrition to your day.
• Chopped in salads
• Smoothies

Where is the fiber?

About half the fiber (4 grams) in an apple is in the skin.  Don’t like the skin?  You will still get 2 grams of fiber.  One of my relatives will only eat peeled apples.  Fine.  The important thing is to eat apples and enjoy fruit. 

Enjoy different varieties of apples.

Growing up many of us ate the Red Delicious apple.  Now one of the most popular apples is the Honeycrisp from the University of Minnesota.  Believe it or not but it took researchers 30 years to develop this crisp and sweet apple.  Other popular apple varieties include the Gala, Red Delicious, Fuji and the Granny Smith apple.  On a recent visit to Minnesota, we learned about a new apple variety being developed called the “First Kiss.”    

On a visit to an apple orchard, I was delighted to see the great variety of apples they had for sale.  Some are eating apples and many were cooking apples.  Some good cooking apples include Gala, Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jona Gold, and Honeycrisp.  

Enjoy apples from an apple orchard.

Fall is a great time to purchase apples.  The US Apple Association indicates about 255 million bushels of apples will be produced for the 2022/2023 crop season.  Apples from an orchard taste different than apples from a supermarket as those apples may have been harvested weeks or even months before. 

What is the difference between apple juice and apple cider?

Apple cider is apple juice but it has not been “filtered to remove all the apple pulp”.  Consequently, apple cider would be somewhat healthier than apple juice as the cider contains more of the antioxidants than the clear, filtered, apple juice.  “Fresh cider from cider apples may contain from two to four times the amount of these healthful compounds compared to clear commercial apple juice because of the apple varieties and the extra processing to make clear juice.” But eating a whole apple will provide you with even more antioxidants and fiber.  Dietitian Karen Collins notes that apple cider from a cider mill or a farmer’s stand may not be pasteurized.  This would be fine for most people but those with compromised immune systems may want to purchase pasteurized apple cider.

This fall, take some time to visit an apple orchard and enjoy freshly harvested apples.  Or, try some different apple varieties from your local store.  I cannot wait to try the new First Kiss variety when it hits the market as I really enjoy eating the Honeycrisp variety.  Want a simple but tasty dessert?  Try the microwave baked apple recipe.  Top with some vanilla ice cream for a great tasting dessert.

Microwave Baked Apple

• 2 large baking apples
• 2 teaspoons butter or margarine
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons golden raisins (or try dates)
• 2 Tablespoons water

Directions: 

Core apples and make a slit in skin all around the middle of each apple to prevent skin from bursting.  Place apples in small, microproof baking dish. In small bowl melt butter on high for 10 seconds.  Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins.  Fill each apple with sugar mixture.  Add water to dish.  Cook in microwave, covered with plastic wrap, on high for 4-5 minutes.  Makes 2 servings.   (Hint:  served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.)

 

Sources:  Association , Research , Dietitian , Nutrition Journal,  Honeycrisp , cooking apples , US Apple Association , orchard , orchard , Dietitian , Baked Apple   Image Sources:    Apples ,  First Kiss , Microwave baked apples 

How healthy is soup?

As the weather turns colder, we think of enjoying a hot cup of soup.  Last week, we enjoyed tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.  True comfort food.  How healthy is soup?  Have you tried making your own soup?  Some recipes are actually pretty easy to make and taste oh so good.

 Livestrong asks “Why is Soup Healthy?”

• Vegetables – soup is a great way to add some vegetables to your day.  A relative hates tomatoes but enjoys a bowl of tomato soup.  Tomatoes are loaded with good nutrition – vitamins A and C and the healthy antioxidant, lycopene, which is so good for your eyes.  An interesting fact:  about 80% of our dietary lycopene comes from tomato products like tomato soup.  And, the lycopene from cooked products, like tomato soup, is even more bioavailable than lycopene in raw tomatoes.   Vegetable soup, pea soup, bean soup – so many choices that add some veggies to your day.  Kids often shun some vegetables but may eat those vegetables in soup.
• Soup fills you up and helps you stay hydrated. Some people think only water is good for hydration, not true.  (See Hydration.) All liquids count.  “Since soups are mostly liquid, they’re a great way to stay hydrated and full.”  Eating some soup may also help lower one’s risk of type 2 diabetes.  Research shows that diets rich in foods that fill you up with fewer calories, like soup, are associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
•  Soup is usually low in calories and packed with good nutrition.  Soup will not add to weight gain according to a study in “Obesity Research”.  Researchers found that those who ate soup twice a day and enjoyed a low-calorie diet, lost more weight than others who ate more energy-dense foods containing the same number of calories.  Other researchers have found:  Epidemiological studies have revealed that soup consumption is associated with a lower risk of obesity.
• What soups to choose and which to avoid:
  

• Choose – Choose broth-based soups.  Good choices include: vegetable soup, tomato soup, pea soup, and bean soup. 
• Avoid cream soups or choose lower calorie cream soups.

Soup improves the quality of your diet.  Iowa State University found that people who ate soup had higher-diet quality scores than people who did not.  Soup-eaters had higher intakes of fiber, vitamin A, magnesium, iron, and potassium.

• Soup concerns: 

• Sodium - most soups are high in sodium.  Livestrong notes, “Canned soups are also one of the major sources of sodium in the American diet.”  However, many soups also provide potassium, a mineral that helps your body get rid of sodium.  So, while too much sodium can raise blood pressure, potassium can help bring it down.  Enjoy a bowl of vegetable soup and you may get 640 mg of sodium, but you also get 718 mg of potassium.
•  BPA - The lining of some soup cans also contains the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA.  This chemical has been linked to increasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.  The good news is that companies like Campbell’s soup have moved away from BPA packaging.  Campbell states: “Campbell has transitioned to non-BPA lining in all of our aluminum and steel cans in the United States and Canada.” 

Soup is inexpensive and easy to make.   Food prices have risen so much that people may forget how affordable a bowl of soup is.  Enjoy a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich and you have added a vegetable to your day and some healthy protein and calcium from the cheese. 

Make your own soup.  My husband and I were looking for a simple turkey soup recipe.  It was after Thanksgiving and we wanted to use up some turkey leftovers.  It was hard to find an easy to make recipe but we found it. Now, when we have left over turkey or chicken, we make up some delicious home-made soup.  Making your own soup allows you to control the amount of salt and no worries about BPA in the lining of a soup can. 

One cold day this week, enjoy a bowl of soup.  Have kids?  Find a soup they enjoy and add some vegetables and nutrition to their day. 

Sensational Turkey Noodle Soup  from Swanson    (A recipe with more spices can be found at Easy 30-Minute Turkey Noodle Soup)

4 cups Swanson Chicken Broth or Organic Free-Range Chicken Broth
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced (about ½ cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (about ½ cup)
½ cup uncooked extra wide egg noodles
1 cup shredded cooked chicken or turkey

Directions:  Heat the broth, carrot, and celery in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil.  Stir in the noodles and the chicken.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Cook for 10 minutes or until the noodles are done, stirring occasionally.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  (Note: Some recipes add onion and sauté the carrots, celery, and onion until softened.  Some recipes add some dried oregano, garlic and fresh herbs when making the soup.)  

  

Sources:  Livestrong , fact , lycopene , count , full , diabetes , researchers , notes , potassium , bowl , Campbell , Swanson    , Easy 30-Minute Turkey Noodle Soup   Image Sources:  Chicken Noodle Soup , Tomato soup benefits , Soup 

How to choose some healthy ready-made meals and sides

It is easy to shop at the grocery store and pick up some ready-made meals.  But how do you know if what you are buying is healthy or not so healthy?  What are you supposed to look for?  My daughter sent me an article, How to choose the best ready-made foods at the store, according to a dietitian from Ohio State University.  Other sites also provide some advice on what to watch for when choosing prepared meals.  It is easy to pick up a ready-made meal at the grocery store but you may also be picking up a meal loaded with salt, sugar, or fat. 

What to look for when choosing a ready-made meal or sides.

• Calories – look at the calories per serving.  My husband bought some prepared cheesy broccoli recently.  We were surprised that the calories per serving were not that high.
•  Meals – if it is a complete meal, look for total calories of 350-500 calories.  Too low in calories, say less than 200 calories, and you will be hungry and you will not be getting the nutrients you need.  Meals with 800 calories and more are too high for most people.
• Ingredients:  Did you know that ingredients are listed by quantity with the first ingredient being the highest amount in that food.  Look for meals with fewer ingredients and ingredients you recognize.  Watch for labels that read “organic”, “non-GMO” or gluten-free as these may not mean the product is any healthier.  Those with a gluten-allergy will need a gluten-free food but otherwise gluten-free is not really a healthier choice.
• Saturated fats – look at the label for how much saturated fat is in the meal or side.  Saturated fat is linked to heart disease and the American Heart Association states, “Eating too much saturated fat can raise the level of LDL cholesterol [the ‘bad’ cholesterol] in your blood.  A high level of LDL cholesterol in your blood raises your risk of heart disease and stroke.”
• Protein and Fiber – read the label to see how much protein and if the ready-made meal provides any fiber. 
• Serving size – is this meal for one person or more than one person?  If it is a side, how many servings are in the package?  What size is the serving? Is it one-half cup, 1 cup?  Read the label to find out.
• Sodium – most ready-made meals or sides have added salt as it is a preservative.  Some ready-made meals and sides contain a lot of sodium, even more than 1,000 mg.  Look for meals with 600 mg of sodium or less.

What are some good frozen meal and side choices according to nutritionists? 

• Frozen vegetables, grains and beans. Pick up some frozen corn, carrots, mixed vegetables, and frozen grains as these will add nutrients and some fiber to your diet.  Some companies like Green Giant, Bird’s Eye, and Giant Eagle make vegetable, grain and bean combos that can be a quick meal.  Example are the Green Giant carrot veggie spiral or the Bird’s Eye grain and veggie mixes. 
• Bird’s Eye protein blends – these meals are quick to prepare and provide protein (about 20 g) and fiber.  Many flavors are less than 400 calories per serving.
• Bird’s Eye Steamfresh veggie pastas – for vegetarians these meals provide protein and fiber.  The veggies pastas are made using lentil flour.
• Bird’s Eye OvenRoaster Sheet Pan Vegetables Sweet Potatoes, Carrots and Red Potatoes.  These ready-to-bake veggies add healthy sides to our meal.  Does take some baking time but a good way to add veggies, fiber, and nutrition to a meal. 
• Frozen fruit – we keep frozen blueberries in our freezer.  We like fresh blueberries but use frozen for making pancakes and if we run out of fresh.  Look for frozen fruit without any added sugar.  Often frozen fruit is picked at peak ripeness and then frozen shortly after so retains the good nutrition fruit offers.  Frozen fruit is a great way to add nutrition to smoothies.  Dole frozen sliced strawberries are a good way to add some vitamin C to your day and strawberries are low in calories.
• Frozen Brown Rice – unlike white rice, brown rice is whole grain and loaded with healthy nutrients and fiber.  Bird’s Eye makes a whole grain brown rice that cooks in the bag.  Yes, you can cook brown rice from scratch, but it takes about 45 minutes to cook.  The frozen brown rice cooks in the microwave for a few minutes and it is ready to eat.

 

• Eggland’s Best Hard-Cooked Eggs – easy to make your own boiled eggs, but if in a rush, these eggs are a great way to add high-quality protein to your meal.  (See:  How can you add some high-quality protein foods to your day? )
• Applegate chicken sausages – these sausages provide a good protein source without the added nitrites and nitrates.  The chicken is antibiotic-free.
• Ready-made salad mixes – so easy to make a salad with these mixes.  Look for salad mixes with darker greens like spinach and kale.  The darker the green, the more nutrients.  At home, add more veggies like cut-up green peppers, tomatoes, a sprinkle of nuts or some fruit.
• Amy’s Kitchen meals – both my daughters like these meals.  For vegetarians, this brand offers a lot of choices and most meals are not loaded with sodium.

• Lean Cuisine – to add a fish meal to your week, chose Tortilla Crusted Fish by Lean Cuisine.  Serve it with some frozen vegetables.
• Healthy Choice Chicken Fajita Bowl – You get 15 grams of protein and some veggies in this meal.  The meal is low in saturated fat, provides 2 grams of fiber and low in sodium at 450 mg per serving.·         Trader Joes frozen meals – For Trader Joe fans, you can choose frozen meals that have healthy ingredients and not loaded with sodium or calories.  Their mandarin orange chicken provides about 320 calories a good portion of protein at 21 grams and has only 330 mg of sodium per serving.
• Pancakes and waffles – I had a student that loved frozen waffles.  Except the waffle product he chose provided no whole grains.  Vans and Kashi offer frozen whole grain waffles.  Choose Vans whole grain organic waffles or Kashi 7-grain waffles.  Both provide whole grain nutrition and some fiber with minimal added sugar.
• Eggland’s Best Frozen Omelets – in a hurry at breakfast?  These omelets are ready in 2 minutes.  Choose the Eggland’s Best Three Cheese Frozen Omelet and you had high-quality protein and some calcium to your day.  Registered Dietitian, Lauren Manaker, states:  “And since one omelet is an excellent source of vitamins D, E, B12, B2…, I know I am loading my body up with important nutrients first thing in the morning.” 

In a hurry and need some ready-made meals or sides?  Look at the above list before you head off to the grocery store.  Keep some of these on hand at home in your freezer so you can cook up a healthier breakfast or dinner when you are short on time.  

Sources:  How to choose the best ready-made foods at the store, according to a dietitian , sites , states , nutritionists , Frozen vegetables, grains and beans , How can you add some high-quality protein foods to your day?  , Dietitian   Image Sources:  Brown rice , Amy’s pasta shells  , Sliced strawberries