- NutritionGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLet the festivities begin. The holidays are a time for celebrating with friends, family and, of course, good food! However, the season spans for more than a day or two. We would do ourselves a favor if we paced our indulgences and considered healthier alternatives to some of the old rituals. Here are our top “eat this, not that” hacks to try to stay on track throughout the holidays. Swap full-fat dips for yogurt dips. Why indulge on appetizers? Substitute low-fat or nonfat plain Greek yogurt for sour cream in all of your recipes this season. With herbs and seasonings, no one will be able to tell the difference. Just 1 ounce of sour cream has 60 calories compared to 1 ounce of Greek yogurt, which only has 15 calories. Be sure to use fresh vegetables instead of chip or crackers. Skip some alcoholic drinks and try wine spritzers. For a portion-controlled alternative that will help you save calories, replace 2 ounces of wine with club soda. A 5-ounce glass of red or white wine has about 150 calories, while club soda has none, saving you 60 calories. Now that’s a deal! Skip candied yams and eat roasted sweet potatoes. Instead of serving candied yams, which have 215 calories per half-cup, try oven-roasted sweet potatoes. A ¾-cup serving of sweet potatoes brushed with olive oil is only 100 calories. Go for the white turkey meat, pass on the dark. The dark meat in the turkey has about twice the fat of white turkey breast. That’s why we recommend that you eat mostly white meat. Lose the skin on either to save up on the calorie count. Try low-fat gravy instead of traditional. Turkey gravy is a recipe that can be healthy without losing taste. Try 1 cup of fat-free turkey broth, 2 tablespoons of flour and seasonings to taste. If you want to add some drippings, skim off the fat first. Skip cranberry sauce, eat cranberry relish. That can of cranberry sauce is full of sugar, corn syrup and other added sweeteners. Even if using portion control, just ¼-cup of the canned stuff can have more than 100 calories. Make your own relish and use less sugar than the recipe calls for – it’s often too much anyway! Eat fresh green beans with slivered almonds in lieu of green bean casserole. Alternatively, use reduced fat mushroom soup. Eat your vegetables first because they are lower in calories and help fill you up, leaving less room for higher calorie foods. Go for pumpkin pie with graham cracker crusts and say “no thank you” to pecan pie. We know this one is tough! It’s hard to resist holiday desserts but you can save about 200 calories by choosing pumpkin pie. Consider eating a handful of pecans sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. If you really can’t pass on the pie, skip the crust entirely, which is where most of the fat lurks. Be adventurous this year! Look at some of your old recipes, put a new spin on a few and see how it goes. Healthy holiday eating might make you anxious but don’t get too worked up. This should be a time of celebration and relaxation. If you happen to eat more than you planned during this holiday season, don’t beat yourself up. More importantly, don’t let a lapse become a relapse. Nevertheless, by planning ahead you can set yourself up for success! Authors Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford are nutritionists and registered dietitians at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them, call 443-481-5555. Originally published Nov. 5, 2018. Last updated Nov. 17, 2021.0
- NutritionGeneral Page Tier 3BlogNothing says fall quite like pumpkins and pumpkin-flavored foods. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin smoothies — the list goes on! Not only do pumpkin foods taste good, they are full of vitamins and minerals. They’re a rich source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that gives orange vegetables their color. Your body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A once you eat it. The vegetable also contain a lot of vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin, potassium and other nutrients. Here’s how this fall favorite can boost your health. Some health benefits of pumpkin Cancer prevention: The National Cancer Institute says antioxidants including beta-carotene may play a role in preventing cancer. The substances in pumpkin seeds have also been linked to lower levels of stomach, breast, lung, prostate and colon cancers, says the National Foundation for Cancer Research. Eyesight: Vitamin A helps with good vision, especially in the dark. Tougher immune system: Vitamin A may help your body fight infections and viruses, while vitamin C could help you recover from colds faster. Heart health: Pumpkin seeds contain chemicals that may reduce “bad” cholesterol and decrease your risk of heart disease, the National Institute of Health says. Weight loss: Pumpkin has less than 50 calories per cup, and most pumpkin recipes contain far less than a cup. It’s also a good source of fiber, which can help you stay full longer. Mood booster: Pumpkins contain the amino acid tryptophan, which helps form serotonin. Serotonin regulates mood, sleep and your appetite. Watch out for added sugar Despite the gourd’s health benefits, not everything pumpkin-flavored is healthy! Take a look at Starbucks’ popular pumpkin spice latte: A 16-oz. grande, with 2 percent milk and whipped cream, has 380 calories, 14 grams of fat and 50 grams of sugar. In fact, many items labeled “pumpkin spice” don’t actually contain any pumpkin. It’s a mixture of spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove, or allspice, which taste like pumpkin pie. A typical slice of pumpkin pie, by the way, contains 323 calories and has 13 grams of fat and 25 grams of sugar. If you’re still craving a pumpkin spice latte, here is a healthier option: Pumpkin Spice Latte 1/ 2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/ 2 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon sugar 8 ounces brewed coffee Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy! Each latte contains 55 calories, 1.5 grams protein, 8 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fat and 136 percent of your daily vitamin A needs. And if you’re in the mood for dessert, these cranberry pumpkin muffins are only 200 calories each. Cranberry pumpkin muffins Ingredients 2 cups flour 1/ 2 cup sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 /2 teaspoons salt 1 /2 teaspoons cinnamon 3 /4 teaspoons allspice 1/ 3 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 3/ 4 cup canned pumpkin 2 cups fresh or frozen chopped cranberries Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients (flour through allspice) and set aside. Beat oil, eggs, and pumpkin together until well blended. Add the wet ingredients (pumpkin mixture) to the dry ingredients all at once. Stir until moistened. Fold in chopped cranberries. Spoon into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 12 servings Each muffin contains about 200 calories, 7 grams total fat, 1 grams saturated fat, 35 milligrams cholesterol, 230 milligrams sodium, 32 grams carbohydrates, and 3 grams protein. Toasted pumpkin seeds also make a healthy fall snack. First, rinse seeds well to wash away pumpkin pulp. Spray nonstick cooking spray on a baking sheet, then spread seeds. Or place seeds on the sheet, then add a bit of olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring occasionally. Bake until seeds are toasted lightly. Authors By Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford, nutritionists and registered dietitians at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them call 443-481-5555.0
- Nutrition, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThis green mango papaya salad can serve as a healthy and flavor-packed lunch or a light, refreshing side dish for dinner! The recipe notes to julienne both the papaya and the mango. To julienne a fruit or vegetable is to cut it into a thin, matchstick size. It’s helpful to first cut the mango and papaya lengthwise to create a flat surface and prevent them from rolling around on your cutting board. INGREDIENTS For the salad: ¼ cup green papaya, julienne ¼ cup green mango, julienne 2 Chinese long beans, charred 6 grape tomatoes ½ teaspoon jalapeno chile pepper, sliced ½ teaspoon salt pepper to taste 1 tablespoon peanuts, toasted, crushed 1 tablespoon cashews, toasted, crushed ¼ shallot, thinly sliced For the vinaigrette: 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon fish sauce juice from 2 limes 1 tablespoon sugar INSTRUCTIONS Add green papaya, long beans, green mango, carrots, vinaigrette, cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, bruise the vegetables slightly so that the vinaigrette is absorbed into the vegetables. Sprinkle the peanuts, cashews and shallots randomly over the salad. Add all dressing ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients to incorporate until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the salad.0
- Nutrition, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWho doesn’t love a turkey sandwich with freshly baked bread for lunch? Or who would ever say no to cheesy lasagna for dinner? Besides tasting good, what both of these foods have in common is gluten. Gluten is a protein found in grains, wheat, barley and rye. Foods like bread, baked goods, crackers, pasta and cereals contain gluten. This protein gives dough its elasticity and acts like a glue, which gives foods like bread its chewy, soft texture we all love. The term “gluten-free” has evolved from diet trend to big business. To put it into perspective, market trends suggest that gluten-free products could be worth as much as $7.5 billion by 2020. Some surveys have found over 25 percent of people stating that they are looking to cut gluten out of their diet for health reasons. READ MORE: Why does nutrition advice change? However, there is a nutritional downside to going gluten-free. If you unnecessarily cut out gluten, you may be risking nutrient deficiencies. Gluten-free products are lower in fiber and contain white rice flour or various starches. They also have more fat and sugar to make them bind together and taste better. And even if junk food is labeled as gluten-free, it’s still junk food, so keep this in mind if weight loss or eating a healthier diet is your goal. When diets and trends hit the mainstream, it creates an atmosphere ripe for myths and misinterpretation. The good news is that if you decide to go gluten-free, you have more options. Once you have made the decision to go gluten-free due to a gluten intolerance or celiac disease (an inflammatory response), consider the following: If the product doesn’t have a gluten-free label, carefully read the ingredient list and allergen warning. Check the allergen warning found underneath the ingredient list for wheat. If the warning lists wheat, then it is not safe for consumption. Barley and rye are not included in allergen labeling, but if found in the ingredient list, the product is still not safe for consumption. Only consume a product containing oats if it is labeled gluten-free. Oat products must be labeled gluten-free to be safe. Most commercial oats are contaminated with gluten from cross contact with wheat, barley or rye during harvesting and processing. Consider avoiding ingredients that contain gluten. Some common ones include malt, brewer’s yeast, wheat, barley, rye and wheat starch. Know which ingredients you can still consume. Some common gluten-free ingredients you do not need to avoid include caramel color, maltodextrin, glucose syrup and distilled vinegar. Read the manufacturer’s warning if the product is not labeled gluten-free. Avoid grain-based products (rice, corn and other cereal grains) that are labeled “may contain” or “made on shared equipment” with wheat/gluten. Prevent cross contact with gluten-containing foods while cooking and prepping food. The smallest amount of gluten, even one-eighth of a teaspoon, can cause intestinal damage in people with celiac disease. Individuals who do not have celiac disease may be able to tolerate gluten in these small amounts without allergic reactions. You should always sanitize cutting boards, toasters, strainers and knives to avoid contamination. Other considerations to keep in mind is assuring medications or supplements do not have gluten additives. Distilled alcohol, wine, gluten-free beer and ciders are safe for consumption. Try to stay away from all malted products, such as hard lemonade, mixed drinks and beer. Take some time to read labels and understand which ingredients you can or cannot consume if you’re trying to follow a gluten-free lifestyle. Start by becoming familiar with the most common foods with gluten and do some research on alternatives. Don’t forget that planning and preparation are important when trying to maintain a gluten-free lifestyle. But when in doubt, go without. Happy eating! Authors Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford are nutritionists and registered dietitians at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them, call 443-481-5555.0
- NutritionGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe New Year is a great time to broaden your food horizons and experiment with different versions of familiar foods. Let’s explore some exciting new trends expected for 2017. Turmeric. This spice has been trending for a few years now and continues to rise in popularity. Along with adding wonderful flavor to dishes, it has been linked to reducing inflammation and playing a role in disease prevention. Commonly used in curry-based dishes, this spice can also add delicious flavor to scrambled eggs, roasted veggies and meats like chicken or salmon. Vegetable noodles. With the rise of “spiralizer” gadgets, people are now making noodles from zucchini, butternut squash and beets for a tasty and healthy pasta alternative. Swapping veggie noodles with regular noodles is a great way to pack a nutritional punch to your diet. Less food waste. In efforts to make the earth a better place, people are finding ways to repurpose leftover food parts that are often thrown away. These include broccoli stems, fennel fronds, or “ugly” fruits and vegetables that can be used in slaws, soups, broths, stews or vegetarian dishes. Fermented foods. These are all the rage due to their natural probiotics. Companies are releasing lines of tasty fermented vegetables like curry cauliflower, ginger beets and orange ginger carrots. And you can now find kombucha, a fermented tea, in many grocery stores. Seeds. From pumpkin seeds to chia seeds to watermelon seeds, you’ll find them in snackbars, salads or side dishes. Most seeds are rich in protein and minerals. Try making your own trail mix with seeds as the main ingredient. Healthier vending machines. Ditch the soda cans and bags of processed chips! Temperature-controlled vending machines offer healthier on-the-go snack foods like popcorn, hummus cups, fresh fruit, hard-boiled eggs and yogurt. Time savers. Weekly meal subscription delivery services are popping up everywhere. These meals need assembly, but the recipe planning and basic food preparation are done for you. Also, most grocery stores now offer pre-cut vegetables and display recipes that allow you to prepare a meal in minutes. Plant-based foods. More people are taking up a plant-based diet, limiting their consumption of meats. Many food businesses are using more fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains to meet the demand of this consumer health preference. While these eight food trends can all contribute to healthier eating habits, not all food trends are healthy. Stay informed, and bon appétit! Want to start using these trendy food ingredients in your cooking? Try this delicious vegetarian burrito bowl with cauliflower “rice.” Many grocery stores sell this pre-packaged, but all you need to make it is a head of cauliflower and a food processor. Vegetarian Burrito Bowl INGREDIENTS: 2 heads of Romaine lettuce, shredded 1 ½ cup kale, chopped 1 pack of cauliflower rice 2 red peppers, sliced 8 mushrooms, sliced 1 onion, diced ½ teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon ground coriander pinch of salt and pepper ½ cup black beans, cooked or canned ½ cup sweet corn, cooked ½ medium avocado 4-ounce Greek yogurt 4 medium tomatoes, diced ½ red onion, diced 1 tablespoon lime Optional: jalapeno slices INSTRUCTIONS: Wash the Romaine and kale and divide between bowls. Spray oil in a pan, add the peppers, onion and mushrooms and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Add the spices; cook 1 minute and add to the bowls. Combine chopped tomato with red onion, jalapeno and lime juice, mixing well, and then add to the bowl of greens. In a food processor, add the avocado, Greek yogurt and 1 tablespoon water; blend until smooth. Cook the cauliflower rice and divide between the bowls and top with the avocado yogurt. Request an appointment with one of our registered dietitians for a variety of nutrition services. They can create a food plan tailored to your personal health needs, identify what nutrients you may be lacking and help you achieve your health goals. Authors By Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford, nutritionists and registered dietitians at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them call 443-481-5555.0
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