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Posts Tagged ‘antioxidants’

The World’s Healthiest Foods Description of Oats

Posted by terrepruitt on March 27, 2012

Oats are easy to grow because they can grow in soil that other crops cannot grow. Oats have a lot of health benefits including fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Because of the fiber and the nutrients a breakfast of oatmeal is often recommended as great way to start the day. I do not like oatmeal and realized in writing this oat series that I haven’t bee that found of oats at all. Since it has been a while since I have not liked them I forgot that I just didn’t like them. They are really chewy. But I do believe in the nutritional value and I am happy that I like them now. I still do not believe that I like oatmeal, but I really don’t need to since there are really so many ways you can eat oats and get the benefit of all the great things they contain.

I love the website The World’s Healthiest Foods. Here is what they say about the different types of oats:

“Oats gain part of their distinctive flavor from the roasting process that they undergo after being harvested and cleaned. Although oats are then hulled, this process does not strip away their bran and their germ allowing them to retain a concentrated source of their fiber and nutrients. Different types of processing are then used to produce the various types of oat products, which are generally used to make breakfast cereals, baked goods and stuffings:

                    • Oat groats: unflattened kernels that are good for using as a breakfast cereal or for stuffing
                    • Steel-cut oats: featuring a dense and chewy texture, they are produced by running the grain through steel
                       blades that thinly slices them.
                    • Old-fashioned oats: have a flatter shape that is the result of their being steamed and then rolled.
                    • Quick-cooking oats: processed like old-fashioned oats, except they are cut finely before rolling
                    • Instant oatmeal: produced by partially cooking the grains and then rolling them very thin.
                        Oftentimes,  sugar, salt and other ingredients are added to make the finished product.
                    • Oat bran: the outer layer of the grain that resides under the hull. While oat bran is found in rolled oats and
                        steel-cut oats, it may also be purchased as a separate product that can be added to recipes or cooked to
                        make a hot cereal.
                    • Oat flour: used in baking, it is oftentimes combined with wheat or other gluten-containing flours
                        when making leavened bread.”

I think that fact that oats do remain “whole” even after being processed (harvested and cleaned) is a great testament to the hardiness of this grain. While I imagine that the least healthy of the oats described above would be the “Instant oatmeal” kind because they might already come with other ingredients added, but since oats sound “superfood”y to me, I would think you would still gain some benefit from them.

So seeing this description of oats might allow you to see how many different ways you can get oats. It seems with them available in so many different forms it would be easy to add them to your diet even if you don’t like oatmeal.

Posted in Food, Oats | Tagged: antioxidants, Description of Oats, fiber, hardy breakfast, instant oatmeal, nutritious breakfast, oat bran, oat flour, oat groats, oatmeal, old-fashioned oats, phytochemicals, quick cooking oats, steel-cut oats, superfood, The World's Healthiest Foods | 4 Comments »

Oats – The Incredible Whole Grain

Posted by terrepruitt on March 24, 2012

Since breakfast is so important I have been looking for an easy and healthy thing to eat before I rush off to teach Nia. I don’t always have a chance to eat before my Nia class, but I have been looking to try to change that. Oatmeal is always touted as being one of the best breakfast foods. I do not like oatmeal. I recently found a recipe for granola that is basically just oats and I started to wonder if oats cooked that way are as good as oatmeal. Here are some nutritional facts on oats:

The fiber contained in oats is known in studies to have a cholesterol lowering effect. Since high cholesterol is associated with buildup of plaque in the blood vessel walls the lowering of cholesterol helps with heart disease. In addition to oats special fiber that helps lower cholesterol scientists have also found an antioxidant compound in oats that help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Studies have also shown that postmenopausal women can greatly benefit from eating oats at least six times a week. The study showed that the antioxidant slowed the progression of narrowing the arteries. In addition oats have been shown to improve or enhance the body’s immune system’s response to infection. They were mentioned in my post Some Foods Can Boost Your Immune System. Oats also help stabilize blood sugar.

You have probably heard a lot of talk about flora in the intestinal track and how important it is to keep the guts healthy. Oats also contain phytochemical the gets converted to friendly flora and a healthy gut contributes to a healthy digestive system which helps the body in so many ways. If your digestive system is healthy it allows you to absorb the nutrients you need and eliminates the stuff you don’t need.

Oats are also gluten-free which is very helpful since it is a whole-grain and it can be used as a serial and it can also be used ground as a flour. So it can be a very healthy substitute for gluten containing cereals and flours.

The oats I bought show that 1/2 cup of uncooked oats have:

Calories 190
Total Fat 3.5 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 0 mg
Total Carbohydrates 32 g
Dietary Fiber 5 g
Protein 7 g

Of the Daily Values there is 2% calcuim and 15% iron.

A lot of fiber and a lot of protein and the benefits of a whole grain. I am thinking that I might even just like the oats toasted and eaten as a cereal without adding all the extra stuff as called for in the granola recipe. Since I have this whole bag I might just try that. Of course I will also have to use some of this bag for the Banana Oatmeal Walnut Cookies.

Oats do contain tryptophan so if you get sleepy after eating them it could be more than just because you might think of oatmeal as a comfort food.

With the large amount of fiber and protein this is a great food to start the day with, both fiber and protein help keep you full. So you can start the day off energized and satisfied. Oats are an incredible whole grain!

Are you including this whole grain as part of your breakfast?

Posted in Food, Oats | Tagged: antioxidants, Banana Oatmeal Walnut Cookies, cholesterol, filling breakfast, GF, gluten free, healthy gut, high in fiber, high in protein, lower cholesterol, Nia, Nia class, oatmeal, oatmeal cookies, oats, tryptophan, Whole grain | 6 Comments »

Mushrooms – Not a Superfood, But Super Good

Posted by terrepruitt on February 28, 2012

My family has always eaten mushrooms. I have not. I remember a time when I didn’t like them. I remember that I started liking them. Not too long after I started liking them, my grandfather, who was the one that cooked them how I liked them, starting his bizarre food behaviors. The way he cooked the mushrooms by which I started liking them was sauteing them with browned butter and a ton of garlic. Then he started adding all types of things, things that might not actually belong mixed together. But my grandfather’s decline is not the subject of this post. Neither is the fact that he was the one that introduced me to mushrooms. The subject of this post is mushrooms. There was a time and I mentioned it before in my Some Foods Can Boost Your Immune System post, when mushrooms were not thought to have much nutritional value. In fact, I remember my mother and I talking about that. We had thought that mushrooms were pretty much nationally void. But now-a-days that is not the case. Mushrooms are not a superfood, but they do have nutritional value.

Mushrooms are a fungus. There are many kind, I know, but I am talking about the plain white variety. The ones that really go with almost anything savory. I mean the other kind are good, but some of them have a very strong flavor so they might drown out a delicate sauce or flavor. But the white ones are pretty plain, so you can make them any flavor you’d like — pretty much. At the same time receive their nutritional benefits.

Mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked. When I eat them raw it is usually in a salad or in as part of a veggie tray with dip. Oh, we also do use them as a dipper when eating cheese fondue.

Per the USDA Nutrient Database the nutritional value for about 3.5 oz of mushrooms is:

about 27 Calories

Carbohydrates 4.1 g

Fat 0.1 g

Protein 2.5 g

Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.1 mg (9%)

Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.5 mg (42%)

Niacin (vit. B3) 3.8 mg (25%)

Pantothenic acid (B5) 1.5 mg (30%)

Vitamin C 0 mg (0%)

Calcium 18 mg (2%)

Phosphorus 120 mg (17%)

Potassium 448 mg (10%)

Sodium 6 mg (0%)

Zinc 1.1 mg (12%)

So with that information we can see there is a good amount vitamin B in mushrooms. It seems that mushrooms can be forced to make vitamin D. The process can be compared to how we convert sunshine on our skin to vitamin D. Mushrooms have a chemical called ergosterol, which, when exposed to UV light is converted to vitamin D.

Wiki states: “Testing conducted by the Pennsylvania State University showed an hour of UV light exposure made a serving of mushrooms contain twice the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s daily recommendation of vitamin D. Testing by the Monterey Mushrooms Company demonstrated 5 minutes of UV light exposure made a serving of mushrooms contain four times the FDA’s daily recommendation of vitamin D.”

Which is funny to me because I thought mushrooms preferred dark.

On Fresh Mushrooms their antioxidant contents is cited. Antioxidants are good for the immune system. They help protect the cells from damage from free radical, which are thought to be the cause of many diseases. Mushrooms contain the antioxidant Ergothioneine and the mineral Selenium which works as an antioxidant.

I love mushrooms. I am happy that they are more than just good tasting, they are good for me. We eat a lot of mushrooms. Do you? How many times a week would you say you have mushrooms? How do you prepare them? Do you eat them raw or do you cook them?

Posted in Food | Tagged: antioxidants, browned butter, Calcium, cooked mushrooms, garlic, immune system, mushrooms, protein, raw mushrooms, sauteing, superfood, vitamin D | Leave a Comment »

Pecans – A Rich Treat

Posted by terrepruitt on October 15, 2011

Pecans are so rich they are like a pastry. Full of fat and sweetness. As you can see the nutritional facts are:

(for) About a ¼ cup

200 Calories
20 g of saturated fat
0 g cholesterol
0 mg sodium
4 g carbs
2 g dietary fiber
3 g protein

So as a dessert they are great, with 0 cholesterol, 2 g of saturated fat, and 0 sodium. One fourth cup makes a great treat. They have a natural sweetness that could assist in curbing the desire for sugar.

According to Power Your Diet, pecans contain monounsaturated fatty acids (which are said to assist in the reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol). They are a source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are thought to help in the fight against certain diseases. Studies have shown that antioxidants help protect against cell damage. Cell damage is thought to be the cause of diseases such as some cancers, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and Parkinson’s.

Pecans have many phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are presently believed to help reduce the risk of cancer. As with many foods it has to do with fiber and their anti-inflammatory properties. Medical research is proving that chronic inflammation is associated with many diseases. It is not good for the body to remain in a state of chronic inflammation. Foods that have anti-inflammatory properties can serve as a great addition to many diets.

Pecans have a large group of the B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, Folate, and pantothenic acid) and also contain minerals such as iron, calcium, iron manganese (which is different from magnesium), magnesium, zinc, potassium, and selenium.

Also, pecans have proved in studies to help lower total cholesterol by over 10%, and the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) by OVER 15%.

And I don’t know about you, but I love pecans. I can eat them plain, just a handful all by themselves. Or they make a great addition to a salad. The salad can be a combination of sweet and savory or just full of veggies. They also make a great addition to cookies. Lately – since I have a huge bag of them (I bought a wholesale bag . . . two pounds) I add them to cookie recipes that call for walnuts. I actually think of them as interchangeable and use them in place of walnuts when I have a bag of pecans and not walnuts.

Pecans with a salty soft cheese makes a great appetizer. The mixture can be spread on crackers, bread, or can be used to fill celery. If you mix some chopped nuts with a crumbled cheese you can put it in lettuce boats.

They can add their buttery goodness to any recipe. Because they add a flavor of buttery richness it is possible to cut down on the butter or added fat when you add them to a recipe where butter is just used as flavor. They can be chopped and used as breading for chicken or pork I like to use a mixture of shredded parmesan cheese and pecans to bread pork. It can be cooked in the oven or cooked in a pan. Either way, the butter taste from the pecans adds a decadent richness.

In their chopped form they can also be added to a chicken salad. Than can be added to your regular chicken salad recipe or substitute, pecans and apple for the celery and onions. Sometimes I crush some to coat the outside of the sandwich when I am making chicken/pecan sandwiches for a tea.

Nuts contain a high amount of fat but all of the additional health benefits they supply make them the perfect desert. A little cheese and honey or jam — ahhh. So much more satisfying than a package dessert full of chemicals.

Do you like pecans? What do you do with them?

Posted in Food | Tagged: anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, buttery flavor, buttery pecans, health benefits of pecans, lower LDL, nutritions, pecans, phytochemical | 4 Comments »

An Apple a Day

Posted by terrepruitt on May 3, 2011

You know that saying, right? “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” I was in the habit of eating an apple about four to five times a week. But then I got out of that habit. This week I had one in my salad and it was very satisfying. It took care of any sweet tooth I had. It was nice.

I forgot that apples might even help with allergy relief. I wrote about it in my Allergy Relief post. Now that I am thinking about it my allergies have been better and I have eaten an apple the last couple of days. Amazing sometimes how I don’t even realize how some foods are helping me. Apples contain quercetin which acts as an antihistamine. As I mention in that post quercetin is also an anti-inflmmatory. I can see how — if apples help with just these two things — they can help keep the doctor away.

The quercetin might also help regulate blood sugar. We all understand high blood sugar is not good, neither is low blood sugar so a simple food, such as an apple, which helps regulate it is awesome. One thing that a regulated blood sugar does is help keep you feeling full. Which alone could help with blood sugar regulation because then I am not eating things that are convenient and maybe not so healthy.

Apples have good fiber, not great fiber, but added to a healthy diet they can certainly give you a good percentage of our daily needed fiber.

With all the good stuff apples have in them they might be considered to help protect against cancer. The dietary fiber helps with the elimination of cancer causing chemicals in the colon, according to “Power Your Diet”. Apples contain antioxidants which have been associated with prevention of some cancers.

As with most fruits and vegetables, raw is better in that it preserves a better portion of the nutrients, but an apple can be eaten so many ways. There is raw plain, or raw with a dip. There is baked or sautéed. They can be added to things. Plus there are so many types. I like hard apples, so I like Galas and Fujis. I am not a fan of Delicious apples, they are too soft. Pippins are really hard, but very tart.

I don’t like cooked apples. I like them raw. What about you? What is your favorite apple? What is your favorite way to eat apples? If your favorite way to eat an apple is in an apple pie, that’s ok, you can admit that here. We won’t judge, I mean, apple pie is American after all.

Posted in Food | Tagged: allergy relief, American as apple pie, An apple a day keeps the doctor away, anti-inflmmatory, antioxidants, apple, apple pie, cancer prevention, fiber, quercetin | 8 Comments »

Yarrow

Posted by terrepruitt on December 14, 2010

I once mentioned to a friend that I had a cough or some congestion in my lungs/chest, she suggested I take yarrow. She had said that it aides in lung health. When I looked it up, I remember finding information supporting that, but that was some time ago. I bought a bottle of capsules and took them on and off until they were gone. When I tried to find it again I had a difficult time finding it. It took me a long time to find another bottle. I think this all happened over a period of two or three years. So now here I am thinking I could post about it and the information I am finding on the internet is vast and interesting.

As with any supplement you are thinking about taking you should talk to your doctor so s/he can advise you of any adverse side effects that might occur when mixed with any medication you are currently taking.

As I look at the information out there today I cannot find but one thing that says it helps with “upper respiratory phlegm”, but not more about lung health. There is a lot of information that says it helps with a lot of things that could be associated with lung health. It actually looks as if this herb does everything. I see that it is used as an antiseptic and an astringent.

Information states that it aides in digestion and is used to treat inflammation.

It is used to treat colds, flu, and hay fever. Since it is used as an anti-inflammatory then it makes sense that it would be a good thing to use if you have a cold, flu, or hay fever because inflammation is a symptom of those ailments.

Yarrow contains flavanoids which are linked to antioxidants.

It is used to help with muscle spasms, gas (both preventive and expulsion), and over production of sweat.

As with most herbs there are several ways to use or take Yarrow. I myself have capsules and a liquid. There are oils and teas and compounds that can be applied topically.

I think that some of the things that yarrow is stated to help might actually need medical attention so even though this herb sounds great be cautious and don’t necessarily substitute medical attention with an herb. For me, even though herbs have side effects and we cannot always be certain of the purity of our herbs, I personally believe that herbs are a good thing to take as a supplement to a healthy diet.

What do you think about herbal supplements?

Posted in Flowers, Misc | Tagged: anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, cold help, digestion aid, flavanoids, flu help, hay fever, healthy diet, help congestion, herbal supplement, lung health, upper respiratory, Yarrow | 6 Comments »

One Of My Favorite Snacks

Posted by terrepruitt on January 26, 2010

Edamame. I first learned of edamame about 25 years ago. I was working at a mortgage company and one of the secretaries (that’s what they were called back then) introduced us. I can’t even remember where we had it whether it was a restaurant or if she made it, but I have loved it ever since. And that was before I knew it was a complete protein* or that it has isoflavones**.

I like it served warm, salted, and in the pods so you can pop the soybeans out into your mouth. It is fun.

I stopped by sushi restaurant tonight for a friend’s birthday on my way home from my San Carlos Nia class and since I don’t eat sushi I had a whole bowl of edamame. Yum. Perfect for after teaching.

I don’t really think of edamame as low in fat, but I do think of it as high in protein.

A 1/2 cup of in-the-pod edamame is about 75 calories, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber.

I don’t often think of eating them on salads, but when I get a salad that has the soybeans on them, I really like it. Once I had a vegetable dish with them in it. I really liked that, but forget to do it myself. I usually just eat them out of the pods. But there are so many other ways you can eat them. I need to remember to add them to salads or put them in with other vegetables to make a vegetable medley.

Do you like edamame? Do you like it served hot or cold? What do you do with edamame, do you add it to other dishes? Do you have edamame recipes?

Writing about it makes me want more.

*complete protein -contains all eight essential amino acids in appropriate quantity

**isoflavones – antioxidants that are believed to have health benefits

Posted in Food, Vegetables | Tagged: antioxidants, complete protein, edamame, edamame recipes, isoflavones, Nia, Nia class, San Carlos Nia | 4 Comments »

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Terre Pruitt's Blog

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I teach yoga, Nia, and stretch online!

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