Friday Food Facts: Oats

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Green Girl Goodies, October 2012

Featuring information from “12 Best Foods Cookbook” by Dana Jacobi

And SuperFoods:  Fourteen Foods that will Change Your Life by Steven G. Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews

Most people are aware of the connection between eating your oatmeal and lowering your cholesterol.  The oat made history when in 1997 the FDA allowed a label to be placed on oat foods claiming that the consumption of a diet high in oat foods was linked to a reduced risk for coronary heart disease, our nation’s number one killer.  The cholesterol reducing power of the oat draws the most attention but oats are also low in calories, high in fiber and protein.  In addition they are rich in vitamins, minerals and important phytonutrients to help maintain a healthy body. Oats are a soluble fiber meaning they slow the rate at which food leaves the stomach and delay the absorption of glucose following a meal, helping to stabilize the blood sugar as well.

Oats are not only extremely healthy but they are inexpensive, readily available and easy to incorporate into any diet.  Below I will share some other great ideas for incorporating oats into your daily routine.  To keep things interesting, try one of the oat sidekicks listed below for a little variety: 

Brown Rice

Barley

Wheat

Buckwheat

Rye

Millet

Couscous

Bulgur Wheat

Amaranth

Quinoa

Triticale

Kamut

Yellow Corn

Wild Rice

Spelt

It is recommended to consume 5 - 7 servings of whole grains, including oats, on a daily basis.  That may sound like a lot but a serving of whole grains is less than most think.  For example 1 slice of bread or 1 cup of cooked grain or a half cup of uncooked is all it takes for one serving!

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Oats also have 2 “Super” sidekicks, wheat germ and ground flaxseed.  2 tablespoons a day of these “Super” sidekicks can easily be sprinkled over your cereal, oatmeal or yogurt and added to smoothies, pancakes, muffins and quick breads.  2 tablespoons daily of ground flax seeds gives you more than the recommended daily intake of alpha linoleic acid, an important plant based omega 3 fatty acid.  I like to use flaxseeds as an egg substitute when baking as well.  Combining 1 tablespoon flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water is equivalent to 1 egg.  Let the mixture stand for one minute and add to any recipe to replace the eggs for a lower cholesterol option packed with nutrients.  2 tablespoons daily of wheat germ provides an array of important vitamins and mineral as well as plant based omega 3s.  Both flaxseed meal and wheat germ can be easily stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Oats can be enjoyed in many ways other than your typical oatmeal.  There are also many different kinds of oats and ways to prepare them to make your morning oatmeal a little more interesting!  Try toasting your oats in a heavy skillet over medium high heat before cooking them.  For rolled and quick oats, stir occasionally for the first minute then constantly for 2 minutes more, until the oats are fragrant and just slightly colored.  For steel-cut oats, begin stirring after the first minute and toast for about 4 minutes.  Cook your oats with milk, soy milk or juice for added flavor and a textural change.  Traditional toppings like brown sugar and syrup may be tasty but try healthier options like cinnamon, fresh and dried fruits, toasted coconut or nuts and use agave or honey as sweeteners.  Try to avoid instant oats and try quick cooking oats or rolled oats if you are in a hurry.  I like steel-cut oats because they have a more chewy texture however they do take almost 20 minutes to cook so aren’t the best if you are in a hurry.

Image Courtesy of Green Girl Goodies:  Coming Soon!  Dressing Up Your Oatmeal

Get creative with your oats and use them in pancakes, muffins, quick breads, scones, cookies, yeast breads, and in place of breadcrumbs as a coating for poultry.  You can also make yourself a million different varieties of homemade granolas, energy bars and cereal toppings.

Image Courtesy of Green Girl Goodies:  Green Girl Granola #1

Oat sidekicks have infinite preparation options and are great cold in salads or warm as pilafs to accompany your favorite meal or as a meal all on their own!  Search Green Girl Goodies for more oat and oat sidekick recipes and tips.

Image Courtesy of Green Girl Goodies:  Quick Quinoa and Vegetable Pilaf

Next Friday Food Facts:

Sweet Potatoes

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Friday Food Facts: Broccoli

Green Girl Goodies, September 2012

Featuring information from “12 Best Foods Cookbook” by Dana Jacobi

And SuperFoods:  Fourteen Foods that will Change Your Life by Steven G. Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews

Broccoli and all its cruciferous cousins are so full of healthy benefits one can easily see the importance of making them a part of your everyday diet.  Crucifers, particularly broccoli, have been proven to help prevent the development of cancer.  In addition to their amazing cancer-prevention capabilities, cruciferous vegetables are high in fiber, vitamins A, C, K, beta-carotene, folates and an assortment of important phytonutrients.  Because of their nutritional density, broccoli and other crucifers help to prevent cataracts and heart disease and even promote healthy bone growth.  All these elements combine to make broccoli and its sidekicks a crucial part of your diet!

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Broccoli’s sidekicks include:

Brussel Sprouts

Cabbage

Kale

Turnips

Cauliflower

Collards

Bok Choy

Mustard Greens

Swiss Chard

Of the crucifers, broccoli stands out as an immune system booster and one of the most nutrient-dense foods known; it offers an extremely high level of nutrition for a very low caloric cost.  The various health benefits of crucifers are available when eaten raw and cooked.  When eaten raw broccoli and fellow crucifers have a higher level of vitamin C.  When cooked, the heat softens the vegetable’s cell walls so the beta-carotene and other phytonutrients become more bioavailable.  A combination of cooked and raw crucifers are recommended for the optimum diet and it is recommended to consume ½ - 1 c daily.

 Image Courtesy of Green Girl Goodies: Coming Soon!  Asian Marinated Steak and Vegetable Stir Fry

Raw broccoli is a great addition to any crudité platter.  It is enjoyable as well in salads raw or lightly blanched.  Broccoli is a delicious addition to stir fry, soups, pasta dishes and quiches.  One of my favorite quick and simple ways to enjoy broccoli is broiled with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, sliced fresh garlic and some good quality olive oil.  I also like to thinly slice the broccoli stalks and add them to my stir fry!

Image Courtesy of Green Girl Goodies: Coming Soon!   Sweet Chile Fried Rice with Tofu

Browse the “Main Ingredients” on Green Girl Goodies for recipes made with broccoli and its cruciferous sidekicks!

Next Friday Food Facts:

Oats

Friday Food Facts: Tomatoes

Green Girl Goodies, September 2012

Featuring information from “12 Best Foods Cookbook” by Dana Jacobi

And SuperFoods:  Fourteen Foods that will Change Your Life by Steven G. Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews

Tomatoes rise above their fruit and vegetable companions mainly because of their abundance of lycopene.  Lycopene, a member of the carotenoid family, is what gives tomatoes and their sidekicks their bright red color and is a major contributor to the health-promoting power of the fruit.  It has been proven to help protect against cancers and heart attacks as well as helping us remain strong and look young even as we age.  Lycopene is also an important part of the antioxidant defense network in the skin and can even raise the sun protection factor (SPF) of the skin, acting like an internal sunblock.  Unfortunately, the lack of red color makes many types of Heirloom Tomatoes not as beneficial as your standard red tomatoes but they still contain the vitamins and fiber!

In addition to the above mentioned benefits, tomatoes are a great source of potassium, niacin, vitamins B6, A and C, folate and fiber.  One of the most exciting things about tomatoes is unlike many other foods, cooked tomatoes actually are just as healthy if not more so in some ways than their raw counterparts.    Cooked tomatoes – including canned tomatoes, tomato paste, juice, soup and even ketchup – contain up to 8 times more available lycopene than raw tomatoes.  Eating a combination of raw and cooked tomatoes daily is a key part to improving your diet!

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In order to maintain the benefits of lycopene we must consume it every day.  Your body also needs fat to absorb the lycopene which makes foods like pizza and pasta (of the whole grain variety) great ways to eat your tomatoes!

Image from Green Girl Goodies:  Cleansing Diet Recipes, Pizza

Also, keep in mind that the skin of produce contains more antioxidants than the inner flesh so tiny tomatoes or tomato products created with the skin on are your best choices.  Try adding grape, cherry, cocktail or currant tomatoes to your salad or munch on them instead of carrot sticks!  Luckily tomatoes are an easy addition to any diet in many forms.

Image from Green Girl Goodies:  Latin Inspired Steak and Eggs

If you don’t care for tomatoes try one of the sidekicks listed below to get your daily dose of lycopene:

Red Watermelon

Pink Grapefruit

Japanese Persimmons

Red Flesh Papaya

Strawberry Guava

One serving of processed tomatoes or sidekicks daily and multiple servings of fresh tomatoes weekly is recommended for the optimum diet.  Look under the “Main Ingredient” heading on the right side bar of Green Girl Goodies for “Tomato” and search the site for many more tomato recipes!

Next Friday Food Facts:

Broccoli

Friday Food Facts: Blueberries

Green Girl Goodies, August 2012

Featuring information from “12 Best Foods Cookbook” by Dana Jacobi

And SuperFoods:  Fourteen Foods that will Change Your Life by Steven G. Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews

Not only are blueberries the least perishable and most versatile of all the berries, the blueberry combines more powerful disease-fighting antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable.  Blueberries help lower your risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer and even help maintain healthy skin to reduce visible aging.  Preliminary research suggests that blueberries may improve memory, intelligence and coordination and help combat degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Blueberries derive much of their magic from their antioxidant phytonutrients, particularly one called “anthocyanin”.  Anthocyanin pigments are what give blueberries their intense color and are concentrated in the skin of the berry so the darker the fruit, the better.  Anthocyanin pigments give blueberries their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities by helping to neutralize free-radicals that damage cell membranes and DNA as we age.

In addition to all the benefits discussed above, blueberries are a great source of fiber.  Considered by Dr. Pratt to be one of the 3 major SuperFoods (along with Spinach and Salmon), you should strive to make blueberries or one of its “sidekicks” part of your everyday diet.  Blueberry “sidekicks” include purple grapes, cranberries, boysenberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, blackberries, cherries and all other varieties of fresh, frozen or dried berries. 

Blueberries and its “sidekicks” are more than just healthy!  Extremely versatile, the recommended daily serving of 1 – 2 cups of berries can be easily integrated into your daily diet.  While in season, summer berries are a delicious treat all on their own.  Freezing berries make them accessible year round and are a great addition to smoothies.

Fresh or frozen blueberries and their counterparts are also ideal for baking and making jams and spreads.

Search Green Girl Goodies for many berry-packed recipes and keep your eyes out for many more to come!

Next Friday Food Facts:

Beans