Choose Foods That Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Foods that contain plant sterols and stanols include many grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds as well as added to margarine spreads, orange juice, cereals, and even granola bars, which block cholesterol absorption. Oat based foods provide soluble fiber, binding to serum cholesterol and removing them from the body. Other foods deliver polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL.

Improvements to School Lunch Anticipated

The National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs may finally receive a much needed overhaul if the recommendations released today by the Institutes of Medicine (IOM), School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children are implemented by the USDA. We can expect to see more fresh fruit and vegetables, more whole grains and less potatoes, and meals that cannot exceed established calorie levels.

Bento Box: A Fun Way to Pack School Lunch

When you find yourself staring into the fridge at 10 o’clock at night, or perhaps 6 am, and find nothing of note to pack for lunch, consider creating a “bento box”, similar to the LapTop Lunch concept. Bentō is a single-portion meal commonly found in Japanese cuisine. It also stands in as a perfect home-packed lunch suitable for school (or work), commonly served in compact, compartmented box. A traditional bento consists of rice, protein, and assorted vegetables and/or fruit.  So it can be relatively easy to pull together from whatever you have on hand, a protein (eg., some turkey roll-ups, a scoop of tuna salad, chunks of marinated tofu, or cocktail shrimp), add some raw or slightly steamed vegetables, and chunks of fruit. Certainly some sticky rice, preferably brown, can be included for an authentic touch, which requires a bit of planning ahead.

Use what's in your fridge to create a colorful, fun, tasty school lunch

There’s a chance for your creative juices to flow, and your nutritional aspirations  to reign supreme without being obvious.  If you need a good example of this lunch approach, you might check out a few apt blogs such as  Lunch In a Box or Just Bento, filled with how-to’s, recipes and discussion forums.

Bentos often reflect the Japanese belief that each meal should have five colors, which jives nicely with the US food pyramid and dietary guidelines for Americans.  It naturally encourages variety and promotes plenty of vegetables and fruit. For the best result, strive for a balance of flavors, textures and cooking methods, such as steamed, raw, grilled, and baked).  There is a wonderful New York Times article about serving up lunch Bento-style in today’s edition, which may provide some inspiration.

Tackling Food Habits Must Be Part of Real Health Reform

There should be no question that our health care system must be transformed to a more effective and efficient process available to every American. And I ask you to join in championing this cause and the spotlight that President Obama has placed on prevention.  To that end, if we are ready to improve the health of our nation, we must consider our own eating habits, and the impact our food choices have on our health. Michael Polan touches on this in today’s New York Times.

Do Pre-Portioned Snacks Support Healthy Eating or Not?

People who choose single pack snacks hope it will naturally limit how much they eat, but often the little bitty bag isn’t satisfying so folks find themselves having a second packet. In the end, more calories are consumed than if there were a full size bag, according to recent studies published in the Journal of Consumer Research. In fact, twice as much is eaten when single packets are used for portion control.

Use Common Sense with BPA-Avoid It!

The debate over bisphenol A (BPA) continues as a scientific regulatory board in California failed to list this chemical as a toxic substance, citing insufficient evidence, after reviewing the current research.
The Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee voted against adding BPA to Proposition 65 – a list of chemicals believed to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm; the list currently numbers 775 substances.
BPA is widely used to harden plastic food containers such as baby bottles, sippy cups, and in the lining of most metal cans. While the medical experts indicated concern over the growing body of scientific research linking BPA to fetal health abnormalities in animals, the data in humans remains slight. A similar process occurred with secondhand tobacco smoke in which solid evidence took time.
Yet, state legislatures are not waiting for enough clinical research and have been banning use of BPA in food containers. A decision is pending in the California Senate, which if passed, would join Minnesota and Connecticut, to ban the chemical. The city authorities in Chicago have already banned BPA in baby bottles, with Wisconsin also considering the same. Last year, Canada became the first country to outlaw its use in infant food and drink containers.
As a parent, it is worth the effort to avoid the use of any products containing BPA since any harm is irreversible, and the ability to minimize exposure is easy enough. Finding food containers and other products that are BPA-free represents one of those “better safe than sorry” scenarios.

New Sandwich Bread Recommended

Great New Bread Options Get Enthusiastic 4 Thumbs Up from a dietitian mom’s 2 children who are quick to turn their noses up at whole grain products, but really liked this high fiber (5 grams/roll) flat bread as tasting and easy to eat in many different ways.

Safety of Reusable Food Bags Called into Question

The headline states: reusable food shopping bags and packages can contain a high level of bacteria, yeast, mold and coliform counts which pose a significant food safety risk.

However, consider the source–the Environment and Plastic Industry Council (EPIC).

While food safety is a valid concern, EPIC is promoting results of a study it initiated, suggesting high bacterial counts are commonly found on the interior surfaces of reusable grocery bags.  Yet, the results are countered by  Heather Marshall, spokesperson for the Toronto Environmental Alliance, who confirmed that neither E. coli nor salmonella, two of the most dangerous food-borne bacteria, were found in any of the bags.

Alas, this promotional effort is an attempt to give consumers a reason to stay with or go back to using plastic bags to bring home groceries.

Just the same, some good can come from this campaign by reminding shoppers to employ an ounce of prevention. To err on the side of caution, continue shopping with reusable bags, and when you get home, apply these tips to reduce any chance of potential bacterial growth:

• Place raw meat in a separate bag (that should be rinsed with soap and water and hung inside out to dry)
• Turn bags inside out to air out between trips
• Separate meats and produce into different bags.
• Wash inside with soap and water whenever any food or dirt becomes evident.

Food safety is an important issue and deserves attention. Let’s use this opportunity as a constructive reminder to avoid cross contamination of foods, but not to be alarmed by exaggerated claims.  Stick with your ecological efforts to reduce your reliance on plastic, while keeping your food safe

Sugar Sweetened Beverages Raise Women’s Risk of Heart Disease

Sugar-based drinks, including sodas, juices and teas, may increase womens’ risk of heart disease by 35%, according to newly published findings from the Harvard Nurse’s Health Study. The bottom line: excess sugar from any source–high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, honey– increase the risk of chronic diseases including diabetes, obesity and now heart disease.

Acai Berry Diet is Biggest Web-based Weight Loss Scam Ever

And the ‘Too Good To Be True Award’ goes to the Acai Berry Diet for promises of weight loss or your money back. Thousands of weight minded women have fallen for the deceptive claims and unscrupulous practices  that have left them financially hurting, but no thinner. At a press conference today, the Acai berry diet scam was compared to Bernie Madoff’s money tricks.

Individuals are drawn in by the fake endorsements of Oprah, Rachel Ray and Dr. Oz and offers of a free trial. These web-based merchants use a legal maneuver called, Negative Option Marketing, which requires the consumer to opt out before getting the product. Once the credit card transaction is approved, monthly charges are automatically applied for shipments that cannot be stopped, and the credit card information is often shared with other merchants who similarly start shipping and automatically charging $80-90  monthly. With no bonafide customer service, the only way to cease monthly charges has been to cancel one’s  credit card.

Seriously, do not jeopardize your pocket book and your health based on false promises from a pill. For a more complete report on the press conference, go to  Acai Berry Diet is a Money Making Scam at www.suite101.com.