The Truth About Chocolate - Bitter or Sweet?

Happy Valentines Day!  Did you know that 5% of all annual chocolate sales take place on Valentine's Day? ECU Campus Dining is here to give you all of the facts about chocolate to help you decide if it is worth buying your sweetie that box of chocolates, or you should stick to the cards and flowers.

These days, chocolate is gaining a reputation as being: "Great for me! It has tons of antioxidants, right? So I can eat as much as I want!" We wish that were always the case, but not necessarily.

THE FACTS ABOUT THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHOCOLATE:

• Chocolate comes from cocoa beans, which are bitter and full of antioxidants called phenols, which have been shown to reduce blood pressure!
• However, most chocolate we as consumers buy does not taste quite as bitter or look like a cocoa bean, which means it was heavily processed.  The process, called alkalization, removes the bitter flavor, therefore removing a high portion of antioxidants. 
• Most people buy chocolate in the form of "milk chocolate."  This chocolate is less than one third cocoa, and made of mostly milk and sugar, making it a high calorie, high fat snack.  Milk has also been shown to cancel out some of the antioxidants.
• Experts recommend switching over to dark chocolate, which by definition is a cocoa mass of over 35%.  Aim for 70%! The higher the cocoa mass, the more health benefits and antioxidants, and the less sugar.  
• Everything in moderation!  Even dark chocolate is high in sugar and saturated fats.  Even one of the top choices of dark chocolate on Fooducate, Green & Black's 85% Dark Chocolate, has 250 calories in one single serving, 60% of your daily value for saturated fat, and 2 teaspoons of sugar.  

The bottom line: This Valentine's Day, or really any day, one or two squares of dark chocolate are a semi-healthy, pleasurable treat, and a thoughtful and tasty gift.  Just make sure the chocolate is 70% or higher cocoa content, and share with your Valentine, aiming to eat less than the serving size.  And for those mourning being alone this Valentine's day--buy yourself some dark chocolate, eat half a serving, and save the rest for another day!

February is American Heart Month!

Load Up On These Heart Healthy Super Foods This Month To Protect Your Heart & Blood Vessels:


Salmon & Tuna – Omega-3 fatty acids in these fatty fish will help boost the immune system, reduce blood clots and atherosclerosis!
Oatmeal – Oatmeal is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, folate, niacin, calcium, and soluble fiber, which will lower blood pressure and cholesterol.  Top hot oatmeal with fresh berries, or try oatmeal-and-raisin cookies!
Black & Kidney Beans – Beans are a great source of cholesterol lowering soluble fiber, B vitamins, and magnesium. Top your salads with these beans or enjoy a bowl of chili!
Berries – Blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, and raspberries are all potent antioxidants, and especially high in polyphenols.  They will increase good cholesterol and reduce blood pressure!
Dark Chocolate – A truffle a day lowers blood pressure, just be sure to choose 70% or higher cocoa content!

Nutrition Benefits of Winter Super Foods

Winter Super Foods

What is a “super food”?  There is no single definition, but generally the term refers to foods that are rich in disease fighting nutrients like vitamins and minerals, fiber, heart healthy fats and other natural antioxidants and phytochemicals that support good health.  Many of nature’s super foods are abundant in the spring and summer when fresh fruits and vegetables are at the peak of the harvest.  But winter super foods are everywhere – if you know what to look for.  Winter super foods are special.  They are packed with beneficial nutrients, they are available all winter long and they are “super” for other reasons too.

Fresh for the Season

A surprising number of super foods are in-season in the winter.  Oranges, kiwi, winter squash, kale, collard greens, and sweet potatoes are a few.  They are all at their freshest during the winter months and are a great way to eat fresh and healthy despite the cold weather.

Can Take the Heat

Many of winter’s super foods can take the heat in your kitchen.  They are perfect for soups, stews, chili’s or hot breakfast cereals.  Whole grains like barley, cracked wheat, steel-cut oats, brown rice or quinoa; lentils and other beans like navy, white, great northern or kidney beans are just a few examples.

Inexpensive and Easy to Prepare

Lots of winter’s super foods are among the least expensive choices in the grocery store.  Whole grains in bulk, dried or canned beans, fresh squash or winter greens are all just pennies per serving and easy to prepare.  Fill your winter with super foods of the season!

Super Winter Picks

Kale & Collard Greens: Both belong to the cabbage family (cruciferous). They are filled with cancer fighting substances and are in-season during the winter months.

Oatmeal: Experts believe that the soluble fiber in oatmeal helps reduce blood cholesterol by acting like a sponge.  Start each winter day the heart healthy way with a steaming bowl of oatmeal.
Beans: Very low in fat and high protein, with fiber and cancer fighting phytochemicals.  Try replacing meat with beans a few times each week this winter.

Almonds: Filled with immune boosting vitamin E, protein, fiber and heart healthy fats.  A handful of almonds (about 23) are the perfect snack.

Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamin A for healthy vision and strong bones.  They are also loaded with fiber and vitamin C.

Barley: An excellent source of cholesterol lowering soluble fiber and a great choice for keeping blood sugar under control.

Salmon: A good source of heart healthy omega 3’s all winter long.

Antioxidants protect your cells from damage.  The most well known are vitamins A, C and E, beta-carotene and lycopene.  Antioxidants are found in a variety of fruits, veggies, nuts and some fish.

Phytochemicals are found in plant foods.  They have many protective benefits such as reducing inflammation, preventing infection and even curbing cancer.

Dietary Fiber helps reduce cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease.  Many high fiber foods such as beans and whole grains also help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.

Get Fooducated

Fooducate Fridays

An App A Day! -- Fooducate is a free app designed for iPhones and Android Smart Phones, and also in website format at www.fooducate.com.  The purpose of this app is to provide practical advice for buying healthy food at the supermarkets and grocery stores.  After you download the app, it allows you to scan any food or beverage’s barcode and find out how healthy that food is based on a grade from A through D.  There are over 160,000 products in the Fooducate database, and the number is growing daily!  Once a product is scanned, the software analyzes the information in the nutrition panel and ingredient list, and gives positive and negative information about the ingredients, sodium content, fat content, nutrients, etc.  Fooducate provides reasons as to exactly why the product earned the grade it received, revealing secrets manufacturers do not want consumers to notices such as excessive sugar, trans fat, additives and preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, controversial food coloring, and many others. On top of that, Fooducate will then suggest healthier alternatives which are similar to the product scanned, but maybe a different brand or type of product.  This app also allows you to scan multiple food items to compare the nutritional information and recommend the healthier choice.

Every Friday at ECU is now Fooducate Friday!  Check the ECU Campus Dining Facebook page, and participate in the Fooducate Friday challenges which will require using the Fooducate app on your iPhone, Android, or the Fooducate website.  Prizes will be given out to the first person to respond to the Facebook posts with the correct answer. 

Build a Healthier Sandwich

Thursday, November 3^rd is National Sandwich Day.  In honor of this special day, challenge yourself to take a look at the sandwiches you are building.  Depending on your choices of bread and fillings, these meals can range from nutritional nightmares to healthy, filling meals.  There are many delicious ways to enjoy sandwiches that are both good for you and enjoyable also!

Check out these useful tips for building a healthier sandwich:

The Bread

·        Select a bread that has at least 3 to 5 grams of fiber/serving and has whole wheat flour or whole wheat “something” as the first ingredient (this provides 25% of your daily fiber needs)

·        Don’t forget other options such as tortillas, pitas or rolls, but follow the same rule – select ones with higher fiber content and lower calories

The Spreads

·        Opt for lighter versions such as a light mayo rather than a regular mayo and ask for a smaller portion

·        Try mixing light cream cheese with dried or fresh herbs

·        Choose a light salad dressing or salsa for a change

The Fillings

·        Choose lean proteins such as turkey breast, ham, chicken breast or tofu slices

·        Other fillings may include peanut butter, veggies, and hummus

·        Cheese adds flavor and it is high in bone strengthening calcium.  Unfortunately, it is also high in fat so use it sparingly.  Choose one, or smaller portions of two, of the following:

o   Cheddar 2 slices: 140 calories

o   Feta 2 Tbsp crumbled: 50 calories

The Veggies

·        Load up on fresh veggies to really add some extra nutrients

·        Challenge yourself to make your sandwich colorful by adding cucumbers, sprouts, mushrooms, spinach, bell peppers, zucchini, onions or whatever your heart desires!

·        Black or green olives can be used sparingly because these are typically higher in sodium and fat

·        Opt for darker leafy greens like spinach to get cancer fighting antioxidants and vitamin C!

Other Ideas:

·        Add fruits such as apple slices, sliced pears, halved grapes or raisins for extra fiber , nutrients, flavor and crunch to your sandwich

·        Add flavor with heart healthy fats and extra nutrients with condiments that contain no high fructose corn syrup:

o   Mustard 1 Tbsp: 11 calories

o   Avocado 1 oz: 45 calories

o   Hummus 1 oz: 50 calories

o   Peanut Butter 1 Tbsp: 94 calories

Done right, sandwiches can be a healthy meal option.  Done wrong, it can pack more calories than a double bacon cheeseburger.  So challenge yourself to build a better sandwich today!

World Vegetarian Week Challenge Day 5!

Well, today was the last day of World Vegetarian Week and the Vegetarian Challenge!  It seems like everyone succeeded with their week long challenge but are excited to start incorporating meat into their diets again.  This week has proved to be a challenge for some and a breeze for others.  Most have learned that it is often hard to find variety in restaurants and on campus when you are consuming a vegetarian diet.  Below are some of the final comments from our students who took the Vegetarian Challenge this week:

Andrew reflects on his final day as a vegetarian:  “For lunch today I only had a salad, and I don’t think I am going to continue being vegetarian after this week, I don’t feel I can live long term without meet. But lunch was a salad with an apple, because I wasn’t really hungry. Afterwards though, the munchies hit me and I ate four bowls of frosted flakes.”

Cassandra had a successful day yesterday, here is what she ate:  “Yesterday, I had a baked potato, green beans, melon dew, a veggie wrap and fries. I've notice that the veggie wrap didn't make me feel full but it tasted very fresh.” 

James seemed to struggle with finding different options for him to eat, he stated:  “You know there aren't many options for me to eat. I don't have much of an interest to try anything new unless I go out to a restaurant with my parents. Another thing is takes too much time to think of something to eat especially if you're an RA who's always trying to figure out what he has to do next. It is like you have that rhythm so why stop it?”

Thanks everyone for taking the challenge to become vegetarian for a week.  I personally have enjoyed my week and other than visiting the fair, I have easily been able to find delicious vegetarian meals!  Hopefully, you will take the challenge again next year!  It’s only a week….you can do it!

World Vegetarian Week Update!

World Vegetarian Week seems to be going good for everyone taking the challenge.  Listed below are the comments from a few of the students taking the challenge!

Andrew commented: 

"Tuesday was getting tough because I like Subway for convenience.  I also believe I am coming down with a cold, so food doesn’t taste right anyway. But I managed to keep it together today!"

"Wednesday night, I did an all nighter so I actually made it to breakfast for once, having grapes, apple sauce, and the honey dew alongside waffles, chocolate milk and OJ."

Andrew and others: don't forget that Subway offers salads and a veggie delight sub so that you can still enjoy the convenience while eating vegetarian!

Cassandra feels her week as a vegetarian has been a breeze: 

"I think I've realized that going vegetarian isn't that bad at all. I barely eat any meat in my diet and the food here isn't that great so I just usually stick to eating the same thing every day. Cheese pizza, salad, cheese sticks, cheese crackers, noodles, and fruits. That is basically what I've been eating so far.

Cassandra, for variety you can visit other locations on campus such as The Galley and try the veggie burger, grilled portabella mushroom burger, veggie quesadilla or veggie burrito.  These are al yummy choices!

Everyone is doing a great job with sticking to the challenge!  We only have one more day to go....you can do it!