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! 

 

 

 

Day 1 of World Vegetarian Week!

The first day of World Vegetarian Week seemed to be a challenge for some and easy for others.  Below are some comments from the students taking the challenge!

James, who is already a vegetarian, had this to say about the first day of World Vegetarian Week:  "For breakfast I had my bowl of cereal with raisins. For lunch(because I get to have lunch time on Mondays) I had ramen noodles with a cup of fruit. Dinner I had grilled cheese and fries. It was my busy body day and almost every Monday is so I never get to enjoy the Meatless Monday's; however, Destination 360 was sooo overwhelming it was ridiculous. The fact that people cry because they can't have meat is painstaking. There are little kids in Africa who have never eaten a day in their lives yet they would kill to have just SOMETHING to eat. A lot of Americans take what they're given for granted, but they should learn to enjoy it. Those kids would literally kill to have what is available here."

Cameron, who is not a vegetarian and is taking the challenge had a successful first day.  Cameron recapped his day for us:  "So today was interesting. I found myself eating a bit more at times because there wasn't as much protein to fill me up. However, i did enjoy some pretty decent meals. I had coffee and coco puffs with milk for breakfast. Orange juice, a pbj sandwich, and chick-fil-a hash browns for mid-morning snack/lunch at the Croatan, a jello pudding cup and a peanut butter and nutella sandwich for afternoon snack, and a fall vegetable curry over rice, vegan tacos, applesauce, and veggie pizza for dinner at Todd. As far as I was concerned, I was very impressed with Todd's selection of vegetarian options tonight. However, I feel as though that was a very rare occurrence based on past experience. Overall, a successful first day as a vegetarian."
Andrew, who is also new to vegetarinism struggled a little but still managed to meet the challenge!  This is what Andrew had to say about his first day:  "Meat withdraw is already hitting me. Im realizing all the good foods 'im missing out of' now. But i managed to find just as many vegetarian foods alongside them too so its not all bad. This includes mashed potatoes, a light salad and apple sauce.  An odd combo, but a good dinner."

Cassandra, also a non-vegetarian is taking our challenge and felt like her first day was a breeze!  Cassandra says:  "I don't think going vegetarian is that bad since I am not a big meat eater. Today I had a slice of cheese pizza with a salad in the dinning hall for lunch and then i had mash potatoes, broccoli and like 2 plates of melon dew for dinner and a doughnut for dessert. As of right now it isn't too bad."

Thanks everyone for keeping us updated with your successes and challenges of going Vegetarian for the week!  Stay tuned for more stories from Day 2!

Do You Have What it Takes to go Vegetarian for a Week?

October 3^rd - 7^th, 2011 is World Vegetarian Week.  Are you up for the challenge?  Do you have what it takes to go Vegetarian for ONE WEEK??  Consuming a Vegetarian diet can be very beneficial to your health and to the environment.  Diets consisting of primarily plant based foods can lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and cancer while also preserving our planets natural resources.  Your choice to go Vegetarian can help to save water and fossil fuels that are required for the production of meat products.   Vegetarianism is defined as consuming a diet of mainly plant based foods.  Although, this is a very broad definition, there are many different types of Vegetarians that can range from eating no animal products at all to eating fish or poultry occasionally.  The most common types of Vegetarians are listed below; these types differ in the amount or types of animal products they consume.

·         Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian:  Does not eat meat, fish or poultry but does consume dairy products and eggs.

·         Lacto-Vegetarian:  Does not eat meat, fish, poultry, or eggs but does consume milk, cheese and other dairy products

·         Pesco-Vegetarians:  Vegetarians that include fish in their diet, but not meat or poultry

·         Vegan:  This is the most restrictive Vegetarian diet.  Followers of this diet do not eat any type of animal product or by-product.  Some even eliminate honey from their diets.

As you can tell from this list, the choice to go Vegetarian can greatly vary in the diet restrictions you place upon yourself.   When choosing to go Vegetarian, you should choose the type that works best with your lifestyle and food preferences.  It’s important to know that choosing to go Vegetarian does come with challenges.  Depending on how restrictive you choose to make your diet, it may be a challenge to find menu items at restaurants that fit your Vegetarian diet.  Yes, while most restaurants will always have salads, let’s face it, who wants to eat a boring side salad every meal??  Family events, potluck dinners, birthday parties and even tailgating can be a challenge for your Vegetarian diet.   There may not always be a good Vegetarian option available.  Solutions to this issue may include bringing your own Vegetarian dish to events such as potlucks, family gatherings or tailgating.  As for birthday parties, you may want to eat before or after you go because we all know that hotdogs and hamburgers top the list for party foods!  If you choose to go Vegetarian, you will experience your own set of challenges and develop your own ways of dealing with them.  Like many things, there is not a cure all solution to every challenge.  Along with physical challenges, there is also the nutritional challenge of meeting your daily requirements of nutrients such as protein, iron, calcium and Vitamin D.  Listed below are ways that you can include these nutrients into your diet without consuming meat.

·         Protein:  plant based foods high in protein include:  tofu, beans, nuts, seeds and soy milk.  The following foods provide approximately the same amount of protein as does 1oz of meat (7g of protein):

                -¼ cup cottage cheese                                   -1 cup soy or regular milk

-1 oz cheese                                                       -1/3 cup mixed nuts

-1 egg                                                                    -2 tbsp. peanut butter

-½ cup legumes, cooked                                               -¼ cup soy beans

-¼ cup tofu                                                         -¾ cup yogurt

·         Calcium:  Calcium is commonly provided by dairy foods in your diet but you can also find calcium in dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, legumes, tofu with calcium, dried figs, sunflower seeds, and calcium fortified cereals and juice.  The following foods provide the same amount of calcium as 1 cup of milk:

                -1 cup calcium fortified soy milk

                -1 2/3 cup sunflower seeds

                -1 cup collards, cooked

                -3 cups cooked dried beans

                -1 cup almonds

·         Iron:  Iron deficiency can occur in both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.  Remember that plant sources of iron are absorbed better when consumed with food rich in Vitamin C.  High Iron foods include:

                -Dark green vegetables

                -Dried fruits

                -Prune juice

                -Pumpkin Seeds

                -Soy nuts

                -Iron fortified breads and cereals

·         Vitamin D:  Vitamin D comes from both dairy sources and direct sunlight so if you are restricting dairy intake along with sunlight restriction, you should supplement with Vitamin D.  The following foods contain Vitamin D:

                -Cow’s milk

                -Soy milk

                -Rice milk

                -Nut milk (such as almond)

So, now that you know all about Vegetarianism and have weighed both the challenges and benefits, why not challenge yourself and see if you have what it takes to be Vegetarian for a week??  ECU Campus Dining is challenging you to go Vegetarian for World Vegetarian Week and let us know all about your experience.  You can experience it personally or follow the daily challenges and successes of some fellow pirates who take this challenge.  This challenge begins Monday, October 3^rd and ends Friday, October 7^th.  Follow this challenge at http://www.facebook.com/#!/ECUCampusDining.

 Good Luck!