The Sweet Life According to the American Diabetes Association, in January 2011 8.3% of the United States population--or approximately 25.8 million children and adults--was diabetic.That is a pretty scary statistic. One of the... |
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Lights, Camera, Cookbook! Combine the ongoing popularity of TV food shows with the ever-popular cookbook, and the result is a boatload of new books by TV chefs. While fans of the shows are bound... |
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Healthy but Tasty Are you ringing in the New Year with a healthy lifestyle resolution? While many will say healthy equates to not-tasty I disagree. To me healthy means moderation and thinking... |
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| While it’s generally easy to decide which foods we enjoy deciding which foods are healthy and which foods we shouldn’t eat a lot of is not always so simple. To help you along the path to a healthier lifestyle we present “From the Nutritionist" a series of articles from nutritionists that delve into the ins and outs of the nutritional details in the foods we eat. |
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 Are you feeling the change of seasons? The shift of late summer to fall for some people is marked by the arrival of a new generation of viruses that cause coughs and colds. Protect yourself by supporting your immune system with my list of immune system dos and don'ts.
Immune System Don'ts Stress! Chronic stressing can cause continuous wear and tear resulting in an immune system with decreased functioning. Stress management techniques can include exercise, yoga, meditation and fun activities like hanging with friends or a variety of other possibilities. Remember to take a deep breath when you start to feel the stress come on, it is the perfect way to stop it from starting! Sugar and Caffeine: We sometimes feel like we need a "pick me up", especially if we feel a bit under the weather, but don't do it! Sugar and refined carbohydrates like pastries or candy use up excess energy, while caffeine such as in coffee places stress on your adrenal glands. For a healthier pick me up try green tea and one of the super foods listed below.
Immune System Dos B-Vitamins and Zinc: Support the health of organs that make white blood cells through vitamin B foods such as: whole grains, whole eggs, spinach, legumes, squash, mushrooms, root veggies, leafy greens, dairy and raw nuts. You can also take a vitamin B-complex supplement with breakfast or lunch if you are feeling low energy. Eat Antioxidant Rich Foods: Antioxidants like vitamins C, A & E and glutathione help protect you from an attack, and/or protect your surrounding tissues if an attack has been made. Colorful foods contain higher amounts of antioxidants, focus on bright green, yellow, orange, red, blue and purple foods.
Immune Boosting Super Foods Allium Family: Including onions, garlic, chives, leeks & shallots, contain allyl sulfides which work to increase toxin-eliminating enzymes in the liver. Carotenoid-rich vegetables: Orange, yellow, red and deep green foods all are antioxidant rich foods that help battle against the free radicals that roam the body damaging cells. Cruciferous Family: Broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, bok choy & collards are all rich in cell-protective phytochemicals. Berries and Cherries: These are antioxidant powerhouses! Eating them helps your cells replicate healthy cells needed to battle infection. Legumes: The bean family, including all fresh and dried varieties, enhance the immunity by working as an antioxidant, neutralizing cell-damaging free radicals. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fish (including salmon, sardines, mackerel, anchovies), raw seeds and nuts (like flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts) all contain omega-3 fatty acids, which assist in immune boosting by increasing phagocyte activity (phagocytes are the guys that eat up bad bacteria). These essential fatty acids also help with inflammation, brain function, and hormone regulation - so they are doubly healthy!
What to do if you feel sick Listen to Your Body: If you lose your appetite, that's normal. Your body is using its energy to battle the enemy instead of digesting food. Eat light, warm, healthy meals: If necessary, your body will use stored nutrients it needs for these lighter eating days. Do not over eat as this will cause more energy to be used for digestion which will give less energy to getting you healthy. Stay Hydrated: Drink LOTS of hydrating fluids like water, herbal tea and fresh fruit & vegetable juices. Ideally try to stay away from too many fruit juices and focus on low sugar and vegetable based juices. De-stress: Especially if you feel unwell, attempt to keep your stress under control. Stress can weaken even the best immune system, let alone an immune system that is already compromised. Rest: Getting sufficient rest is important for your body to perform at its best, so allow your body to rest to battle any infection that may be trying to invade!
Balanced Diet for Preventative Health Water, carbohydrates, fat and protein are the basic building blocks of healthy diets. Build your daily meals with whole, nutrient-rich foods. Give your body the balance of these building blocks for greater health by eating antioxidant rich colorful foods. Keep the sugar and caffeine down, the whole foods up and smile A LOT! :) Flu Fighter Juice- 12 ounces carrots
- 7 ounces beet root
- 3.5 ounces celery
- 1 ounce watercress
- 3.5 ounces cucumber
- 7 ounces red cabbage
Juicing these vegetables together will provide you with not only a great tasting juice, but nutrients to fight whatever ails you! About the Nutritionist  Amyjo Johnson graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Human Nutrition and has become a Certified Nutritionist through the American Health Science University. She has been assisting people with their nutritional needs in a variety of situations, from the spiritual haven of Sedona, Arizona, to the high tech world at Google Headquarters in California. She is now living in Bali, Indonesia working as the Resident Nutritionist for the 5-star wellness resort and hotel COMO Shambhala at Begawan Giri. You can always find her at her website and blog or email
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 Your brain is like a fish. it needs to obtain all food from its environment. So, it can only function as well as the environment you provide.
FEED YOUR BRAIN.
Adequate and balanced supplies of certain brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) are necessary for booting up the brain to an alert state. Nerve cells that release the neurotransmitters (acetylcholine, dopamine, histamine, norepinephrine and serotonin) act together to stimulate the higher cortex and produce a sharp and attentive state. An imbalance in the production and/or distribution of any of these chemicals will ZAP the brain's ability to act alertly.
To keep your brain clear and maintained I suggest you do the following to keep it fed and exercised:
- Eat brain boosters frequently (see list below).
- Minimize brain zappers (see list below)
- Keep your blood sugar even through proper foods and meal timing.
- Do not over eat - blood can only do one thing at a time...you need it for your brain, but when you overeat, your stomach and digestive tract need it.
- Breathe! Get oxygen up there, it's also a crucial 'nutrient' for the brain.
- Exercise. This works on so many levels...just move your body any chance you get...your brain and the rest of your body will thank you!
- Meditation and yoga - both help to calm and de-stress the brain and body, which helps pathways feed the brain.
Try to keep your blood sugar even for concentration, clarity and productivity. You can do this by balancing your meals with carbohydrates, protein and fat. Sound complicated? It's not, really, trust me. You're probably already doing it! Vegetables with fish, an apple with a handful of almonds, yogurt with fruit, salad with avocado and olive oil dressing, trail mix with dried fruit and nuts, etc.
Many of us get an energy dip in the afternoon, and this is sometimes due to dehydration, hunger or just needing a break. I suggest drinking some water first, taking a little walk, and then if you're feeling hungry, eat a snack that is good for your brain like yogurt with a piece of fruit, especially if you really use a lot of brain power in your job.
Be careful of brain zappers that can steal your edge!
Brain Zappers!
Simple sugars: Vitamin deficient, high sugar foods can deprive the brain of needed vitamins. This can include cakes, candy and soda.
No sugar: The brain functions on glucose it gets from your diet. Providing your brain with a somewhat steady stream of glucose has a positive effect on brain clarity. What food gives your brain glucose? Any and all plant foods. If you keep simple sugars down and just eat simple foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes for your glucose...you'll be fine. Remember that if you were to NOT eat ANY food that contains natural sugar (similar to the first couple weeks of the Atkins diet), your brain would be forced to eat a secondary "food" produced by the body called ketones which is hard on the liver and produces free radicals!
Wrong fats: Excessive saturated fats can clog blood vessels causing oxygen and vitamin deprivation.
No fat: Your brain needs fat! It IS fat! Eating a total fat-free diet is detrimental to your brain! Eating a total fat free diet is also very difficult, so don't worry. But if you ever try this for some reason, just be aware that nerve signals must pass through fat rich cell membranes, and brain cell membranes need to refresh themselves with new fatty acids continuously...but not just any fatty acids - omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in some fish like salmon, sardines, herring and halibut, flax seed, walnuts, wheat germ and soybeans.
Stimulants: Stimulants (such as caffeine, nicotine and other drugs) can produce a short-lived surge of concentrated power, however it produces a chronic stress-like effect which creates harmful free radicals, disrupts sleep and sabotages the efforts of maintaining brain health as you age. Stimulants have actually been shown to dim memory and possibly cause a decrease in brain mass over time.
Brain Boosters!
Take a look at these brain booster foods and just think of the endless possibilities.
Vitamin C: red bell peppers, sprouts, parsley, citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli, cabbage and leafy greens.
Protein: 3oz portions of fish and lean meats like turkey breast, legumes, eggs, yogurt and nuts.
Carotenoids: carrots, sprouts, apricots, kale, celery, sweet potatoes, spinach, squash, colored peppers, tomatoes, oranges.
Vitamin E: nuts, seeds, (including nut oils and butters), whole grains, grain sprouts and wheat germ
About the Nutritionist
Amyjo Johnson graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Human Nutrition and has become a Certified Nutritionist through the American Health Science University. She has been assisting people with their nutritional needs in a variety of situations, from the spiritual haven of Sedona, Arizona, to the high tech world at Google Headquarters in California. She is now living in Bali, Indonesia working as the Resident Nutritionist for the 5-star wellness resort and hotel COMO Shambhala at Begawan Giri. You can always find her at her website and blog or email
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Plants...the other, other white meat |
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What's the first thing that comes to mind when I say "protein"? Meat? That's pretty typical for the western world, but, meat is more than just protein, and protein is found in more places than just meat! Today, I will touch on the basics of proteins and amino acids, how much protein you need, how much protein is in foods and why you should only eat as much protein as you need. There might be some crazy ideas here...but see it through and let me know if you have questions. Protein is found in every part of the body, doing many, many important jobs. The body is extraordinary as it takes about 10,000 different kinds of protein to make your body function! Because we don't store protein like we do fat, the body has figured out a way to make these proteins out of just 8 basic building blocks called amino acids. There are 8 amino acids for adults that are considered essential and therefore must be absorbed through the food we eat. These 8 amino acids are: lysine, tryptophan, methionine, valine, phenylanine, luecine, isoleucine, threonine. Most foods contain these amino acids in varying amounts. You might be surprised, but a varied diet will allow you to receive all your essential protein. So how much protein do you need? Well, if you are into math and like to count grams, here is the calculation used to understand your personal needs based on your body weight. .8*weight in kg = grams of protein per day. If you are attempting to lose or gain weight use your ideal weight in the calculation. People who need slightly more protein are women who are pregnant or lactating. Also people who are endurance or strength building athletes. For example: I am 50kg and ride my mountain bike about 40-60 miles a week, plus several hours of yoga, so I would increase my amount from .8 to 1 giving a calculation of: 50kg*1=50g of protein Now...how much is 50g of protein? It's not as much as you might think. Here is a typical day for me, and you can see how easy it is to go over your necessary amount of protein. Breakfast (~13g protein) 1 cup of cooked oatmeal with a few almonds and milk
Lunch ( ~25g protein) Mixed green salad with 2.5oz of wild salmon
Snack (~12g) 8 oz plain yogurt with several strawberries
Dinner (~15g) Sautéed mixed vegetables with 1/2 cup of black beans with quinoa
This is a total of 65g of protein which is the typical recommendation for most adults. Do you think you eat more or less protein than this? If you want to check some foods for their protein content, look at the website www.nutritiondata.com where you can look up any food you'd like and get all the nutritional info on it easily. Now...for those of you who don't want to count protein grams, here is another way to look at your diet and protein. What about protein as a percentage of calories? You need to eat, right? And food contains calories, right? So, then, let me throw a crazy idea out there. Eating a variety of foods will easily get you enough protein because there is enough protein, as a percentage of calories, in the foods you eat. 10-15% of your calories as protein is sufficient for most people. Let me give you some examples of the percentages of protein in foods: Vegetables Asparagus: 25% Broccoli: 49% Kale: 60% Red Bell Pepper: 14% Zucchini: 26% Green Leaf Lettuce: 42%
Fruits Grapefruit: 5% Apple: 1% Avocado: 6% Banana: 5%
Whole Grains Quinoa: 12% Oatmeal: 15% Brown Rice: 8% Millet 11%
Legumes (beans, lentils and dried peas) Chickpeas (garbonzo beans): 25% Lentils: 30% Red Beans: 23% Tofu: 43%
Dairy Yogurt (plain, nonfat): 40% Yogurt (plain, whole): 24% 1% milk: 34% Cottage cheese (lowfat): 70%
Nuts and Seeds Almonds: 19% Pumpkin Seeds: 29% Sesame Seed: 19% Sunflower seed: 24%
Meat (varies widely by cut and diet of the animal) Chicken: 68-80% Beef: 40-57% Duck: 50% Salmon: 50-60%
Are you surprised by some of these numbers? As you can see most of the foods that you eat (or should eat!) everyday have a high enough percentage of protein for their calories to more than meet your daily needs. What does this mean? Well, it means that we don't need to worry as much as we do about "protein foods" being a big part of our diet, because the Earth has made sure that whole, healthy foods have a variety of everything we need. Eat a variety of foods!
Seems simple doesn't it? Well, honestly it is! Some people will ask about "incomplete" and "complete" proteins and again, you don't need to worry about that. Your body worries about that, and takes care of all of that work. As long as you have a variety of foods in your diet, the body will find all the amino acids it needs to build the all important protein structures. What about high protein diets? As you saw earlier, my protein needs for one day are only 50g. That adds up pretty quickly! What about people who eat a high protein diet? Is that healthy? Depending on how high protein the diet is, my answer will probably be no. If a person is eating a high protein diet, typically that means that they are eating a high animal product diet, which in turn means they are eating less fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Having less variety in your diet is one aspect of a high protein diet not being ideal, but the other issue is that a high protein diet also can cause higher acidity in the body. Protein causes acidity when it is metabolized. The body has to keep the blood at a constant pH thus it needs something alkaline to balance this out. Calcium from bones is readily available to serve this purpose. We do not want calcium to be taken from our bones, of course, so this is just one more argument for more plant foods in the diet! Plant foods are mostly alkaline while animal products are more acidic, so make sure you are eating a variety of plant foods to balance this acidity. The protein basics are: - Almost all foods contain protein
- Typical adults need approximately 10-15% of their daily calorie intake as protein
- High protein diets can have negative health effects
- A varied diet of whole foods will give you all the protein your body needs!
Enjoy all the wonderful recipes here at Project Foodie to try something new today! About the Nutritionist Amyjo Johnson has a Bachelors of Science in Human Nutrition and is currently working on her Certification and Masters in Nutrition through the nationally accredited American Health Science University and the National Institute of Nutrition Education. For two years, Amyjo has been providing nutrition consulting to the on-site food service team and employees at Google, Inc. She provides information on assuring nutritionally balanced menus, excellent ingredients, and food choice nutritional education for ideal productivity and health. Through her company, Food for Change, Amyjo provides individuals and businesses counseling and consultation on a variety of nutritional situations and needs. Contact her at:
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I want you to eat carbohydrates - Gasp |
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The low-carb fad is still strong, but I see it changing to a healthier version of the once very popular Atkins diet. The most important part of the low-carb fad that I'm happy to see changing is the fact that people are now EATING carbohydrates.
Yes. I want you to eat carbohydrates. Gasp!
See, to me carbohydrates means fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, lentils and split peas, in addition to refined grains and sugar in all its forms. The common thread among all carbohydrates? They all break down into a simple molecule called glucose. I'm often asked, "If they all break down into glucose what does it matter what kind of carbohydrate I'm eating?".
My answer is that you want to eat foods that are highly nutrient dense so yes it really does matter what type of carbohydrates you are eating.
Still confused? No worries, let me explain.
A food with high nutrient density means that per calorie the food provides the most nutrition. For example, eating an apple and a whole grain cracker would have higher nutrient density than an apple pastry. Why? Because an apple and whole grain cracker provides nutrients your body can readily use, whereas the apple pastry is significantly higher in calories and lower in nutrients, providing excess fat and sugar that can easily be stored as fat in the body.
Eating high nutrient dense foods throughout the day will provide you with sustained energy (rather than sugar highs and lows), slow the aging process, strengthen your immune power to not only fight daily battles with virus' and bacteria but also to prevent deadly, debilitating diseases, help you maintain a healthy weight, and reduce inflammation (which causes many of the diseases in our western society). All of this is in addition to providing you with lifetimes worth of tasty menus.
Vegetables
 Eat vegetables. Seriously, I want your plate to be MOSTLY vegetables at most meals. This can be the vegetables in your salad, cooked vegetables in "sides" and soups, vegetables mixed with meat and so on. There are endless varieties of vegetables and ways to prepare them healthfully. Keep it fun, too! Vow that you'll try a new vegetable this week...remember you have a whole bookshelf of cookbooks and a virtually endless supply of recipes right here on Project Foodie that can help you with anything that you might find interesting at your grocery store. You never know...you might find your next favorite food and never know how you lived without it!
Vegetables for breakfast tip: Westerners don't traditionally eat many vegetables for breakfast, but recently I've been sautéing leafy greens with olive oil and lemon and eating them with a poached egg and a piece of whole grain toast - I have to say it is a great breakfast!
It's easy a quick to prepare as well:
- 1 egg
- 1 slice of whole grain bread
- a handful of spinach or variety of leafy green - sautéed for just a minute in a splash of olive oil
- lemon and pinch of salt and pepper
In less than 10 minutes I have a healthy, balanced tasty hot breakfast that not only provides lots of nutrition, but is satisfying as well, easily tying me through to lunch. Not sure about that egg? Read my thoughts on that here.
Fruits
 Fruits are in their glory when they are eaten in their whole form rather than juiced, canned or otherwise processed. Whole fruit contains all the fiber, vitamins, minerals and tasty goodness, providing both quick and sustained energy.
Fruit tip: Add a fruit to your leafy green dinner salad, or vegetable stir-fry (pineapple works great for this) or make a sweet/savory fruit salad to accompany a heavier main course. For example, one of my most recent favorites is:
Orange Sunset Salad
- papaya
- orange
- jicama
- cucumber (peeled and de-seeded)
- mint
- parsley
- Optional garnish: almond slivers (add just before serving)
- Optional dressing: fat free shallot and mustard vinaigrette - ingredients: minced shallot, mustard, orange juice and champagne or sherry vinegar.
Add more of which ever ingredient you like most, or have them all in equal amounts, there is no exact science to this salad. Just chop all ingredients and toss together. Let marinate with the dressing for a couple hours, if possible, and serve cold.
Another fruit tip: I add fruit to my breakfast in a variety of ways, for example: bananas and strawberries on whole grain hot cereal, mango and blueberries with yogurt and muesli, my "whichever fruit really needs to get eaten" smoothie, or the tomato in the breakfast recipe I mentioned above, etc. I mix up the fruits, too so that I stay interested. When I'm in a hurry, I make a smoothie for breakfast and take it with me in the car. One of my favorites is the following.
Red and Peachy
- Frozen peaches (~2 cups)
- Frozen raspberries (~1/4 cup)
- 1 scoop The Ultimate Meal or Peaceful Planet Supreme Meal
- Optional: dollop of plain yogurt
- "Milk" - I use rice milk personally, and you need to add enough to get the blender going and then keep adding to get the smoothie to the texture you like.
It only takes a few minutes to prepare a healthy smoothie, so think of it as fast food!
Another fruit tip: Believe it or not...if you have fruit easily accessible, you'll eat it (and so will your kids). Apples, bananas and pears are among the easiest, but even oranges will disappear from the fruit bowl on the kitchen table. I highly recommend adding some variety to your typical fruit selection, even though some fruits need a bit more preparation (and refrigeration), they are well worth it...think mango. When you have a few minutes make a fruit "salad" and bring it with you for a mid-afternoon or post workout snack. I don't know about all of you, but around 3pm, I need a break and a snack. So, instead of being tempted with coffee and cookies, I make sure I have a cup of green tea and a beautiful mixture of fruits to serve as the perfect snack to get my brain nourished for a few more hours of work.
Whole Grains
 What is a whole grain? Whole grains are, well...whole, in comparison to refined grains. All grains start out as whole grains containing three parts: the bran, germ and endosperm. Refined grains have been milled to remove the germ and bran typically, leaving just the endosperm. To give you a visual, think of white and brown rice. White rice is just the endosperm while for brown rice the germ and bran surrounds the endosperm giving it the brown color, longer cooking time, and nutty flavor. As you may have guessed, the nutrition in grains is located mostly in the bran and germ whereas most of the calories and starch is in the endosperm. Most of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, good fats and fiber are all found in whole grains, but not refined grains. Remember refined grains include white rice, wheat flour products like most cookies, cakes, pastries and crackers. Look for whole grain versions of your favorite grain products.
Whole grain tip: Read labels! If you eat bread, make sure you read the label and not the advertising on the package. In the ingredients, the first word should be WHOLE wheat, and perhaps other grains listed after that if it is a multi-grain bread. If the ingredients say just "wheat" instead of "whole wheat", then it is NOT a 100% whole grain bread.
Another whole grains tip: Try a whole grain hot cereal for breakfast. I like Bob's Red Mill, but now since I live where I can't buy that, I make my own from the whole grains I can find. I mix: red rice, quinoa, oats, buckwheat, wheat berries, corn meal, millet, and bulgur wheat in a variety of amounts and combinations. If I know I'm going to have hot cereal the next morning I mix the grains with water and put them in the refrigerator overnight. Before eating, I strain out that water, put in fresh water at about a 2 to 1 ratio and simmer it about 8 minutes. Times might vary for you, though. If you want more protein with your breakfast you can eat this with plain yogurt, or add some nuts and seeds like walnuts and pumpkin seeds.
What if you are wheat intolerant/gluten allergic: Don't be afraid to try other grains that fall outside your dietary restriction as there is so much to choose from! If you are wheat intolerant, you need to stay away from wheat, bulgur, barley, spelt, wheatberries and kamut (sometimes kamut is tolerated for those with mild intolerance). If you have a gluten allergy, then in addition to that 'avoid list' you need to add: rye, oats, farro and triticale. BUT, you CAN have red, black, brown and wild rice, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, corn and teff. There are many, many wonderful recipes so I highly recommend you try to include some of these wheat/gluten free grains in your diet. Honestly, they are the most tasty ones in the grain family anyway!
Legumes
 Legumes include beans, lentils and dried peas. Are you thinking..."Wait, aren't beans a protein?". You are right, beans are a great source of protein as well as a great source of long lasting energy from their carbohydrate. If you are looking at percentage of calories, beans have about 70-75% of their calories as carbohydrate with very little fat; the remaining amount is protein. Sounds like the perfect balance, right? Well, they are pretty amazing and versatile. In addition to being loaded with fiber, which helps you feel more satisfied with your meal while eating fewer calories.
Legume tip: I use canned legumes fairly regularly, which makes eating more legumes really easy. Make sure you look for canned beans and lentils that are low sodium. If you are on a low sodium diet, you may want to just soak dried beans yourself. Sometimes a can of beans is the start of the meal; I add to the beans whatever vegetables I have on hand. Other times I throw a few beans on a leafy salad, or mix them in the food processor for spread like hummus that is great for a dip or for spreading on a whole grain cracker like Ryvita.
Another legume tip: Tempeh has become a staple in my diet recently. It is typically sold as a fermented soy bean patty. I usually sauté it with some olive oil, garlic and lemon juice, add it to salads, crumble it into a stew or sometimes I marinate it and serve it whole like a steak patty. Tempeh is high in protein, fiber and minerals so it's a good meat replacement if you are trying to eat a more vegetarian-like diet.
Another legume tip: I am a big fan of the cold bean salad. You can make a big portion ahead of time for several meals. Amazingly, it just keeps tasting better day after day. An easy bean salad would be to mix together 3 different cans of beans (black, red adzuki and garbanzo for example), a chopped red bell pepper (if you have it), some parsley (or other fresh herb) and a simple vinaigrette (like the shallot vinaigrette I mentioned earlier). This salad is done in a few moments and has a lot of variability. Another of my favorite bean "salads" is one I love because it uses all of these wonderful carbohydrates - vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes all in one salad...and it is so tasty!
Red, Yellow and Green Salad
- 1/2 cup dry quinoa, cook with 1 cup of water
- 8oz each red, black or pinto bean
- 1 or 2 ripe mangos
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped finely
- 1 ripe avocado, chopped
- small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped finely
- ½ small bunch fresh parsley, chopped finely
Mix together with just a bit of a basic red wine vinaigrette. EASY!
This salad goes nicely with any number of main dishes or as a main itself!
Recommendation: Please be aware of the carbohydrates you are choosing for your diet. Our diets are primarily carbohydrates. Choosing the least healthy carbohydrates is getting our society into a lot of trouble with rampant diseases including obesity, type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and on and on. Limit refined grains and all varieties of sugars including those in alcohol. Choosing more foods from this list of healthy carbohydrates; vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes gives your body all it needs to keep your immune system strong, your energy high and your aging to a minimum. You want to nourish your body to feel and look great? Eat carbohydrates...the good ones!
About the Nutritionist
Amyjo Johnson has a Bachelors of Science in Human Nutrition and is currently working on her Certification and Masters in Nutrition through the nationally accredited American Health Science University and the National Institute of Nutrition Education. For two years, Amyjo has been providing nutrition consulting to the on-site food service team and employees at Google, Inc. She provides information on assuring nutritionally balanced menus, excellent ingredients, and food choice nutritional education for ideal productivity and health. Through her company, Food for Change, Amyjo provides individuals and businesses counseling and consultation on a variety of nutritional situations and needs. Contact her at:
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Remember the low fat fad? I'm glad that's gone...because in my opinion typical foods that were made fat free were mere shadows of their full fat counterparts. They also weren't necessarily any healthier, and possibly less healthy due to the additions made in replacement of the fat. Usually extra sugar and salt, neither of which the standard American diet is lacking. What we are lacking though...is good fat. Some people still tell me that no fat is good fat and all fat makes you fat. Say that fast 5 times. No, I take that back, don't say it because it's just not true. As people who love food, we know that fats are an important part of the process of cooking and eating. Fats are fabulous flavor carriers, they coat the pan when we want to saute something yummy, they dress our salads and carry essential fat soluble vitamins. Fats aren't just in the form of a bottle of oil, though, fats are produced by the earth in wonderful packages like nuts, seeds, whole grains, avocados, olives, and coconuts to name a few. All fat-containing foods contain all three types of fats: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated, but in varying proporations. Let's talk about these 3 types, plus one we've produced. Monounsaturated fats: Known for its cholesterol regulation in the blood by promoting cardiovascular function, monounsaturated fats are found primarily in vegetables. They are liquid at room temperature, but can solidify when cooled. Found in greatest quantity in nuts and seeds like macadamia and peanuts, avocado, olives, and the oils made from all of these foods. Oils high in monounsaturates are also rich sources of the antioxidant vitamin E. Polyunsaturated fats: Polyunsaturated fats include the essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. We tend to eat too few of the Omega 3 fats while getting too much of the omega-6 fats. You'll find omega-6 fats in vegetable oils such as corn, safflower and sunflower oils. Oils that are used for deep frying are typically omega-6, so foods that wouldn't typically have a lot of fat, suddenly contain ample amounts after they have been fried (think french fries). This leads to an imbalance of these omega fats in our diets. Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids are flax seeds, walnuts, and fatty fishes like mackerel, herring and salmon. These omega fats play an integral role in strengthening our cell structure, hormone regulation and reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Saturated fat: Solid at room temperature and found in the greatest quantities in animal products such as meat, cheese, cream, milk, eggs, butter, lard and milk chocolate as well as some manufactured goods such as pies, crackers, pastries, cakes and cookies. There are two main types of saturated fats though, which can get confusing. Long-chain saturated fats, like in animal products which have been studied as fats that clog arteries, while plant based saturated fats like coconut oil which are medium chain fatty acids that can be beneficial in the natural/unrefined state. Coconut oil would be a good option for higher heat cooking, for example I make popcorn on the stove using unrefined coconut oil and it gives it a great flavor without added butter! Trans-fatty acids: Trans fatty acids are solid at room temperature (like Crisco), but are actually unsaturated fats. These fats have been formed during a chemical process called hydrogenation, where cellular chains of fat are altered to create a more solid, shelf stable substance to use in packaged products. These fats are being studied as possibly worse for your health than saturated fats and should be avoided. You can find which products have trans-fats by looking at nutrition labels. I highly recommend avoiding products that contain this fat. Some of my favorite oils: Sesame oil: Contains sesamin and sesamolin which are lignans that have been shown to have cholesterol lowering effects and oxidative protection against liver damage. Sesame seeds are a very good source of manganese and copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, vitamin B1, zinc and fiber. Hazelnut Oil: This 82% monounsaturated fat is superior even to olive oil. Hazelnut has a distinct aroma and flavor that is perfect for salad dressings. Coconut Oil: UNREFINED coconut oil is healthy! Medium-chained triglycerides (MCT), instead of long-chain is what makes the healthy difference in this saturated fat. MCT are absorbed for quick energy instead of storage in the body. Shelf stable, high smoke point, beautiful aroma, creamy texture and NO trans-fats! Grapeseed oil: 76% of grapeseed oil fat content is linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid that helps raise your good cholesterol (HDL), while lowering the bad cholesterol (LDL). This oil has a high smoke point and low viscosity so it slips off the food instead of soaking in which makes it a great oil for sautéing. Hemp oil: Provides high amounts of EFA's including gamma-linolenic (GLA), linoleic (LA) and linolenic (LNA) acids. The seeds contain 25% high quality protein and 40% (good for you) fat, so take advantage of using the whole seeds as well as the oil! Flax oil: Rich plant source of EFA - omega-3, 6 and 9. The seeds are fiber, protein and mineral rich too! Rice bran oil: Rich in three different kids of natural anti-oxidants; tocopherol, tocotrienol and oryzanol all forms of vitamin E which show anti-cancer properties in addition to lowering bad cholesterol. Olive oil: Nothing can beat the taste of fresh olive oil. Use it on salads mostly, although it can handle low heat. My recommendation is: Eat a variety of foods that contain natural plant fats. Nuts, seeds, avocado, coconut, olives and whole grains provide a great balance of fats for your body to use instead of store. Eat animal products in smaller amounts than you eat everything else. For example, I want to see vegetables, legumes and whole grains cover most of your plate, with smaller amounts of animal products added in if you wish. Our bodies need fats, but we seem to eat too many from one or two sources, so add some variety to your diet! Your heart, skin and joints will all thank you! About the NutritionistAmyjo Johnson has a Bachelors of Science in Human Nutrition and is currently working on her Certification and Masters in Nutrition through the nationally accredited American Health Science University and the National Institute of Nutrition Education. For two years, Amyjo has been providing nutrition consulting to the on-site food service team and employees at Google, Inc. She provides information on assuring nutritionally balanced menus, excellent ingredients, and food choice nutritional education for ideal productivity and health. Through her company, Food for Change, Amyjo provides individuals and businesses counseling and consultation on a variety of nutritional situations and needs. Contact her at:
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 What have you heard recently about eggs? Are they good for you or bad for you? The poor, little egg…so much controversy. Eggs can easily be part of a healthy diet. Eggs contain protein, fats (both saturated and other healthier fats), vitamins and minerals, especially if you eat the whole egg and not just the egg white. The America Heart Association has declared it ok to eat one full egg every day, which is up from three a week in their previous limit recommendations. The egg white is all protein. The egg yolk, on the other hand, contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which are carotenoids that have been shown to protect against macular degeneration (an eye disease). Egg yolks naturally contain vitamin D, which enhances the work of calcium to keep our bones strong. There is about 1.5g of saturated fat in each egg, but the body can handle that much of saturated fat as long as you have only appropriately small portions of animal products for the rest of the day. Speaking of other animal products – let’s talk about cholesterol for a minute. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in every living cell in your body. Your body makes it in necessary amounts and it is essential for the structure of cell walls, digestive juices, vitamin D, insulating nerve fibers and building hormones. Dietary cholesterol is ONLY found in animal products. Cholesterol in your blood and cholesterol in your diet are two different things though. High blood cholesterol (especially bad LDL cholesterol) has more to do with your saturated fat intake, caloric excess and lack of exercise than your dietary cholesterol intake. Egg Trivia! - White shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers.
- In some places in France, the bride breaks an egg on the threshold of their new home before stepping in, for luck and health.
- Europe has had domesticated hens since 600B.C.
- The hen must eat 4 pounds of feed to make 12 eggs.
- For a hen to produce an egg it takes: 24 hours, 10oz. of water and 5 oz of food. She takes a 30 minute rest before she starts over.
- Eggs have long been colored and exchanged as part of the rites of spring.
- A mother hen turns over her egg 50 times a day so the yolk won’t stick to the sides of the shell.
- The color of an egg yolk depends on the hen’s diet.
- Unlike us, chickens can make their own vitamin C and thus eggs are void of this nutrient.
Egg choices  There are many choices at the grocery store for eggs. Choose eggs that are organic (meaning they have been fed organic feed, given no antibiotics or hormones); cage free (meaning the hens have access to fresh air and sunshine); and ideally eggs that are marked with the American Humane Association's Free Farmed label which means the hens are cage free and fed 100% vegetarian feed. Eggs have infinite possibilities on the table. I love them not only with a variety of vegetables (like the picture of my breakfast at the top), but also soft boiled and chopped into a big main course salad. Don’t be afraid to include the yolk, it contains most of the valuable nutrients the egg has to offer! About the NutritionistAmyjo Johnson has a Bachelors of Science in Human Nutrition and is currently working on her Certification and Masters in Nutrition through the nationally accredited American Health Science University and the National Institute of Nutrition Education. For two years, Amyjo has been providing nutrition consulting to the on-site food service team and employees at Google, Inc. She provides information on assuring nutritionally balanced menus, excellent ingredients, and food choice nutritional education for ideal productivity and health. Through her company, Food for Change, Amyjo provides individuals and businesses counseling and consultation on a variety of nutritional situations and needs. Contact her at:
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Who was crowned California's Artichoke Queen in 1949? Who other than the beautiful Marilyn Monroe. The artichoke...what a delectable treat, hidden beneath layer and layer of teasing sturdy leaves. A native of the Mediterranean, the artichoke is a perennial in the thistle group of the sunflower family which was brought to California by Italians in the 1800's. The U.S.'s first artichoke farm was planted near the San Francisco Bay area and almost 100% of the artichokes in the U.S. are still grown near there! Half of the harvest happens between March and May and is very labor intensive work. Crews walk quickly through the artichoke rows choosing the ripe artichokes, cutting them from the stalks with a special "artichoke" knife. The fields are maintained in perennial culture for five to ten years. Each cropping cycle is initiated by "cutting back" the tops of the plants several inches below the soil surface to stimulate development of new shoots. If you are a huge fan of artichokes like me, or if you live in northern California make plans to attend the Artichoke Festival! Held this year on May 17-18th in the self-proclaimed "Artichoke Capital of the World". Visit the website for more details. The "vegetable" we eat is actually the plant's flower bud. Low in calories, full of fiber and vitamins and minerals like folate and magnesium, the yummy artichoke can be served in countless ways...check out a variety of interesting artichoke recipes here .
About the NutritionistAmyjo Johnson has a Bachelors of Science in Human Nutrition and is currently working on her Certification and Masters in Nutrition through the nationally accredited American Health Science University and the National Institute of Nutrition Education. For two years, Amyjo has been providing nutrition consulting to the on-site food service team and employees at Google, Inc. She provides information on assuring nutritionally balanced menus, excellent ingredients, and food choice nutritional education for ideal productivity and health. Through her company, Food for Change, Amyjo provides individuals and businesses counseling and consultation on a variety of nutritional situations and needs. Contact her at:
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For the love of Chocolate |
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 We’ve had a love affair with chocolate for a long time. Why?
Let’s start with the current process of making chocolate, then the history, and finally the health benefits and why we love it so much! Chocolate comes from wild cacao trees, which farmers tend to in various rainforests around the world. There they receive just the right amount of rain, shade, humidity, wind and nutrients. Cacao pods are the size of a small papaya and similarly shaped. They change from a light green to a brilliant red color on the tree when ripening. Understanding when the pod is ripe takes talent, as does the harvesting. The plucking of cacao pods need to be done delicately by hand so as to not damage the bark of the tree. The pods are then hacked open with machetes, revealing pulp covered seeds. This harvest happens twice a year. These seeds are then naturally fermented in piles lined and covered with banana tree leaves. The pulp and seeds warm up in the tropical heat and humidity, activating enzymes and creating chemical compounds that make it taste like chocolate. Fermentation is finished when these white seeds turn a milk chocolate brown. Next the seeds need to be dried. This is done naturally out in the open air and sun on bamboo mats. This process takes about a week and causes the seeds to lose about half their weight. These cacao seeds are now ready to leave the gentle hands of these tropical farmers, to be packed up in burlap sacks and sent to chocolate making companies far away. Once at the manufacturer, the process becomes a bit more mechanical and the cacao beans start to look more and more like the chocolate we know and love.
The seeds are sorted, cleaned and roasted to perfection. This roasting takes some ingenuity as the seeds are different depending on their origin. The seeds roast for 30 minutes to 2 hours and turn a dark coffee-bean-like color. This roasting makes the shells very brittle, so they are easier to remove, leaving the remains, which are called chocolate nibs. These nibs are naturally made up of 53% cocoa butter and 47% pure cocoa solids. In order to make chocolate, the cocoa butter and the pure cocoa need to be separated. This is done by crushing the nibs with heavy steal rollers, which generate a lot of friction and heat to liquefy the nibs into a thick paste, called chocolate liquor. This chocolate liquor is then placed in a huge hydraulic press which squeezes out the white cocoa butter. This is sometimes added back into chocolate bars or used for the base of white chocolate. Once this cocoa butter is separated, the remaining solid cocoa is pulverized into pure cocoa powder. This cocoa powder is sometimes used in baking, cooking or for making hot chocolate. To make creamy, ‘melt in your mouth chocolate bars’, the chocolate liquor (which still has the cocoa butter in it) is mixed with condensed milk, sugar and sometimes extra cocoa butter. The recipe depends on the percentage of chocolate desired. The extra cocoa butter helps the chocolate bar stay solid at room temperature, but also allows it to melt in the warmth of your mouth as it begins to soften around 75º F and melts at 97ºF. This refined paste is ground with heavy rollers, sometimes for up to 6 days to smooth out the grains of chocolate and sugar. These are just the basics of how the chocolate we know and love is made today…but chocolate has a long history! 600 – Maya Indians moved from Guatemala to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and brought with them cacao. 1000 – The cacao bean began to be used as money 1200 – Aztecs began demanding payment of taxes in the form of cacao beans. They used cacao beans for a drink, adding flowers, vanilla and honey. 1502 – Christopher Columbus was given his first drink of xocoatl (chocolate) on his fourth voyage to the Americas. He didn’t like it, but took some cacao beans back as an unusual item for the people at home. 1519 – Cortez captured Montezuma and began ruling the Aztec empire. He established a cacao plantation in the name of Spain. 1528 – Cortez returned to Spain with cacao beans and hid them in monasteries with the formula kept secret for the special chocolate drink, which only the very rich could afford to buy. 1615 – Anne of Austria marries Louis XIII and takes the Spanish custom of chocolate drinking to France 1657 – The first chocolate house is opened in England by a Frenchman, but it is still very unaffordable for most. 1674 – A London coffeehouse sells the first solid chocolate in stick form. 1764 – The Baker Chocolate Company is established in Dorchester, MA by James Baker. He calls his products “Baker’s Chocolate”. 1861 – Richard Cadbury creates the heart-shaped candy box for Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day was an ancient fertility festival celebrated seven weeks after Winter Solstice, marking the progression from Winter into Spring. Chocolate came into the picture many, many years later, but is rightfully part of this “love” holiday. Chocolate contains the same “feel good” chemical that is produced in our brains when elated or “falling in love”. The chemicals in chocolate give you a “lift” because of the psychoactive ingredients like serotonin, salsolinol, phenylethylamine, anandamide and theobromine. We get very small amounts of these chemicals when we eat chocolate, but they (and the added sugar) still seem to do the trick! Now…is chocolate healthy? Chocolate has antioxidants called phenols, similar to the ones in red wine and tea. The darker the chocolate the more phenols it contains. The purer and darker chocolate provides the most health benefits. For example, dark chocolate (but not milk chocolate) contains flavonoids, which are antioxidants that are believed to prevent oxidation of bad cholesterol which could help slow early stages of atherosclerosis in the arteries. Chocolate bars do contain varying amounts of sugar, which of course isn’t healthy, especially in large doses. This sugar stimulates the release of endorphins, generating a feeling of pleasure and well being, but of course also stimulates the release of insulin, which can eventually cause a sugar crash, and possibly more fat storage. The best way to experience all the “feel good” benefits of chocolate without the negative impact of the sugar and calories is to choose dark chocolate and eat it in small portions. You may be surprised how satisfying a 1 ounce piece of very good dark chocolate can be! Moderation is key…Enjoyment necessary! About the NutritionistAmyjo Johnson has a Bachelors of Science in Human Nutrition and is currently working on her Certification and Masters in Nutrition through the nationally accredited American Health Science University and the National Institute of Nutrition Education. For two years, Amyjo has been providing nutrition consulting to the on-site food service team and employees at Google, Inc. She provides information on assuring nutritionally balanced menus, excellent ingredients, and food choice nutritional education for ideal productivity and health. Through her company, Food for Change, Amyjo provides individuals and businesses counseling and consultation on a variety of nutritional situations and needs. Contact her at:
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