Do You Have To Wash Produce?

From farm to table, estimates show about 20 people will touch your produce before you bring it home. That is a lot of opportunities for germs and microorganisms to spread. In fact the CDC estimates each year 1 in 6 people in the U.S. gets sick from food borne illness, 128,000 people are hospitalized, and 3,000 people die.

One study on 4,600 different food borne illness outbreaks found 46% of cases were linked to produce, in particular leafy greens such as kale and spinach. Contaminated water from fecal matter resulted in norovirus being the responsible contaminant for the majority of illnesses.

A different study analyzing produce from countries around the world found 97 different bacteria, many of which are known   opportunistic pathogens. The most abundant pathogens were E. coli which was found on 22% of vegetables and enterobacteriaceae which was found on 60% of fruits and 91% of vegetables.

To remove germs researches at Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station found rinsing produce under tap water for one minute reduced pesticides and microorganisms by 90%. Water temperature did not change results but rubbing produce by hand was most beneficial.

Another study at the University of Florida found mixing vinegar with water removed E. coli and other bacteria and viruses by 95% on strawberries tested.

Experts and the FDA recommend washing produce to remove pesticides and microorganisms that could be harmful when consumed. It appears washing and rubbing produce under tap water is just as effective if not more effective than soap and vegetable washes. Diluted vinegar solutions are beneficial for removing additional bacteria and viruses.   

Grilled Fruit Kabobs

Serves: 8

150 calories per serving

Ingredients:         

8 wood or metal skewers (soak wood skewers at least 1 hour in water)

Assorted fruit cut into 1” cubes (pineapple, strawberries, banana, mango, etc.)

1 cup nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt

1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter

Directions:

Skewer the assorted fruit and place on a medium heat grill about 2-3 minutes each side until slightly brown.

Meanwhile in a small bowl whisk together yogurt and peanut butter until smooth. Serve as a dip with fruit kabobs for dessert. 

Is The Charcoal Food Trend Safe?

Black is in when it comes to food. Activated charcoal from burnt coconut shells, wood, or other plants is being used to color ice cream, juices, hot dogs, biscuits, and even cheese. 

Where can you find such foods? Health food stores nationwide are showcasing charcoal juices and waters, Morgenstern’s in NYC broke headlines featuring coconut ash ice cream, and to celebrate 10 years in Japan IKEA featured black hot dogs for $2.95.

 Activated charcoal has been used for centuries and continues to be used today in emergency rooms around the world. It binds easily to substances and has been lifesaving if someone ingests poison or overdoses. The charcoal will bind to the drug or chemical and prevent it from being absorbed by the body. 

While small amounts used in food is unlikely to cause harm, the safety of long-term use has not been studied. Researchers are concerned regular charcoal use could bind to vitamins and minerals in food and drinks, depriving the body of nutrients it needs.

Claims that it cures a hangover are also unlikely; it would take twice the typical dose used for poisoning to bind alcohol from one beer.

Despite numerous health claims, activated charcoal is unlikely to do a lot of good unless you’re been poisoned. We don’t recommend jumping on the charcoal juice or water craze, but small amounts in food or drinks is likely safe.

Minimize Vacation Weight Gain

Most summer vacations center around food and indulging, which can have major consequences once you come back home. Studies show 61% of American adults gained weight while on vacation. Some gained as much as 7 pounds due to higher calorie intake, especially from alcohol. The average weight gain was 0.7 pounds, which is not too shocking, however the weight tended to stay on after they returned home.

Weight creep is when people gain small amounts of weight over a long period of time. What might not seem like too much weight gain over vacation can add up after several years. Unless you weigh yourself regularly people don’t realize subtle weight gain is happening. Follow these tips to minimize vacation weight gain this summer:

Weigh yourself before and after vacation

Go hiking, swim, plan physical activities, and exercise during your trip

Pack healthy snacks and sandwiches in a cooler for road trips

Don’t load up at breakfast, instead set the tone for the rest of the day by practicing portion control

Pick healthy menu items at restaurants such as baked poultry, fish, salads, and vegetable based dishes

Treat yourself in moderation, but not every day

Enjoy small portions and eat slowly

Order wisely from the bar, fruity drinks can have over 500 calories. Stick with wine, light beer, white wine spritzers, vodka soda, and champagne.

Watch out! Fried Potatoes Could Be Deadly

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found people eating fried potatoes, in the form of French fries, potato chips, or hash browns, two-three times per week doubled their risk of dying early compared to people who never ate fried potatoes.

Potato chips and French fries were found to contain higher levels of acrylamide, which the World Health Organization and FDA state is a major health concern due to its neurotoxicity in humans and carcinogenic properties.

Frying foods also oxidizes cholesterol more readily, which can produce more atherosclerotic plaque compared to nonoxidized cholesterol in the body.

Fried foods are high in calories, which could lead to weight gain and high in saturated fat, which could raise cholesterol. A side of French fries typically has 500 calories, 24g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 66g carbs, and 350mg sodium. Add a few squirts of ketchup and the sodium increases to 670mg.

The American Heart Association Recommends reducing saturated fat to no more than 5-6% of total daily calories. For a 2000 calorie diet that is 11-13g per day.

The study was observational and cannot conclude fried potatoes cause early death, however researchers believe fried potato consumption is associated with a less healthy Western diet associated with higher mortality rates.

The study found no raise in mortality rates from people eating non-fried potatoes. A small potato with the skin is rich in fiber, has more potassium than a banana, provides half your daily needs of vitamin C, and contains protein. If you love potatoes consider roasting them in the oven with olive oil and rosemary or steaming them for a few minutes in the microwave for a healthier side dish to a meal. 

Reducing Risk of Alzheimer’s

Researchers at Temple University recently published a study in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology indicating extra virgin olive oil (evoo) protects memory and reduces  classic markers of Alzheimer’s disease such as  amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.

Studying the relationship of evoo on Alzheimer’s, researchers fed one group of mice a diet rich in olive oil and a second group of mice regular chow. Mice fed the evoo diet for 3 months and 6 months performed better on working memory, spatial memory, and learning abilities tests than the group fed regular chow. There was also a dramatic difference in nerve cell appearance and function of brain tissue between the two groups.

Mice fed the evoo diet had less brain  inflammation. They had better synaptic integrity, which is the connection between neurons. They also had a dramatic increase in nerve cell autophagy activation; a cellular process that clears out toxins and debris, such as amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.

Neurofibrillary tangles are believed to contribute to nerve cell dysfunction in the brain, resulting in Alzheimer’s memory problems.

Researchers concluded “Thanks to the autophagy activation, memory and synaptic integrity were preserved, and the pathological effects in animals otherwise destined to develop Alzheimer’s disease were significantly reduced.”

Researchers plan to continue their study on the same mice who have developed plaques and tangles to determine if a diet rich in evoo could stop or reverse Alzheimer’s once present. 

Olive oil has a medium-high smoking point and can withstand cooking temperatures to up 375-400⁰F making it a good oil for salads, baking, oven cooking, and stir-frying. 1 tbs has 120 calories so watch the amount you use if you are also watching your waistline.

Vegetarian Grilling

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics vegetarians have a lower risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and certain types of cancers including colorectal, ovarian, and breast.

Vegetarians are people who primarily eat fruit, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds. Vegans exclude all animal products from their diet including dairy products, eggs, and honey. Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy but avoid meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy and eggs but avoid meat, poultry, and fish. The lacto-ovo’s make up the majority of vegetarians in the United States.

People choose to be vegetarians for many reasons including economical, environmental, personal health, spiritual beliefs, and compassion for animals. A well balanced vegetarian diet can be sufficient in all essential nutrients including protein, but careful planning is  important; after all many processed foods such as chips and French fries are vegetarian but not healthy choices. Clean eating by targeting minimally processed wholesome foods   provide the essential nutrients the body needs for optimal health.

Top sources of vegetarian protein include beans, lentils, tofu, edamame, tempeh, hemp, seitan, nuts, seeds, eggs, low fat dairy products, textured vegetable protein, soy products, and whole grains. Numerous vegetarian protein powders are also an option, the most prevalent contain soy, brown rice, pea, hemp, whey, or seeds.

Summer grilling is most often associated with burgers and hot dogs, but vegetarians can enjoy so much more when grilling outside. Using the grill brings out the natural sweetness of vegetables and seals in moisture for tender texture. Grilled vegetables do not develop dangerous carcinogens that meat does when cooked over high temperature, such as Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs) or Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Vegetables are also high in fiber, rich in nutrients, low in calories, and provide antioxidants to fight off free radicals in the body.

Whether you are a vegetarian or not we can all benefit from eating meatless meals during the week. Consider the delicious summer recipe below and consider adding a meatless Monday to your families routine to help increase the vegetables in your diet.

How Accurate Is Your Fitness Tracker?

A new study from Stanford University published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine evaluated the accuracy of seven fitness trackers on the market: Apple Watch, Fitbit Surge, Samsung Gear S2, Microsoft Band, Mio Alpha 2, Basis Peak, and PulseOn.

60 healthy participants wore the wrist watches or bands while sitting, walking, running, and biking while also having continuous cardiac monitoring and indirect calorimetry to measure metabolic rate. Results showed fairly accurate measurements of heart rate, on average within 5% of the gold standard 12-lead ECG. Apple Watch had the greatest accuracy with an average error of 2.0% and Samsung Gear S2 had the lowest accuracy with an average error of 6.8% from the gold standard.

Unfortunately none of the devices accurately measured calorie expenditure. The most accurate device, Fitbit Surge, was off by 27% on average, and the least accurate device, PulseOn, was off by 93% on average. Researches caution use of fitness trackers for assessing calorie expenditure and encourage greater transparency from companies to validate data.

Wearable technology, such as fitness trackers, do a great job motivating people to get moving, stay mindful of their goals, and foster healthier habits throughout the day. This study highlights the benefit fitness trackers have on measuring heart rate within a generally acceptable range of error. Unfortunately there are some limitations and fitness trackers should not be relied on for accurate calorie expenditure at this time.

If you have been tracking exercise on your fitness device and considering that…cheeseburger/glass of wine/ice cream treat at the end of the day you might want to reconsider. While everything in moderation is good...if it seems too good to be true it probably is.