The Power of Phytonutrients

Even if you've never heard of phytonutrients, chances are you eat them every day. And chances are that you probably should eat more of them. That's because phytonutrients are the organic compounds found in plants that are believed to enhance and promote wellness.

There are many different classes of phytonutrients, some of which scientists know more about than others. But evidence is mounting that they all offer protection against disease and can be a key factor in achieving and maintaining good health. How do you get a good dose of phytonutrients? Eat colorfully!

Think dark, juicy cherries and pomegranates, tart cranberries, luscious grapes, tangy peppers and tomatoes, and sweet beets.

Why to eat it: The red color group, which includes red potatoes and onions as well as rhubarb and watermelon, is a well-spring of the carotenoid known as lycopene. Eating plenty of red foods such as these can help ward off heart disease and cancer and prevent vision problems such as age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in adults over 55).

Leafy salad greens are an obvious good choice, but don't overlook other vegetables and fruits. Great green foods include green beans, green peppers, broccoli, asparagus, avocado, green apples, limes, kiwis, grapes, and honeydew melons.

Why to eat it: Green produce is full of lutein, an antioxidant that's particularly good at helping prevent vision issues such as cataracts.

These cool-hued foods include blueberries, blackberries, plums, raisins, eggplants, purple cabbage, and purple potatoes.

Why to eat it: You can thank anthocyanins, potent antioxidants that have been found to tamp down inflammation and stave off the growth of cancer cells, for the beautiful hue. The nutrient may also help boost memory and prevent cognitive deficits as people age.

Brightly colored foods, such as carrots, yellow peppers, mangoes, cantaloupes, apricots, papayas, peaches, pineapples, and sweet potatoes top this list.

Why to eat it: These sunny picks are loaded with immune-boosting vitamin C and other antioxidants. Look for produce that's deeply colored—it contains higher levels of nutrients.

Although perhaps not as beautiful as their rainbow-hued brethren, earth-colored foods have plenty of health benefits to offer.

Why to eat it: Mushrooms are high in selenium, a mineral that may contribute to heart health and reduced cancer risk, while garlic and onions contain allicin, an antibacterial compound. Don't neglect such high-fiber goodies as bananas, pears, cauliflower, and white corn when you hit the grocery store.

Alison Massey, MS, RD, reviewed this article.

Sources:

"What's in a Strawberry?" American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. http://www.eatright.org/nnm/blog.aspx?id=4294968278&blogid=269. Accessed October 18, 2013.

"Fight Back With Phytonutrients." University of Missouri Extension. http://extension.missouri.edu/fnep/nutritiondisplays/phytonutrients/handout.pdf. October 15, 2013.

"Antimicrobial Properties of Allicin From Garlic." National Institutes of Health. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10594976. Accessed October 18. 2013

"Phytonutrient FAQs." United States Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars.usda.gov/aboutus/docs.htm?docid=4142. Accessed October 14, 2013.

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Get a 21-Day Tummy! How to Shrink and Soothe Your Stomach

Best-selling author Liz Vaccariello describes the new 21-Day Tummy plan that remedies digestive issues and shrinks the tummy. With this book you'll lose weight, end heartburn, and ease digestion for life. Here's an excerpt.

Steve Vaccariello

Sorry, Mom. I know it’s not proper to confess an embarrassing problem to millions of readers. But a few years ago, I began to notice that my digestion was becoming less regular. I had almost constant pain and bloating and had gained nearly ten pounds. A physical revealed nothing amiss, and technically, I was at a healthy weight. But my clothes didn’t fit, and the discomfort was constant and distracting.

As I started talking about my digestive challenges, other people confided their own struggles. Then I read the stats: From burps and groans to discomfort and moans, millions of Americans have tummy issues. So I did what any health journalist would: I researched the issue, and I asked my staff of editors at Reader’s Digest to help.

We made a discovery that would change my body and my life. The foods that make your belly feel better are the same ones that make it flatter. It is a diet dream: an eating regimen that trims my tummy and solves GI problems like heartburn and reflux, gas and bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

While dietitians, doctors, and GI sufferers have long suspected a connection between your gut and the rest of your body, science is only now beginning to catch up. We uncovered reams of pioneering studies, many of which upended my notions of what’s good for weight loss and health.

The Weight-Gut Connection
There are two factors that deliver a one-two punch when it comes to weight gain and digestive woes—an imbalance of gut flora (the bacteria in our GI tract) and inflammation.

1) An unhealthy mix of gut bacteria can lead to constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, and IBS. Scientists have also identified strong links between an imbalance of digestive tract bacteria and weight gain. The bacteria in the guts of overweight people are different from the bacteria in the guts of thin people, and those differences may determine one’s weight. Gut bacteria can also contribute to inflammation, the other big player here.

2) Inflammation—the immune system’s normal response to injury—can upset your stomach and pack on pounds if it becomes chronic. Seventy percent of our immune function takes place in the gut, which explains why your stomach churns when your immune system reacts to stress. Inflammation can also lead to weight gain. Your body naturally produces chemicals to stop inflammation, but these substances interfere with leptin, a hormone that tells your brain to stop eating because the belly is full. When inflammation becomes chronic (often due to stress), your brain no longer gets the message. Though you’ve consumed enough to fuel your body, you still feel hungry, so you overeat and gain weight.

To convert this science into an eating plan, I teamed up with Kate Scarlata, a registered dietitian who specializes in digestive disorders. Kate created an eating plan that works to balance gut bacteria and cool inflammation at the same time. The 21-Day Tummy diet loads up on foods that soothe your stomach (I call them Belly Buddies) and eliminates those that aggravate it (I call them Belly Bullies). The diet relieves the most common digestive complaints while also trimming your tummy.

See: The 7 Best Foods for Your Belly and The 7 Worst Foods for Your Belly

Next: How 21-Day Tummy works »

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Making Healthy Choices ... With Fast Food

Posted on Jul 7th 2011 11:00AM by That's Fit Editors By Cynthia Vespia David McNew, Getty Images

These are tough, telling times. The economy is making everything more difficult, including eating healthy ... or is it?

Going through the drive-thru doesn't have to mean heading to an early grave. The fast food industry has recognized America's efforts to make better food choices. Most -- if not all -- of the major fast food chains have introduced healthier options to their menus. The problem thus far has been that these so-called "healthier" items were still loaded with sodium and hidden sugars. But with trial and error, there has been some improvement.

Subway, long recognized for having fast, healthy options on their menu, started providing breakfast in early 2010. These additions gained popularity with consumers and have remained on the menu ever since. Subway upped the ante on these breakfast options by providing meal-deals as low as $2.00 or $3.00, which include a cup of coffee. What's great about Subway is the variety of choices you can come up with. No two meals are the same. The breakfast items include your choice of: black forest ham, eggs or egg whites, cheese, bacon and all the fresh veggies you could want -- on your choice of bread, of course. The Western egg white sandwich on a whole-wheat muffin comes in at only 160 calories with a whopping 16 grams of protein. Protein is the building block of muscles and it is also denser than complex carbohydrates, which means that food chock-full of protein will keep you full and satisfied throughout your morning.

In addition to the breakfast items, Subway also offers their Fresh Fit line on the menu, which makes it easier for you to know which items are the healthiest options. These sandwiches include black forest ham, roast beef, the popular veggie delight and my favorite, the oven-roasted chicken (among others).

The healthy choices do not end with sandwiches. Wendy's, long known for their hamburgers, has recently begun adding healthier options to their menu as well. They started by offering an option for which side you choose with your meal. This is particularly good for the kids' menu, which allows you to bypass the greasy French fries and opt for apple slices and a milk or fruit juice instead of soda.

Wendy's newest addition, the Berry Almond Chicken Salad, is a flavorful mix that won't break the bank or ruin your waistline. The salad contains 11 types of various field greens, chopped chicken breast, shaved Asiago cheese, blueberries and sliced strawberries, making it taste just as good as it sounds. The optional toppings include a small bag of sliced almonds and fat-free raspberry vinaigrette dressing. This salad is one of the better varieties I've seen on a fast-food menu. The chicken is grilled -- rather than fried -- and the fruit makes it very flavorful, with just a hint of cheese bringing it all together. The full size ranges between 280-470 calories and the half size comes between 140-270 calories.

Ultimately, there are fast food options out there that will not only satisfy your taste buds, but also keep cash in your pocket and the extra weight off your hips. The next time you're hungry and on the go, remember that the days of grabbing a burger and fries have changed considerably. You have options and you have choices -- make a healthier one.

Cynthia Vespia is a published author, creative design specialist, award-winning video editor, and certified personal trainer through the National Federation of Personal Trainers (NFPT) and National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF). Vespia is the author of several novels including "Life, Death and Back" and the Best in Series nominated fantasy e-book "Demon Hunter." Read her blog on Red Room.

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RECIPE: Eggplant-Shallot Stew and Whole-Wheat Couscous

Posted on Jul 22nd 2011 11:00AM by That's Fit Editors By Elizabeth Nolan Brown for Blisstree.com Getty

This week, I picked up both eggplant and shallots at the farmer's market. While searching for ways to cook the eggplant (I'm very bad at eggplant), I came a recipe for eggplant and shallot stew, which sounded so good I wanted to make it immediately. Of course, I was missing almost all ingredients aside from shallots and eggplant, for the recipe (from Eating Well magazine), so here is my own riff on it (à la raisins, cashews and whole-wheat couscous, and minus what sound like complicated spice-grinding and mustard-seed-popping processes).

Eggplant and Shallot Stew with Whole Wheat Couscous
Servings: About 3 // Time: Less than ½ hour

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized eggplant, peeled and cut into small cubes
3/4 cup diced shallots
grapeseed oil
2 serrano peppers*
½ cup raisins
½ cup raw cashews (pinenuts would probably be good, too)
1 cup water
2 cloves peeled garlic
5 fresh basil leaves,* chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seed
dashes of tumeric, cumin and ground black pepper
grated parmesan (if you want)

(* because I also had them from the same farmer's market haul)

Preparation:
In medium saucepan, heat a tablespoon or so of grapeseed oil. Add chopped peppers, letting them toast a little before adding other ingredients.

Add eggplant, shallots, raisins, cashews, water, garlic, basil, fennel seed, spices and pepper. Stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer (at least until eggplant is fork-tender, 3-5 minutes, but I let mine go about 15 minutes, so make everything really soft and the flavors all blended).

Begin couscous-for whole-wheat, medium-pearled couscous, it's 1 cup couscous to 1 ¼ cups water, + a teaspoon or so of olive oil. Bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Fluff/stir after about 5 minutes.

Coarsely mash the eggplant shallot mixture.

Sprinkle couscous with pepper and grated parmesan. Serve stew with or on top of couscous.

More from Blisstree.com:
Summer Seasonables: Tabbouleh Salad Recipe
Summer Seasonables: Lentil, Strawberry and Cucumber Salad Recipe
Summer Seasonables: Raw, Vegan Berry Muesli Recipe

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Cooking Oils, Mushrooms, and The Paleo Diet

There has been extensive debate within the Paleo community recently surrounding the validity of certain cooking oils while following The Paleo Diet.

Hunter-gatherers would have not had access to most cooking oils available to modern society. That being said, animal fats were likely consumed and used as a substitute for cooking oils that are commonly consumed today. Grilling eliminates the need for cooking with oil in pans, but grilling food for every meal is not very realistic for the average individual following a contemporary Paleo Diet.

However, there are a number of common cooking oils that should never be consumed while following The Paleo Diet. These include:

Soybean Oil: Often partially hydrogenated and is highly inflammatory due to the disproportionately high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.Canola Oil: Derived from the unpalatable rapeseed plant, the oil is stripped of erucic acid to make it edible. Canola oil is often praised for its omega-3 content, but health practitioners often fail to account for the quick degradation of omega-3 fatty acids within the oil due to the 500 degree temperature that is required to manufacture the oil.Cottonseed Oil: Derived from an inedible plant that is used in the textile industry, the oil is used in numerous processed foods including margarine, ice cream, bread, and packaged oysters. As with Canola, Cottonseed also has an unhealthy fatty acid profile and should be avoided at all costs.

Other cooking oils to avoid for rancidity, inflammatory properties, and an unbalanced fatty acid profile:
Safflower OilSunflower Seed OilSesame Seed OilPeanut OilCorn OilVegetable OilGrape Seed Oil
Despite the overwhelming majority of unhealthy oils that are available for purchase at your average grocery store, there is still hope! Swap out the bad for the oils permitted when following The Paleo Diet. Olive Oil: Fantastic for sauteing and as a salad dressing. It is fairly resistant to high heat, which makes it less prone to rancidity. It primarily consists of monounsaturated fats, which are considered safe and healthy.Coconut Oil: While the tropical, shelf-stable oil is relatively high in saturated fats, the saturated fat content should not be a concern and allows for the oil to remain stable at high temperatures. Coconut oil is also very rich in a medium chain fatty acid known as Lauric Acid, which is recognized for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties.Animal Fat: Realistically, this is the closest to a hunter-gatherer cooking fat or oil. Grass-fed beef tallow is preferred. Duck fat is also allowed. However, be careful when consuming fat from pork or chicken, as both contain significantly higher quantities of polyunsaturated fats.

Although there are numerous toxic and potentially lethal species of mushroom species, you should not be worried about consuming the mushrooms you find at your choice grocer. In all likelihood, our hunter-gatherer ancestors likely indulged in various types of mushrooms on a semi-regular basis, knowing the distinct properties to exclude poisonous species. Mushrooms are also relatively low on the glycemic index and are rich in selenium, potassium, riboflavin, niacin – all optimal for your health. Let the mushroom hunting adventures ensue!

Kyle Cordain
The Paleo Diet Team

Mushroom Sauté

3 – 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced thin½ sweet onion, sliced thin2 fresh garlic cloves, pressed2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil¼ cup red wine2 leaves fresh basil finely chopped1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced, stem removedGrass-Fed Beef or Buffalo Steaks

DIRECTIONS

1. In large fry pan, saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onions are tender.

2. Stir in mushrooms and remaining ingredients.

3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Serve over fresh grass-fed beef or buffalo steaks.

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Smoothie Ingredients to Boost Your Metabolism

By Dr. Natasha Turner for Blisstree.com Corbis

Here's a simple thing you can do to tune up your metabolism for summer: have a protein shake each day for breakfast. Choose to do this over cereal or a bagel and you will enjoy better appetite control, increased fat burning and blood sugar balance to avoid cravings all day long. When making your breakfast power treat, consider these super foods or supplements to enhance its therapeutic effects:

The Foundation: Whey Protein Isolate

This powdered supplement is the most bio-available source of protein we can get, making it a great addition to smoothies and shakes. Your liver loves whey protein because it offers us a concentrated source of one of our strongest antioxidants, glutathione. Whey has been proven to promote fat loss, preserve muscle tissue, enhance immunity, aid insulin sensitivity and support recovery after exercise. It is also a source of tryptophan, which can help raise our happy hormone, serotonin and combat stress. Add one serving to your smoothies (approximately 25-30g of protein for women, 35 to 40g for men).

Sprinkle In: Cinnamon

I encourage you to add cinnamon to your smoothies, foods and hot drinks as often as possible not only because it tastes so nice but also because it offers wonderful insulin-balancing effects. A study published in the journal Diabetes Care (December 2003) showed that cinnamon may cause muscle and liver cells to respond more readily to insulin. Better response to insulin means better blood sugar balance and, therefore, less insulin in your body and ultimately less fat storage. Cinnamon also seems to reduce several risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high blood sugar, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol. Just a ½ teaspoon a day for 30 days is enough to significantly improve your insulin response and trim your waistline.

Be Generous: Berries

Berries have gained plenty of good publicity as a super food choice for protection against free radicals and inflammation, both of which accelerate aging and contribute to diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's. Blueberries, in particular, can protect us against sun damage and support eye health. They are high in fiber, low in sugar and contain a potent dose of proanthocyanidins, which are beneficial for skin, cognitive function and cardiovascular health. I recommend adding one cup of mixed frozen berries to your smoothie. As a bonus, raspberries have a whopping 9g of fiber per cup!

Heaps Of: Ground Flaxseeds For Cancer Protection

Flax is full of lignans -- phytoestrogenic compounds that have been proven to help protect us against certain kinds of cancers, especially breast, prostate and colon. Adding two to three tablespoons of flaxseeds to your smoothies, oatmeal, salads or cereals daily can reduce your cancer risk and also provide a dose of four grams of fiber and essential fatty acids. The oils in flaxseeds can go rancid quickly, so be sure to purchase ground flaxseed in a vacuum-sealed package and store them in the freezer. Better yet, you can grind your own daily.

Go For: Ground Chia For Anti-inflammatory Effects

Chia is a gluten-free ancient grain that can be added to just about any food. Chia stabilizes blood sugars, manages the effects of diabetes, improves insulin sensitivity and aids symptoms related to metabolic syndrome, including imbalances in cholesterol, blood pressure and high blood sugar after meals.

On a per gram basis, chia is touted to be:

-The highest source of omega-3's in nature -- with 65 percent of its total fat is from omega-3 fatty acids
-The highest source of fiber in nature -- 35 percent (90 percent of which is insoluble and 10 percent is soluble)
-Abundant in the minerals magnesium, potassium, folic acid, iron and calcium
-A complete source of all essential amino acids and bio-available protein
-If you don't like the consistency or taste of ground flaxseeds, you can add 1-2 tbsp of chia seeds to your shakes, and even top your salads
or other dishes with this mild flavoured seed.

Soothe and Strengthen: L-Glutamine Powder

L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in your body. In times of stress or increased metabolic demand, like after exercise, it is an especially important nutrient for energy and repair. Glutamine also maintains healthy integrity of your intestinal tract and enhances the protective mucosal lining, which helps ensure proper nutrient absorption while limiting the amount of toxins that can pass through your intestinal walls. I recommend adding a serving of l-Glutamine powder to your smoothies daily.

Balance and Calm: Inositol

Naturally present in many foods, inositol improves the activity of serotonin in the brain. As a supplement, it is an excellent choice for alleviating anxiety, depression, cravings and for supporting nervous system health. New research also suggests this supplement can be helpful for fertility and polycystic ovarian syndrome. I add one to two scoops of a product called Cenitol from Metagenics in my daily smoothie, which is about four to 12 grams per day.

More from Blisstree.com:
10 Ingredients to Always Put in Your Smoothies
3 Healthy Fats for Weight Loss
8 Ingredients to Never Put in Your Smoothies

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What's a Calorie? (And Other Nutrition Buzzwords, Defined)

Posted on Jul 21st 2011 11:00AM by Emma Gray For AOL Healthy Living Getty

Antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that prevent the damage that occurs naturally through the digestive process to our cells and DNA. When our tissue comes into contact with oxygen as we breathe and eat, a process called "oxidation" occurs which can set off a reaction that permanently damages cells -- and even DNA -- within your body. Although this is a lot of science talk, oxidative stress is believed to contribute the development of a host of conditions -- including cancer, cataracts, arthritis, stroke and heart disease. Antioxidants can prevent oxidative stress. Some of the most common antioxidants include Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Uric Acid and Melatonin. They can be ingested naturally through certain foods or be taken in supplement form.

Calorie
Calorie is a fairly straightforward term -- a calorie is simply a unit of measurement. One calorie is one unit of energy, specifically the energy it takes to raise the temperature of one cubic centimeter of water by one degree (Celcius). When it comes to food, what we refer to as calories are actually kilocalories, measuring an amount of energy that is 1,000 times larger than a calorie in scientific terms.

So the calories that we see on our food labels are really indicating the amount of energy that will be released into our body when that food product reacts with oxygen. Fats, carbohydrates and proteins have the greatest amount of calories, generally.

Omega-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids are a particular type of essential unsaturated fatty acids. These fatty acids cannot be produced naturally in the human body but are necessary for your body's metabolism, meaning that the only way to get them is by eating foods that contain them or by taking a supplement. Omega-3s naturally occur in fatty fish (i.e. tuna, albacore, salmon etc.) as well as algae, krill and some nut oils. There is some evidence that Omega-3s can boost brain function and put you at less risk for development of chronic health conditions.

Macronutrients and Micronutrients
Nutrients (all of those great things that keep your body going) are divided into two categories -- Macronutrients and Micronutrients. Macronutrients are the big ones (the things we consume most often and in the largest quantities): fats, carbohydrates, alcohol and proteins. Micronutrients constitute everything else.

Unsaturated vs. Saturated Fat
The difference between unsaturated and saturated fats lies in their chemical make-up. The easiest way to think about it is that saturated fats are, in fact, "saturated" with hydrogen. Unsaturated fats are not.

Chemically speaking, fats are made up of what is called "fatty acid chains" -- sets of atoms linked together. When these chains contain at least one double bond (which gets rid of hydrogen atoms in that part of the chain), they are considered unsaturated.

Saturated fats are more likely to come from animal sources, while unsaturated fats often come from plant-based foods. Saturated fats are also solid at room temperature, while unsaturated fats are liquid. Generally, saturated fats are considered to be agents of high cholesterol while the opposite is true for unsaturated fats.

Foods with higher proportions of saturated fats include: butter, lard, coconut oil and milk. Foods with higher proportions of unsaturated fats include: olive oil, avocado, sunflower oil and corn.

To read the rest of this article and find out buzzwords like "trans-fat," and "complex carbohydrate" mean, visit The Huffington Post's health and wellness destination site, Healthy Living.

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