PopSugar

Frozen Spinach Does the Body Good

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:30:00 -0800

The canned spinach that made Popeye's muscles go crazy was probably loaded with sodium and ultimately not the best method for eating this super green, leafy veggie. On the other hand, frozen spinach might just be more nutritious than fresh. The nutritional benefits of spinach start to breakdown after the leafy green is picked. In fact, four days in your crisper can reduce the amount of beneficial nutrients health-boosting carotenoids and the folate (a B vitamin) in spinach. Yep, even if you refrigerate this veggie, it can still lose its nutritional value. For this reason it is a great idea to use frozen spinach. It is generally processed immediately after being picked, locking in the nutrients. This is a great option if fresh spinach is scarce or really expensive. Check out this recipe for Tomatoes Stuffed With Spinach and Ham, which conveniently uses frozen spinach!

Fit's Tip: Remember, it is recommend that you eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables daily - fresh or frozen. So if the fresh produce at the grocery looks old and depleted, experiment with using frozen veggies or fruit. Frozen fruit is a great addition to any smoothie.

Is there a frozen veggie or fruit that you use regularly? Share the details in the comment section below.

Source

Southern (Indian) Thanksgiving

Yum Community — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:30:42 -0800

This story was written by member courtneyd and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community.

For a few years now I've wanted to try to marry the traditional Southern Indian food my husband grew up enjoying with Thanksgiving as I know it (Southern girl with a love of spice and heat). So this year I did a trial run of a tandoori-style turkey made in the oven.

By next year I hope to build my own tandoor, or at least grill this guy, because it needs a little more heat to crisp up properly. Even so, the meal turned out great! Tandoori turkey, tamarind gravy, creamed saag, masala mashed potatoes, and Whole Foods' naan, which has a slight dinner roll texture, so it works out perfectly for this blended meal. The tamarind gravy was an original creation (that I cannot believe turned out properly, it was sooooo good), and the other recipes were either inspired by or taken directly from The Food of India from Whitecap Books. I love their "food of" series, and my husband is impressed with the Indian recipes.

For the turkey, I followed the instructions from November's Martha Stewart Living to spatchcock a turkey and cooked according to their instructions after marinating for about 7 hours. Not including the marinade time, this meal came together in about 2 hours on a Friday night. Also, we discovered New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc complements Indian food perfectly.

To get her recipes for this Southern Indian feast, keep reading.

How to Sneak More Veggies Into Your Diet

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:50:29 -0700

Making veggies a big part of your daily diet is a must because they're low in calories, high in fiber, and contain so many beneficial nutrients. Unfortunately, we don't crave broccoli like we do a big bowl of ice cream, so here are some suggestions from FitSugar readers on ways to sneak veggies into your foods without your taste buds knowing.

UrbanBohemian says, "I like to put my own veggies in marinara sauce when I eat pasta. Also, if I have a frozen pizza, I'll do the same for that. I like to put on frozen spinach or some mushrooms."
"Sneak them in sandwiches." - fleurdelispink
"I've added pureed beets and/or spinach to muffin batter or I bet you could to cake batter too - totally unnoticeable. I know someone who added pureed spinach to brownies, same deal." - Anonymous

For more ideas keep reading

Frozen Pizza Breakdown

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:30:00 -0800

I'll admit that when I need a quick meal, a frozen pizza sure comes in handy. It's easy, the kids love it, and many are made with wholesome ingredients, so they're not as bad for you as ordering a pie from your local pizzeria. If you ever wanted to know how all the frozen pizzas at the health-food store compare then check out this chart organized by brand that I made.

1/3 of Pizza	Calories	Saturated Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Kashi Five Cheese Tomato	290	3.5	570	37	4	14
Kashi Mediterranean	290	4	640	37	5	15
Kashi Roasted Garlic Chicken	300	4.5	650	39	4	16
Kashi Thin Crust Roasted Vegetable	250	4	630	28	4	14
Kashi Thin Crust Mushroom Trio & Spinach	250	4.5	660	28	4	14

To see the others how other brands compare, just read more.

1/3 of Pizza	Calories	Saturated Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Frontera Sausage and Roasted Pepper	300	4	580	42	2	15
Frontera Four Cheese	310	5	520	42	3	16
Wolfgang Puck Margherita	330	6	700	36	2	15
Wolfgang Puck Barbecue Chicken	360	6	800	40	2	18
Wolfgang Puck Uncured Pepperoni	360	8	870	32	2	16
Amy's Kitchen Pesto	310	3.5	480	39	2	12
Amy's Kitchen Margherita	250	3.5	550	32	2	11
Amy's Kitchen Cheese	290	5	590	33	2	12
Amy's Kitchen Roasted Vegetable	270	1.5	490	42	2	6
Amy's Kitchen Mushroom and Olive	250	3	560	33	2	10
Amy's Kitchen Veggie Combo	300	3	680	36	1	10
Amy's Kitchen Spinach	310	4	590	39	2	12

As you can see, for the most part, these pizzas are fairly healthy. They contain a good amount of protein, and the Kashi pizzas are also high in fiber. It's the sodium content you have to watch out for, especially because most people eat half the pizza rather than the suggested one-third serving. I'd aim for choosing the ones that contain 700 mg of sodium or less, and five or less grams of saturated fat. Of course, the ones loaded with veggies are probably your best option.

Healthy Eating Tip: Add Veggies to Plain Pizza

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:00:00 -0700

For a quick meal, I like to keep a frozen cheese pizza in the freezer, one made with whole-wheat crust - I like Kashi and Newman's Own the best. It's a little boring as it is, and doesn't contain much fiber or vitamins, so I like to make it a little healthier by adding my own veggies. I chop up some mushrooms, spinach, peppers, carrots, zucchini, broccoli, or whatever I have in the fridge. I sauté them with fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil, spread them on top of the pizza and bake it as usual. Not only is it more flavorful and full of interesting texture, but it's also more filling, so I end up eating fewer slices.

How-To: Orchestrate a Last-Minute Thanksgiving Dinner

YumSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:00:17 -0800

Still deliberating over what to serve for Thanksgiving?

While it's true that there's less than 24 hours until the biggest meal of the year, don't let the timing deter you from preparing a fabulous feast that's still outrageously indulgent. Unless you reveal your secret, your guests won't know the difference between this meal and one that you spent days preparing. To get our top suggestions if you've only got a couple of hours to put everything together, read more.

Skip the tedious roasting and carving. Serve this 60-minute turkey platter instead.
Need a hasty vegetable side? Heat up frozen creamed spinach, plated with a garnish. Creamed spinach is such an all-around favorite dish, we promise it'll be a winner.
While the turkey's cooking, make stuffing squares with saltines and vegetables on hand.
Punch up frozen mashed potatoes by stirring in chicken broth, half a cup of Parmesan cheese, and a teaspoon of truffle oil. Nobody will know you didn't make it from scratch!
Store-bought, whole-berry cranberry sauce does double duty as a both a condiment as well as a sweet and tart topping for pound cake.
Pour a cocktail made of ingredients you likely have on hand, such as this cranberry mimosa, which simply calls for cranberry juice, orange juice, and sparkling wine.
Still scrambling to get everything together? Employ your guests to help out in the kitchen.

Source

Healthy Eating Tip: Eat Five Colors a Day

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0700

We are more than halfway through March, which is also National Nutrition Month, so hopefully, you all are working hard to eat at least five servings of fruits and veggies daily. Well, I am going to up the ante: Try to eat five different colors fruits and veggies daily.

It is important to eat a rainbow since disease fighting antioxidants also give foods their color. The wider color palate you eat the wider the spectrum of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals you will be eating. Yep, downing just goji berries or drinking pomegranate juice is really not enough to be considered healthy eating.

To see how I have worked five colors into my meals, read more.

Breakfast: Blue - I throw a half of cup of frozen blueberries onto my morning oatmeal, and while the oatmeal cools the berries thaw.
Snack: Yellow - I like a little tropical fruit salad to get me through until lunch and mix sliced banana with sliced mango.
Lunch: Green - Spinach and arugula salad surely covers me for green.
Dinner: Orange - Roasted yams certainly cover the color orange.
Dessert: Red - Strawberries are at the beginning of their season and sliced or whole they make a wonderful dessert.

It is super easy to add a variety of color to your daily diet, but might require a little planning ahead and thinking back. You can substitute purple cabbage for green, red pepper for green, broccoli for cauliflower, yams for regular spuds . . . you get the point. Tell me below how you work color into your daily diet?

Source

Organic Frozen Veggie Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Since Winter is in full force, getting fresh produce can not only be tough, but even if you can find it, it's usually pretty pricey. That combined with the bad economy makes frozen veggies a great option. You can use them in soups, pasta dishes, for pizza toppings, or in stir-fries. It is nice to always have some veggies on hand to make sure you're eating your five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Here's the nutritional breakdown of Cascadian Farm Organic veggies that you can find in the freezer section.

Veggie	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
2/3 cup Asparagus Cuts	20	0	85	3	less than 1	2	2
2/3 cup Garden Peas	70	0	95	12	4	4	4
2/3 cup Sweet Peas	70	0	95	12	4	4	4
3/4 cup Sugar Snap Peas	35	0	140	6	2	3	2

To see the rest, read more.

Serving Size = 8 ounces (about two servings per container)	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
2/3 cup Broccoli Cuts	25	0	20	4	2	2	2
2/3 cup Broccoli Florets	25	0	20	4	2	2	2
3/4 cup Green Beans	30	0	0	6	2	2	1
1 cup Whole Green Beans	25	0	95	5	2	2	1
3/4 cup Sweet Corn	90	1	0	19	2	4	3
3/4 cup Super Sweet Corn	70	1	90	16	2	7	2
3/4 cup Peas and Pearl Onions	60	0	160	11	3	5	4
2/3 cup Peas and Carrots	50	0	75	10	3	4	2
2/3 cup Mixed Vegetable (corn, peas, and carrots)	60	0	20	12	2	4	2
3/4 cup Gardener's Blend (corn, peas, green beans, and carrots)	60	0	35	12	2	4	2
2/3 cup California-Style Blend (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and zucchini)	25	0	25	5	2	2	1
1 cup Chinese-Style Stir-fry Blend (green beans, broccoli, carrots, red pepper, onions, and mushrooms)	25	0	15	5	2	2	1
3/4 cup Thai-Style Stir-fry Blend (green beans, broccoli, carrots, bean sprouts and onions)	25	0	15	5	2	2	1
1/3 cup Spinach	20	0	130	3	3	0	2
3/4 cup Country Style Potatoes (potatoes, onions, red pepper, and green pepper)	50	0	10	12	1	0	1
2/3 cup Edamame	120	5	10	9	3	2	10
2/3 cup Shelled Edamame	120	5	10	9	3	2	10

What Would You Make?

partysugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:03:31 -0800

Here's the scenario: you are at home and hungry for food. You have to cook up something scrumptious for you and your boyfriend/girlfriend/ spouse/child/friend, but the ingredients you have on hand are limited.

You have cooked ham, a package of frozen pre-made dough, and fresh spinach. Using these products, along with whatever you currently have on hand in your cupboard and refrigerator, what would you make?

To see what I would make, read more.

I would start by sautéing a chopped onion and garlic in olive oil.
Next I would chop the spinach and wilt it into the onions and garlic.
I would grate up whatever cheese I have in my fridge and dice the ham.
I would fold the cheese and ham into the onion, spinach mixture.
I would roll the dough out until it is 1/4 inch thick and then cut out little circles with a 3-inch diameter cookie cutter.
In the center of each dough circle, I would mound a heaping tablespoon of the spinach ham mixture.
Next I would fold over the dough and pinch to close, forming empanadas. I would brush the outside of the dough with an egg wash and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the empanadas are golden brown.
Finally, I would serve them warm with a cold beer.

Source and Source

Gout

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:35:15 -0700

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when too much uric acid builds up in the body, causing crystals to form in joints, and joints to become inflamed. It can be hereditary or the result of another condition. Gout usually affects men over 40 with a family history of gout, but it can occur at any time and also affects women, especially after menopause. Excessive intake of food and alcohol, surgery, infection, physical or emotional stress, or the use of certain drugs can lead to the development of gout symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms

Extreme pain in a single joint, usually the base of the big toe; it can also affect other joints (such as the feet, fingers, wrists, elbows, knees, or ankles).
Joint is shiny red-purple, swollen, hot, and stiff.
Fever as high as 39°C (102.2°F) with or without chills.
Symptoms can develop very quickly, with the first episode often occurring at night, then go away after 5 - 10 days only to come back later.
In later attacks, you may see lumps (called tophi) just under the skin in the outer ear, hands, feet, elbow, or knee.

What Causes It?

The body produces too much uric acid, doesn't excrete enough uric acid, or both, so that the acid accumulates in tissues in the form of needle-like crystals that cause pain. Gout generally occurs because of a predisposition to the condition, but it can result from blood disorders or cancers, such as leukemia, or the use of certain drugs. Risk factors include:

Family history of gout
High levels of triglycerides
Drinking too much alcohol
Eating foods rich in purines, such as meat, shellfish, and sweetbreads. Uric acid is formed when purines break down.

What to Expect at Your Provider's Office

Your health care provider will examine the affected joint, evaluate your pain, and may ask if there is any history of gout in your family. Your health care provider may take a sample of fluid from the affected joint, draw blood for a blood test, or take x-rays to rule out other possibilities.

Treatment Options

Your health care provider may give you ibuprofen or another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to help with the pain and swelling. You must avoid alcohol and foods that trigger your attacks. Besides NSAIDs, you may recieve other drugs. Colchicine can help treat an acute attack and prevent future attacks but has serious side effects. Probenecid (Benemid), allopurinol (Zyloprim), and sulfinpyrazone (Anturane) also help prevent future attacks. These drugs help control gout but do not cure it.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies

A combination of therapies can be very effective at decreasing both the length and frequency of attacks.

Nutrition and Supplements

These nutritional tips may help reduce symptoms:

Eliminate potential food allergens, including dairy, wheat (gluten), corn, preservatives, and food additives. Your healthcare provider may test for food sensitivities.
Eat antioxidant foods, including fruits (such as blueberries, cherries, and tomatoes), and vegetables (such as squash and bell peppers). One half pound of cherries per day (fresh or frozen) for 2 weeks lowers uric acid and prevents attacks. Cherry juice (8 - 16 oz. per day) is also helpful.
Eat more high fiber foods, including beans, oats, root vegetables (such as potatoes and yams), and psyllium seed.
Avoid refined foods, such as white breads, pastas, and sugar.
Eat fewer red meats and more lean meats, cold-water fish, tofu (soy, if no allergy) or beans for protein.
Cut down on oxalate-containing foods, such as spinach, rhubarb, beets, nuts, chocolate, black tea, wheat bran, strawberries, and beans.
Include foods rich in magnesium and low in calcium, such as barley, bran, corn, rye, oats, soy, brown rice, avocado, banana, and potato.
Restrict purines in your diet. Foods with a high purine content include beef, goose, organ meats, sweetbreads, mussels, anchovies, herring, mackerel, and yeast. Foods with a moderate amount of purines include meats, poultry, fish, and shellfish not listed above. Spinach, asparagus, beans, lentils, mushrooms, and dried peas also contain moderate amounts of purines.
Use healthy cooking oils, such as olive oil or vegetable oil.
Reduce or eliminate trans-fatty acids, found in commercially baked goods such as cookies, crackers, cakes, French fries, onion rings, donuts, processed foods, and margarine.
Avoid coffee and other stimulants, alcohol, and tobacco.
Drink six to eight glasses of filtered water daily to help flush uric acid from the body. Dehydration often triggers a gout attack.
Exercise at least 30 minutes daily, 5 days a week.

You may address nutritional deficiencies with the following supplements:

A multivitamin daily, containing the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, the B-complex vitamins, and trace minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc and selenium.
Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, 1- 2 capsules or 1 tablespoons of oil daily, to help decrease inflammation and help in general health. Cold-water fish, such as salmon or halibut, are good sources. Talk to your health care provider before taking omega-3 supplements if you are taking blood thinning medications, such as aspirin or warfarin (Coumadin).
IP-6 (inositol hexophosphonate), 1 - 8 grams daily on an empty stomach, for kidney health. Check with your alternative healthc are provider for proper dosing.
N-acetyl cysteine, 200 mg daily, for antioxidant effects.
Vitamin C, 500 - 1,000 mg daily, as an antioxidant.
Acidophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilus), 5 - 10 billion CFUs (colony forming units), when needed for maintenance of gastrointestinal and immune health. Some acidophilus products may need refrigeration. Check the labels carefully.
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), 3,000 mg twice a day, to help decrease inflammation.
Avoid taking extra niacin and vitamin A. Both may play a role in some attacks of gout.

Herbs

Herbs are generally a safe way to strengthen and tone the body's systems. As with any therapy, you should work with your health care provider to get your problem diagnosed before starting any treatment. You may use herbs as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated, you should make teas with 1 tsp. herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 - 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 - 20 minutes for roots. Drink two to four cups per day. You may use tinctures alone or in combination as noted.

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) standardized extract, 300 - 400 mg daily, for kidney health. You may also take 8-16 ounces of unsweetened cranberry juice daily.
Green tea (Camelia sinensis) standardized extract, 250 - 500 mg daily, for antioxidant and immune effects. Use caffeine-free products. You may also prepare teas from the leaf of this herb.
Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), standardized extract, 750 mg three times daily, for pain and inflammation.
Cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) standardized extract, 20 mg three times a day, for inflammation, immune, and antibacterial/antifungal activity.
Bromelain (Ananus comosus) standardized extract, 40 mg three times daily, for pain and inflammation.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa ) standardized extract, 300 mg three times a day, for inflammation.

Homeopathy

Although few studies have examined the effectiveness of specific homeopathic therapies, professional homeopaths may consider the following remedies for the treatment of gastritis symptoms (such as nausea and vomiting) based on their knowledge and experience. Before prescribing a remedy, homeopaths take into account your constitutional type -- your physical, emotional, and psychological makeup. An experienced homeopath assesses all of these factors when determining the most appropriate treatment for you individually.

Some of the most common remedies used for gout are listed below. A common dose is three to five pellets of a 12X to 30C remedy every 1 - 4 hours until your symptoms improve.

Aconite for sudden onset of burning pain, anxiety, restlessness, and attacks that come after a shock or injury. Also take if your joints are swollen and painful.
Belladonna for intense pain that may be throbbing, if pain is made worse by any motion and better by pressure, or if the joint is very hot.
Berberis vulgaris for spasms of pain in joints or twinges made worse by walking. There may be back pain and a tendency to develop kidney stones.
Bryonia for pain made much worse by any kind of motion, or if pain is better with pressure and with heat.
Colchicum for pains made worse by motion and changes of weather, especially if there is any nausea associated with the attacks.
Ledum when joints become mottled, purple, and swollen, or if the pain is much better with cold applications and is worse when overheated.
Rhus toxicodendron for stiff, swollen joints that are hot and painful, or if the pain is worse with cold applications and better with heat.

Physical Medicine

Hot and cold compresses -- Alternating hot compress for 3 minutes with a cold one for 30 seconds provides pain relief and increases circulation.
Nettle tea compress, applied externally. Use 1 - 2 tsp. per cup of hot water.

Following Up

If you have had several attacks and the joint is damaged, your health care provider may refer you to an orthopedic specialist.

Special Considerations

People who have had gout have an increased risk of developing kidney stones, high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, high levels of triglycerides, and atherosclerosis.

Supporting Research

Choi HK, Curhan G. Soft drinks, fructose consumption, and the risk of gout in men: prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2008; [Epub ahead of print].

Choi HK. Diet, alcohol, and gout: how do we advise patients given recent developments? Curr RheumatolRep. 2005;7(3):220-6.

Eggebeen AT. Gout: an update. Am Fam Physician. 2007;76(6):801-8. Review.

Falasca GF. Metabolic diseases: gout. Clin Dermatol. 2006;24(6):498-508.

Gagnier JJ, Chrubasik S, Manheimer E. Harpgophytum procumbens for osteoarthritis and low back pain: a systematic review. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2004 Sep 15;4:13.

Lee SJ, Terkeltaub RA, Kavanaugh A. Recent developments in diet and gout. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2006;18(2):193-8.

Li EK. Gout: a review of its aetiology and treatment. Hong Kong Med J. 2004;10(4):261-70.

Pascual E, Sivera F. Therapeutic advances in gout. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2007;19(2):122-7.

Saag KG, Choi H. Epidemiology, risk factors, and lifestyle modifications for gout. ArthritisRes Ther. 2006;8 Suppl 1:S2.

Schumacher HR Jr, Chen LX. Newer therapeutic approaches: gout. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2006;32(1):235-44, xii. Review.

Wegener T, Lupke NP. Treatment of patients with arthrosis of hip or knee with an aqueous extract of devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens DC.). Phytother Res 2003;17(10):1165-1172.

Review Date:
2/12/2008
Reviewed By:
Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD, private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by Ernest B. Hawkins, MS, BSPharm, RPh, Health Education Resources.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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