From the Ball Blue Book Guide to Home Canning comes the following wonderful recipe.
Equipment:
Food Processor or very sharp knife and cutting board
large stock pot
large bowl
4 half pint canning jars or 2 pints
canner-either water bath or steam canner
Ingredients:
2 Cups finely diced zucchini
(about 3 medium sized ones)
1 Cup finely diced onion
(about 1 medium onion)
1/2 Cup finely diced sweet green pepper
(about 1 small pepper)
1/2 Cup finely diced sweet red pepper
(about 1 small pepper)
2 Tablespoons salt
1 3/4 Cups sugar
1 Cup Cider Vinegar
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
Instructions:
1. Using the food processor or chopping by hand, cut up all the vegetables. It should look like confetti. Be sure not to puree the vegetables.
2. Combine zucchini, onion, green and red peppers; sprinkle with salt; cover with cold water.
3. Let stand for 2 hours.
4. Drain, rinse and drain thoroughly.
5. Combine remaining ingredients in pot and bring to a boil. Make sure the sugar dissolves completely
6. Add vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Pack hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
8. Put lids and rings on.
9. Process for 10 minutes in steam or water bath canner.
This relish is better if you let it sit on the shelf for a few weeks and really soak in the flavors. Pickles are generally best when they have been allowed to sit and cure for several months.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Potato Salad
This potato salad recipe is very easy and yummy. You can incorporate variations too if you like a sweet or savory potato salad.
Equipment:
6-8 quart stock pot
Small Sauce Pot with lid
Rubber Bowl Scraper
Large Serving Bowl and small mixing bowl
Ingredients:
3 large baking potatoes or 6 medium-yukon gold or russet are good
1/2 Cup to 3/4 Cup Mayonnaise http://expandingfrosting.blogspot.com/2010/05/mayonnaise.html
5 Eggs Hard boiled-instructions below
1 T minced fresh onion or chives
1 T Dijon Mustard
1/4 to 1/2 Cup sweet or dill relish-I use my homemade sweet zucchini relish and it has some red pepper in it which imparts an amazing flavor. http://expandingfrosting.blogspot.com/2010/07/sweet-zucchini-relish.html
1 T White Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Paprika
Instructions:
Cooking Potatoes
1. Peel potatoes and cut into bite size pieces, about 1 inch cubes.
2. Place in stock pot and cover with water.
3. Boil until potatoes are fork tender but still firm, about 15-20 minutes. You don't want them falling apart or they will turn into mashed potatoes. Pull one out of the pot and taste it to see if it is cook through but still firm.
Making hard boiled eggs
1. While the potatoes are cooking place the 5 eggs into the sauce pot and cover with water with the lid on.
2. Put on the burner on high and let the water come to a boil.
3. When the water starts vigorously boiling, then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes with the lid on the pot.
This is the best way to make hard boiled eggs. The yolks come out cooked bright yellow and soft and creamy every time rather than really hard and rubbery with that weird gray/green hue.
Assembling the salad
1. Drain the water off the potatoes and put in the serving bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool for about 30 minutes.
2. Drain the water off the eggs and run it under cool water so you can peel them without getting burned.
3. Peel the eggs and then dry them with a paper towel.
4. Slice the eggs in half length wise and scoop the creamy yolks out into a small bowl-Set aside.
5. If the potatoes are cool enough, remove them from the refrigerator to build the salad. Make sure the potatoes are relatively cool before adding all of the other ingredients.
6. Slice the egg whites into 1 centimeter cubes and put in with the potatoes.
7. Dice the onion very finely-almost to a mince and add to the potatoes.
8. Add a 1/4 cup of the relish you like.
9. Salt and pepper the potatoes and gently toss-set aside.
10. To the cooked yolks add a 1/2 cup mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar.
11. With a fork, mash the yolks into the other ingredients together until it forms a nice dressing. There will still be chunks of yolk but try to get them as small as you can. You can also process this in a small food processor for a creamier texture.
12. Add the yolk mixture to the potato mixture and gently combine making sure you coat all of the potatoes with the dressing.
13. Taste it!
14. If you like the taste, leave it alone. Otherwise, add more of the relish or the mayo to achieve desired consistency and flavor. Add only a tablespoon at at time and then taste again. It is easy to get carried away and overwhelm the other flavors in the salad. Also, add more salt and pepper if needed.
Once you have arrived at perfection, sprinkle the top of the potatoes with paprika.
15. Eat right away or put in the refrigerator for later. Before serving, give it a quick toss to redistribute the dressing. Chilled potato salad is the best!
Equipment:
6-8 quart stock pot
Small Sauce Pot with lid
Rubber Bowl Scraper
Large Serving Bowl and small mixing bowl
Ingredients:
3 large baking potatoes or 6 medium-yukon gold or russet are good
1/2 Cup to 3/4 Cup Mayonnaise http://expandingfrosting.blogspot.com/2010/05/mayonnaise.html
5 Eggs Hard boiled-instructions below
1 T minced fresh onion or chives
1 T Dijon Mustard
1/4 to 1/2 Cup sweet or dill relish-I use my homemade sweet zucchini relish and it has some red pepper in it which imparts an amazing flavor. http://expandingfrosting.blogspot.com/2010/07/sweet-zucchini-relish.html
1 T White Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Paprika
Instructions:
Cooking Potatoes
1. Peel potatoes and cut into bite size pieces, about 1 inch cubes.
2. Place in stock pot and cover with water.
3. Boil until potatoes are fork tender but still firm, about 15-20 minutes. You don't want them falling apart or they will turn into mashed potatoes. Pull one out of the pot and taste it to see if it is cook through but still firm.
Making hard boiled eggs
1. While the potatoes are cooking place the 5 eggs into the sauce pot and cover with water with the lid on.
2. Put on the burner on high and let the water come to a boil.
3. When the water starts vigorously boiling, then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes with the lid on the pot.
This is the best way to make hard boiled eggs. The yolks come out cooked bright yellow and soft and creamy every time rather than really hard and rubbery with that weird gray/green hue.
Assembling the salad
1. Drain the water off the potatoes and put in the serving bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool for about 30 minutes.
2. Drain the water off the eggs and run it under cool water so you can peel them without getting burned.
3. Peel the eggs and then dry them with a paper towel.
4. Slice the eggs in half length wise and scoop the creamy yolks out into a small bowl-Set aside.
5. If the potatoes are cool enough, remove them from the refrigerator to build the salad. Make sure the potatoes are relatively cool before adding all of the other ingredients.
6. Slice the egg whites into 1 centimeter cubes and put in with the potatoes.
7. Dice the onion very finely-almost to a mince and add to the potatoes.
8. Add a 1/4 cup of the relish you like.
9. Salt and pepper the potatoes and gently toss-set aside.
10. To the cooked yolks add a 1/2 cup mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar.
11. With a fork, mash the yolks into the other ingredients together until it forms a nice dressing. There will still be chunks of yolk but try to get them as small as you can. You can also process this in a small food processor for a creamier texture.
12. Add the yolk mixture to the potato mixture and gently combine making sure you coat all of the potatoes with the dressing.
13. Taste it!
14. If you like the taste, leave it alone. Otherwise, add more of the relish or the mayo to achieve desired consistency and flavor. Add only a tablespoon at at time and then taste again. It is easy to get carried away and overwhelm the other flavors in the salad. Also, add more salt and pepper if needed.
Once you have arrived at perfection, sprinkle the top of the potatoes with paprika.
15. Eat right away or put in the refrigerator for later. Before serving, give it a quick toss to redistribute the dressing. Chilled potato salad is the best!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Garden Surplus for Shannon
I am currently working on a fundraiser for a girl in our neighborhood named Shannon. She has leukemia and recently underwent her second bone marrow transplant. Thankfully she is doing well. She has been responding well to the current course of treatment and we pray and hope for her recovery.
Cancer treatment does not come cheap. Her family has been helping Shannon fight this disease for many years now. Their medical bills are daunting and I wanted to find a way to help alleviate this burden so they can focus on helping Shannon heal.
I have combined forces with some other people in my neighborhood to sponsor "Garden Surplus for Shannon". We have solicited members of the community to see if they would be willing to donate surplus produce from their gardens. The produce will then be sold at the local farmer's market each Saturday through the end of September.
We at Garden Surplus for Shannon are asking you to help support our efforts in several ways. You can donate your garden surplus, you can come and shop the farmer's market and buy the produce, or you can simply donate any amount of money you see fit at this site. Next to this post is a donate button that will take you to a paypal account set up to receive donations on behalf of Shannon.
Please help us help this family with their medical bills so they can focus on Shannon getting better.
Cancer treatment does not come cheap. Her family has been helping Shannon fight this disease for many years now. Their medical bills are daunting and I wanted to find a way to help alleviate this burden so they can focus on helping Shannon heal.
I have combined forces with some other people in my neighborhood to sponsor "Garden Surplus for Shannon". We have solicited members of the community to see if they would be willing to donate surplus produce from their gardens. The produce will then be sold at the local farmer's market each Saturday through the end of September.
We at Garden Surplus for Shannon are asking you to help support our efforts in several ways. You can donate your garden surplus, you can come and shop the farmer's market and buy the produce, or you can simply donate any amount of money you see fit at this site. Next to this post is a donate button that will take you to a paypal account set up to receive donations on behalf of Shannon.
Please help us help this family with their medical bills so they can focus on Shannon getting better.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
6 Natural Remedies to Relieve Headaches
Thursday, July 22, 2010 8:03
By Sylvia Booth Hubbard
Millions of Americans suffer from headaches — almost everyone has an occasional headache, but for 45 million of us, it's a chronic problem. Scores of prescription and over-the-counter drugs are available, but there are also effective, natural ways to relieve the symptoms.
1. Willow bark
Willow bark has been used for thousands of years to ease headaches. It contains salicin, a chemical used to develop aspirin. A study at the University of Maryland found it reduces inflammation as well as relieves pain, and other studies have found that it is as effective as aspirin. Researchers in Germany have likewise found that it is as effective as acetaminophen in easing headache pain. Willow bark can be bought in capsules or as a tea.
2. Feverfew
Feverfew has been used for hundreds of years to treat headaches, especially bad ones. A British placebo-controlled study published in the Lancet found that one capsule of powdered freeze-dried feverfew daily eliminated the symptoms of migraine headaches in 24 percent of patients and reduced the symptoms in other patients. In another study, 70 percent of the patients taking feverfew reported the herb reduced the number and intensity of their headaches.
3. Peppermint
One study found that peppermint oil applied to the temples, jaw, and back of neck relieves headaches. Mix peppermint essential oil with equal parts of olive oil. In addition, breathing in the soothing aroma of peppermint tea can ease symptoms, especially if your headache is caused by sinus pressure. A placebo-controlled study published in February found that migraine patients who used oil of peppermint and menthol applied topically had less pain or were pain free more often than those who were given a placebo.
4. Butterbur extract
A double-blind study published in Neurology found that migraine patients who took 150 mg of butterbur daily reported a 48 percent drop in migraines, and those taking 100 mg of the herb experienced 26 percent fewer migraines than the placebo group. Another double-blind study found that patients who took 50 mg of butterbur twice daily had a 50 percent reduction in migraines over those taking placebo.
5. Ginkgo
Several French studies have found ginkgo to be effective in reducing both migraine and cluster headaches. In one, ginkgo reduced headaches in 80 percent of migraine sufferers; the researchers concluded that ginkgo should be one of the most effective remedies for migraine.
6. Acupressure
This ancient Chinese remedy has been used for years to ease pain and promote healing. Try this technique: Locate the two indentations on either side at the base of your skull (about two inches from the middle) with your thumbs. Press your thumbs in and slightly upwards until you feel a comfortable pain, and knead the areas in a tiny circular movement for one to two minutes.
By Sylvia Booth Hubbard
Millions of Americans suffer from headaches — almost everyone has an occasional headache, but for 45 million of us, it's a chronic problem. Scores of prescription and over-the-counter drugs are available, but there are also effective, natural ways to relieve the symptoms.
1. Willow bark
Willow bark has been used for thousands of years to ease headaches. It contains salicin, a chemical used to develop aspirin. A study at the University of Maryland found it reduces inflammation as well as relieves pain, and other studies have found that it is as effective as aspirin. Researchers in Germany have likewise found that it is as effective as acetaminophen in easing headache pain. Willow bark can be bought in capsules or as a tea.
2. Feverfew
Feverfew has been used for hundreds of years to treat headaches, especially bad ones. A British placebo-controlled study published in the Lancet found that one capsule of powdered freeze-dried feverfew daily eliminated the symptoms of migraine headaches in 24 percent of patients and reduced the symptoms in other patients. In another study, 70 percent of the patients taking feverfew reported the herb reduced the number and intensity of their headaches.
3. Peppermint
One study found that peppermint oil applied to the temples, jaw, and back of neck relieves headaches. Mix peppermint essential oil with equal parts of olive oil. In addition, breathing in the soothing aroma of peppermint tea can ease symptoms, especially if your headache is caused by sinus pressure. A placebo-controlled study published in February found that migraine patients who used oil of peppermint and menthol applied topically had less pain or were pain free more often than those who were given a placebo.
4. Butterbur extract
A double-blind study published in Neurology found that migraine patients who took 150 mg of butterbur daily reported a 48 percent drop in migraines, and those taking 100 mg of the herb experienced 26 percent fewer migraines than the placebo group. Another double-blind study found that patients who took 50 mg of butterbur twice daily had a 50 percent reduction in migraines over those taking placebo.
5. Ginkgo
Several French studies have found ginkgo to be effective in reducing both migraine and cluster headaches. In one, ginkgo reduced headaches in 80 percent of migraine sufferers; the researchers concluded that ginkgo should be one of the most effective remedies for migraine.
6. Acupressure
This ancient Chinese remedy has been used for years to ease pain and promote healing. Try this technique: Locate the two indentations on either side at the base of your skull (about two inches from the middle) with your thumbs. Press your thumbs in and slightly upwards until you feel a comfortable pain, and knead the areas in a tiny circular movement for one to two minutes.
Boost Your Health 8 Ways With Fiber
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
By Robin Berkowitz
Fiber does a lot more than just ensure bowel regularity — it has positive effects on the rest of the body, and the mind as well.
Found in plant foods, fiber passes through the gastrointestinal tract largely undigested. The complex carbohydrate comes in two varieties, soluble (which partially dissolves in water) and insoluble, often found in the same foods. While it may seem odd to attribute health benefits to a carb you can’t absorb, fiber boasts anti-inflammatory properties that can boost immune responses, besides playing several important roles in the digestive and cardiovascular systems.
Researchers are cautious about ascribing some study results to fiber alone, since foods rich in fiber — whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds — are also sources of so many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are critical to good health. Because of this synergy, the American Dietetic Association recommends that we seek our daily allowance of fiber — 20 to 35 grams — from foods as much as possible before turning to supplements.
Here are eight ways fiber contributes to your well-being and some tips to get more fiber in your diet.
1. Cholesterol/Heart disease
Soluble fiber helps lower total blood cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels, along with triglycerides. It binds with bile acids, which are responsible for breaking down fats, in the intestinal tract, allowing them to be excreted. The body replaces lost bile acids by synthesizing them from blood cholesterol, reducing levels in the bloodstream.
Cholesterol is a factor in atherosclerosis, the accumulation of plaque that causes the coronary arteries to harden and narrow, increasing blood pressure and the risk of heart attack from total blockage. A Harvard study of more than 40,000 male health professionals linked a high total dietary fiber intake to a 40 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease, compared to a low fiber intake; findings were similar in a study of female nurses. The Food and Drug Administration allows producers of foods that contain specified amounts of soluble fiber from oats, barley, and psyllium husk to claim that eating them may reduce the risk of heart
disease.
2. Diabetes
Fiber intake appears to stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin demand by various mechanisms, including slowing absorption of nutrients during digestion. In clinical studies, diets high in fiber are associated with a reduced incidence of Type 2 diabetes — the most common form of the disease, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin, the hormone that signals tissues to take glucose from the bloodstream. Eventually this can lead overstimulated insulin-producing cells to cease functioning. But even insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetes responds to fiber: The journal Diabetologia reported a study in which Type 1 diabetes patients who ate 50 grams of fiber a day for 24 weeks significantly improved glycemic control.
3. Brain power
Because the brain runs on glucose, keeping blood sugar levels constant enhances mental acuity and alertness. Fiber-rich foods tend to be low on the glycemic index — that is, they raise blood sugar levels gradually as food is digested, unlike high-glycemic-index foods, which cause spikes and subsequent drops. A study at Cardiff University in Wales, reported by BBC News, found a 10 percent reduction in fatigue, lower depression scores, and better cognitive powers among participants whose breakfasts included a high-fiber cereal. A Tufts University study found that children who ate oatmeal for breakfast scored better on tests of cognitive
performance than those who ate processed cereal (or no breakfast at all). One of the study’s co-authors, Quaker Oats nutrition research director Priscilla Samuels, credited “oatmeal’s whole grain, high fiber, and protein attributes.”
4. Bowel health
Fiber has long been heralded as a cure for constipation. Also known as roughage or bulk, fiber adds volume and softness to stools, making peristaltic contraction of the colon more productive in moving the solid matter along. Soluble fiber acquires a gelatinous texture in the intestine when combined with water; insoluble fiber remains intact as it soaks up water and expands. Because of its solidifying and water-absorbing actions, fiber can also relieve certain types of diarrhea.
Fiber also protects against the development of hemorrhoids and diverticula — pouches in the colon wall that can become inflamed or infected, leading to painful diverticulitis. Nearly half of all Americans over age 60 have diverticula, a condition more common with age; 10 to 25 percent of them will develop diverticulitis, according to the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. The Harvard School of Public Health cites a study showing that dietary fiber was associated with about a 40 percent lower risk of diverticular disease, and fiber is also used to treat its symptoms. Numerous studies link fiber with alleviating other inflammatory diseases of the bowel, such as colitis.
5. Cancer
An analysis of 13 studies, reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found “substantive evidence that intake of fiber-rich foods is inversely related to risk of cancers of both the colon and rectum.” The authors estimate that the risk of colorectal cancer in the United States could be cut by 31 percent with a 13-gram-per-day hike in fiber from food sources (an average increase of about 70 percent). Preliminary clinical evidence also suggests that a diet high in fiber (combined with lifestyle changes and conventional medication) may help protect against other types of cancer such as prostate, breast, and lining of the uterus, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
6. Weight control
“A fiber-rich meal is processed more slowly, which promotes earlier satiety, and is frequently less calorically dense and lower in fat and added sugars,” says the American Dietetic Association — all characteristics of a dietary pattern to treat or prevent obesity. To put it another way, because fiber-rich foods frequently have more volume (and nutrients) relative to their calories, it takes longer to eat and digest them; you feel full sooner and stay full longer. Fiber’s normalizing action on blood glucose and insulin levels may also help dieters curb the cravings and energy crashes that fuel overeating.
7. Lung disease
High fiber intake, especially from whole grains, is associated with a lower risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an umbrella that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The findings come from a study of more than 100,000 U.S adults followed for 16 years; when researchers factored in smoking and other lifestyle data, the group that consumed the most dietary fiber — 28 grams per day — had a one-third lower risk of COPD than those with the least fiber. The report in the American Journal of Epidemiology noted the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of fiber could affect the development of chronic lung disease.
8. Immune response
The interaction of certain kinds of friendly intestinal bacteria with fiber gives rise to compounds called short-chain fatty acids, which have a beneficial effect on the immune system and its ability to reduce inflammation. “If we have low amounts of dietary fiber, then we’re going to have low levels of short-chain fatty acids, which we have demonstrated are very important in the immune systems of mice,” says Kendle Maslowski, co-author of a study by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia. The authors suggest that this mechanism may have implications not just for digestion-linked diseases such as diabetes and colitis, but for inflammatory ailments elsewhere in the body, such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
Fiber-full foods
Adding legumes to your plate is a very effective method of boosting fiber, according to the Mayo Clinic — consider split peas (16.3 grams per cup, cooked), lentils (15.6 grams), black beans (15 grams), lima beans (13.2 grams), or baked beans (10.4). A single artichoke has 10.3 grams of fiber; if you’re eating vegetables by the cup, peas boast 8.8 grams of fiber, broccoli has 5.1 grams, turnip greens have 5 grams, corn has 4.2 grams, and brussels sprouts have 4.1.
Among fruits, raspberries reign, with 8 grams of fiber per cup. A medium pear (with skin) has 5.5 grams; an apple (with skin) has 4.4. Bananas and oranges have 3.1 grams each; a 1.25-cup serving of strawberries has 3.8. In the grain/cereal group, look for whole-wheat spaghetti, with 6.2 grams of fiber per cup, cooked; pearled barley, with 6 grams, ditto; 5.3 grams in three-quarters of a cup of bran flakes; 4 grams in a cup of oatmeal; 3.5 grams in three cups of air-popped popcorn or a cup of brown rice. Whole-wheat, multigrain, or rye breads contain 1.9 grams per slice. In the nuts and seeds category, a quarter-cup of sunflower kernels contains 3.9 grams, and one-ounce servings of almonds, pistachios, and pecans have 3.5, 2.9, and 2.7 grams, respectively.
Diet strategies
Swap whole-grain products for refined ones whenever you can; processing removes the germ and bran portion of the grain, where most of the fiber resides, leaving only the endosperm, says the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Look for breads, cereals, baked goods, and pasta that contain substantial proportions of whole wheat or whole grain; if you do your own baking, experiment with replacing some of the white flour with rye flour, oatmeal, oat bran, or wheat.
Substitute brown rice for white rice. Try an orange instead of juice for breakfast, or slice fruit into your (whole-grain) cereal. Add wheat germ or bran to cereal; add beans to soups, salads, and stews. Choose fresh fruit instead of a sugary dessert, and keep bite-sized vegetables or whole-wheat crackers handy for snacking. Don’t do it all at once, though: Increase your fiber intake gradually to allow your body to adjust, and drink plenty of water (at least 8 cups daily).
© 2010 Newsmax. All rights reserved
By Robin Berkowitz
Fiber does a lot more than just ensure bowel regularity — it has positive effects on the rest of the body, and the mind as well.
Found in plant foods, fiber passes through the gastrointestinal tract largely undigested. The complex carbohydrate comes in two varieties, soluble (which partially dissolves in water) and insoluble, often found in the same foods. While it may seem odd to attribute health benefits to a carb you can’t absorb, fiber boasts anti-inflammatory properties that can boost immune responses, besides playing several important roles in the digestive and cardiovascular systems.
Researchers are cautious about ascribing some study results to fiber alone, since foods rich in fiber — whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds — are also sources of so many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are critical to good health. Because of this synergy, the American Dietetic Association recommends that we seek our daily allowance of fiber — 20 to 35 grams — from foods as much as possible before turning to supplements.
Here are eight ways fiber contributes to your well-being and some tips to get more fiber in your diet.
1. Cholesterol/Heart disease
Soluble fiber helps lower total blood cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels, along with triglycerides. It binds with bile acids, which are responsible for breaking down fats, in the intestinal tract, allowing them to be excreted. The body replaces lost bile acids by synthesizing them from blood cholesterol, reducing levels in the bloodstream.
Cholesterol is a factor in atherosclerosis, the accumulation of plaque that causes the coronary arteries to harden and narrow, increasing blood pressure and the risk of heart attack from total blockage. A Harvard study of more than 40,000 male health professionals linked a high total dietary fiber intake to a 40 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease, compared to a low fiber intake; findings were similar in a study of female nurses. The Food and Drug Administration allows producers of foods that contain specified amounts of soluble fiber from oats, barley, and psyllium husk to claim that eating them may reduce the risk of heart
disease.
2. Diabetes
Fiber intake appears to stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin demand by various mechanisms, including slowing absorption of nutrients during digestion. In clinical studies, diets high in fiber are associated with a reduced incidence of Type 2 diabetes — the most common form of the disease, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin, the hormone that signals tissues to take glucose from the bloodstream. Eventually this can lead overstimulated insulin-producing cells to cease functioning. But even insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetes responds to fiber: The journal Diabetologia reported a study in which Type 1 diabetes patients who ate 50 grams of fiber a day for 24 weeks significantly improved glycemic control.
3. Brain power
Because the brain runs on glucose, keeping blood sugar levels constant enhances mental acuity and alertness. Fiber-rich foods tend to be low on the glycemic index — that is, they raise blood sugar levels gradually as food is digested, unlike high-glycemic-index foods, which cause spikes and subsequent drops. A study at Cardiff University in Wales, reported by BBC News, found a 10 percent reduction in fatigue, lower depression scores, and better cognitive powers among participants whose breakfasts included a high-fiber cereal. A Tufts University study found that children who ate oatmeal for breakfast scored better on tests of cognitive
performance than those who ate processed cereal (or no breakfast at all). One of the study’s co-authors, Quaker Oats nutrition research director Priscilla Samuels, credited “oatmeal’s whole grain, high fiber, and protein attributes.”
4. Bowel health
Fiber has long been heralded as a cure for constipation. Also known as roughage or bulk, fiber adds volume and softness to stools, making peristaltic contraction of the colon more productive in moving the solid matter along. Soluble fiber acquires a gelatinous texture in the intestine when combined with water; insoluble fiber remains intact as it soaks up water and expands. Because of its solidifying and water-absorbing actions, fiber can also relieve certain types of diarrhea.
Fiber also protects against the development of hemorrhoids and diverticula — pouches in the colon wall that can become inflamed or infected, leading to painful diverticulitis. Nearly half of all Americans over age 60 have diverticula, a condition more common with age; 10 to 25 percent of them will develop diverticulitis, according to the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. The Harvard School of Public Health cites a study showing that dietary fiber was associated with about a 40 percent lower risk of diverticular disease, and fiber is also used to treat its symptoms. Numerous studies link fiber with alleviating other inflammatory diseases of the bowel, such as colitis.
5. Cancer
An analysis of 13 studies, reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found “substantive evidence that intake of fiber-rich foods is inversely related to risk of cancers of both the colon and rectum.” The authors estimate that the risk of colorectal cancer in the United States could be cut by 31 percent with a 13-gram-per-day hike in fiber from food sources (an average increase of about 70 percent). Preliminary clinical evidence also suggests that a diet high in fiber (combined with lifestyle changes and conventional medication) may help protect against other types of cancer such as prostate, breast, and lining of the uterus, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
6. Weight control
“A fiber-rich meal is processed more slowly, which promotes earlier satiety, and is frequently less calorically dense and lower in fat and added sugars,” says the American Dietetic Association — all characteristics of a dietary pattern to treat or prevent obesity. To put it another way, because fiber-rich foods frequently have more volume (and nutrients) relative to their calories, it takes longer to eat and digest them; you feel full sooner and stay full longer. Fiber’s normalizing action on blood glucose and insulin levels may also help dieters curb the cravings and energy crashes that fuel overeating.
7. Lung disease
High fiber intake, especially from whole grains, is associated with a lower risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an umbrella that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The findings come from a study of more than 100,000 U.S adults followed for 16 years; when researchers factored in smoking and other lifestyle data, the group that consumed the most dietary fiber — 28 grams per day — had a one-third lower risk of COPD than those with the least fiber. The report in the American Journal of Epidemiology noted the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of fiber could affect the development of chronic lung disease.
8. Immune response
The interaction of certain kinds of friendly intestinal bacteria with fiber gives rise to compounds called short-chain fatty acids, which have a beneficial effect on the immune system and its ability to reduce inflammation. “If we have low amounts of dietary fiber, then we’re going to have low levels of short-chain fatty acids, which we have demonstrated are very important in the immune systems of mice,” says Kendle Maslowski, co-author of a study by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia. The authors suggest that this mechanism may have implications not just for digestion-linked diseases such as diabetes and colitis, but for inflammatory ailments elsewhere in the body, such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
Fiber-full foods
Adding legumes to your plate is a very effective method of boosting fiber, according to the Mayo Clinic — consider split peas (16.3 grams per cup, cooked), lentils (15.6 grams), black beans (15 grams), lima beans (13.2 grams), or baked beans (10.4). A single artichoke has 10.3 grams of fiber; if you’re eating vegetables by the cup, peas boast 8.8 grams of fiber, broccoli has 5.1 grams, turnip greens have 5 grams, corn has 4.2 grams, and brussels sprouts have 4.1.
Among fruits, raspberries reign, with 8 grams of fiber per cup. A medium pear (with skin) has 5.5 grams; an apple (with skin) has 4.4. Bananas and oranges have 3.1 grams each; a 1.25-cup serving of strawberries has 3.8. In the grain/cereal group, look for whole-wheat spaghetti, with 6.2 grams of fiber per cup, cooked; pearled barley, with 6 grams, ditto; 5.3 grams in three-quarters of a cup of bran flakes; 4 grams in a cup of oatmeal; 3.5 grams in three cups of air-popped popcorn or a cup of brown rice. Whole-wheat, multigrain, or rye breads contain 1.9 grams per slice. In the nuts and seeds category, a quarter-cup of sunflower kernels contains 3.9 grams, and one-ounce servings of almonds, pistachios, and pecans have 3.5, 2.9, and 2.7 grams, respectively.
Diet strategies
Swap whole-grain products for refined ones whenever you can; processing removes the germ and bran portion of the grain, where most of the fiber resides, leaving only the endosperm, says the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Look for breads, cereals, baked goods, and pasta that contain substantial proportions of whole wheat or whole grain; if you do your own baking, experiment with replacing some of the white flour with rye flour, oatmeal, oat bran, or wheat.
Substitute brown rice for white rice. Try an orange instead of juice for breakfast, or slice fruit into your (whole-grain) cereal. Add wheat germ or bran to cereal; add beans to soups, salads, and stews. Choose fresh fruit instead of a sugary dessert, and keep bite-sized vegetables or whole-wheat crackers handy for snacking. Don’t do it all at once, though: Increase your fiber intake gradually to allow your body to adjust, and drink plenty of water (at least 8 cups daily).
© 2010 Newsmax. All rights reserved
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)