SPICE IT UP WITH HEALTHY INDIAN FOOD
Much of Indian food is based on vegetables, beans, lentils, peas, whole grains, and spices, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all good for you. While you can eat an extremely healthy diet of Indian food, be aware that India has many different regions, and they all have their own style of cooking. Some use more high-fat ingredients like coconut milk, cream, ghee (butter), and oil, while other regions rely on lighter, leaner vegetable- and bean-based entrees with simple grains.
Indian restaurants are increasing in popularity in the U.S. and the Indian section of most grocery stores is expanding. This gives you plenty of opportunity to enjoy a variety of Indian foods in the comfort of your own kitchen. It also lets you have more control over what ingredients you use. Restaurant chefs tend to be far more liberal with creams, oils, and butter compared to home cooks.
HELPFUL HINTS
When you find yourself wanting a taste of Bombay (or Punjab or Kashmir) keep these tips in mind:
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1. Veggie time. Take advantage of the fact that Indian dishes are loaded with vegetables and beans. Use these dishes as the cornerstone of your meal, with smaller portions of ingredients that are higher in fat and calories.
2. Simmer sauces. While slightly high in sodium, these jarred sauces are a simple way to bring the taste of India into your kitchen. The chart includes our healthiest picks; just add a lean protein like skinless chicken or tofu and ring the dinner bell.
3. DIY. For a simple, healthy dip for your naan bread or kebab meats, combine plain, fat-free Greek yogurt with chopped cucumber, minced mint, and your favorite Indian spices.
4. When eating out. You may find dining at an Indian restaurant more to your liking than cooking yourself. If that’s true, look for Tandoori dishes, which tend to be lean meats cooked at a high heat, or dal–a spiced bean or lentil stew. Many appetizers are deep-fried, so pass on them.
BEST IN BAGELS: SIZE DOES MATTER
By Heidi McIndoo, M.S., R.D
When bagels first came to America, they were sold by street vendors who displayed them on long wooden dowels. Boy, have bagels come a long way in the last 130 years! These days, you can find bagels everywhere: in grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, coffee shops, and diners.
Bagels are also increasing in variety. Do you want plain, garlic, cinnamon-raisin, whole grain, “everything,” or thin style bagels? And they come in a variety of sizes. While mini-sized bagels are available, the size of a standard bagel varies widely, from the size of a tennis ball to larger than a softball.
With so many choices, how do you know which is the best for your taste and health? We’ve scoured restaurants and markets to determine which bagels are your best bet. A bagel can make a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack if you keep the following tips in mind:
1. Great grains. A bagel at meals or snacks is a great opportunity to get some of your recommended daily whole grains, but don’t let the word “grain” in the title fool you. To ensure you’re getting the most whole grains for your buck, look for a Whole Grains Council stamp on the package and read the ingredient list to make sure the first grain listed is a whole grain.
2. What’s on top? A “schmear” of cream cheese may be the most common bagel accompaniment, but you can gain a nutritional boost if you vary your toppings. Try a tablespoon or two of peanut butter or a scrambled egg between the halves for a dose of protein. Or top each half with sliced bananas or strawberries to net a serving of fruit.
3. Size matters. We found bagels ranging in size from just over one ounce to almost five ounces. Given that a U.S. Department of Agriculture serving from the grain group is one ounce, for most people a two-ounce bagel, about the diameter of a baseball, is usually a decent portion size. When you’re eating out, you can eyeball the appropriate size, but in the grocery store just flip your bagel bag over to read the nutrition information, then decide if you should eat a whole bagel or just half.
BREW UP HEALTH WITH MODERATE BEER INTAKE
(No specific author)
The words “health” and “beer” aren’t usually mentioned in the same sentence, but evidence suggests that this ancient, plant-based beverage may provide heart-health benefits, as long as you drink it in moderation. Beer has been enjoyed since 9,500 BC, and our appreciation for the brew hasn’t slowed down; the global beer industry sees revenues of $300 billion annually.
The process of making beer relies upon ingredients such as grain (wheat, sorghum or barley), water, hops, and yeast. The starches from the grain are converted into an alcoholic beverage during a fermentation process. Today, a wide variety of beers are available, such as ale, stout, lager, and even “light,” “low-carb” and “glutenfree.”
Health benefits in a mug
Despite the fact that nutrition labels list the fiber content as “0,” researchers found that beer contains a dietary fiber complex, providing 1.3 to 3.8 grams/liter (depending on variety,) as well as antioxidant polyphenol compounds (Journal Of The American Society Of Brewing Chemists, 2009.) The antioxidant content of beer, which is higher than white wine but lower than red wine, is due to the grains and hops used to produce it.
Moderate consumption of any alcoholic beverage, including beer, increases “good” HDL cholesterol, lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol, and reduces the risk of blood clotting, thus reducing heart disease risk by up to 40 percent. Imbibing moderately also is linked with greater lifespan and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and dementia.
Watch that “beer belly”
Beer may provide some potential benefits, but it’s possible to get too much of a good thing. Adding a few too many beers to your day, with 153 calories per 12-ounce serving, can lead to weight gain, which can dry up any potential health bonus. Excessive alcohol intake–more than three drinks per day for women and more than four drinks for men–is linked to a string of negative health consequences, including brain deterioration, liver damage, and early death. Even moderate alcohol intake is linked to increased cancer risk. If you like beer, enjoy it in moderation–up to one daily serving for women and two for men.
Beer by the numbers:
Nutritional content of regular beer (12 fl oz)
Calories: 153
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrate: 13 g
Riboflavin: .1 mg (5 percent DV)
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Niacin: 1.8 mg (9 percent DV)
Vitamin B6: .2 mg (8 percent DV)
Folate: 21.4 mcg (5 percent DV)
Magnesium: 21.4 mg (5 percent DV)
Phosphorus: 49.8 mg (5 percent DV)
Potassium: 96.1 mg (3 percent DV)
Selenium: 2.1 mcg (3 percent DV)
NOTE g: grams; mg: milligrams; mcg: micrograms; DV: Daily Value, based on 2,000 calories per day
(Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. http://www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com.)