Eats « Weekly Gravy

(HealthDay News) — The United States has pledged to reduce food waste by 50 percent by the year 2030, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. The FDA offers these suggestions to help accomplish the national goal: Prepare a shopping list before going to the market to avoid overbuying. If available, select fruits or vegetables that often get left behind at the grocery, but are safe to eat. When eating out, ask for smaller portions to prevent plate waste and keep you from overeating. Keep foods in the fridge at 40 degrees F or below to keep them safe. Refrigerate cut or peeled vegetables to keep them fresh. Use your freezer to prevent foods from going bad. Be aware of expiration dates on your food. Know that some food can be consumed safely past the date on the package. But avoid foods that are discolored, smelly or moldy. If you prepare too much food for a party, send your guests home with leftovers.

Everyone needs some salt to help maintain the body’s balance of fluids. But too much salt may cause you to retain fluids and raise your blood pressure, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. About 75 percent of the salt you consume is from processed foods, the FDA says. The agency offers these tips to lower salt intake: Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Eat foods that are rich in potassium, including leafy green veggies and bananas. Potassium can help lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. Season food with herbs and spices, instead of salt. Opt for unsalted snacks. Read food labels and select foods low in sodium.

(HealthDay News) — There are plenty of ways to encourage kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says. Here are the agency’s suggestions: Create smoothies with fat-free or low-fat yogurt with fruit pieces and crushed ice. Use fresh, frozen, canned or even overripe fruit, such as bananas, berries, peaches or pineapple. Let your kids dip fruit and vegetables in a dip. Make fun kabobs resembling caterpillars by assembling chunks of melon, apple, orange and pear on skewers. For a raw veggie version, use zucchini, cucumber, squash, sweet peppers or tomatoes. Make personal pizzas with whole-wheat English muffins, bagels or pita bread as the crust. Add tomato sauce, low-fat cheese and cut-up vegetables or fruit for toppings. Assemble a fruity peanut butterfly by using carrot sticks or celery for the body and attaching wings made of thinly sliced apples with peanut butter. Decorate with halved grapes or dried fruit. Freeze fruits for a fun and refreshing treat during summer. Make “bugs on a log” by using celery, cucumber or carrot sticks as the log, and add peanut butter. Then top with dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries or cherries. Make homemade trail mix with dried apples, pineapple, cherries, apricots or raisins. Make a potato person by decorating half a baked potato. Use vegetables such as sliced cherry tomatoes or peas, and… read on >

Following the recipe for food safety is a must anytime you’re in the kitchen, and it starts with clean hands, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says. “Always wash your hands with soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food,” spokeswoman Isabel Maples advised in an academy news release. “Don’t forget to wash your hands after handling raw meat and poultry to avoid spreading germs through the juices.” Wash fruits and vegetables, but don’t wash meat and poultry before cooking. Doing so could spread harmful bacteria to your sink and surrounding kitchen areas, she explained. “Clean your countertops with hot, soapy water. Use paper towels or disinfectant wipes, instead of washcloths or sponges, which can harbor bacteria,” Maples said. Take apart small appliances — such as can openers and blenders — to clean them, then air dry completely before storing, she recommended. “Clean your refrigerator every few weeks to rid it of potentially dangerous residue from raw foods. Rid your refrigerator of leftovers after four days. When in doubt, throw it out,” Maples said. Use a food thermometer when cooking meat — it’s the only real way to know if it’s done, she suggested. “Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, without it touching the bones or the bottom of the pan, to avoid getting a false reading.… read on >

The term “sugar substitutes” is a catch-all that covers a wide range of alternatives, starting with those little pink, blue and yellow packets. But their value as a health or diet aid is still uncertain. A research review in the BMJ found that there’s limited evidence to say how much using them helps with weight loss, and that the real answer is to cut back on sugar in general by drinking water and choosing low- and no-sugar foods. Still, sugar substitutes can free up calories you can spend on healthier foods. Here’s what you need to know: Spoonful for spoonful, artificial sweeteners can be 100 times sweeter than sugar, with few or no calories. As food additives, they’re regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and must get approval before they can be marketed. Approved Artificial Sweeteners Saccharin Aspartame Sucralose Neotame Acesulfame potassium Advantame Sugar alcohols are a type of sweetener commonly used in packaged foods. They’re carbohydrates, but the body doesn’t completely absorb them, so they don’t raise blood sugar as much as natural sugars. They’re also lower in calories, but they can have an unwanted laxative-type effect. Common Sugar Alcohols In Packaged Foods Isomalt Maltitol Mannitol Sorbitol Xylitol “Novel” sweeteners are a different kind of product. The most common one is stevia, which is made from a plant. Considered a dietary supplement… read on >

Is the dinner table a battleground at your house? Getting your kids to eat better doesn’t have to cause a fight if you follow these fast and easy strategies to enhance dishes that they already know and love. In some households, veggies and kids just don’t mix. But carrot fries have serious visual appeal plus nutrients, like high levels of vitamin A. They’re a much better choice than fast food fries. Carrot Fries 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into sticks 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the carrot sticks in the oil. Transfer to the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan and bake for about 20 minutes until fork tender. Yield: 4 servings It’s hard to find a kid who doesn’t love chicken nuggets, but getting a picky eater to enjoy fish prepared the same way can be a big stretch. The answer is these crisp and tender white fish nuggets. Fish Nuggets 1 pound tilapia filets, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 cup breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon flax seeds, ground 1 egg Cooking spray Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix breadcrumbs and flax seeds in a pie plate. Whisk the egg in a bowl. Dip each fish chunk into the egg, then… read on >

(HealthDay News) — The American Heart Association recommends reducing saturated fat to no more than 6 percent of total daily calories for people who need to lower “bad” cholesterol. The AHA suggests how to limit saturated fat: Eat more fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish and nuts. Limit red meat. high-fat dairy products, and sugary foods and beverages. Chose unhydrogenated vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower or olive oil. Use soft margarine as a substitute for butter. Look for “0g trans fat” on the nutrition facts label. Doughnuts, cookies, crackers, muffins, pies and cakes are examples of foods high in trans fat. Limit these in your diet. Limit commercially fried foods and baked goods made with shortening or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

(HealthDay News) — Electrolytes are minerals in the body that have an electric charge. They are in your blood, urine, tissues and body fluids. Sodium, calcium, potassium, chlorine, phosphate and magnesium are types of electrolytes that are absorbed from foods you eat and fluids you drink. The U.S. Library of Medicine mentions these roles of electrolytes: Balance the amount of water in your body. Balance your body’s acid/base (pH). Move nutrients into your cells. Move wastes from your cells. Help make sure the nerves, muscles, heart and brain work properly.

A half-hour of morning exercise can help control blood pressure in overweight and obese people for the entire day, a new study finds. And for women in particular, adding frequent short breaks from sitting through the day can offer additional benefit, the Australian researchers said. “For both men and women, the magnitude of reduction in average systolic blood pressure following exercise and breaks in sitting approached what might be expected from antihypertensive medication,” said lead author Michael Wheeler. “However, this reduction was greater for women,” he added. Wheeler is a member of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. The research involved 67 people between the ages of 55 and 80 who did three different laboratory sessions, in random order, separated by at least six days. Those sessions included: uninterrupted sitting for eight hours; one hour of sitting prior to 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill at a moderate pace, followed by 6.5 hours of prolonged sitting; and one hour of sitting prior to 30 minutes on the treadmill, followed by sitting that was interrupted every 30 minutes with three minutes of light-intensity walking for 6.5 hours. Average systolic (top number) and diastolic (lower number) blood pressure was reduced among both men and women who took part in morning exercise, compared to when they did not exercise. There was an additional benefit —… read on >

You don’t have to give up tropical drinks and chocolatey desserts for Valentine’s Day and other celebrations. Just streamline them and boost their health profile. Sweet and fiber-rich pears can be whipped into great cocktails. Most pears at the grocery store or even at the farmer’s market are picked early, since they can get easily damaged once ripe. To ripen at home, let pears rest in a basket on the countertop for two to three days. Pear Bellini 1 ripe pear 1 ounce pear-flavored liqueur 12 ounces champagne or prosecco Gently peel and core the pear. Cut into slices, reserving two for the garnish. Place the rest in a blender with the liqueur and two tablespoons of cold water. Process until smooth. Divide between two champagne glasses and top off with champagne or prosecco. Garnish with a slice of pear. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings Lighter Lava Cake This restaurant favorite uses chocolate with a high cacao content for its antioxidants as well as cocoa powder to cut the calories. Cooking spray 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa 3 ounces of 70 percent dark chocolate, chopped 2 tablespoons butter 2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 large eggs 2 tablespoons safflower, coconut or light olive oil Preheat oven to… read on >