Eats « Weekly Gravy

As Americans face shortages of widely used blood pressure drugs due to contamination with potentially cancer-causing impurities, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said patients can safely take the tainted drugs in the short term. As the agency explained, the risk of stroke and other problems from stopping the angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) medications — drugs such as losartan and valsartan — far outweighs than the potential threat of cancer from briefly taking the impure drugs. A full supply of untainted medicines is expected with six months, the agency said. In the meantime, “patients should continue taking their medicine until their pharmacist provides a replacement or their doctor provides an alternative treatment option — even if they learn that their ARB medicine is recalled,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb and Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in an agency news release. “The risk associated with abruptly discontinuing the use of these important medicines far outweighs the low risk that our scientists estimate to be associated with continuing the medicine until the patient’s doctor or pharmacist provides a safe replacement or a different treatment option,” the officials said. The FDA announcement is the latest chapter in an ongoing saga involving blood pressure medications taken by millions of Americans. The first nitrosamine impurity in ARBs was… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Millions of Americans rely on caffeine for a morning or afternoon energy boost. However, relying too much on caffeine can cause unpleasant side effects such as migraines, stomach aches and irritability, says Mayo Clinic. Signs you should curb caffeine use are: You drink more than four cups per day. You’re losing sleep. You’re taking medication. A safe amount of caffeine is usually under 400 milligrams per day, or less than four cups of coffee, Mayo says.

(HealthDay News) — Sugary drinks have been linked to a number of chronic diseases and conditions, says the American Heart Association. For those struggling with cutting back on drinks such as soda or lemonade, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services suggests: Limit sugary drinks to special occasions. Choose water or low-fat milk instead. Carry water with you. Make water tasty and fun by adding lemon or mint. The heart association says diet soda can help sugary drink lovers cut back, but water is still the healthiest choice.

It’s not always possible to lower cholesterol through diet alone — sometimes there’s no way to override your DNA, and medication becomes a must. But certain foods can be part of the plan to improve your numbers, to both lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the bad one, and raise your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the good one. First, choose foods with soluble fiber. Think of this type of fiber as a magnet, drawing cholesterol out of your body. Good sources are oats, oat bran and barley, along with beans, eggplant and okra. When used in recipes, these foods tend to take on the flavors of other ingredients, so be adventurous with recipe planning — and generous with herbs and spices. Apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits are good choices because of their pectin, a type of soluble fiber. Next, go for foods with polyunsaturated fats. These include vegetable oils like canola, sunflower and safflower, as well as fatty fish like salmon, rich with omega-3 fatty acids, and most types of seeds and nuts. Plant-based foods also contain substances called plant sterols and stanols, which help keep the body from absorbing cholesterol. Particularly good sources are Brussel sprouts, wheat germ and wheat bran, peanuts and almonds, and olive, sesame and canola oils. In terms of foods to limit, talk to your doctor about your unique needs. High-cholesterol… read on >

She thought red yeast supplements would be a natural way to lower her cholesterol. What could be easier? Instead, the 64-year-old woman landed in the hospital with acute liver damage that her doctors say was likely caused by taking the over-the-counter product. “Many people are cautious to use [prescription] medications because of potential side effects, and rightly so,” but natural supplements are not necessarily safer, explained lead researcher Lize Loubser, from Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. “Make sure you do your research before using them, and realize that often taking a supplement means taking an unknown dose of the active component,” Loubser said. Red yeast rice supplements are made by mixing fermented steamed rice with food fungus. It’s commonly used as an alternative to statins to lower high cholesterol. “Statins and red yeast rice contain the exact same chemical [monacolin k], which is responsible for reducing cholesterol,” Loubser said. But this chemical can also potentially cause liver damage, she added. “Whether monacolin k is derived synthetically, in the case of statins, or naturally, in the case of red yeast rice, does not matter,” Loubser said. “The difference is that statins come in known doses of monacolin k, whereas in red yeast rice, monacolin k concentration is not measured or regulated, and can vary widely.” In this case, the woman was hospitalized with symptoms of… read on >

Fresh vegetables are nutrient-rich diet mainstays and can be inexpensive when bought in season. Simple selection tips will enable you to choose the best produce to turn into delectable meals and, just as important, to store your vegetables to maximize flavor and “shelf life.” Tips for Picking Produce Broccoli should be emerald green with a head of tight florets and a moist stalk. The stalk shouldn’t look shriveled or dried out. Store in the fridge in a closed produce bag. Carrots should be firm and bright orange with no green tinges or soft brown spots. If the tops are attached, they should be bright green and bushy (use them to add flavor to soups). Store in a closed produce bag in the fridge. Eggplant should feel firm and somewhat heavy in your hand. Its skin should be free of blemishes and have glossy deep purple shine. Refrigerate in a closed produce bag. Onions should be firm to the touch with no soft areas. They should have tightly closed, papery skin with no mold or dusty dark spots. Store on a cool, dark spot, such as a deep kitchen drawer. Spinach should have deep green leaves without creases or dark spots. Refrigerate in a closed produce bag lined with paper towel. Tomatoes should be slightly soft to the touch with the stems on, if possible, and… read on >

Berries are nature’s natural sweetener and they come loaded with benefits. Fiber, vitamins and antioxidants sweeten the deal. Fresh strawberries are a plentiful spring and summer fruit, so load up on them at the farmer’s market. One cup contains 100 percent of your daily vitamin C needs and has just 46 calories. Here are two great ways to turn a basket of berries into sweets. The first is a simple, low-sugar refrigerator jam that you can use in many ways, from a tasty topping for toast to a sweetener in smoothies. Low-Sugar Strawberry Jam 4 tablespoons cold water 1-1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 1 pound strawberries, chopped 1 tablespoon honey Place two tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface; do not stir. Set aside to soften. Meanwhile, place the strawberries in a heavy saucepan, along with the other two tablespoons of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until berries are softened, about five minutes. Stir in the gelatin and the honey. Chill at least one hour before serving. Yield: About 2 cups A fresh trifle is a tasty way to showcase seasonal berries, but most traditional recipes are heavy in fat and sugar, mostly from the lemon curd. By lightening up homemade curd and using yogurt instead of cake layers, this dessert is guilt-free. Strawberry Trifle… read on >

If you’re a hamburger lover who no longer wants to eat meat or simply wants to cut down on beef consumption, there are ways to get the taste and texture of a traditional burger. Start by experimenting with beef alternatives like firm tofu. Because it takes on the taste of ingredients in a marinade, you can flavor it with spices and condiments before grilling. Tempeh is another soy food, more grainy than tofu, so you may find it tastes closer to ground beef. Legumes like lentils and beans can be cooked, mashed and shaped into patties and lightly sauteed or skillet-grilled. But if you’re looking for a very simple option with a more familiar, meaty taste, look to mushrooms, especially large Portobello mushrooms whose shape mimics the roundness of a beef patty. They not only make a great tasting burger, they’re also high in nutrients, including copper, selenium and many B vitamins. Here’s how to make a savory grilled mushroom burger. Grilled Portobello “Burgers” 2 large Portobello mushroom caps Cooking spray 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 slices cheddar cheese 2 whole-wheat burger buns 1/2 avocado, sliced 2 slices tomato 2 lettuce leaves Start by cleaning the mushrooms. Gently brush the caps with a damp cloth or paper towel. Because the gills can have a bitter taste, remove them by scraping them out with a spoon. Heat… read on >

Maybe you rush around with work and activities during the day, then settle in for a large, relaxing meal in the evening. But new research says the later in the day you eat, the more weight you’re likely to pack on. That’s the takeaway from a week-long study involving 31 overweight and obese patients, mostly women. “We evaluated meal and sleep timing in patients with overweight/obesity at the beginning of a weight loss trial, before participants started the intervention,” said lead author Dr. Adnin Zaman, an endocrinology fellow at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Her team found that “eating later into the day was associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) and greater body fat.” BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. For the study, participants were enrolled in a weight-loss trial comparing daily calorie limits to time-restricted feeding. In other words, once the trial launched, they could only eat during certain hours of the day. Ninety percent of the participants were women. Their average age was 36. A week before the study, they were outfitted with electronic devices to monitor their activity and sleep. They also were asked to snap cellphone photos of everything they ate. The photos were time-stamped using an app called MealLogger. Zaman and colleagues did not define which hours would amount to… read on >