Eats « Weekly Gravy

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 >

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 >

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 >

Older women, beware: New research warns that drinking a lot of diet sodas or artificially sweetened fruit juices may increase your risk for stroke. In a study that tracked nearly 82,000 postmenopausal women, those who drank two or more diet drinks per day saw their overall stroke risk rise by 23 percent, compared with those who consumed diet drinks less than once a week. Blocked arteries were often the main culprit, with heavy diet drink consumption linked to a 31 percent greater risk for an ischemic stroke, which is triggered by a clot, the study findings showed. Study author Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani acknowledged that an “association does not imply causation.” But she stressed that the findings held up even after taking into account the nutritional value of each participant’s overall diet. So, “we can’t assume these diet drinks are harmless, particularly when consumed at high levels,” Mossavar-Rahmani said. “The take-home message is that these findings give us pause,” she added. “We need to do more research on why we are seeing these associations. What are the scientific mechanisms? Is there something about the artificial sweeteners, for example, that affect the bacteria in the gut and lead to health issues?” Mossavar-Rahmani is an associate professor in the department of epidemiology and population health’s division of health promotion and nutrition research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in… read on >

A typical workout doesn’t give you license to eat whatever you want. Even a full hour of vigorous skiing burns just 600 calories — less than the amount in a super-sized fast food sandwich. That’s why it’s important to think of exercise as just one part of a shape-up plan. Exercise works the cardiovascular system and builds muscle, but it takes calorie restriction to also lose weight. Small diet tweaks that you can make when you’re building a healthier body through exercise will maximize your efforts. Here’s what you need to know about nutrition when you work out regularly. You don’t need to fuel up like a marathon runner, but give your body some nourishment about two hours before every workout to make exercise more effective. Have a small meal with healthy carbs and protein, and some fat. If eating two hours in advance doesn’t work with your schedule, aim for a small snack about an hour before your workout. It’s also important to eat a small meal with carbs and protein within two hours after your workout to give your body the nutrients it needs. Keep in mind that “calories in and calories out” is a balancing act that varies from person to person. So whether you’re trying to lose weight or maintain, keep a journal that records the amount of calories you get… read on >

Oils are one of the most widely used ingredients in cooking and are healthy alternatives to butter and margarine. All cooking oils, including olive, canola and peanut oil, contain 14 grams of total fat per tablespoon, and roughly 120 calories. So measure amounts carefully because even though some fat is essential for good health and these are excellent choices, they’re still high in calories. For high-temperature cooking like stir-fries or when searing meat, use high smoke-point oils like canola, grapeseed and safflower oils. For sauteeing vegetables at medium heat, use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, which has gotten popular in recent years. Since baking uses gentle heat, you can go with any oil you like. For cake and brownie recipes, try replacing butter with light olive oil, which has much less saturated fat but is still light in flavor. Though all oils are great for salad dressings, try aromatic nut oils, like walnut oil or hazelnut oil, and seed oils, such as pumpkin seed oil and flaxseed oil, for a flavor twist. Keep them refrigerated to prevent them from going rancid — they’re very delicate. Let them come to room temperature if they thicken in the fridge. Here’s an easy dressing recipe that you can use on any side salad or over cold, chopped vegetables. It works especially well on peppery-flavored watercress. Watercress… read on >

When it comes to cooking veggies, fresh from the farmer’s market always tastes best. But when you’re cooking produce out of season, head to the freezer section of your favorite store. Veggies are typically frozen at the height of freshness, making them a great winter staple. Dense vegetables in particular are ideal for freezer storage, because they retain their texture when reheated. Put peas, edamame, Brussels sprouts and artichokes at the top of your list. As long as you don’t overcook them, they’ll also retain their nutrients. Microwaving can dry out some vegetables. To defrost them quickly, place them in a colander under cold running water for a few minutes. Then add them to green salads or fold into any cooked dish. One of the easiest ways to use frozen vegetables is to add them straight from the freezer to soups, stews and chilis during the last few minutes of cooking. Frozen vegetables also are great in breakfast smoothies: Simply blend frozen edamame — a protein powerhouse — along with your fruits and yogurt. Frozen artichokes are far less expensive than fresh, plus all the prep work has been done for you. Here’s a simple recipe that’s both a crowd pleaser and a great alternative to bottled dressings when you want a dip for carrot sticks. Artichoke Dip 1/2 cup frozen artichokes, defrosted 1/2 cup… read on >

The benefits of eating fewer calories may go far beyond losing weight. Three decades of animal studies have found that eating fewer calories can extend lifespan and reduce the risk of chronic diseases and even some cancers. And some, though not all, of these benefits are starting to be seen in men and women taking part in clinical trials. For instance, in moderately overweight people, restricting calories by 25 percent over two years improved blood pressure and cholesterol counts, and resulted in weight loss. Participants also had a 47 percent drop in levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation linked to heart disease. A second study done by researchers from the same institutions focused on calorie restriction to see if it affected other important aspects of life like mood, sleep and sex. Not surprisingly, the participants who ate 25 percent fewer calories lost weight — about 15 pounds on average. What was surprising? Their mood significantly improved, and they experienced more vigor, less tension and better overall health. They also had an improved sex drive, better relationships and even greater sleep quality. Keep in mind that safe calorie restriction means reducing intake without depriving yourself of essential nutrients. So every calorie has to be carefully chosen. This is especially important if you’re already at a healthy weight without any fat stores to burn. Make… read on >

For nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories, it’s hard to beat berries. But it’s also hard to pay what they cost out of season. Frozen berries are a healthy freezer staple that taste as good as fresh, and are a lot more budget-friendly. Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and cranberries (they’re not just for cranberry sauce) are all superfoods — low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins and powerful antioxidants, which give them their brilliant colors. Berries defrost in minutes and make a great topping for yogurt and oatmeal, and the perfect base for smoothies (toss them into the blender without defrosting). They’re also excellent for making sweet treats, like these fast raspberry chocolate fudge pops, a lower-sugar version of the frosty indulgence. If you don’t have a set of ice-pop molds, almost any shape of silicone mold with a half-cup capacity will work. Or simply use small paper cups. Raspberry Fudge Pops 2 cups water 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup Stevia or other sugar-free sweetener 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup frozen raspberries, divided 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, optional In a large saucepan, combine water, cocoa powder and both sweeteners. Stir with a large whisk to dissolve the cocoa as you bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer two to three minutes until smooth… read on >