Eats « Weekly Gravy

Kids can be as strongly influenced by TV commercials as by the shows themselves, and many studies have found that tempting food ads have a particularly harmful effect, contributing to childhood obesity. While the government has stepped in with nutrition guidelines for manufacturers, these are largely voluntary and, therefore, not enforceable. So it’s up to parents to be vigilant. It might seem like the odds are stacked against you. According to a study in the journal Childhood Obesity, most food and beverage products in ads seen by 2- to 11-year-olds during kids’ programming don’t meet the guidelines of the government’s Interagency Working Group. The panel includes representatives of the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture. Plus, less than half of TV ads during kids’ programming meet the guidelines created by the food industry’s own voluntary group, the study found. While some companies have improved the nutritional quality of some of their foods, these aren’t the products they’re advertising. The vast majority of ads seen during children’s programming are for products high in what dietary guidelines call “nutrients to limit” — fat, salt and sugar. The same is true for the more than 3 billion food ads that appear every year on popular websites for kids, according to research published in… read on >

(HealthDay News) — More than 60 million Americans have heartburn each month, the American College of Gastroenterology says. The fiery burning sensation is caused by stomach acid backing up in the esophagus. Steering clear of certain foods can help you avoid the problem. Limit your intake of these foods to lessen your likelihood of heartburn: Citrus foods such as oranges, grapefruit and lemons. High-fat foods such as cheese and avocado. Garlic and onion. Spicy dishes such as chili. Alcohol and coffee.

Nuts and seeds are often mentioned in the same breath, but nuts seem to get all the attention. Time to stop overlooking seeds — they might be tiny, but they pack in a lot of nutrients. They’re also tasty and some make a filling snack. Like nuts, seeds have protein, carbohydrates and fats. Because of their fat content, they’re calorie-dense, and a half-ounce — weighed without the shell, about one tablespoon — is equivalent to an ounce of protein. Flax seeds are especially good for you because of their high omega-3 content and both soluble and insoluble fiber. To get the most benefits, buy them whole, keep them in the fridge and grind them as you need them (not in advance) — easily done in a coffee bean grinder. Besides sprinkling ground flax on cereal and yogurt, add it to smoothies, ground meat dishes and pancake, waffle and muffin batters. You can even use it instead of breadcrumbs. Sunflower seeds are a tasty source of vitamin E, some B vitamins and a wide array of minerals. They’re great when sprinkled over salads or creamy vegetable soups as well as on their own. Pumpkin seeds, also called pepitas, are another great choice, a good source of protein, zinc and antioxidants. You can buy them when shelled or unshelled, but it’s easy to roast your own anytime… read on >

Nuts are a delicious food to enjoy year-round, adding a richer taste to many of your favorite dishes. High in protein, fiber and essential minerals, nuts also contain healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats that help fight inflammation. Nuts are natural hunger-busters, but pay attention to your portion size. A snack of 10 to 12 peanuts, walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts clocks in at about 100 calories. Toasting nuts brings out their flavor and improves their texture. Simply place a handful of nuts in a dry, small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook two to three minutes, transfer to a cutting board, and chop or use whole. You can also bake nuts in a preheated 350-degree oven for eight to 10 minutes. For hazelnuts and pistachios, transfer to a dry dish towel and rub the toasted nuts to remove their skins, which may be bitter. Chopped or ground nuts are also a healthier alternative to breadcrumbs. Here’s a tasty way to use them with fish. Pistachio-Crusted Salmon 2 4-ounce salmon fillets, skin on 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios Olive oil cooking spray Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon in a baking dish, skin side down. Spread mustard over the surface of the salmon, then top with chopped nuts and spritz lightly with cooking spray. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and bake eight to 10… read on >

(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.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 20, 2019 —Dense root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and parsnips benefit from roasting. They sweeten as they cook, making for healthy comfort food during cold winter months. Follow these general steps for any hard vegetables: Start by cutting them into uniform pieces, so they’ll roast and brown evenly. (Otherwise, you can end up with either burnt or undercooked pieces.) Next, toss the vegetables in a healthy cooking oil like olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt, which helps to bring out their sweetness. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Then spread the vegetables evenly so that all pieces will brown at the same rate. Roast in a preheated 400-degree oven for about 45 minutes or until tender. The high temperature is key to bringing out the sweet flavor — plus it gets dinner on the table faster. Serve roasted veggies as a side dish instead of pasta or white rice with your favorite protein like chicken, or blend with broth for this fast and rich-tasting soup to take the chill off a cold evening. Roasted Vegetable Soup 2 sweet potatoes 4 parsnips 4 carrots 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 32 ounces low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cut the vegetables into 1-inch cubes. Toss with the olive oil and… read on >

Fast-food restaurants get a bad rap for menus chockful of high-fat, high-salt foods with little nutrition. But are fast casual and sit-down chains better? The answer may surprise you. A University of South Carolina study looked at the calories in lunch and dinner entrees and found that fast-casual dishes had, on average, 200 more calories than fast-food ones — 760 compared to 560. Menus at fast-casual restaurants also have more high-calorie options to tempt you. But the study didn’t look at whether these higher calorie choices are healthier. For instance, a whole-wheat roll might have more calories than a fast-food white burger bun, but it could also have more nutrients. Researchers at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia focused on both nutrients and calories of 2,600 menu items served at local full-service restaurant chains. They found that choices in general were high in saturated fat and sodium, not to mention calories. Almost one-third of the entrees had more salt than you should eat in an entire day. Only one-fifth had the minimum amount of all-important fiber. Another concern raised by this study centered on the symbols restaurants use to label some dishes as “healthy.” Since there are no national guidelines that restaurants must follow in order to put a generic heart, for example, next to a menu item, it can be hard… 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 >