You’ve worked hard to curb mindless eating by not watching TV with a bag of chips in your lap, and you log everything you do eat in your smartphone app. But you could still be taking in more calories than you realize. The fact is that throughout each day, you’re bombarded by sneaky sources of extra calories that never get recorded in that journal of yours. And the result could sabotage your weight-loss diet or add unwanted weight. For instance, your office could be a diet war zone if bowls of candy sit on every other desk. That nibbling adds up, so swear off these caloric pit stops. The same goes for the lollipop bowl at your bank or dry cleaners. Go “hands-free” on the free samples at your favorite food stores — those tiny cups of mac and cheese and donut holes can add up as you walk the aisles. Be careful at home, too. Are you a repeat taste tester when cooking? Even if your recipes are healthy, every spoonful that passes your lips has calories, so limit yourself to one or two, or spread the wealth and let other family members taste-test for you. Finally, resign from the clean-plate club. Stop finishing off the last bites on your child’s plate or in serving bowls. If you can’t bear to throw out bits…  read on >

Drinks marketed to children often contain loads of unhealthy sugars and sweeteners, and they come in packages that deliver too-large servings, a new report finds. None of 34 sweetened drinks aimed at the youth market meet nutrition recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), according to University of Connecticut researchers. “Sweetened drinks are about two-thirds of children’s drink sales, compared to 100% juice-and-water blends,” said lead researcher Jennifer Harris, director of marketing initiatives for the university’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity in Hartford. “Parents may be surprised to know that pediatricians, dentists and other nutrition experts recommend against serving any of these drinks to children.” Sweetened drinks have been identified as a major source of excess calories for kids. Added sugars account for 17% of the total caloric intake of children and teens, and sugary beverages contribute almost half of those added sugars, according to AAP. For this study, Harris and her team looked only at products marketed for children, ignoring sodas, sports drinks and iced teas that are promoted for a wider audience. They identified 67 products from 23 drink brands. About half contained added sweeteners; the others didn’t. The sweetened drinks made up 62% of the $2.2 billion in children’s drink sales in 2018, researchers said. Pure juice or juice/water blends accounted for 38% of sales. One serving of many…  read on >

Don’t let the names of exotic grains like millet keep you from trying them. They’re as easy to make as standard white rice yet far more nutritious. Millet is the seed of a grass that grows in Africa. It has a fluffy, dry texture and tastes similar to corn. Millet has a wide variety of nutrients, including many minerals, protein and fiber. It cooks in under 30 minutes and can be served up as a hot breakfast cereal, added to soups in place of beans or pasta, or turned into side dishes. This flavorful carrot and millet dish is a great complement to any protein. Spicy Millet and Carrot “Pilaf” 1 cup dry millet 3 tablespoons olive oil 4 carrots, peeled and diced 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth 1/2 cup raisins 1/4 cup chopped parsley Place the millet in a small saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes until the water is absorbed and the grains are fluffy and tender. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and salt, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until the carrots brown and are…  read on >

There’s a healthy new twist in the farm-to-table movement: Getting farm-fresh food to school lunchrooms and even having students grow their own crops as part of learning. Colorado was a pioneer in passing the “Farm-to-School Healthy Kids Act” in 2010. The move was designed to increase the use of local farm and ranch products in school food service programs to both improve childhood nutrition and strengthen the state’s agricultural economy. Today, a handful of other states have similar programs. Some schools also have added programs for growing food to their curriculum. An example is in place at Community School 55 in New York’s South Bronx, thanks to the Green Bronx Machine. Educator Stephen Ritz founded the nonprofit as an after-school alternative program for high schoolers. It’s fully integrated into the core curriculum from kindergarten through high school. Students have grown tens of thousands of pounds of vegetables that go from classroom-to-community. Ritz turned an underutilized library into the National Health, Wellness and Learning Center, considered the nation’s first career technical education elementary school. The program features a year-round, indoor vertical farm that grows crops regardless of the weather, and a food processing and training kitchen with solar and alternative energy generators. It has served as a model for schools in many areas of the country. You can learn more at greenbronxmachine.org. National organizations are also…  read on >

You might think of a slow cooker as your grandma’s favorite timesaver, but this countertop device has many modern benefits — from making healthier meals and cutting calories to saving you time at the stove. Because almost all you need to do is cut, measure and add ingredients, you can set a slow cooker in the morning and have a meal ready when everyone rushes in at dinnertime. That’s a nutritious and inexpensive alternative to fast food. A slow cooker draws the maximum flavor from the ingredients you put in and makes delicious dishes with little or no added fat. It’s also a great way to make less expensive cuts of meat more tender. Do rub the inside of the machine with a few drops of oil or spray it with nonstick cooking spray before using for easier cleanup — or use a special liner made for the purpose. Always carefully clean it out afterwards. Adding lots of vegetables to a one-pot meal means you don’t have to worry about cooking separate side dishes to get in vegetable servings. Just place them in first, then add your protein and liquid in that order for the most even cooking. Note: Cutting larger pieces of food into small pieces will also ensure that everything cooks evenly. Typically, you’ll fill the slow cooker between half and two-thirds full,…  read on >

Looking for a simple yet delicious way to enjoy whole grains? Start with nutritious, easy-to-cook barley, a great swap for processed grains like white rice. When shopping, choose hulled barley instead of pearl. Hulled barley retains more of the outer bran layer with its fiber and nutrients. Pearl parley has had most of the bran layer “polished” off. Hearty barley is a staple in Europe. In the United States, it’s often used as an ingredient in soups and stews, but there’s no reason to relegate it to those dishes. To cook barley for a fast breakfast or side dish, for every two servings, use a half-cup barley to a cup and a half of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the grains are tender and most of the water has evaporated. Top with cinnamon in the morning or herbs for dinner — it’s that versatile. But don’t stop there. Try this twist on traditional risotto for a one-pot meal. Mushroom Barley “Risotto” 1 cup dry hulled barley 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 red onion, minced 3 garlic cloves 5 ounces mushrooms, such as button or crimini, sliced 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped 2 teaspoons thyme leaves, chopped Place the barley in a…  read on >

Scientists are taking the wrappings off an age-old malady. Clogged arteries are a heart problem that’s dogged humanity for millennia, finds a new imaging study of mummies. Mummified arterial tissue shows evidence of cholesterol plaque buildup in people who lived anywhere from 2000 BC to 1000 AD, said lead researcher Dr. Mohammad Madjid. These weren’t just bigwigs eating rich diets, either. Four of the five mummies included in the study hail from South America, where average folk were mummified, said Madjid. He’s an assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine with the McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center, in Houston. “These were ordinary people,” Madjid said of all five mummies. “That tells me that the development of atherosclerosis might combine the effects of nature versus nurture,” with both genetics and risk factors playing a role in the development of clogged arteries. Blocked arteries can lead to heart attack. Studies of mummies aren’t unusual, but researchers usually use CT scans to create meticulous images of blood vessels and organs. The downside for heart researchers is that CT scans can only detect accumulated calcium in the arteries, not actual cholesterol plaques. These plaques tend to calcify, so calcium has been used as a marker for clogged arteries. Madjid and his colleagues said they’re the first to study mummy samples using near-infrared spectroscopy, an imaging…  read on >

If you’ve been relegating parsnips to the stock pot (their sweetness enhances both chicken and vegetable broth) or have been skipping over them altogether, you’re missing out on a hearty side-dish choice for fall evenings and winter holidays alike. Think of parsnips as a healthy comfort food, because cooking them brings out their naturally creamy texture but without all the calories of potatoes. They’re a good source of fiber, plus they have the B vitamin folate and vitamin C. And you don’t have to turn on your oven to get all that goodness when you roast them on top of the stove with a sweet maple glaze. Pan-Roasted Parsnips 1 pound parsnips 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves Peel the parsnips and cut into 2-inch long chunks. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the parsnips. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss with tongs to coat. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes over low heat, turning occasionally, until the parsnips start to brown and soften. Carefully add 2 tablespoons of water and cover to steam through, about 2 more minutes. Check for doneness. If not tender enough, cook for 2 more minutes.…  read on >