Eats « Weekly Gravy

Infants and young children with vitamin D deficiency may have a heightened risk for elevated blood pressure later in childhood and in their teens, a new study finds. Researchers followed 775 children in Boston from birth to age 18. Most were from low-income families in urban neighborhoods. Compared to children born with normal vitamin D levels, those born with low levels — less than 11 nanograms per millimeter (ng/ml) in cord blood — had a 60% higher risk of elevated systolic blood pressure (upper number in a reading) between ages 6 and 18. Systolic pressure, the upper number in a reading, is the force of your blood pushing against your arteries when your heart beats. Diastolic pressure measures force between beats. High systolic pressure increases heart disease risk even when diastolic pressure is controlled, the researchers noted. Kids with consistently low levels of vitamin D (less than 25 ng/ml) through early childhood had twice the risk of elevated systolic blood pressure between ages 3 and 18, the study found. However, the findings only reflect an association rather than a cause-and-effect link. The study was published July 1 in the journal Hypertension. “Currently, there are no recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics to screen all pregnant women and young children for vitamin D levels,” lead author Dr. Guoying Wang said in a journal news release.… read on >

No matter how committed you are to eating healthier and/or losing weight, making drastic changes can be hard. A better approach is to make small shifts in the foods you eat every day, according to the U.S. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines. Here are 10 to aim for. To boost your diet efforts over time, try one a week. Shift from white bread to whole-wheat bread or a wrap. Shift from meat to seafood, or replace meat in recipes with beans and vegetables twice a week. Join the Meatless Monday bandwagon to gradually reduce the red meat — beef, lamb and pork as well as processed meats — in your diet. Shift from salted to unsalted nuts, and from regular canned soups and vegetables to low-sodium varieties. These are painless ways to reduce unnecessary salt. Shift from butter to olive oil, and from creamy dressings to vinaigrettes. This increases unsaturated fats in your diet while reducing saturated ones. Shift from whole milk to 2%, and then to 1% milk. Even though some studies have reported that full-fat dairy is not the health threat it was once thought to be, this shift will cut calories if you need help losing weight or maintaining a loss. Shift from cream-based pasta dishes to ones with red sauce. This also cuts saturated fat. Shift to roasted squash chunks from French fries.… read on >

Pickled vegetables are healthy and crunchy treats, and when you make them yourself, they’ll have great savory flavor with a lot less sodium than packaged varieties. Note that pickled foods are different from fermented foods, such as yogurt and kimchi. Pickling is soaking a food in a salty or acidic solution. Fermentation is the result of a reaction that occurs between a food’s own sugars and bacteria. Both are tasty and good for you. Firm veggies like radishes, green beans and fennel work best, because they won’t get mushy in the pickling liquid. Even if you’ve never been a radish fan, this recipe will turn you into one. Try them over Mexican dishes like black beans and rice, or nibble on them right out of the jar for a quick snack. Pickled Radishes With Orange Rind 1/2 cup white vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup cold water 2 2-inch strips orange rind 1 pound radishes, thinly sliced 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced Place vinegar, sugar, salt and cold water in a large saucepan. Mix well and add orange rind. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 30 seconds until the salt and sugar totally dissolve. Turn off the heat and add the radishes and red onion to the liquid. Let stand until the vegetables reach room temperature. Spoon… read on >

It’s well known that omega-3 fatty acids, or omega-3s for short, are important anti-inflammatory nutrients that, along with many other functions, reduce heart disease risk. What’s unclear is whether you can get these benefits from a capsule. Studies involving supplements have recently been called into question. That’s why it makes sense to focus on foods rich in these fatty acids. Note: A prescription formula has been found effective to reduce triglycerides (a type of blood fat), with an omega-3 concentration much higher than suggested for the general population, but it must only be taken under a doctor’s direction. The easiest forms of omega-3s to absorb are DHA and EPA, and fatty fish (like salmon and tuna) and grass-fed beef are among the best sources. Walnuts, ground flax and chia are good sources of plant-based omega-3s, called ALAs, and are versatile cooking ingredients. Their absorption rate is lower than those of DHA and EPA, however. Here’s a tasty way to get your omega-3s. Walnut-Crusted Tuna 2 tablespoons ground walnuts 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed 2 tablespoons chia seeds 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 1 egg, preferably omega-3 fortified 2 6-ounce tuna filets Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix walnuts, flax, chia seeds and black pepper in a pie plate. Whisk the egg in a separate dish. Dip tuna filets into the egg and then press into… read on >

Even a small increase in blood pressure during your first trimester could spell bigger trouble later in your pregnancy, new research suggests. Those troubles can include gestational high blood pressure, which develops after the 20th week of pregnancy, and preeclampsia (high blood pressure and protein in the urine), the researchers explained. Both conditions increase the risk for stroke in an expectant mother and for stillbirth, preterm birth and low birth weight. Preeclampsia also increases the risk of life-threatening seizures in the mother (eclampsia). In this study, the researchers analyzed data from about 8,900 pregnant women in the United States. Of those who had elevated blood pressure in the first trimester (120/80 to 129/80 mm Hg), just over 30% developed a high blood pressure disorder of pregnancy. This was a 42% higher risk than among women with normal blood pressure (less than 120/80 mm Hg) in the first trimester. Among women with stage 1 high blood pressure (130/80 to 139/89 mm Hg) in the first trimester, almost 38% developed a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, which was an 80% higher risk than among those with normal blood pressure, the findings showed. Stage 1 high blood pressure was associated with more than 2.5 times the risk for preeclampsia, according to the study. An increase in blood pressure between the first and second trimester also increased the risk of… read on >

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds — we hear a lot about the “best” food groups for health. But what about the worst ones? What foods should you be eliminating or at least cutting back on? Research published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at dietary intake and 318,000 deaths from diabetes, stroke and heart disease. In addition to not eating enough omega-3 rich seafood, nuts and seeds, two problematic factors stood out. These deaths were associated with eating too much salt and too many processed meats. The two go hand-in-hand in sausages, hot dogs, corned beef, beef jerky, canned meat, meat sauces, lunch meats and bacon. Eating too much salty food was associated with nearly 10% of those deaths. Processed meats are a key source of salt, but so are snacks, prepared foods and even packaged vegetables, especially those canned in salt. A separate study of 400,000 deaths related to heart and blood vessel diseases presented at an American Heart Association scientific meeting came to similar conclusions — finding 9% of these deaths were due to too much salt. The very unhealthy trans fats were also on the dangerous foods list. Fortunately, these are being phased out of packaged foods. But again, what you’re not eating makes a difference, too. These researchers also found that not getting enough whole… read on >

Looking to boost your fiber and vitamin C in one bite? Forget dietary supplements — emerald green broccoli is the answer. Cup for cup, broccoli has more vitamin C than oranges, and only half the calories. It’s also rich in folate and vitamin K, the minerals potassium and calcium, and many phytochemicals that may play a role in cancer prevention. To pick the freshest broccoli, look at the stem — it shouldn’t be dried out. Then look at the color of the florets. They should be dark green. Avoid heads that have yellowed in spots. While steaming broccoli is a snap, pan roasting adds great flavor without having to turn on your oven. The cheese sauce in the following recipe is bound to convert skeptics. Cheesy Pan-Roasted Broccoli For the broccoli: 1 head broccoli, cut into florets 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt For the sauce: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon flour 1 cup skim milk 1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and broccoli. Sprinkle with salt. Toss and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook four to five minutes until cooked through. While the broccoli cooks, make the cheese sauce. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil and flour. Cook… read on >

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods including fatty fish and flaxseed, may be best known for their link to heart health, but they’re also vital for pregnant women and their babies. These important nutrients have been linked to a reduced risk for depression for mom and a better birth weight for baby along with improved development and brain function, and possibly asthma prevention. What’s unclear is exactly how much you need every day. For a study in Spain, researchers followed nearly 2,000 moms and their babies from the first trimester of pregnancy through the child’s 5th birthday. The investigators found that eating large amounts of fatty fish during pregnancy may offer moderate benefits, including improvements in cognitive functioning and some protection from autism-spectrum traits. The benefits were seen when mom ate about three ounces of fish every day. This amount is just within the limits set by the European Food Safety Authority to avoid excess mercury, and there was no sign that mercury or other pollutants associated with fish had a negative effect that offset the apparent benefits. The amount of fish recommended in the Spanish study is more than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration weekly guidelines for pregnant women of a maximum of 8 to 12 ounces (about two to three servings) of a variety of seafood low in mercury. But many American… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Dried fruit is a healthier source of nutrition and calories. In some cases, it can be even healthier than fresh fruit, says Harvard Medical School. Dried fruit typically contains more fiber and antioxidants than fresh fruit. Fiber and antioxidants have been shown to fight heart disease, obesity and cancer, the school says. But it’s important to read nutrition labels on dried fruit, and avoid those with added sugar, says Harvard.

If you struggle to eat a healthy lunch during your workday, a new survey suggests you’re far from alone. “The good news is most people said they are interested in doing better” when it comes to healthy eating, said Dr. Anne Thorndike, vice chair of the nutrition committee at the American Heart Association (AHA). The survey included more than 900 U.S. adults who typically eat lunch during work hours. Of those, 56% said they struggled to have a healthy lunch at work, while 77% said they’re more likely to make healthier decisions at other times of the day if they have a healthy lunch. “The finding that healthier food choices at work may impact food choices throughout the rest of the day presents a unique opportunity for the workplace to have a positive influence on not only the employee’s health but also the health of the employee’s family,” Thorndike said in an AHA news release. She is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Overall, 91% of respondents said they were interested in having a more healthy workday lunch, with those younger than 40 more likely to be extremely/very interested than those aged 40 and older (65% vs. 55%). The survey also found that 82% of respondents said that having healthy food options at work is important to them, and 68% value help… read on >