Nutrition Books November 15, 2007

There are a ton of books on nutrition. Most of them are diet books, highlighting a new way to loose weight. Again, be skeptical about who you trust to tell you the right way to eat. 

This is the list of some of my favorite books and why I like them. I will keep adding as I come across more good books. 

1. Sports Nutrition Guidebook by Nancy Clark, RD: This book is geared for active people and how to eat to fuel their body. It also gives a lot of good general healthy eating information and is helpful to the athlete and non-athlete. The book is also written in an easy-to-follow-language.

2. What to Eat by Marion Nestle: This is a newer release that reviews all the hot topics of nutrition. If you are confused about what is healthy or harmful, read this book. I think everyone should read this book.

3.. Genetics: The Nutrition Connection by Ruth Debusk: This is a very scientific book that explains how genetics and nutrition are related. It’s a fascinating book.

4. It’s Not Just Your Genese by Ruth Debusk: I haven’t read this one yet but I believe it’s a more consumer friendly version of #3.

5. Fat is not Your Fate by Cathie Christie and Susan Mitchell:  This book helps you apply the principles of nutrigenomics to your everyday life. People are at risk for different diseases based on their genetic profile. This book will show you how to prevent your family history from happening to you. Dr. Christie was one of my professors at UNF and she is awesome.

6. I’d Kill for a Cookie by Cathie Christie and Susan Mitchell:This book helps you understand the science of eating. If you need some strategies to fight off afternoon cravings or increase your energy, this is a great book.

7. Eating for Life by Bill Phillips. This is one of my favorite cookbooks because it takes regular, American food and revamps them for high flavor and lower calories.

Preserving Nutrients in Produce November 5, 2007

Prepping your own produce at home can be intimidating. Many of the nutrients found in fresh produce are water-soluble and can be lost in the cooking process. Here are a few points to follow to ensure your fruits and veggies keep as many nutrients as possible.

1. Store produce in the fridge (except tomatoes and bananas). The enzymes that breakdown produce are most active at room temperatures. Chilling produce will help to slow down spoiling. Cooked veggies can last about one week in the fridge.

2. If you cut, puree, or cook a piece of fresh produce, store in an airtight container to prevent nutrient breakdown from air.

3. Some fresh vegetables can loose up to half of their nutrient content during washing, boiling or canning. This is because produce contains many water-soluble nutrients (B vitamins, vitamin C, anti-oxidants, minerals). Wash produce quickly and vigorously, but do not soak it. Serving vegetables in their cooking liquid helps to keep some of those nutrients. If you are pureeing the cooked vegetable, use some of the cooking liquid to moisten the puree. 

Steaming is one of the best ways to prepare cooked veggies to retain the most nutrients. Stir-frying veggies in a small amount of oil also increases nutrient preservation. The microwave is a quick, healthy way to cook veggies. Simply put prepped veggies in a microwave safe bowl, drizzle with water, and cover with plastic wrap. Heat at 30 second intervals till you reached your desired tenderness.

Don’t forget that frozen produce can be just as good as fresh fruit. Frozen produce is picked at their peak of ripeness and flash frozen immediately. This helps preserve its nutrient profile. Buying frozen produce is also a great way to enjoy items that are out of season.