Flaxseed, Flaxmeal, or Flaxseed Oil?

Super Food 1

Flaxseeds are an old food, dating back to 4000BC. There are two varieties- brown and golden, which have similar nutritional characteristics. But the question is, which is better?- flaxseed, meal or oil. The answer is… it depends. Yet, I kind of have a soft spot for flaxmeal.

* FOR THE FULL BENEFIT: Flaxseed meal is a fancy way of saying crushed/ground flaxseeds. Our bodies are able to digest it better than whole flaxseeds. They are the highest in fiber (therefore aid in digestion), omega-3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatory), and phytochemicals called lignans.

* TO AID CONSTIPATION: Whole flaxseeds, on the other hand, tend to pass through our intestine undigested, which means that we don’t absorb all of the nutrients. They can have a laxative effect (if taken with enough fluid) and can relieve constipation.

* FOR HEALTHY FATS: Flaxseed oil does not have fiber or healthy lignans, since they are both found in the fibrous part of the plant. Yet, it is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Seed, meal and oil have been used to help reduce total blood cholesterol and the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) levels, lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels, and have even shown to be protective against hormone-dependent cancer.

So…

Buy it… in grocery store or health food store.

Store it… in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, flaxmeal has a shorter shelf-life than flaxseeds, 2-4 and 6-12 months respectively.

Use it… in hot or cold cereals, sauces/condiments like mustard or light mayo, yogurt, homemade smoothies, casseroles, baked into cookies, muffins, or breads, or sprinkle some on whole-wheat waffles! Flaxseed oil has a nice nutty taste that can be added to salads or eaten with almond butter on toast.

Best brand… the one that only has 1 ingredient.

Cooking tips: the omega-3 content found in flaxseed/meal remains stable and intact while cooking in high heat. On the other hand, flax oil does not.

Bottom line: Adding flax to your diet is an easy way to increase your daily dose of omega-3, fiber, protein, and micronutrients. Start with 1 tablespoon and slowly (and as tolerated) add up to 3 tablespoons a day.

Note: the omega-3 fatty acids found in flax is Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA). Unfortunately, the body has to convert ALA to EPA and DHA (EicosaPentaenoic Acid and DocosaHexaenoic Acid), the fatty acid found in fish oil, so ALA isn’t as efficient. Therefore, you have to eat more flax to benefit from the same amount of fish oil.

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University of Maryland Medical Center.
OmegaScience.Org
The World’s Healthiest Foods.

Click HERE for the link.

Healthy Pops (Recipe 1). For those of you who enjoy something sweet (but not too sweet) and sour, try my Cucumber-Lime Pop.

Makes 10 pops (total of 28 oz= 3.5 cups)

Place 1/3 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice, and 1 large cucumber (without the peel) in a blender. Add enough water to total 3.5 cups. Blend. Add to pop maker and freeze. Wait for a hot Summer’s day to enjoy!

Calories: ~35 per pop.

TIP: If you are not convinced about getting a pop maker, you can make ice-cubes with this recipe and add it to sparking water for a “light limonada.”

To Eat Less Calories or Carbohydrates?

That is the question- at least for weight loss.

We as a nation are severely plump. About a third of us are obese- meaning that an averaged height woman (5'4") is approximately 60 pounds over her ideal weight. Sixty pounds! I am not talking about a dress size bigger. I am talking about A LOT of ADDITIONAL calories and A LOT of ADDITIONAL calories from carbohydrates. I say “additional” in my obnoxious CAPITALS because we all need both calories and carbohydrates to properly function, but not in the amounts we are currently eating. 

Therefore, when the oh so tantalizing nutrition debate on whether calories makes us fat, or the quality of calories (i.e. carbohydrates) makes us store fat, I say BOTH.

It’s a fact. When we eat too many calories, we store them as fat. The fatter we get, the bigger our fat cells get and the more they wreak havoc on our hormones affecting our metabolism and inflammation that can increase our risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and other metabolic conditions. A good rule of thumb (if you don’t have a pre-diagnosed thyroid or hormonal condition) is: if you can’t lose weight or have been gaining weight, you are probably eating too much and are not expending enough energy.

I agree, calories are NOT created equal. If you look back to the 1970’s you will see that with the rise of sugar intake and other refined grain products came a rise in overweight/obesity. Carbohydrates stimulate insulin secretion, a hormone that helps utilize glucose for energy and store fat. Therefore, the quality of our food is definitely important, and the more we focus on balancing our blood sugar with healthy/complex carbohydrates rather than sodas and white foods, the more control we’ll have over how we use and store our energy. 

A few practical things you can do to reduce both calories and refined carbohydrates are the following:

*Do not skip meals, especially breakfast, since it’s been linked with higher calorie intake throughout the day.

*Eat fiber-rich foods: vegetables, fruits and whole grains. A piece of bread should have at least 3 grams of fiber and a serving of cereal should have 5 grams.

*Snacks should not exceed 200 calories and should ideally be a mix of carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Examples are: Greek yogurt, a piece of fruit with a handful of nuts, a slice of partly-skimmed cheese with a whole grain toast.

*Specifically for lunch and dinner, half your plate should be fruits and/or vegetables (preferably vegetables).

*Do NOT, for the love of g*d, eat fried food.

*Do not drink your calories. Most sugary drinks have no nutrition, only calories.

*KNOW & UNDERSTAND that the US spends about $60 billion a year in marketing unhealthy foods like fried chicken, soda, sugary cereals, and pizza; therefore, if you can’t stop thinking about that burger & fries from Burger King, to a certain extent, it’s understandable. Just be aware and try to logically think if you would’ve wanted that burger & fries if it wasn’t advertised on every TV, computer, and magazine in your immediate surrounding. 

As Dr. Nestle said so eloquently, we “must learn to eat less but eat better.” And this simple notion- takes time and energy, pun intended.

If you are interested in a 10-minute free consultation on weight loss and other nutrition-related issues, please contact me at alanna.cabrero@gmail.com. Include your name, number, and a good time to reach you.

Dr. Marion Nestle addresses “Why Calories Count”

G. Taubes “What Really Makes Us Fat.”

American Spirit

Enjoy this little red & blue drink (in moderation) for tomorrow’s festivities.

Place all the below ingredients in a big bowl:

- 2 cups of watermelon
- 2 cups of blueberries
- 1 cup of vodka
- ½ lime
- 3 tsp of sugar (or 1 packet of stevia)

Let sit for at least a couple of hours and then add sparking water and ice to taste.

Serve with a soup spoon. 

A few drinking tips:

*Fruit is naturally sweet so there is no need for much more additional sugar.

*DRINK WATER and SLOW DOWN. Alcohol is technically a toxin, therefore your liver will always try to eliminate it first. Therefore, it will bypass food to digest/process the alcohol. When you drink water, you give your liver a chance to “catch up.”

Happy 4th!

Some Foods Just Go Better Together

I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite things to do in the summer is have people over and grill. Of course, grilling doesn’t usually equate to healthy eating, but there are small habits we can procure to make our grilling experience healthy and savory.

When cooking meats (any meats!), always add herbs and spices. This is important because when meat is cooked over high heat i.e. grilling, it creates a compound called malondialdehyde that has been linked to cancer, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. By rubbing antioxidant-rich oregano, rosemary, parsley, black pepper, paprika and garlic on meats, you can reduce up to 70% of this nasty compound, as per a study in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

And don’t forget to also cook healthy veggies when you grill, which are naturally malondialdehyde-free!
 
Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over ripe summer tomatoes. The healthy fat found in olive oil helps absorb the fat-soluble antioxidants found in tomatoes such as lycopene and carotenoids that especially help the skin and the heart. Olive oil is also rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and polyphenols that decrease inflammation and thought to reduce blood clots.

Cooking Tip: Avoid cooking with olive oil at high heat (>300F). The heat causes olive oil to break down and consequently change flavor.

Add a little citrus to dark greens. Greens like spinach, arugula and kale are loaded with vitamins and minerals including vitamins A and C, and iron. When consumed with a dash of lemon, lime, or slices of orange, the vitamins help to easily absorb the iron in vegetables.

Greens can be a tasty (and not so guilty) side dish to a grilled piece of meat. Just a thought!

Salads for the Summer

Yes, it’s officially Summer! And on that note, I would like to share the New York Times 101 Simple Recipes for Salads. I have chosen (and slightly tweaked) a few of my favorites. They are completely vegetarian (sorry my lovely meat eaters!) and do not require any cooking, just mixing and cutting. But what I love most about these salads is that they use whole food, only include 5 ingredients or less, and are colorful!- meaning that their pigments are full of healing antioxidants. Enjoy!

1.) Tomato Watermelon: Cube watermelon and combine with tomato chunks, basil and basic vinaigrette. Add a little feta for protein.

13.) Red salad: Combine tomato wedges with halved strawberries, basil leaves, shaved parmesan and balsamic vinegar.

15.) Tomato Goodness: Cut cherry tomatoes in half; toss with soy sauce, a bit of dark sesame oil and basil or cilantro.

22.) Choppy Mushroom: Thinly slice button mushrooms; toss with finely chopped carrots and celery and mix with mung bean sprouts. Finish with  olive oil, sherry vinegar, a little soy sauce and minced ginger.

48.) “Spicy” Salad: Toss roughly chopped dandelion greens or arugula with chickpeas, crumbled feta and olive oil. Add lemon, salt, and pepper to taste.

This is what “being healthy” should look like!