FitSugar

Learn to Love: Spinach

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:30:26 -0700

When it comes to stereotypical foods that kids hate, spinach tops the list, along with brussels sprouts and broccoli, all of which I've learned to love. Seriously, when it comes to bang for your buck nutrition-wise, it's hard to beat spinach.

Spinach is an awesome vegetarian source of iron. Consider that an adult woman needs 18 mg of iron per day, and one cup of cooked spinach provides 6.4 mg of that!

Eat this leafy green raw, and one cup packs in 56 percent of the recommended daily value of Vitamin A; cook it and eat a cup, and you've got a whopping 377 percent of your daily value.

It's also very high in Vitamin C and lutein, which is good for your eyes and lowers your risk of cataracts. No wonder it's one of the foods women should eat every day.

Try serving fish or meat on a bed of cooked spinach, use it to make a light Mediterranean salad, or saute it with onions and spices for a yummy side dish.

Healthy Eating Tip: Bed of Greens Instead of Carbs

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Going out for a nice dinner doesn't mean you can't have a healthy meal. Many restaurants are amenable to diners' needs, and you can make sure your plate is full of foods you want and need to eat.

Fish, chicken or meat dishes are usually served on an enormous portion or rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta. To avoid a starchy, buttery side dish, simply ask that your protein be placed on a bed of greens instead. Think steamed kale, chard, spinach, or a raw bed of spinach or salad greens. I'm not saying I avoid those carbs altogether, but eating large portions of them makes me feel grossly full. Not only are the greens less filling, but they offer fiber and so many vitamins and minerals. Plus they add and interesting texture and fresh flavor to the main dish. So the next time you're at a restaurant, as for greens instead of carbs. At the end of the meal, your stomach and waistline will be happy that you did.

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Frozen Spinach Does the Body Good

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:30:00 -0800

The canned spinach that made Popeye's muscles go crazy was probably loaded with sodium and ultimately not the best method for eating this super green, leafy veggie. On the other hand, frozen spinach might just be more nutritious than fresh. The nutritional benefits of spinach start to breakdown after the leafy green is picked. In fact, four days in your crisper can reduce the amount of beneficial nutrients health-boosting carotenoids and the folate (a B vitamin) in spinach. Yep, even if you refrigerate this veggie, it can still lose its nutritional value. For this reason it is a great idea to use frozen spinach. It is generally processed immediately after being picked, locking in the nutrients. This is a great option if fresh spinach is scarce or really expensive. Check out this recipe for Tomatoes Stuffed With Spinach and Ham, which conveniently uses frozen spinach!

Fit's Tip: Remember, it is recommend that you eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables daily - fresh or frozen. So if the fresh produce at the grocery looks old and depleted, experiment with using frozen veggies or fruit. Frozen fruit is a great addition to any smoothie.

Is there a frozen veggie or fruit that you use regularly? Share the details in the comment section below.

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The Lowdown on Lutein

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:30:00 -0800

I have been seeing the word "lutein" a lot lately, but honestly had no idea what it was. So, I decided to do a little research. It's something called a carotenoid, which is a naturally-occurring pigment found in plants and even some types of fungus and bacteria. Lutein is pretty easy to spot since it adds color to red, orange, yellow, and green fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes, berries, carrots, and squash. High sources of lutein are found in leafy green veggies like kale and spinach.

Now you know where to find it, but I bet you want to know why you should be eating it. Lutein is necessary for healthy vision and can be found in the retinas of your eyes. Getting enough lutein in your diet can lower your risk of developing cataracts. Lutein has also slows down the thickening of arterial walls, helping to prevent cardiovascular disease. Not only that, but getting enough lutein can increase skin hydration and elasticity, so it's good for your skin's health as well.

It's recommended to eat between 4 and 10 mg of lutein a day. How do you get enough? A 1/2 a cup of cooked broccoli has .8 mg, 1 cup of raw spinach has 3.7 mg, 1 cup of cooked kale has 23.7 mg, and 1 cup of romaine lettuce has 1.1 mg of lutein. So make sure to include lots of green veggies in your diet, and your eyes, heart, and skin will thank you.

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8 Foods Women Should Eat Every Day

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 07:30:00 -0700

A while back we went over the eight foods men should eat everyday and now I've come across the eight foods we ladies should eat daily as well. You'll be pleased to find that this list happens to have the exact same foods as the list for men, which means you and your man can stock up and munch on the same healthy goodies.

Blueberries
Oats
Walnuts
Black beans
Carrots
Tomatoes
Yogurt
Spinach

I love everything on this list so I'm feeling pretty good about myself. What about you guys? Are there some things you love/hate?

What Does Your RDI Look Like: Iron

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 03:30:00 -0700

There's big talk about iron and making sure you get enough when it comes to nutrition. I'm sure that's one of the comments vegetarians get from their concerned parents, "If you don't eat red meat, you'll become iron-deficient!"

Iron is an important mineral the body needs to make hemoglobin which helps carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Believe it or not, iron is found in many other foods besides hamburgers and steak. Chicken, turkey and seafood such as oysters, tuna and salmon contain iron. There are also many vegetarian sources such as beans (kidney, lima, soy, pinto and black), green leafy veggies (spinach and kale, broccoli), asparagus, parsley, brussel sprouts, molasses, nuts, egg yolks, fortified cereal, enriched pasta, potatoes with the skin and dried fruits (raisins, dates and apricots).

Do you know how much iron you're supposed to get each day? To find out just read more

An adult woman should get 18 mg of iron a day. Here is a good list of some food sources that contain iron so you can get your RDI:

Food	Amount	Amount of Iron (in mg)
Fortified cereal	1 oz	4.5 - 7
Dried apricot	1/4 cup	1.5
Raisins	1/4 cup	1.1
Molasses	1 tbsp	3.3
Garbanzo beans	1/2 cup, cooked	3.4
Pinto beans	1/2 cup	2.2
Lima beans	1/2 cup	2.2
Lentils	1/2 cup	3.2
Soybeans	1/2 cup	7
Tofu	1/2 cup	6.2
Sun-dried tomatoes	1/2 cup	9
Spinach	1/2 cup, raw	2.7
Kale	1/2 cup, steamed	2
Broccoli	1/2 cup, raw	1
Asparagus	1/2 cup, steamed	1
Potatoes, with the skin	1/2 cup	3.2
Pine nuts	1/2 cup	9
Peanuts	1/2 cup	3.9
Pumpkin seeds	1/2 cup	14
Sunflower seeds	1/2 cup	6.7
Flaxseed	1/2 cup	6.2
Ground beef	1 patty	4
Steak	3 oz	4
Turkey (dark meat)	3 oz	4
Oysters	3 oz, steamed	7.4
Trout	3 oz	4
Shrimp	3 oz	4

How do you know if you are iron deficient (anemic)? Symptoms may include feeling unusually tired, pale skin, shortness of breath during exercise, cold hands and feet, brittle nails, hair falling out and headaches. A simple blood test will let you know if you need more iron in your diet.

If you are anemic, try to eat more foods with iron. You can take iron supplements, but they may cause an upset stomach, heartburn, or constipation. It's rare, but you can also get too much iron. Extra amounts of iron in the body eventually build up to dangerous levels and can cause severe damage to organs trying to store the extra iron. So be careful not to exceed your daily amount too often.

Fit's Tips: If you eat beets and it turns your pee red, it could be a sign that you are iron deficient. If this happens to you, get your iron checked by your doctor.

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8 Foods Men Should Eat Every Day

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Best Life Magazine has compiled a list of eight foods that men should be eating every day. I know this list is made with men in mind, but these are foods women may want to consider adding to their diets as well. So while you're throwing a few blueberries on top of his cereal in the morning, you may want to add a few to yours as well.

Spinach: It may be green and leafy, but spinach is also the ultimate man food. This noted biceps builder is a rich source of plant-based omega-3s and folate, which help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. Bonus (for him, I suppose): Folate also increases blood flow to the penis. And spinach is packed with lutein, a compound that fights age-related macular degeneration.
Yogurt: Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body, which boost the immune system and provide protection against cancer. Not all yogurts are probiotic though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.”

There are more foods you may not have thought about so read more

Tomatoes: There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: Red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene, and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.
Carrots: Most red, yellow, or orange vegetables and fruits are spiked with carotenoids-fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis-but none are as easy to prepare, or have as low a caloric density, as carrots.
Blueberries: Host to more antioxidants than any other popular fruit, blueberries help prevent cancer, diabetes, and age-related memory changes (hence the nickname “brain berry”). Studies show that blueberries, which are rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, boost cardiovascular health.
Black Beans: All beans are good for your heart, but none can boost your brain power like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function.
Walnuts: Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three.
Oats: The éminence grise of health food, oats garnered the FDA’s first seal of approval. They are packed with soluble fiber, which lowers the risk of heart disease. Yes, oats are loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because oats also have 10 grams of protein per ½-cup serving, they deliver steady muscle-building energy.

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What Causes "Spinach Teeth"

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I just ate a tasty and fresh spinach salad and my teeth feel completely funky, kinda chalky. Now this is not the first time this has happened, but this is the first time I researched the issue.

First off, the term "spinach teeth" cannot yet be found in one of my favorite resources - the Urban Dictionary, but the phenomenon none the less exists. It is caused by the high quantities of oxalic acid found in spinach, not iron like many spinach lovers might think. The oxalate crystals leak out as you chew, and even more, when you cook spinach and these crystals coat the teeth. Drinking milk with spinach can exacerbate the chalky sensation. Rhubarb, beets, kale and chocolate are high in oxalic acid as well. People with kidney problems should not eat large quantities of spinach or any food high in this acid since it can lead to because of the increased risk of producing oxalate stones in the kidneys.

Fit's tip: The oxalic acid contained in spinach can prevent your body from absorbing iron and calcium. To improve iron absorption, spinach should be eaten with foods that contain vitamin C. This is a good reason to squeeze fresh lemon on cooked spinach!

The Raw and The Cooked: Veggie Edition

FitSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:45:00 -0700

To me, summertime means fresh veggies. They are in season, abundant and since they are so abundant, tasty and cheap. However, I do prefer some of my veggies cooked, but are they just as nutritious? Let's find out.

Take the quiz

What Does Your RDI Look Like: Vitamin A

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:45:00 -0700

I know I'm supposed to be getting a certain amount of Vitamins and Minerals each day - That's what RDI is (formerly known as RDA). It stands for Reference Daily Intake and it represents the suggested daily intake levels for nutrients.

That being said, when it comes to Vitamin A, women should get 700 mcg (micrograms) or 2,310 IU (International Units) a day. This vitamin helps with vision, bone growth, cell growth and repair, and cell division. It aids in regulating the immune system, and makes white blood cells, which help to fight off infections. Vitamin A also helps the skin and mucous membranes function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses. It also speeds up healing when you get cut, and prevents your skin from aging. What a busy little vitamin!

Sounds great, but how can I make sure I'm getting enough? I mean, what does that much Vitamin A look like when it comes to food?

Want to see a chart to help you figure it out? Then read more

Here's a list of common foods we eat and how much Vitamin A (in IU) they contain. Remember a woman needs 2,310 IU of Vitamin A a day. The amounts may surprise you.

Food	Amount	Amount of Vitamin A (in IU)
Sweet Potato (baked)	1/2 cup	15,740 (wow!)
Carrot	1 medium	10,255
Acorn Squash	1/2 cup	439
Apple	1 medium	75
Fresh Apricot	1 medium	674
Arugala	1 cup	475
Asparagus (steamed)	6 medium spears	905
Banana	1 medium	76
Beet greens (cooked)	1/2 cup	5,511
Red pepper	1/2 cup	2,333
Yellow Pepper	1/2 cup	150
Broccoli (steamed)	1/2 cup	1,207
Butternut Squash (cooked)	1/2 cup	10,950
Grapefruit	1/2 medium	1,414
Corn on the cob	1 medium ear	146
Kale (steamed)	1/2 cup	8,854
Spinach (raw)	1 cup	2,813
Strawberries (fresh)	1/2 cup	10 (I thought there'd be more)
Plum	1 medium	227
Peach	1 medium	319
Orange	1 medium	295
Watermelon	1/2 cup	438
Zucchini (steamed)	1/2 cup	1,005

Now I can see just where my Vitamin A is coming from. I thought fruits would contain more Vitamin A than green vegetables, but this chart has proven me wrong. It's good to know that it's pretty easy to get your daily amount, just make sure to include lots of green veggies or a carrot once a day and you're good to go.

Fit's Tips: Is it possible to get too much Vitamin A? You bet. Retinol is the direct form of Vitamin A found in multivitamins, cod liver oil, liver, fortified foods, and whole milk products. High doses during pregnancy can cause birth defects and liver toxicity. Excessive amounts can also lead to bone fractures.

The government considers 3,000 mcg (10,000 IU) the maximum amount of vitamin A that you should get from supplements, animal sources, and fortified foods each day. NOTE: Beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A by the body, is not associated with an increased risk of fractures or problems during pregnancy. That means you can eat as much Vitamin A-rich fruits and veggies as you want, but be sure to check food labels and multivitamins to make sure you are not getting an excessive amount of Vitamin A.

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