FitSugar

Why Mushrooms Are Important For a Vegetarian Diet

Leta Shy — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:15:17 PST

It's National Nutrition Month, and while you may be eating all the bright colors of the rainbow, don't overlook that less flashy color - brown. As in, the brown crimini button mushroom, a market and salad bar staple for good reason.

The common mushroom is hiding some important nutrients that vegetarians should make sure they get enough of. One such important nutrient is selenium. While meat, seafood, grains, and nuts have excellent levels of the mineral, mushrooms are the only produce that have high levels of it, so they are especially important to include in your diet if you are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free.

Selenium helps produce antioxidants and also keeps your immune and thyroid systems healthy. Studies have even shown that it may reduce LDL cholesterol levels as well as help with inflammatory diseases. Crimini mushrooms are packed with the stuff: five ounces of the mushrooms provide over half of the daily value of selenium.

The benefits don't stop there, however. Mushrooms are also high in other important minerals, including iron, zinc, and potassium, as well as vitamin D.

I love to sauté crimini mushrooms in a little olive oil and seasoning for a quick side dish, but if you're into Meatless Mondays or thinking of giving up meat for Lent, try a mushroom leek tart, a vegan mushroom and garlic bisque, or a hearty broccoli and mushroom quiche for dinner.

Food Pairings to Fight Cancer

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:30:00 PDT

Looking for a food pairing that does more than just intensifies taste and nutrition? Researchers out of the U.K. are suggesting that combining two food components called sulforaphane and selenium - two naturally occurring cancer fighting components found in foods - make them up to 13 times more powerful in attacking cancer together than if they are alone.

OK, so what foods contain these components? Well, foods high in sulforaphane are broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, watercress, and salad rocket (aka arugula). Foods high in selenium include nuts, poultry, fish, eggs, sunflower seeds, and mushrooms. So while we wait for the scientists to learn more, why not sprinkle some mushrooms and/or sunflower seeds onto your arugula? Not only will it be tasty, but the benefits may be hefty in terms of cancer prevention.

Source

Antioxidants: Food IS Better Than Supplements

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:30:00 PST

Have you all seen the report that antioxidants don't help you live longer? First let me clarify that the study was on supplements.
An analysis of dozens of studies illustrates that supplements of Vitamins A, C and E as well as beta carotene and selenium do not help people live longer. Yep, it is better to get your nutrients from food not supplements.

Not all experts agree that folks should stop taking their vitamins. Meir Stampfer, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, said the new analysis hasn't discouraged him from taking his vitamins. He believes the studies were not consistent enough to convince him that supplements have no value.

Fit's Tip: I have a love/hate relationship with vitamin supplements, so I strongly suggest eating healthy, well balanced meals to get your antioxidants. If you feel like you're not quite getting all that you need, then by all means, take a supplement. Try to eat more winter squash it is really high in vitamins A and C as well as beta carotene.

5 Foods For Skin, Nail, and Hair Health

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:23:26 PST

Skin, nails, and hair can be outward signals of your overall health and can indicate where you may be lacking in the nutrition department. Having a whole, well-balanced diet contributes to shiny, silky hair with minimal breakage and split ends. In addition, eating lots of antioxidant rich fruits and healthy fats can help clear skin and protect you from skin cancer. Lastly, loading up on nutrient-rich foods enables your body to grow strong, healthy nails without the dints, white spots, or hang nails. Here are the five foods you should eat regularly to start radiating health and natural beauty.

Salmon: Omega-3s contributes to a healthy scalp and keeps the skin lubricated. The protein helps fight against a protein deficiency, which can change your hair color, make your nails brittle, and your skin dull. Whip up some poached salmon with curried yogurt sauce to get your fix.
Cashews: High in zinc, eating cashews in trail mix or as a quick snack will keep your hair shiny, prevent white spots in your nails, and aid in healing acne or scabs on your skin. You could also opt to sprinkle them on top of your favorite veggie dish like this Indian spiced chard recipe.
Beans: Legumes and lentils have lots of biotin, a fatty acid complex that strengthens nails and hair.
Dark leafy greens: Kale, collard greens, and chard are just a few sources high in vitamin A and C, which your body needs in order to produce sebum, the oil that's secreted in your hair follicles. In addition, eating greens at every meal helps your body store more iron, which is essential for healthy hair and giving your skin a healthy glow. Here are seven ways to prepare kale - our fave green of the season.
Whole wheat: Start eating sprouted grain bread, buckwheat, and other variants of the West's favorite grain, because it contains selenium, a key mineral needed for healthy, cancer-free skin. Plus, studies have also shown eating whole wheat leads to clearer skin.

Could Changing Your Mood Be as Easy as Changing What You Eat?

Allure — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:08:25 PST

We're excited to present this story from our friends at Allure:

Turns out eating well won't just make you feel better in some abstract, "brown rice is healthy so I'll feel virtuous if I eat it" kind of a way. A diet that is specifically designed to reduce inflammation may boost your mood. Recently, inflammation has been implicated in nearly every physical woe, from blemishes to the biggies like heart disease and Alzheimer's. Here at Allure, we've reported on how anti-inflammatories benefit the skin: topical antioxidants, and certain foods and supplements may all reduce acne, signs of aging, and skin cancer. Now Dr. Andrew Weil, health guru and author of the new book, Spontaneous Happiness, argues that eating certain foods won't just make us look better; it could actually keep the blues away. "It looks as if depression is another manifestation of inflammation," says Weil. He outlines a diet that will suppress harmful inflammation throughout your body when you keep reading.

Fatty Foods Worth a Little Indulging!

Heather Dale — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:06:39 PDT

Not all fats are bad for you; in fact, incorporating healthy fats into your diet can actually be good for you! The general rule of thumb is that good fats are liquid at room temperature and bad fats are solid at room temperature. Therefore, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats fall into the good fats category, while saturated and trans fats fall into the bad fats category. Unlike saturated fats, monounsaturated fats help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, while boosting your HDL (good) cholesterol. Dietary fat is also good for us because it is one of three macronutrients that supports a number of our body's functions and provides us with energy.

Now for the fun stuff - the foods with all the healthy fats:

Avocados: Avocados contain monounsaturated fats (and antioxidants and beta carotene too!), which is said to help enhance memory and prevent heart disease. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of fat is 65 grams and one cup of avocado contains almost one third of your fat intake for a day, about 23 grams. So it's probably best to stick with eating just a half an avocado each day.

Keep reading for more healthy fatty foods!

Keep Your Fridge and Pantry Stocked With These 5 New Superfoods

Shape — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 04:22:02 PDT

It's amazing how many foods are out there that help with everything from weight loss to reducing your appetite to improving your sex life. As more studies are done, researchers these days are finding even more amazing superfoods. Read on for the top five new superfoods that should be in your fridge or pantry at all times!

5 New Superfoods to Stock in Your Fridge and Pantry

1. Seaweed. A new study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that seaweed is a rich vegan source of heart-healthy food "bioactive peptides," that are usually only found in milk products. Stock up at your local Asian market!

2. Kamut. High in iron, fiber and protein, this whole grain comes in everything from flours to pastas. The grain is touted for its concentration of selenium, zinc, and magnesium.

3. Coconut oil. Once villainized for its high fat content, coconut oil is now one of the hottest health foods. High in lauric acid, coconut oil is now said to be a superfood that boosts metabolism, burns fat and helps keep your immune system strong.

4. Incaberries. Also known as physalis or cape gooseberry, incaberries are prized for their high levels of phosphorous, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B12, protein and bioflavoniods. A true superfruit and superfood!

5. Hemp oil. Made from hemp seeds, hemp oil is tasty (and legal!) in salad dressings, mayonnaise and dips. Highly digestible and a vegetarian source of essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6), this superfood is also high in vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, carotene, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and magnesium.

More from Shape.com:

Dietitians Dish: How to Feed Your Skin

Guest Writer — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 02:26:10 PDT

The following post was written by the registered dietitians of C & J Nutrition, Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh. We turned to them for their expert advice to answer a FitSugar reader's question on the relationship between diet and skin care.

Hi,
I need some help with my skin and breakouts. Are there any foods you recommend avoiding to decrease acne? Any foods you recommend to improve the quality of my skin overall? Thanks!
- Edible Skin Tricks?

Research is really varied as to how diet may affect acne. You’ll often hear people cite dairy as a cause of acne, but again, research really hasn’t been able to back this up solidly. If you think a specific food might be triggering breakouts, keep a food journal to see if there’s a correlation. According to some researchers, spiked insulin levels from eating too many refined carbs. Sugary, processed foods can cause inflammation in the body (including skin cells) that leads to premature aging and wrinkles. Make sure to choose whole grains and whole grain products, beans, fruit for your carb choices most often.

In general, for the healthiest-looking skin we recommend:

Not smoking and avoiding spending time around smoke and do wear sunscreen/hats when spending time outside.
Eat foods rich in antioxidants – they destroy free radicals – research says vitamin C, E, A (beta carotene), and selenium nourish and protect skin, which can help keep it looking better for longer! (P.S. Retin-A, Renova are high potency vitamin A creams.) Here's more on those vitamins.

Losing Your Hair? Eat These 9 Foods

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 02:36:18 PDT

Right around the time my daughter hit the 6-month mark, I freaked in the shower when clumps of hair came into my hands while shampooing. Then I remembered a mom in my postnatal yoga class complaining about gobs of her hair falling out months after giving birth. Losing hair after pregnancy is pretty ~~crappy~~ common, but if you didn't just have a baby and you're concerned that too many strands are ending up in your hairbrush, eating some of these nutrient-rich foods may help prevent thinning hair.

Tofu: This soy-based food is a healthy source of iron, with a one-cup serving offering 6.8 mg. If you're concerned about an iron deficiency, which is known to cause hair loss, make sure you're getting 18 mg of iron a day.
Cottage cheese: Dairy products are great sources of protein, especially since they contain whey and casein. If you're not a fan of the consistency of cottage cheese, snack on yogurt instead.
Oysters: These shellfish are another source of iron. A three-ounce serving contains 6.6 mg. People might eat oysters to inspire love, but they'll also inspire your hair to grow. Besides the iron, oysters are also high in the antioxidant zinc.
Flaxseeds: Another great source of iron, flaxseeds also contain omega-3s, which support scalp health and can encourage hair growth. One tablespoon of whole flaxseeds contain 2.3 grams of omega-3s, while one tablespoon of flaxseed oil offers 7.2 grams.

To see what other foods you can add to your diet to encourage a thick, lustrous mane keep reading.

Healthy Recipe: Quinoa Pancakes

Michele Bell — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 03:47:00 PDT

I love me some pancakes, but I love them even more when I can eat them with a guilt-free conscious. Thanks to these quinoa pancakes, I'm chomping away on some syrupy pieces of heaven. Topped with fresh fruit and a pat of butter, these are delicious for a breakfast treat. Paired with some more savory toppings like salmon, crème fraîche (or Greek yogurt), and chives, they'd make for a delightful afternoon or evening bite.

Want to see how to make these flapjacks on your own?