FitSugar

Healthy Eating Tip: Add Some Fat to Your Tomatoes

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:00:39 -0700

After years of being maligned, fat is making a comeback. Fat is necessary to absorb fat-soluble nutrients, like carotenoids, the antioxidant that the body converts to vitamin A. This family of antioxidants gives fruits and veggies their orange and red hues as well.

Take tomatoes, for instance. They're known for being high in the antioxidants lycopene and beta carotene, both types of carotenoids. But since lycopene and beta carotene are fat soluble, tomatoes need to be paired with a bit of fat for us to absorb these important nutrients. Spritzing a little olive oil over your tomatoes adds flavor and will help you reap the benefits of this fruit disguised as a veggie.

Healthy Recipe: Pizza Quinoa Polenta

FitSugar — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:01:00 -0700

I'll admit that a slice of cheesy pizzeria pizza is one of my weaknesses, but at 272 calories a slice, it's not something I want to indulge in on a regular basis. Not only because of the calories, but since the dough is usually made with white flour, it's not exactly nutritious. So here's a recipe that'll satisfy your need for something chewy, gooey, and tomatoey, but it's made with Quinoa Polenta.

To see this simple recipe that can be served as an appetizer or main dish keep reading

Healthy Recipe: Eggplant Stacks

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:00:00 -0700

I love finding new ways to use seasonal produce, and lately, the tomatoes here - especially the multicolored heirloom varieties - have been irresistible. One of the best ways to feature fabulous tomatoes is in a classic caprese salad made with mozzarella cheese and basil. Since I found some good-looking basil and eggplant at the farmers market, I decided to try this variation.

To make the dish healthier, I used part-skim mozzarella, and instead of beefsteak tomatoes, I used heirlooms. Though this recipe is designed to yield two appetizer servings, I just ate the two eggplant stacks for dinner with nothing else. It was plenty filling and a great way to work fresh veggies into mealtime. To get the recipe, read more.

Eggplant Stacks
Modified From Quick Simple Food

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1 1/2- to 2-pound eggplant, trimmed and cut into six 1/2-inch slices
4 1/4-inch thick slices fresh mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
1 large beefsteak tomato, cut into four thick slices
4 large basil leaves, plus more for garnish

Directions
Makes two appetizer servings.

Heat the grill to medium (or the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit).
In a blender or food processor, combine the olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of water. Puree.
Brush the eggplant slices with the olive oil mixture and let stand for 5 minutes.
Grill, turning occasionally, until they just begin to soften (or bake on a greased baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes).
Place the cheese on 4 slices. Put the tomato slices on a piece of aluminum foil on top of the grill to warm. When the cheese begins to melt, transfer the eggplant slices to a platter. Top the cheese slices with a basil leaf and a warm tomato slice. Top each with another cheese-topped eggplant slice and tomato. Top both with a basil leaf and a plain eggplant slice. Serve hot.

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5 Things About Tomatoes

FitSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0700

While I didn't actively avoid tomatoes during the salmonella scare, I am quite happy the FDA has finally given raw tomatoes the thumbs up. To celebrate my favorite fruit disguised as a veggie, I thought I would share five things ways tomatoes benefit your health.

Blood Pressure: Eating tomatoes for eight weeks was found to reduce blood pressure in people with mild hypertension. So eat some tomatoes to help your heart chill out.
Ketchup: Cooking tomatoes increases their lycopene content, and America's favorite condiment, ketchup, is no exception. However, organic ketchup has three times the amount of the antioxidants than its conventional counterpart.
Cancer: Tomatoes have been shown to decrease the risk of pancreatic cancer as well as breast cancer.

There are two other reasons to eat tomatoes, so read more.

Skin: Eating tomatoes can help increase skin's natural defenses when it comes to UV rays. While you should still wear sunscreen, eating tomatoes regularly can boost your skins ability to protect itself from harmful rays.
Cholesterol: Eating tomatoes four times a week, easy to do during Summer, can reduce cholesterol.

Do love tomatoes? Tell me how you like to eat them in the comments section below.

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FDA Gives the OK on Eating Tomatoes

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:00:00 -0700

If you've been avoiding certain tomatoes since this horrific salmonella outbreak, go ahead and bite into any tomato you want. Since no strain of salmonella Saintpaul was found on any farms that were tested, the FDA believes that consumers can now enjoy all types of fresh tomatoes.

The mystery still stands though as to what caused this outbreak in the first place, which has now sickened 1,220 people in 42 states - the earliest case on April 10 and the latest so far on July 4. Hot peppers are still on the list of things to watch out for, so people with weakened immune systems and the elderly should avoid fresh jalapeños and serranos.

I'm wondering, have you been avoiding tomatoes recently? If so, will the FDA's announcement settle your mind and let you enjoy tomatoes again, or are you still a little leery?

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Salmonella Update: Not Just the Tomatoes Anymore!

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:30:00 -0700

If you've been avoiding tomatoes for fear of getting a salmonella infection then you're going to have to add serrano and jalapeno peppers, as well as cilantro to your "do not eat" list.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Food and Drug Administration has begun looking at serrano and jalapeno peppers and cilantro - basically the ingredients used to make salsa - as possible causes of the outbreak. Tomatoes continue to be investigated as well. With over a thousand folks infected at this point, some officials are calling this the worst foodborne illness outbreak in the US in a decade - yikes!

Me, I've starting eating tomatoes again, but I'm going to try to steer clear of the spicy peppers in question as well as the tasty herb. Most of you said you weren't avoiding tomatoes, so will you be avoiding the peppers and cilantro (perhaps even salsa) until this all is cleared up?

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Foods That Fight Sunburn

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Let me start by saying the most effective way to protect your skin against sunburn is using sunscreen and plenty of it – a shot-glass worth – frequently. While a bit of sunlight is healthy, since we need UV rays to synthesize vitamin D, you should wear sunscreen daily.

You can, however, boost your skin's ability to protect itself from harmful UV rays by eating certain foods like tomatoes. Don't worry if you are still avoiding raw tomatoes, the beneficial antioxidant of tomatoes increases when it is cooked and more concentrated like tomato paste. The benefits of tomatoes drastically increase when paired with olive oil. I see an Italian dinner in my near future.

Green tea, super rich in phytonutrients, is a wonder drink when it comes to health. The antioxidants in this tea have been found to block DNA damage from UV light in studies involving human skin cells. You don't need to brew yourself a hot cup of tea to enjoy the benefits of green tea. One of my favorite drinks of Summer is a green tea-lime cooler. It is refreshing.

While you can't eat your sunscreen, you can boost your natural protection. Eat and drink up!

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Tainted Tomatoes Now in 30 States: Are You Avoiding Them?

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Unfortunately, the salmonella tainted tomato problem is growing, and reported cases have been found in 30 states now, including Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. Six cases have been reported from New York City raising the total number of confirmed cases to 383, and counting. Forty-eight people have been hospitalized after eating these unsafe veggies, and now the FDA is saying it may be "impossible to trace the ultimate source of the tainted tomatoes." That's not very comforting, is it? The tracking difficulties stem from the fact that tomatoes are often sold without tags. Also, by the time people become symptomatic, there's rarely a tainted tomato left to test. Since they were the main supplies of tomatoes when the salmonella outbreak began, Mexico and Florida remain top on the list of possible sources of contaminated produce. Still plugging along in their investigation, the FDA has asked Mexican health authorities to test for cases of this exact strain of salmonella.

For now, it's best to continue avoiding raw red plum, red Roma, or red round tomatoes unless they were grown in specific states or countries that FDA has deemed safe (check this list). Also, all grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and home-grown tomatoes are still considered safe to eat. Tomatoes are supposed to hit stores and restaurants soon, but now I'm a little leery about eating any until this matter is cleared up.

I am curious to know that with . . .

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Tomatoes Expected in Restaurants and Stores Soon

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Unfortunately this tomato salmonella outbreak is growing, and tainted tomatoes have been found in 28 states and 228 people have become ill because of them. Health officials are still trying to figure out if the bad produce came from Mexico or Florida. It's hard to figure out since sickened people's memories of when (and if) they ate tomatoes, where they ate them, and which kinds they ate are a little fuzzy.

For now the culprits are still raw red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes, but if you get them from these states confirmed by the FDA, they're considered safe to eat. The FDA says that grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, home-grown tomatoes, and those that have the vine still attached continue to be safe for consumption. With this info, McDonald's and other restaurants and grocery stores will begin serving and selling safe tomatoes within the next seven to 10 days.

I'm curious, has this scare stopped you from eating tomatoes?

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Salmonella Outbreak: Now in 16 States

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0700

On Friday I told you about the salmonella food-poisoning outbreak reported in nine states (New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Idaho, Illinois, and Indiana). Contaminated raw, uncooked tomatoes are thought to be the culprit, and unfortunately more cases of illness have cropped up in seven other states including California, Connecticut, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Investigators believe the tainted tomatoes are also to blame for the most recent recent illnesses. So far a total of 111 people have come down with the same Salmonella "Saintpaul" infection.

Although the source of these rotten tomatoes has yet to be determined, it's believed that you probably don't need to worry about cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, or homegrown tomatoes. The FDA also assures that Roma, red plum, and round red tomatoes from Arkansas, California, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, and Puerto Rico are not associated with this outbreak. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking it may just be easier to avoid raw tomatoes for a while. What do you think?

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