Hot Topic: Kefir

What is Kefir?

Kefir is a cultured milk product that is similar in taste and texture to drinkable yogurt. This creamy, tangy drink is made by adding kefir grains to milk, which leads to fermentation. Kefir grains are protein-based clusters containing probiotic cultures, proteins, fermenting agents, and lactic acid. Kefir contains Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species, as well as some beneficial yeasts that aren’t found in yogurt. Fermentation, bacteria and yeasts might sound unappealing, but this is what makes Kefir good for you! We have both good and bad bacteria in our gut. Probiotics are friendly organisms that restore balance of the good and bad bacteria in the digestive system. Research suggests probiotics can help with diarrhea caused by antibiotics, as well as excezma and immunity. Some brands of kefir also contain prebiotics, like inulin, which feeds the probiotics and enhances their population in the gut.

 How is kefir used?

Kefir comes in plain, non-fat, low-fat and a variety of flavors like strawberry, blueberry, pomegranate and vanilla. All varieties will offer up probiotics, which makes the product popular with individuals suffering from gastrointestinal problems like constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and gas. Even those who are lactose intolerant can usually tolerate kefir because the live cultures “predigest” the lactose. It has been suggested that probiotics may even aid in cancer risk reduction, and weight control- but evidence is less conclusive at this time. You may see probiotics sold in the form of supplement pills, but consuming them in the form of kefir will come along with a number of other nutrients too. The protein content (8-11g per 8oz) can help with satiety, and you’ll also get a good source of Vitamin A (10% DV), Vitamin D (25% DV), and Calcium (30% DV) – based on a 2000 calorie a day diet. Just be careful not to over do it on the flavors with added sugars. Kefir can be drank alone, blended with fruit in a smoothie, poured over cereal, or used instead of buttermilk in recipes, like soups and baked goods. Some companies even produce frozen kefir as a dessert. The frozen probiotics defrost in the warmth of your internal body temperature, causing them to become live again once in the gut.

 Recipe: Try the recipe below for a healthy start to your morning!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Plain 1% Kefir
• 1 Cup Fresh or Frozen fruit of choice, No sugar Added
• 1 tbsp flaxseed meal

 Directions:

• Blend all ingredients in a blender. Add a splash of milk of choice if a thinner texture is preferred.

 

Article written by Jamie Lee McIntyre RD, CD-N, Supermarket Dietitian and Nutrition Consultant

Chewy Fruit and Oatmeal Bars

Wet ingredients:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 (8oz) container of plain yogurt
2 egg whites or 1/2c egg substitute
¼ cup milk (fat free dairy or substitute)
2 tsp of vanilla extract
½ cup applesauce or “Lite Bake”

Dry ingredients:
1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 TB Ground flaxseed
1 TB baking cocoa

Mix-ins:
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup diced fresh (cranberries, apples) or dried fruit (raisins, craisins,berries, cheeries, etc)
½ cup semi-sweet/dark chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl mix all “wet” ingredients together, best with an electric mixer. In medium bowl, combine all “dry” ingredients, mix well then combine with wet ingredients, mix well. Stir in “mix-ins”, will be very thick. Spread dough into a greased or non-stick 9×13 inch baking pan. Bake 28 to 32 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack, cut into bars. Store in air tight container or freeze.

Recipe by: Teresa Martin Dotson, RD, CD-N

Registered Dietitian and Owner of Nutrition Solutions for Life, LLC

Heart Health Month

After the awareness, comes action!

February is American Heart Month and Friday, Feb 2^nd, is GO RED  for women day.  Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, taking more lives than all forms of cancer combined. But we have the power to save lives – our own, our mother’s, daughter’s and friend’s what better time to take action to reduce your risk factors for developing heart disease.  Still not sure if you are at risk?

 Visit the website:www.goredforwomen.org  use the online risk assessment tool.

Ready to take action?

1. Schedule an annual physical and checkups for any medical problems.
2. Know your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar numbers.
3. With your doctor’s approval, get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (exercise) each day.
4. Know your community resources and try a variety of activities. Everything counts!  It doesn’t have to be 30 continuous minutes.
5. Take prescribed medications as directed.  Ask questions about side effects and how long you will need to take.
6. If you smoke, quit now.  Seek online or community resources to help.
7. Change how and what you eat.  Use the resources above for shopping and cooking tips and www.eatright.org to find a Registered Dietitian.

Submitted by Teresa Martin Dotson, RD, CD-N

Registered Dietitian and Owner of Nutrition Solutions for Life, LLC

New Year’s Resolution #1: Staying Away from Fad Diets

With all the focus on weight in our society, it isn’t surprising that millions of people fall prey to fad diets and bogus weight-loss products. Conflicting claims, testimonials and hype by so-called “experts” can confuse even the most informed consumers.

The bottom line is simple: If a diet or product sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

There are no foods or pills that magically burn fat. No super foods will alter your genetic code. No products will miraculously melt fat while you watch TV or sleep. Some ingredients in supplements and herbal products can be dangerous and even deadly for some people.

Steer clear of any diet plans, pills and products that make the following claims:

Rapid Weight Loss

Slow, steady weight loss is more likely to last than dramatic weight changes. Healthy plans aim for a loss of no more than ½ pound to 1 pound per week. If you lose weight quickly, you’ll lose muscle, bone and water. You also will be more likely to regain the pounds quickly afterwards.

Quantities and Limitations

Ditch diets that allow unlimited quantities of any food, such as grapefruit and cabbage soup. It’s boring to eat the same thing over and over and hard to stick with monotonous plans. Avoid any diet that eliminates or severely restricts entire food groups, such as carbohydrates. Even if you take a multivitamin, you’ll still miss some critical nutrients.

Specific Food Combinations

There is no evidence that combining certain foods or eating foods at specific times of day will help with weight loss. Eating the “wrong” combinations of food doesn’t cause them to turn to fat immediately or to produce toxins in your intestines, as some plans claim.

Rigid Menus

Life is already complicated enough. Limiting food choices or following rigid meal plans can be an overwhelming, distasteful task. With any new diet, always ask yourself: “Can I eat this way for the rest of my life?” If the answer is no, the plan is not for you.

No Need to Exercise

Regular physical activity is essential for good health and healthy weight management. The key to success is to find physical activities that you enjoy and then to aim for 30 to 60 minutes of activity on most days of the week.

If you want to maintain a healthy weight, build muscle and lose fat, the best path is a lifelong combination of eating smarter and moving more. For a personalized plan, tailored to your lifestyle and food preferences, consult a registered dietitian with expertise in weight management. A registered dietitian can help you find a realistic, flexible eating style that helps you feel and be your best.

To find a registered dietitian in CT

You can either elect to see an outpatient dietitian at a community hospital or go to the Connecticut Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic’s website:  www.eatrightct.org and click “find a dietitian” to find a private practice dietitian in your area.

Disclosure: For more helpful tips, please read this article on WebMD, which inspired this post: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/keep-those-new-years-eat-better-resolutions

Enjoy the Holidays without Expanding Your Waistline

The holiday season is upon us and that means holiday parties, special goodies at work and many types of cookies and candies at home. While this is a wonderful time of year, it can take a toll on your normal eating pattern. CAND has developed 10 simple tips to help you maintain your weight during the holiday season:

1. Eat at home before the party
2. Use smaller party plates
3. Don’t sit or stand near the snacks
4. Drink a glass of water with every drink you consume
5. Limit or skip alcohol
6. Log calories during the day
7. Exercise before the party
8. Drink hot tea or coffee during the party
9. Eat small portions of your holiday favorites
10. Don’t stress

Please let us know what tips work for you!

Have a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!

Interested in improving your health? Or have a nutrition concern? See the Nutrition Expert: The RD!

With New Year’s quickly approaching, and resolutions being made, NOW is the best time to take action on your 2013 health and wellness goals.

You may be surprised to know that your insurance will cover you to see a RD! Seeing an RD can improve the health of individuals and families- adults and children alike!  RD visits can focus on wellness nutrition and weight management- in addition to helping you understand specialized diets physicians prescribe for your medical conditions (if needed).  RDs give an individualized approach to nutrition-designed especially for you!

If you want to see a RD and are unsure if your insurance covers the fee, please follow the below steps:

• Call the BENEFITS member hotline on the back of your insurance card to verify your individual policy benefit for nutrition visits with a Registered Dietitian.
• You can either elect to see an outpatient dietitian at a community hospital or go to the Connecticut Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic’s website:  www.eatrightct.org and click “find a dietitian” to find a private practice dietitian in your area.

Cheers to getting a jump start on your 2013 health and wellness resolutions! 

The 411 on Potatoes

Should I avoid eating potatoes if I’m trying to lose weight?

There’s no reason to give up potatoes whether you’re trying to lose weight or simply trying to eat a healthy diet.  Potatoes get a bad rap for those trying to lose weight due to their carbohydrate content.  It’s true, potatoes provide carbohydrate, an important source of energy for your body, but any food eaten in too large a quantity can contribute to extra calories and unwanted pounds. Baked, broiled or roasted, not fried, potatoes contain virtually no fat.  Calories and fat add up quickly when you add butter, margarine, sour cream, marshmallows, gravy, cheese or bacon bits to your potatoes.  Both white and sweet potatoes are similar in their calorie, carbohydrate, protein and fiber content, providing less than 100 calories, about 2-3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, and 21 grams of carbohydrate per ½ cup.  Both white and sweet potatoes are good sources of Vitamin C, with sweet potatoes providing about twice as much as white varieties.  And when it comes to Vitamin A, sweet potatoes provide well over 100% the recommended daily amount of Vitamin A.  White potatoes are higher in folate and potassium compared to sweet potatoes.

 So the best advice when it comes to potatoes is:

• Incorporate a variety of potatoes in your diet even if you’re trying to lose weight.
• Bake, broil or roast potatoes to keep them low in fat.
• Leave the skin on for added fiber, texture and flavor. 
• Avoid high fat toppings and potato casseroles with added fat.
• Top your potatoes with low-fat cheese, low-fat sour cream, veggies, salsa or bean relish.
• Use red potatoes in your potato salads and whipped potatoes to add variety and wonderful color.  Consider serving “smashed” potatoes instead of whipped potatoes for added texture.  Just add milk and use a potato masher instead of an electric mixer until potatoes are lightly smashed.
• To help avoid lumpy whipped potatoes, heat milk in a microwave before adding to potatoes.
• Microwave potatoes wrapped in a moist, white paper towel when you’re tight on time.
• Make vinegar-based potato salads instead of using mayonnaise.  Or, use lite or reduced fat mayonnaise and/or use less mayonnaise than called for in your recipes. 
• Use 1% milk or fat-free milk in your whipped potatoes.  Go easy on butter and margarine.
• If a recipe calls for cream, heavy cream or milk, substitute 1% or fat-free milk.
• Use reduced fat cheese in your recipes or cut down on the amount of cheese called for.  You probably won’t miss it!
• Watch your portion size.  Choose a small to medium potato and stick to a ½ cup serving.
•  Never store potatoes in the refrigerator. Instead keep potatoes in a cool, dark, dry and well-ventilated area, such as a closet or cabinet.

 Is it a yam or sweet potato?

Sweet potatoes and yams are both tubers, but they aren’t the same.  Sweet potatoes have bright orange flesh, reddish to brown skin which is typically smooth, and a rich, sweet flavor.  Yams, in comparison, have white flesh, almost black, shaggy skin and are very bland.  Here in the US, true yams are not typically sold, so you are most likely eating sweet potatoes, not yams.  Why the confusion?  Softer varieties of sweet potatoes were introduced in the US after firm varieties and were called yams to distinguish them from their firmer counterparts.  So if your recipe calls for sweet potatoes, don’t hesitate to toss “yams” in to your grocery cart.

Here are two of our favorite Sweet Potato Recipes:

Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/roasted-sweet-potatoes-with-honey-butter-recipe/index.html

 Sweet Potato Hash

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/sweet-potato-hash-recipe/index.html

Enjoy!

Disclosure: Image from bonappetit.com