The Overall Nutritional Quality Index, or ONQI, is a score from 1-100 that consumers can use to compare foods. You can use it to compare the relative "healthiness" of the same foods, like cereals or fruits, and you can also compare across foods, like comparing candies to fruits.

I think it's a good idea, trouble is, this index will only be adopted by some food chains and not others.

Some other stores already use "in house" ratings for foods, but I haven't actually seen any evidence that people use these ratings (hmmm, sounds like there's a study in that...). Additionally, food companies are putting their own spin on food labels, thus adding another layer of information that the consumer use to determine how "healthy" a food is. Consumers are already overwhelmed with too many numbers when trying to buy food, and only a certain percentage of people even use nutritional information to make food choices.

Last year, I talked about food labels in the UK, and some of the problems with food rating systems.

If you don't know how to read food labels, here's a guide. Too technical? Here's one for kids.

Americans have been getting fatter since 1980, and forecasts of doom projected 50 years into the future allege that 50% of us will be obese. But the new CDC study finds rates of obesity to be between 33-35% of people in 2005-2006; roughly the same as in 2003-2004. (National rates also stalled out between 1999-2002).

So what's changed? CNN would like us to thank them for their Fit Nation Challenge. Seriously, are you or anyone you know involved in a fitness challenge? Yeah, me neither. This plateau could be the calm before the storm, or we could begin to see BMI's drop. If I had a good answer, I'd tell you.

The obesity problem is fascinating because we still don't know why we, as a planet, are ballooning up, and we still don' t really know how to get people to effectively lose weight. Heck, we're not even sure that being obese is really bad for you. There's a growing body of people seriously considering that much of what's been thought about obesity and health are myths, and I gotta agree.

There are a number of researchers interested in the concept of "healthy obese", people who are overweight, but who are metabolically healthy, with no signs of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and all the other problems blamed on obesity. Sure, there are overweight people with these problems, but there are plenty of "normal weight" people with the same problems. Again, I wish I had a good answer for you.

OK, and was only kidding about the donuts.

What you need to know

First, selenium deficiency is very rare in this country, we get plenty from our food supply. Selenium has what is known as a very narrow therapeutic index--meaning the difference between the amount we need and the amount that is known to cause harm is very small. An upper limit of 400 micrograms a day has been set by the Institute of Medicine to reduce the risk of selenium toxicity. (Read more about Selenium.)

There have been many, many studies looking at different forms of vitamin supplementation, including B vitamins, vitamin E, selenium, and beta-carotine, and disease prevention. Most of these studies, however, show absolutely no effect on health at best, and a few show increased risk for health problems.

Meanwhile food and supplement companies are tripping over themselves to bring you, the eager consumer, functional foods.

This should concern you. It really should. When you factor in fortification of breakfast cereals that give you 100% of everything in the world, taking a daily multivitamin (you know, for "insurance"), and then throw in a meal replacement bar (fortified) and a few "Smart" or "Energy" beverages and you are positively over the limit for some micronutrients. Some, like selenium, may be bad for you even if you have "high-normal" levels. The trend of fortifying foods is only going to increase--because consumers demand it, and because it lets food companies incur massive profits.

I'm not saying you can't take a Centrum and eat Total cereal with a glucosamine-B vitamin-orange juice chaser (no, I didn't make that up)--but you may want to think about what you're really getting. It may be too much.

Big surprise, though, fast-food chains are balking at the demands. Restaurant groups are even suing the city.

In the pro-labeling corner, it is argued that menu-labeling at the point of sale will allow people to make more informed choices about the food they eat, and is claimed to be a big step in fighting rising obesity (link goes to CSPI sponsored site).

In the anti-labeling corner, it is argued that nutrition information is already available (you know, in English, and on the Internet. Or in English, in tiny print, in a dim corner in the restaurant), and that adding the info to the menu boards will just make an ugly mess (link goes to an editorial from the Nation's Restaurant News).

What this means to you

Well, to be honest, if you're actually reading Food Fodder, you already know how to use the Internet to find information, and you're probably already interested in nutrition at some level. So, the legislation may not mean anything to you directly.

If you're not already savvy on your fast-food information, you can try searching online for the information--but be aware that not all sites provide the data you want. Wendy's, for example, blocks nutrition info for NYC customers. Don't worry. You can get your info elsewhere.

If chains have to go ahead and post nutrition information, you may have to relearn reading those menu boards to tell which is the price and which is the nutrition info. I'd also take a big bet and say that the nutrition info will most assuredly NOT be posted in a way that's actually useful. I'm betting that the chains will try to hide percentages of food values rather than the real numbers.

Next time someone asks you "You want fries with that?", ask them how many calories it'll be.

Desserts such as the rice pudding used in this study are composed not only of simple sugars, but also of more complex carbohydrates (starches--in this case rice) as well as some fat and protein. The increase in blood glucose after eating these foods is dependent in part upon the rate of gastric emptying (how long it takes to digest the food). The researchers in this study showed that cinnamon delayed gastric emptying--and that may be an important component of cinnamon's blood glucose effects.

That's nice. But what does it mean?

In people with impaired glucose handling (diabetics), chronically elevated blood glucose levels are associated with many health complications, including heart disease, eye disease, and kidney disease. One of the goals of diabetes management is to keep blood glucose levels from fluctuating too wildly.

However, despite the mythology about the evils of sugar in your diet, in healthy people, normal elevations in blood glucose following meals is benign. If you haven't got any issues with blood glucose regulation, adding cinnamon isn't going to drastically enhance or impede your health.

What you need to know

There is a lot we don't know about the chemical components of foods, particularly concentrated sources like spices. Research in this area is exciting, and, I believe, in the long run will yield many benefits. However: Just because data are sexy enough to be picked up by Reuters and AP doesn't mean that you need to run out and jump on the cinna-band-wagon.

This was a very small study using 14 healthy people. A strength of this study was that all participants were exposed to both diet conditions: Rice pudding with 6 g cinnamon and rice pudding without. It would have been nice to have seen another condition with a different type of non-sweet meal (maybe a cheese sandwich--but I guess toasted cheese and cinnamon might be gross), but I can live with the study design.

They report blood glucose only as changes in blood glucose; they don't give us the actual blood glucose values--and I would like to see those and compare them to other normal subject values, but alas we don't have that information.

What's more important is that this study didn't include people who really need that benefit on blood glucose--those studies are yet to come. If you're diabetic, don't rely on this to help you today.

Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that is important, among other things, for the prevention of neural tube defects in the developing fetus. This relationship is sufficiently strong that several countries, the US included, have instigated mandatory fortification of refined grains (that's white flour) with folic acid. So, you can see why it makes headlines that women of childbearing age still aren't getting "enough".

Interestingly enough, folic acid fortification hasn't really been all that and a bag of chips for our nation's health. The numbers of neural tube defects are down, sure, but not as much as we'd expect from wholesale fortification. Folic acid fortification also is associated with lowering levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, which is potentially a good thing as high levels of homocysteine are associated with vascular disease. However, on the other side of the fence is some evidence that high levels of folic acid may be associated with some types of cancer, and there is a vocal contingency that alleges that folic acid fortification will be the ultimate demise of people with a vitamin B-12 deficiency. (Why? I'll tell you in another column. I promise). Folate from normal dietary sources doesn't appear to have the same "dire consequences".

Still, folate is good for you, it's good for your blood, it's good for your brain. As I said, there appears to be no negative consequences in getting folate in its natural form from foods.

What you can do today

To avoid many of the possible problems with folic acid, you should get no more than 1000 mcg (that's micrograms NOT milligrams--you only need tiny tiny amounts).

If you live in a country with grain fortification, you can get some of your daily requirement of 400 mcg folic acid from breads and other foods made with wheat flour. In a country that doesn't have fortification (like the UK? Though that's soon to change), eat whole grain breads--folate is removed in the refining process. Eat more green vegetables such as spinach or broccoli, dried beans and peas, or even some calves liver.

Read more about folate.

Well, that's good, since the scientific evidence that dairy helps weight loss is extremely weak, the studies were conducted in small groups of people, and the effects have not been adequately reproduced. The CSPI called bulls**t on that action in 2005 (link goes to a .pdf). In fact, I was totally shocked to see the advocacy group behind the news today wasn't the one sporting Michael Jacobson at the helm.

Here's what you need to know

While I approve of yanking the ads in that they are promoting (yet another) completely useless way to lose weight, I am compelled to point out who did the lobbying on our behalf.

The PCRM advocates a vegan lifestyle, and naturally would be against the active promotion of animal-sourced foods. (For a good time check out the PCRM-sponsored anti-Atkins site.)

Milk and other dairy products do indeed provide protein, vitamins, and other nutrients to our diet. You absolutely do not have to eat dairy to thrive, but it's not pure poison either. IMO, life is a little nicer with real cheese and milk in it. Other people could care less.

At least now you know if you want to lose weight and can't (or won't) eat dairy, you know you're not missing out on anything.

The one making headlines today: high intake of Vitamin D and calcium is associated with increased size of brain lesions in older people. Wow, that sounds really bad, right? Maybe not as dire as you might think.

Here's what you need to know

Don't panic yet over your vitamin D and calcium intakes.

This is a correlational study that looked at dietary variables and brain lesions. As such it's essentially a snapshot of a brief moment in a very long life. We can't say that intake of these components produces brain lesions, all we can say is that they co-exist. As this was a society presentation, I can't get some of the numbers I usually like to get you, but you'll note that most stories about this study don't tell you what "high" is. Also, we don't know if the people got their vitamin D and calcium from foods or supplements. Actually, I can assume that the vitamin D is from supplements, we just don't get anywhere near enough in our diet.

In fact, vitamin D deficiency is a very bad thing, and we're seeing more of it now, especially in the elderly, but also in children. In the elderly, vitamin D deficiency can affect quality of living and ability to perform daily tasks of living. What's worse, rickets is making a comeback in the US.

Vitamin D is usually gained through exposure to sunlight, something our older people and young children see less and less of with each passing year. Older people are less able to synthesize vitamin D from skin exposure, and those of us living in northern climates (like Boston) simply don't get sunlight at the correct angle to produce vitamin D for about half the year.

Sunlight is actually the best way to get your vitamin D, and if you exercise some caution you can do it safely. Sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB prevents the synthesis of vitamin D, so you can't block the sun and get your D as well.

Dietary sources include fortified dairy foods, oily fish (including cod liver oil), liver, and egg yolks.

Learn more about vitamin D.

OK. Let's take this one step at a time, before you need to go into a 12-step program.

Here's the abstract of the article: you can pay to get the whole thing (or ask a library for it).

This was a study to evaluate ways to keep fruits like strawberries from decaying--to promote shelf life of the fruit--it was not looking at the health benefits of girly drinks at all. Alcohol was one of several substances used (methyl jasmonate, allyl isothiocyanate, and tea-tree oil were also used). Most of these compounds reduced decay at 10-degrees C, and enhanced antioxidant capacity and free-radical scavenging capacity for up to 7 days cold storage.

Hmm, better make that a frozen drink. Hold the tea-tree oil.

Alcohol is frequently used in cooking because it liberates flavor compounds and enhances flavor in the finished product. The most recognizable use might be Vodka Sauce, in which vodka works with olive oil and water to get the biggest flavor profile from the tomatoes.

Now, here's where I have a problem with the news report of the research: Those frisky science writers wax on about the health benefits of antioxidants such as prevention of cancer and prevention of neurological problems (incidentally the literature on that just isn't as strong in humans as people seem to think), but avoid mention of the health problems commonly associated with alcohol consumption (such as increased risk for some types of cancer, neurological damage).

Finally, most fruit-based cocktails you get in a bar are not made of fresh fruit, but from pre-made mixes that can easily contain more sugar and "flavorings" than actual fruit. Unless you see fresh fruit in the hand of your bartender, don't count on much of it actually winding up in your drink.

So, it makes for an exciting news story, but we Food Fodder folks can see this piece for what it is--fluff.

---The study did not address whether adding a little cocktail umbrella enhanced the effects.
-Reuters

Aww, it's so cute when the Reuters writers try to get snarky. Everyone knows that a little umbrella produces joy. That's always a good thing.

We've all heard that chocolate can make people feel the same way as being hugged, or in love. Recent research shows that people get more of a bang out of chocolate than from kissing their partners. While I doubt people will be leaving their lovers for a Hershey bar, there are physiological reasons for this observation.

Chocolate contains a vast amount of phytochemicals, antioxidants, and pharmacological compounds. Yep, that last word means drugs. Chocolate is a good source of methylxanthenes; a class of drugs including caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. These components of chocolate can produce alertness, bronchiodilation (open the tubes in your lungs), and increase blood pressure.

Feel alert with your pulse racing? Is it chocolate or is it love? Hmm, could be Chocolove.

Recent headlines "Severely obese fastest-growing U.S. overweight group".

Not so different from April of last year, now is it?

We're still eating too much and moving too little. Many experts agree that this is only a very small part of the equation of obesity in affluent nations. Food and health are intimately intertwined with socioeconomic status, environment, and culture. Add on top of that a layer of genetic and evolutionary imperatives, and new research suggesting that you're worse off after dieting and failing than if you never tried to diet at all, it's amazing any of us can fit in an airplane seat without seatbelt extenders.

On PBS this week, there is a marvelous documentary on what it's like to be obese in America, what some of the underlying causes are, and the myriad of ways to lose weight, not to mention how truly difficult it is to keep weight off. The show is called: Fat: What no one is telling you. Check your local listings, or you can follow the link and watch it online.

On the other hand, you have the watchdog CSPI and their helmsman Michael F. Jacobson. Dr Jacobson has inveigled his way into the hearts of reporters all over. They know that when any "controversy" looms in nutrition science, good ol' Michael can be counted upon to make some snarky comment about how every nutrition scientist and/or every food company has an agenda to make the world fat, diabetic, and smelling like Fritos. And, lord love 'em, the CSPI will sue anybody, including Kraft, KFC, and Cadbury-Schwepps.

HAVING said that....The CPSI is doing what it can do best. It's suing Coke and Nestle for bogus weight-loss claims on its new product Enviga.

Enviga's main claim is that its ingredients will rev up your metabolism and help you burn calories.

Uh huh. Suuuuuure. The main ingredient supporting this allegation is caffeine. 100mg caffeine/12 oz serving. The same that's in a cup of coffee. Seeing a lot of skinny coffee drinkers out there? Didn't think so. Caffeine has repeatedly been disproven as a useful diet aid except in very small studies--the amount of caffeine in these studies can also be quite high.

The other main "active ingredient" is an antioxidant isolated from green tea called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG--and may have some positive effects on thermogenesis (heat production) and fat oxidation (using up fat). Again, these are in small studies and study results vary from "small effect" to "no effect" on weight loss or maintenance.

Finally, the "negative calorie" benefit, or potential calorie deficit, of a can Enviga is only 20-30 calories (or 60-90 calories a day with 3 servings) in healthy lean research subjects. If nothing else at all in your diet changed, that would mean a pound of weight loss every 38.8-58.3 days. I have no idea what that translates to in pudgy couch potatoes, the obese, children, or anyone else for that matter. It seems to me that there are quicker and cheaper ways to lose a few lbs. Another thing to consider, since you may feel all virtuous about losing all these calories through Enviga, you may overcompensate by eating MORE...one piece of cake in at 350 cals trumps 90 cals out from Enviga, if you eat like that you can put on a pound in about 13 days.

OK, so you say you're willing to take any potentially tiny benefit from this drink? Heck, I can't stop you. If you like the idea of getting green tea antioxidants and caffeine in a delivery system that's at least 10x the price of green tea, go for it. CSPI suggests taking part of the $1500.00 a year you'd spend on the recommended dosage of soda and going to a gym. I tend to agree with them.

Really, my favorite part of this article, the inspired use of "chutzpah" in a press release. Sometimes, Michael, you say the best things.

As I've said before, it's not rocket science, it's thermodynamics (hmmm, maybe that is rocket science...).

What you need to know

This study was run in a relatively small group of people (11-12 per group) for a period of 6 months, and the 3 groups used were dieters: eating 25 percent less than normal; exercisers: reduced their calorie intake by 12.5 percent and increased their physical activity to lose an extra 12.5 percent in calories; and controls: followed a weight-maintenance diet. All people in this study were overweight, and there was no "exercise alone" condition, making it difficult to parse the independent contributions of exercise to this equation.

Both caloric-deficit groups lost a similar amount of weight, and the distribution of fat loss (whole body vs. abdominal fat distribution) didn't differ between groups.

Bottom line: If you want to lose weight, eat fewer calories. If you like more food, burn calories through exercise. Beware, though, people woefully underestimate how much they eat and overestimate how much they burn off--this inequality puts you in a much smaller calorie-deficit than you think you are. There are plenty of online resources to help you track your intake/expenditure such as Fitday, MyFoodDiary, and my-calorie-counter.

Eating fewer calories doesn't have to be painful, following plans such as Volumetrics, Slimming World's Food Optimising (Body Optimise outside of the UK), or Weight Watcher's Core Plan allow you to fill up on high volumes of low-energy density foods.

Getting more exercise is easy too, walk more, use the stairs, hit the gym, play with the kids, join a league--there are many adult leagues out there for whatever strikes your fancy including hockey, floorball, soccer, bowling, you name it! Pick a few things you like to do, or would like to learn, and get out there!

Even better...it's a high-yield cold weather crop, meaning in winter cabbage is plentiful and cheap, cheap, cheap! Cabbages are in your local markets (U.S.) now for as low as $0.39/lb.

Cabbage is best quickly cooked, think stir-fry, or long cooked, as in a meltingly soft braise--in between cooking times can be somewhat disappointing. Heck, you can eat it raw or pickled to boot.

Some recipes to whet your appetite:

Braised Red Cabbage

Savoy Cabbage Soup with Ricotta Crostini

Kimchi (Korean cabbage pickle)

Sauerkraut

"Asian" Slaw

Good Ol' Slaw

More recipes, buying tips, cooking tips.

Learn more than you ever wanted to know about cabbage, including yet more recipes.

What's in it for you

Cabbages are apparently even better for you than I thought. They are a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C (if not cooked too long), and the phytochemicals called indoles and sulforaphane (sulfur-containing compouds in cabbage are broken down during long cooking and can produce that charactaristic cabbagy smell). Cabbages are part of the Crucifer family, and a diet rich in crucifers is considered a part of our arsenal against developing cancer.

Why is this important? Well, if you're one of the 3 million Americans who has celiac disease, or have an intolerance to gluten, eating foods with even a small amount of gluten can cause a load of misery.

Gluten is comprised of proteins in wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten is what makes your pizza dough chewy and gives breads their structure. Seitan, a commonly used meat substitute in Asian cooking, is pretty much all gluten.

OK, you think, well how hard is it to avoid food with gluten? It's tougher than you think. Wheat is used in making soy sauce, "natural flavorings", many processed foods, and many vegetarian foods. Even if you don't have a gluten issue, try reading some labels looking for hidden gluten and see how common it is for yourself.

The proposed labeling standards are available online in a 95-page .pdf file.

The first few pages give a summary of the proposed standards and also gives you instructions for how to provide feedback on these standards--if you're so inclined to do so. You have 90 days to give Uncle Sam your $0.02 from the publishing date, which I believe is Jan. 23, 2007 if I read the documentation correctly.

OK. You know, if you look at published studies funded by the government they are also likely to find something.

Is this a big conspiracy? Well, no. In case you didn't know, studies that find nothing are very unlikely to be written or published. (Big epidemiological studies that find nothing interesting at all frequently are published, for whatever reason.)

This is a well-known phenomenon in science called "the file-drawer" problem. That means that the data form studies that showed no effect typically languish in a scientist's files. We (scientists) all have drawers full of completely uninteresting, unpublishable data.

Why don't we publish these studies? Well, it's typically because even if we have a sound hypothesis and a rigorous study design, sometimes studies don't yield good data, and if there's no effect we can't always state with total confidence that the "no effect" may not be due to something other than no effect (yeah that gives me a headache too).

To the best of my knowledge, most academic institutions require as part of the contracts with industry that the data are publishable regardless of the final result of the experiment. I myself have worked with industry funding (as well as NIH funding and military funding) and NOT ONCE have there been any restrictions on my funding or any influences on my experimental design based on study outcome. Furthermore, since most of my data come from computer-based scoring and much of my research is conducted by "minions" (or research assistants if you want to be technical) who don't know what the outcome should be, it's nearly impossible to bias that data. Heck, I get paid no matter what the outcome of the experiment is, and trust me--my file drawer has some pretty uninteresting data in it.

You'll notice that Dr. Ludwig and colleagues limited their review of the literature to the health effects of milk, juice and soft drinks. Hmm. They are also researchers interested in preventing childhood obesity. Hmmmmm. On the surface, this could look like bias. Would they be touting this alleged bias if they had included the apple, blueberry, or mineral water industries? Is the discovery that there are beneficial polyphenols in pomegranites "good" if paid for by the NIH and "bad" if paid for by POM?

Are there unethical scientists? Yes. In every field, and they are recipients of funding from all different sources. They are also very, very much a minority.

The phytochemicals in tea, catechins and theaflavins, promote dilation of arteries and improve blood flow. Casein, the main protein in milk, binds to catechins and renders them unable to affect arteries.

The lead author went as far as to say that:

Our results thus provide a possible explanation for the lack of beneficial effects of tea on the risk of heart disease in the UK, a country where milk is usually added.

Hmmm. Not so fast there. 1. The primary components of tea that they reported having cardiovascular benefits were catechins--primarily found in green tea. Most people don't add milk to green tea, and people in the UK are black tea drinkers. 2. The UK is reported to have the second most unhealthy diet/lifestyle in the developed world (USA, we're stil #1, whoooo!). You can't compare the health of the UK with parts of Asia (for example) on the basis of tea consumption alone. Frankly, I think that cardiovascular health in the UK isn't upset that drastically by taking tea with milk or with lemon.

Here's what you need to know

This was a very small study and the findings are based, in part, on the effects of tea on rat tissue. We do know that milk proteins bind to phytochemicals in chocolate and in tea, altering the cardiovascular benefits. But we also know that milk in chocolate can actually promote improvements in cognition.

If you're really worried about cardiovascular health, to be blunt I doubt having milk in your tea is the most damaging part of your lifestyle.

In this corner, weraring the union jack shorts and a traffic light cape is the government sponsored Food Standards Agency.

In the far corner is an association of food manufacturers using labels based on the government's guidelines for daily amounts.

What the labels look like

GDA labels

• Somerfield
  
• Food from Flora

Traffic Lights

• Waitrose
  
• Sainsbury's (technically this is a wheel)
  
• Marks and Spencer

Both sets of labels will give you the information you need to make a choice. It pretty much comes down to personal preference as to which is "better". The "traffic-light" styles give you a quick and easy graphic to make your decision quickly, but you'll still have to look at the full label to get the most information. IMHO the traffic light system, while giving you less information, is good for people who need to monitor a specific nutrient such as fat levels or sodium levels.

GDA labelling shows percentages of guideline daily amounts per serving, which is great if you're in the minority of people who the guidelines are directed at. If you're a man with a limit of 95g fat and there is 4.1g of fat per serving, the packet will tell you that you will "spend" 5% of your fat for the day on a serving. Well, what if you eat more than one serving? What if you're a female with a limit of 75g fat per day? That same one serving will cost you ladies approximately 6% of your fat intake. Not such a big difference? Let's say, realistically, that one package holds 3 servings of food, and you eat the whole thing. The man has now eaten 13% of his fat for the day from that packet of food, and the woman has eaten nearly 18%. These differences do add up. I'm less of a fan of the GDA labelling, it has the same flaws as the US food lables.

Truth is, though, I don't have a better solution. I've sat around many a literal and figurative campfire with some of the biggest names in nutrition and food policy and discussed the food labelling conundrum. The issue is that there is, in truth, no one single good guideline for every person, man or woman, child, adult or elderly, pregnant or post-menopausal, athelte or couch potato. I know it's frustrating for the lay public to try to keep up with what to eat, it's frustrating for us too.

My best advice, eat a well-balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. Meat, poultry and fish are all fine, as long as your Dr. hasn't advised otherwise--try to make most of that protein lean. Try to eat whole fresh (or frozen) foods. Eat according to season. Ease off the fries and packaged foods. When you read the food label, look at the ingredient list, and please try to buy only food that you understand what's in it.

Having said all of that, please please please try to enjoy your food. Try not to stress out over the choices to the extent that you make eating a chore. Make those changes gradually. Soon you'll be eating better and it won't have hurt a bit. I promise.

Want to eat well? Download this .pdf eating well guide from Marks and Spencer.

But then, a delightful article about the joys...yes JOYS of food and what it means to love it so much you'll move closer just to be near it. Seth Kugel sounds like the type of guy you want to visit a new city (or his city) with. He'll track down the good stuff by instinct alone.

And 800 SF in Queens with a decent kitchen?? Now I'm just jealous.

Where do you get e. coli? It comes primarily from cross-contamination when fecal matter (aka: poo) is introduced to your food. It can be killed by cooking foods to an internal temperature of 160F, and most restaurants require that ground meat is cooked to such a temperature.

However, the cross contamination can often occur when contaminated food comes into contact with foods that will be eaten raw or lightly cooked (remember that spinach?)

The number one culprit? Your hands. Your filthy, gross, unwashed hands. Now you know you should wash your hands every time you use the potty--although I sure don't see a lot of you do it (you know who you are). But, and we all forget, you should wash those hands everytime you even think about approaching food. Think about it. Did you touch your shoes? Did you touch the door handle of the lav?

Wash 'em.

Not true, there are studies that show otherwise. Basically, people who believe that drinking milk increases mucus will report more mucus after drinking milk (see: Placebo Effect). In reality, they don't actually produce more mucus. And not in this study, or this one.

Anecdotally, however, milk just isn't very appealing or tasty when you have a head full of goop. The mouthfeel of milk when you have congestion may lead you to think that it's adding to the mucus. Have no fear, it isn't.

Chicken soup. Jewish penicillin. Liquid gold. You know the stuff.

Chicken soup has long been touted as a folk remedy for colds. While nothing can cure the common cold, chicken soup can do a lot to help you feel better, and there are some good reasons for doing so.

First, there's the liquid and steam factor. Chances are if you're down with a cold you aren't getting the fluids you need, hot broth is something that's tasty when you're sick, and will encourage you to stay hydrated, and the sodium in soup will help you retain some of that water. The steam and warm liquid will feel good on your swollen nasal passages and throat.

But wait, there's more! There's medical evidence that chicken soup provides some anti-inflammatory benefits and may reduce congestion. You can make it better by giving it an Asian flair with more garlic and ginger.

Chicken soup, like so many things is better made at home and with love, but if you can't cook, you can try brands like Progresso or Knorr.

What to do if you're a vegetarian? Try ginger-garlic soup. Garlic has broad-spectrum antibiotic properties and some anti-inflammatory properties as well. Ginger may loosen phlegm, and is used in ayurvedic medicine as a warming agent.

Oh really?

If that were true, we'd be the healthiest people who ever lived.

Truth is, there is little evidence that taking vitamin C (with or without Zinc) prevents colds. Sorry Dr. Pauling. There is a small amount of evidence that vitamin C can reduce the duration of a cold by a day or two in some people, and this may be most important for people under heavy physical stress (meaning people running marathons). There is no evidence that adding Zinc to vitamin C does anything for the duration of your colds.

Still people cling to their faith in vitamins the way children believe in fairies. Belief will get you far, in medicine it's called the Placebo Effect.

Tune in next time where I say much nicer things about chicken soup.

I'm looking at you, Mr. Gobble-gobble (Ms. Gobble-gobble??). I was so proud when you emerged from my oven--perfectly brown, juicy and smelling oh-so-wonderful.

Basking in kudos from my family: "I'd like to thank D'Artagnan for providing such a lovely bird, without whom this dinner would not be possible; Alton Brown for his tireless devotion to getting recipes done right; to the Pilgrims for leaving us the Thanksgiving legacy".

But now what? 14 lbs is a lot of bird, and I sent half home with my mother. I've already eaten turkey sandwiches, and 2 full turkey dinners. How long can I keep this thing anyway???

There are numerous ways to use up that turkey. Turkey posole, anyone? That old standby, turkey soup?

But use it up you must. Food safety experts suggest 3 days as a max for leftover meats, you can also portion it out and freeze for up to 6 months. I push the the envelope, as long as it's been kept good and cold, I use the remains of the bird for a week. If you make stock and keep that for more than 2 days, be sure to bring it to a boil for 2 minutes before using it. Or, do what I do, and freeze the stock and thaw as you need it.

If that turkey was sitting out for more than 2 hours with stuffing in it, however, you may just want to show that bird the door.

Well, kids, it's finally here. Angel Tears. Little gelatin globes with 24k gold leaf floating in them. Yum yum.

A mere snip at $96.00 for 2.65 oz.

Now, really. I'm all for luxurious foods. I eat the fois gras and drink the Dom Perignon when I get the chance, but GOLD?

1. Gold adds no flavor, and isn't the point of an ingredient to add flavor?
2. It has no food value. You just get expensive poop.
3. OK, sure, it looks pretty, but do ya really need to eat it?
4. The best I can say is that it probably won't hurt you.

Incidentally, ever wonder how much gold is in Goldschlager? Well, these good people researched it so you don't have to.

And, yes, I love that Nerfherder song.

We're getting fatter.

We don't really know exactly why or how to stop it.

We also don't really know how to fix the obesity problem.

The news stories, as always, focused on some of the "sexier" findings, there's a whole book of abstracts from the meeting that are less glamorous.

Cynical, maybe, but also true.

Some highlights you may have seen from the meeting: I'll post a few more through the week, I do have a day job to catch up on ;-)

Drink more water, lose more weight--Sure, sounds like a dieter's dream. The big points from this talk are compelling, if you increase your water intake, particularly if you replace calorie containing beverages with plain water, you'll lose a few pounds over time. A weakness of this study, the researchers didn't account for caffeine in both calorie and non-caloric beverages. Moreover, carbonation of fluids wasn't really addressed. Water isn't a magic bullet, you can't just pump in the fluids, you have to take something out of your diet.

Here's what you need to know

This study is a correlational, community based study in Italy. Correlational means that they took a bunch of people in hospital with and without cancer (diagnosed over the past 2 years) and asked them what they eat today (using a food frequency questionnaire).

Say it with me.

Correlation does not equal causation.

This study presents me with more questions than answers. Since they are measuring food intake as recall, and as present-day food intake, how accurate is it really? Quick, list everything you've eaten in the past 24 hours. Now, look at that list, I bet you forgot something.

Since they are interested in people who had cancer within the past 2 years, how do we know that the present day diet hasn't changed since diagnosis?

I appreciate the work done by epidemiologists, and this study is a possible first-step for more research, but I have to point out that it is notoriously difficult to draw firm conclusions about diet and cancer. What may be clear in a correlational study may not hold water under rigorous experimental control. It's like saying that ice cream consumption is positively related to drownings (which, by the way, it is). Does ice cream cause people to drown? Of course not. There's a third factor involved--warm weather.

International Joural of Cancer--Premium Content.

This is indeed confusing. New research published in JAMA is coming under criticism for adding to the already confusing fish story.

Here's a pretty simple breakdown of what we know.

The good--

1. Fatty fish is a good souce of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentanoic acid). EPA and DHA are pretty tough to get from other dietary sources. Whole foods are preferred but supplements are beneficial for SOME but not ALL health conditions.

2. DHA and EPA are integral components of neural tissue, approximately 1/3 of dry brain weight (as in, after you take out all the water) is DHA (now let the "fathead" jokes commence). Omega-3 fatty acids are CRITICAL for brain development, and for brain function.

3. Diets rich in DHA and EPA are protective against cardiovascular disease and the development of dementia and Alzhiemer's disease.

The bad--

1. Fish can contain high levels of pollutants from a variety of sources. Toxins can be stored in the fat, which is why fatty fish can cause alarm. Also, as you move up the food chain, toxins become more concentrated as the bigger fish eat the littler fish (who also have toxins but in smaller amounts).

2. Many people simply don't like to eat fish. It's true--I know people who eat fish like a prescription, where's the joy in that?

3. The jury is out out on whether fish oil supplements are beneficial to the same degree that fish is.

The ugly--

1. Monkfish. They're really ugly.

What you can do today

Try to incorporate fatty fish into your diet, 3 oz 2x a week. That's not a whole lot.

If you don't like fish, can't eat fish, or are vegetarian, you can get DHA indirectly from foods that contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) such as flax seeds. ALA is a precursor to DHA--we can make DHA from ALA. However, a bunch of research suggests that we don't make loads of DHA from ALA--but it's better than nothing.

If you're pregnant/trying to get pregnant/nursing or just generally concerned about what's in your fish check out the best and worst fish list, with info on both essential fatty acids and environmental concerns.

There's even a very handy guide organized by age and gender to let you know how much of certain fish you should limit or can eat freely.

While you're there, try a new recipe and do something good for you.

Yup, nothing makes kids want to do something more than forcing them to do it. And those that love it? Have you ever heard the phrase "Never trust a skinny chef"?

Now that I got my knee-jerk American-rugged-individualist opinion off my chest. I do sorta like the idea, in the way that I feel as if I missed out by not taking home economics. I think that everyone should be able to feed themselves on any budget and with any food preferences. When you have control of your food, you can make it as plain or fancy, bold or mild, mundane or exotic as you like.

An added benefit, when children learn how to prepare foods on their own, they are more likely to try new things. This is a big plus if they have grown up in environments where the parents haven't been cooks. Also a big bonus if there are food sensitivities and allergies, celiac disease, and so on. Kids will feel empowered to take care of themselves as thew grow up.

Don't wait for your local school to come through for you! You can start cooking with your kids today!

--cookingwithkids.com
--childrensrecipes.com
--healthykids.com

Can't cook a lick? You can have cooking lesson parties and all learn together!

I couldn't agree more.

I know, I know. You've gotten a lot of mixed messages over the years about eggs. Too much cholesterol, too fattening! Or are they the "perfect food"? Well, they're a little bit of each, but the cholesterol is really only an issue for some people with high cholesterol problems.

Cholesterol in foods is generally less of a worry for most people than total saturated fat and/or trans fats in the diet. Eggs have cholesterol, true, to the tune of 213 mg per whole egg (or yolk--that's where it lives, not in the white).

Eggs also provide a complete profile of essential amino acids, and are easily digested (unless, of course, you have an egg allergy). The protein and fat content in an egg helps you feel full sooner and longer (they are satiating).

Something else for today's consumer--eggs are still cheap! With all the skyrocketing costs of home and auto fuel, cost of living, and paychecks that don't seem to make the grade, eggs can round out your meals without breaking the bank. Try adding scrambled eggs to rice dishes, add poached eggs to salads, and nosh on a hard boiled egg out of hand for a snack.

Take a cue from cuisines all over the world from France to China. In China, when unexpected guests drop by, the thrifty host will often add a dish of scrambled eggs to the table to stretch a meal. In Japan, omlettes are eaten any time of day, sliced into soups or served on rice as tamago--a nigiri sushi. The French can respect the heck out of an egg, serving them poached, soft-boiled, or as an omlette as part of a light and elegant meal.

Be sure to keep your eggs safe, and they'll be good to you.

What's in it for you

One large egg provides about 75 calories, 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat. Eggs are a good source of B vitamins, vitamin E, choline and they have a bunch of trace minerals.

Oh, and for you Rocky wanna-bes. Raw eggs aren't as nutritious as cooked eggs. The protein in eggs isn't as bioavailable in the raw form, so don't waste your time.

I. Love. Apples.

The fall is the best time to go apple picking--at an orchard, farmer's market, and even your "local mega-mart". This is the time of year when more varieties are available than the usual Red, Yellow, and Green (Red and Yellow Delicious, Granny Smith). These apples are excitingly hued--pink blush on green (Macoun), a gentle greeny yellow (Ginger Gold), and sometimes come in funny shapes and sizes (lady apples, crab apples). Some you can eat out of hand, but some, like the crab apple, require some stern treatment before eating.

America boasts many varieties, as does England and Canada, and purt' near every area of this temperate globe.

I'd be remiss if I didn't point you to a good apple pie recipe or two.

Sometimes I just cut them up, pop them in a lightly greased pan, and top with some oats, cinnamon and brown sugar, and maybe a touch of lemon juice. Bake at 350F for about 30 mins or until the apples are tender. This makes as good a breakfast at it does a dessert.

What's in it for you

One medium apple (about 2.5 inches in diameterm in case you're measuring) will give you about 80 calories, potassium, soluable and insoluable fiber, vitamin C and a boatload of phytochemicals.

Anyone who can get a publisher can get a diet book published. No matter what the author says, his or her goal in writing and publishing said book is to make money. Not to "help countless others" or "spare people from a life of shame and illness".

So sorry to sound cynical, but it's true. Weight loss is a BOOMING industry (for those of you who haven't noticed).

Some of the advice in diet books is laughable--eating according to your blood type (as an example) has no basis in science. Some is downright dangerous--any diet book telling you to eat less than 1000 calories a day can result in permanant organ damage when your body burns critical body mass for fuel (this is the same thing that happens to anorexics and people with cancer or other wasting diseases, and it is not good!)

It's not all doom-and-gloom, however. Some diet books provide good information and guidance. Any recent diet book from the Weight Watcher's group is reliable, and books promoting a balance of sound nutrition and lifestyle changes are out there. You have to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Signs that your groundbreaking diet book may not be up to snuff

• No Hunger!


• Effortless Weight Loss!


• Lose 20 lbs in 2 weeks!


• New! Medical Breakthrough!

CSPI's Bonnie Liebman uses her wit to remind us to use our minds before trying to whittle our bodies. Quackwatch.org helps you learn to look at health claims with a critical eye.

Remember, if losing weight were as simple as running down to Borders and grabbing the nearest diet book, we'd all look like the lean ideal. If it sounds too good to be true...well, you know how the rest of that goes.

Truth is, there are so many different things to be concerned with in regards to food safety that I can't even begin to address them.

Fortunately, there's a resource for you that can.

FoodSafety.gov is a site devoted to US food safety. You can look up safe food handling practices, learn about what can be living in your food, and even report food-borne illness. This last is important as it helps the government track new or ongoing outbreaks of food-borne illnesses.

And here a tip--Check out the site before you need it!!! Knowing that there's a link out there to help you feed yourself and your family in the aftermath of a hurricaine will do you no good at all once the power is already out.

Eat safe.

Well, unless you looked up the answer at a fast-food nutrition facts, chances are you're wrong.

People are notorious for underestimating the caloric content of what they eat, and a new study supports this. Apparently, with smaller-sized portions, people tend to be more accurate, but with larger portions they are less accurate, often off by hundreds of calories. Even with a smaller error with the smaller portions, the estimation can still be a problem.

The study, published in the Annals of Interal Medecine, showed that people estimate that a small fast food meal contains roughly 100 calories LESS than it actually does. Why am I making a point of this? Because some research suggests that eating as little as 100 calories too much per day can influence your bottom..er..line.

Now, as the size of the meal increases, so does the amount of error people have regarding caloric content of a meal. I'm not surprised. Fast food comes in dense little packages. They are the dwarf stars and black holes in our diets. I'm also not convinced that any human was ever meant to look at an apple and think "60-80 calories" or a large order of chili cheese fries and think "1800 calories, hmm, better skip dinner".

There are tools online and in many restaurants to help you do the math. Arm yourself. If you're going to McFood's for lunch, take a minute to look up what you intend to order. You're not fooling me when you say it's too hard or you want to be spontaneous when you eat out. Truth is you know you order the same 4 or 5 items when you go out. Make it a point to know what's in your meal. I'm not saying you can't eat what you want, I'm just wanting you to know what you're eating.

Oh, and that biggie meal I mentioned above?
A Wendy's Classic triple with Cheese, a biggie fries and a chocolate frosty (medium) will set you back...
1990 calories and 98 grams of fat.

Don't believe me, do the math yourself:
Wendy's
McDonald's
Burger King ** This site is poorly designed to let you find nutrition info, you have to enter Nutrition Facts into the search box.** Yeah, I think bad design stinks too. Too bad I can't have it my way.

Hormel, yes--Hormel of the famed canned chili and the people who brought you Spam (the canned meat product, not the e-mail scourge of modern times), now has a line of all-natural, preservative-free ready-sliced or deli-available lunch meats. The Naturals line also contains no gluten, nor added MSG (although "natural flavors" and carrageenan may contribute natural glutamates--a heads up for those very MSG sensitive types)

The naturals Website has a load of nifty recipes to make those lunches more exciting.

The ingredient list for my "Oven-roasted deli turkey" is refreshingly short: Turkey breast, water, salt, turbinado sugar, carrageenan, baking soda. That's pretty much as good as you can get for processed meats.

A 4 slice serving will give you 60 cals, 1g fat and 10g protein. Like all lunch meats, its 440 mg of sodium could be considered high, but if you round out that lunch with fruits and veggies instead of chips, it's not prohibitive for a meal.

Also, the box is recyclable.

Humans need to obtain these nutrients from the diet. Carotenoids have anti-oxidant properties, as does vitamin A. You can overdose on vitamin A either in supplement form or from the livers of arctic animals (So lay off the polar bear liver!). Plant-based carotenoids, however, are converted to vitamin A on an as needed basis, so eating high levels are not toxic (you can turn funny colors though).

The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are yellow pigments contained in plants. These aren't precursors to vitamin A, but they are good for your vision just the same.

Macular degeneration occurs when light sensing cells in the macula stop working (see, a medical term that sounds like what it means!). Lutein in particular is found in the macula, and may protect against macular degeneration through its contribution to eye pigmentation.

You can get more carotenoids in your diet by eating plenty of carrots, corn, spinach, kale, and egg yolks.

Oddly enough, after the IOM made its mighty mighty pronouncements in June, not much of a peep has been heard on salt since. Now, two months after the venerable IOM called for drastic reductions in US salt intakes, the Chicago tribune gives a tribute to our favorite edible rock (Free reg. req.). Some sources say we're getting too much sodium and others say that we need more than we think.

Just to remind you, salt is critical to our survival, makes foods taste good, and helps us drive around on snowy winter roads.

Salt. Have some today. Of course, it's not like you can avoid it.

Honey has the same number of calories as table sugar, and most people use more honey in a single use than they use of sugar. Add to that the fact that the amount of trace minerals and antioxidants in a single serving of honey is likely to be trivial in comparison to in a single serving of blueberries or other fruits and vegetables, and I can't see where having honey in place of table sugar is really any big benefit, nutritionally speaking.

Culinarily speaking, honey does contribute its own unique flavor, and its hydroscopic (water-retaining) properties provide unique textural and preservative qualities to baked goods and other foods.

Bottom line, pouring the honey isn't better than pouring some sugar on, but it's certainly no worse.

What you need to know

This study is what's known as a community-based prospective study. Mental functioning was conducted over 6 years in a selected population of people (3718 participants in the Chicago Health and Aging Project) People in this study were not told what to eat, they were asked about their diets in a well-validated food frequency questionnaire and these data were statistically compared with cognitive test scores and probable Alzheimer's pathology. The daily recommended intake of copper is 0.9 milligrams, while study subjects with the most copper consumed a minimum of 1.6 milligrams per day.

This study shows an association between dietary levels of copper and cognitive decline in aging WITH the presence of a high-fat diet. It does NOT prove that copper leads to Alzheimer's disease.

Copper, which has been found at higher levels in the blood of Alzheimer's patients, is normally consumed in animal organs like liver, and in shellfish, nuts, legumes, some fruits, potatoes and chocolate. Drinking water that travels through copper pipes can also contain copper. Many of those in the study with high copper levels got it primarily through multivitamins.

--Copper in high-fat diet risks mental decline

--Reuters

The bottom line, try to eat a well-balanced diet and be sure that you don't OD on the supplements.

Yum.

Apparently, growing tomatoes is less work than I thought. I just put them in the ground, fed them once or twice, pruned off the suckers**, and left them out in our record heat. BOOM. Tomatoes.

I'm stoked not only because the red, ripe tomatoes make the best tomato-basil salad ever (and my basil is also doing just marvy, thankyouverymuch), but because I have enough tomatoes to harvest the green ones too. You don't have to work at the Whistle Stop Cafe to love fried green tomatoes.

My Fried Green Tomatoes

3-4 full-size but unripe (green) tomatoes, sliced @ 1/2 in thick
1 egg, lightly beaten
@ 1/2 c Finely ground corn meal
generous pinch salt, pepper, dried herb of choice (basil, tarragon, oregano, or thyme are all good options)
smoked paprika is also nice but not essential

Olive oil, for frying

Mix corn meal with seasoning.

Heat oil to cover bottom of skillet (cast iron is best for this).

Dip tomato slices in egg, then corn meal. Pan fry over medium, medium low heat until golden, brown, and delicious (GBD). This will take a few minutes per side. Really, as long as you don't burn the coating, you can't go wrong.

These are very good with pork chops.

The Best Summer Salad

Serves 1. Easily doubled, tripled, or more assuming you're willing to share your tomatoes with just anyone.

1 tomato, ripe, coarsly chopped
2 tsp fresh basil, roughly torn
pinch salt, few grinds black pepper, drizzle of olive oil

Mix all. Let stand at room temp for a good half hour. Eat, with crusty bread if you have it. Repeat if necessary.

And for the love of God, DON'T put fresh tomatoes in the refrigerator.

What's in it for you?

Raw, ripe tomatoes are a good source of vitamins A and C, contain some phytosterols, copper, and fiber. Although cooked tomatoes (especially if cooked with a little oil) are a good source of lycopene, lycopene is less bioavailable in raw tomatoes. That's ok with me, October-June is plenty of time throughout the year for me to eat cooked tomatoes.

**N.B. the suckers are the little shoots that come off the bottom of the plant that won't ever bear fruit. Suckers are NOT the flowers, or the little green balls--if you prune those off, you'll have no tomatoes!

Yep, a new popular diet book. I read them all. Most of them are shite, poor science, worse editing. Here's a clue, if there's a typo in the FIRST SENTENCE of the book, put it down and walk away clean (I'm talking about the Goddess Diet book, so fraught with typos, inaccuracies and bad science I couldn't even read it).

The title of this book sang out to me--"The Nantucket Diet (TM)".

Whoa--was this to be a diet of grog, salt pork, and hardtack, encouraging me to get my exercise in through whaling expeditions?

Was the diet based on gin and tonics, and living an F. Scott Fitzgeraldian whirlwind of social frippery?

I had to read it! And read it I did.

You know what? I actually would suggest this book as a sensible plan. The science is sound, the diet is reasonable--based as it is on calorie counting, sensible portions, and balance.

The diet has 3 phases--Oh yes, the in vogue 3 phase diet. Stay with me, this one actually is a great plan.

Phase 1: Stop weight gain. Yep--you read right. This is no quick fix, the first thing you do is look realistically at what you're eating and stop the creep of pounds. Now doesn't that make sense?

Phase 2: Weight loss--plain and simple calorie restriction and portion control. Also, gotta do some exercise.

Phase 3: Maintenance.

These 3 phases are described in a way to be helpful and accessible to anyone motivated to follow the plan. They suggest a reasonable goal of 10% weight loss in 6 months, and then resetting goals from there.

They provide meal plans and recipes, with calorie counts and some useful calorie counting tables in the back for both food and activities.

As far as diets go, it's not sexy. In fact it's a little frumpy. I can picture iron-haired, blue-blooded WASPy women following the exercise plan in their madras-plaid shorts and Izod shirts. The Web site is also a bit frumpy. The only useful thing there as of yet are calculators to determine your caloric needs. (If you want to track your calories in an obsessive fashion, try Fitday.)

This may be a Boston brahman diet in its old-school feel--but sometimes old-school also means classic. And we have classics for a reason.

Back in 2 weeks

Love,
Foodfodder

In other news, people don't want to label children and teens as overweight or obese because it might be stigmatizing. Well, no kidding. Ask children if they'd rather be fat or deformed, and a significant percentage will pick "deformed".

Jeez. What's next? Fat people don't have souls?

Notice how one set of news items focuses on stereotyping the overweight/obese. Jolly. Stupid. Who'd have thought that fat people were actually reading and aware of what they were eating? In a society that villainizes fat as much as ours, how is it surprising that the overweight have significant depression?

The other set of news items talks about how awful it is to even be called fat. Gosh, even telling our kids that they may be overweight could lead to an out of control escalation of eating disorders. Hmmm, how about reminding them that who they are is not what they look like?

The truth is that our society feels the need to stigmatize the overweight, and can get away with it. Overweight and obese people tend to earn less than leaner people. They are actively avoided and even ridiculed in the dating scene. It's extraordinarily difficult for overweight people to find attractive and fashionable clothes, even though overweight is the most common set of body sizes in this country.

Guess that fat people aren't that different than thin people. They don't want to be picked on, excluded, discriminated against, or ridiculed any more than thin people. It'd be stupid to be inanely jolly when faced with the reality of what it is to be fat in our culture.

By the way, fat people aren't uniformly stupid, lazy, ugly, jolly, greedy, gluttonous, or any of a dozen other human states. Well, no more and no less than thin people.

The next guy I see wearing a "no fat chicks" t-shirt is going to get a piece of my mind.

http://www.naafa.org/

Some new innovations include being able to order food while pumping gas so that your food's ready at the drive thru when you're ready to go. Some cars have refrigerated glove boxes and some have seats that fold down into tables.

Yeah, and just what are we eating in our cars? I'll bet a quarter that those refrigerated glove boxes don't hold fruit, milk, or veggies in most cases. And, be honest, if you're eating while driving....a burger is easier to handle than a salad. High mileage = high caloric intake unless you are extremely cautious and vigilent.

So, how many calories do you burn while driving? About 1 kcal/minute. Yup, pretty much the same as just sitting on your couch. Walking burns about 3.5 kcals/minute. Just think, if you walk from your car INTO the restaurant, you've just tripled your caloric expenditure. Walk to the salad bar and walk to a table, you might be almost sitting pretty.

Let's not go crazy with the idea, however....

There are a lot of people who try to cut back on meat... Just think — if half your meat is soy, you can have twice as many portions.

--Marcia Mogelonsky, senior research analyst Mintel International

Really, Marcia, is that a good idea?

That's akin to saying you can eat all the Snackwells or all the Wow! chips you want. Truth is, very few of us can afford to double up on our portions, no matter how much of it is soy.

Take note, Mintel, such a statement steps beyond the bounds and could get you a spanking from the food police. This time, I'd agree with them.

CSPI is (yawn) suing KFC and considering suing Starbucks for their high fat and bad fat for you quotient. Almost isn't even worth commenting on, although there's always good with the lame--7-Up deserves whatever they get for running with that stupid "all-natural" ad campaign. They're not really winning on the ad front these days, anyway. Food Police-1; Litigators-2.

But then, there's more food craziness. Whole foods wants to stop selling live lobsters on the grounds that, get this, they can't guarantee the lobster's treatment and happiness between capture and sale. Like my dropping a lobster in boiling water or pithing it is SOOOOO much better. I noticed they're still selling all-natural pest-control, but apparently since no bug will be harmed in transit, that's ok. They also still sell duck meat, however, even though Trader Joe's stopped selling duck years ago for the very same reason. Can't dis Whole Foods too much, though, since it's the only place I can get decent veal anymore, although the irony of that hasn't escaped me either.

And then, today, they dared go after my beloved. Fluffer-nutter sandwiches. A (democratic no-less) state senator here in MA wants to ban the sugary goodness from schools. I mean, jeez, it's bad enough that peanut butter ain't allowed in schools anymore, ya gotta take away the great white goop too?

Between the social consiousness and the litigation, what's left to enjoy? Yes, trans-fats are bad for you. Sure, a mocha-choco-buttercreme-crisco-latte is a calorie bomb. Lobsters...well, ok. But they're BUGS.

Do we really need other people taking up bandwidth, court time, news wires, etc etc. with all this junk? Do you need to be told that KFC is *gasp* not health food? Well, despte their misguided ads from a few years ago--maybe CSPI thinks we're all idiots, or KFC believes there's no such thing as bad publicity.

If you're against cruelty to lobsters, then don't buy them. Hmm, leads to the question of what they're gonna do with said lobsters. Set them free? Didn't I see that in Annie Hall?

Just keep your laws off the fluff. Don't make me put on my high heels and come down to the state house.

OK, that last question was just crazy talk.

In fact, IMHO, the AMA giving a shout out to the FDA to revoke salt's GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status is also crazy talk. What makes me crazy (or crazier) is that this year's recommendation is in sharp contrast to one from a few years ago, suggesting that reducing sodium intake isn't necessary in people with normal blood pressure. Now people are going to run around saying that the "so-called experts" can't make a decision abot sodium, and "those experts" don't know what they're talking about.

OK, now to defend those "so-called experts" (of which, I have to say, I am one). Science isn't always perfect. And implementing science is difficult.

Table salt, or NaCl, or sodium chloride is a tricky wicket. Some sodium is critical to survival, a lot of sodium can kill you. Somewhere in between lies the answer.

Salt, as you may remember from grade school, is a special nutritional entity. First, it's a rock. The only rock we eat. It's so important to our physiology that we have taste receptors for it and an inborn drive to seek it out. Salt plays a crucial role in maintaining water balance and blood pressure. Sodium cations and calcium anions are important in cellular and neural communication.

However, no one denies that too much salt is, indeed, toxic. On a short-term basis, large amounts of salt can upset the body's water balance (which is why drinking seawater will kill you). In the long-term, diets consistently high in salt can lead to hypertension, which can lead to heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. Of course, you need to do more than just reduce salt to cut hypertension.

In cooking, salt makes foods taste better, and also acts as a preservative. Economically, salt is cheap. The practical upshot is that the typical American diet relys heavily on cheap, tasty, processed, shelf-stable food. Restaurant foods, and here I'm talking fast-food, fast-casual, and chains, are created in large industrial complexes and shipped out for eventual serving. Foods are processed to 1. taste consistent across chains and 2. maximize bang for the buck. See where this is heading?

We eat too much salt (and fat and sugar, but that's another rant). The AMA wants the FDA to change regs so that restaurants and food manufacturers must reduce the salt content in our food supply.

Will that solve the problem? Sadly, no.

1. We, the people, are ruggedly against the guv-n-ment telling us what to eat.
2. We, the consumers, don't want to pay one dang cent more than we have to.
and
3. We, the nation of big kids that we are, don't really want to have to work at being healthy. We really don't.

Add to those reasons the fact that sodium-reduced foods are GRANT (generally recognized as nasty-tasting) and you've got some tough hurdles in the salt wars.

Here's what you can do today

Adding salt to your food isn't the big culprit (**Unless there's a medically defined reason**). Making pre-packaged, overly processed, dehydrated-then-rehydrated foods (think condensed soups, for example) a big part of your diet is the problem.

Cut back on highly processed foods where possible. Try making a big batch of soup from scratch and freezing portions, make more fresh foods, and include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. Make a marinade for meat, fish, or poultry from scratch rather than buying a bottle of ready-made marinade. You're already here on the Internet, search for recipies online--some of these things take a little planning, but not hoards of time.

Take responsibility for your health. It feels pretty good.

I'd urge you to explore the flavors of Japan. Look past tempura and sushi (and I say that with some unagi waiting for me in the kitchen...)

Try a new flavor--perhaps hijiki or miso-braised fish.

What's in it for you

Sea vegetables are high in minerals, sardines are a good source of calcium, oily fishes provide omega-3 fatty acids.

Beautifully presented food in small portions is good for the soul, and the waistline

Most people are familiar with the canned litchis sometimes served in asian restaurants, but, like so many things, fresh are a world apart.

Litchis are covered with a very thin, tough, inedible rind and have a largish pit in the middle. The edible part, a white, pulpy flesh, is easy to remove from both seed and skin. The flesh is fragrant and sweet, almost rose-like. Some wines, like Gewürztraminer, talk about having notes of litchi--and that elusive flavor brings a lot to the party.

You can eat them straight up, use them in savory dishes (think using in place of pineapple with ham or in stir-fries), and you can make over-the-top treats too.

My favorite thing to do with litchis, however, is drink them. Yup. Litchi martinis. A little bit o'heaven right here on earth.

What's in it for you

Litchis are a good source of potassium and vitamin C.

And the novels by Fred Pohl were about the Heechee, they're really good and you should read them.

Well, here comes the siren of the food police.

A biggie fries has 490 calories, 28 grams of fat, and 5 grams of saturated fat. The homestyle chicken filet has 540 calories, 22 grams of fat and 4 grams of saturated fat. Cutting out the trans fats is a great start for your heart, but these foods still contain a lot of TOTAL fat. I'm not saying give up fried chicken or french fries--but cut back on them a little. Don't pretend that getting trans-fats in fries down makes fried foods health foods.

I preach moderation. I love that Wendy's has changed the menu so that you can get a baked potato, water, and salad as sides instead of fries and a soda. That's super-duper. Try doing a baked potato and chili when you hit Wendy's--and have that burger and fries as a treat once in a while.

Let me explain something that I think has gotten lost in the shuffle. A calorie is a measure of energy. Actually, when we discuss calories in the "real world" we really are referring to kilocalories (or kcals). If you're not in the US, chances are that you've also seen food energy expressed in Joules. [1 kilocalorie = 4,184 joules ]

Noun1. kilocalorie - a unit of heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree at one atmosphere pressure; used by nutritionists to characterize the energy-producing potential in food

From thefreedictionary.com

Kilocalorie (kcal)
A measure of the energy value in, for example, food and physical activity. “Kilocalorie” is the more accurate term for the commonly used abbreviation “calorie.”
1 kilocalorie (kcal) = 1 Calorie (Cal) = 1000 calories (cal)
To convert kcal to kilojoules (kJ), multiply the kcal value by 4.2.
See also Kilojoule.

My fuzzy logic rice cooker.

Don't judge me.

This thing rules, aside from making totally perfect rice, you can actually toss a whole bunch of ingredients in there and have dinner ready with the touch of a button. For real, my rice cooker is smarter than I am (and most Border Collies).

Now I think I need to see if I need stitches. At least dinner's ready.

1. The FDA is recommending that restaurants shrink portions

2. The long-term health costs of supersizing meals at fast-food joints can outweigh the "savings" of biggie sizing

3. Poverty throughout the world, for example Malawi means that there are millions who can't afford to feed themselves.

Add these stories to the old warhorse "Americans ever fatter, eating out more than ever, yadda yadda yadda" and I think you see where I might be going with this.

Call it philanthropic food, donation dinner, beneficient brunch....Why not try something for the next month, and I'll do it too. Instead of one meal out for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or even a snack or coffee each week--brown bag it, bring it to work, cook a bigger meal and eat leftovers, or even just get something smaller when you go out.

Take the cost of the meal that you didn't go out and eat, and send it off to your food charity of choice.

What's in it for you

You'll get a happy feeling from giving someone else a happy meal, and you'll eat healthier to boot. I can't say that you'll lose 20 lbs or get nominated for sainthood, but a little effort can produce big results.

Early humans took advantage of a variety of fig that produced fruit without the need for pollination. Evidence suggests that humans took figs along with them and transplanted branches to have a ready supply of the fruit.

Figs figure prominantly in legend and symbolism in various cultures and religions.

Figs are tasty when raw, cooked, or dried. They are perfect when they are a little soft to the touch, and a slight bit of "weeping" ensures a very sweet fruit indeed.

What's in it for you

Figs are high in fiber, and provide some calcuim, iron, and potassium. They also contain vitamins A and C and a host of other vitmains and minerals.

"Fig Newtons and scotch. They're great if you dunk them"
-Col Harry Potter M*A*S*H*

Have some water.

Water is a vital nutrient--although it contributes no calories (AKA energy) to our diets. Water, however, is a major component of our bodies, and is critical to our survival.

Water is a pet subject of mine, and I have a lot to say in future postings about physical and mental performance, water balance, and health. For now, I just wanted to remind people to get plenty of fluids especially if you live in a hot climate and wicked especially if you're active. Or older (since older people may not take in enough water due to medical issues or decreased thirst) or younger (kids don't regulate thirst and body heat the way g'rups do).

For most people, about 6-8 8 oz glasses of water a day is fine (unless you're sweating, feverish, or exercising). It is difficult to get too much water, but it does happen. (I'll talk about hyperhydration at another time as well).

A basic guideline is that when you piddle, it should be a pale yellow. Dark yellow--you need more liquids.

And speaking of water--I need to water my plants!

Grilling, and indeed all cooking over open fire, conveys an air of celebration and special occasion in a country where most cooking takes place indoors on a stove or in a microwave. Cooking and eating outside suggests leisure and companionship (think about it--how often do you grill when it's just you?). Grilled food just tastes better, too.

Whether you're a hot dog, steak, or burger fan, why not try to branch out this season? Alongside your protein of choice, grill zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, and/or peppers. Try grilling a pizza, or some fruit. Salmon and swordfish steaks are great on the barbie--and let's not forget scallops, shrimp, sausages, and kebabs.

Enjoy!

Love your milk chocolate? Well that's ok too. Milk chocolate may have short-term benefits on mental performance. Prof. Bryan Raudenbush of Wheeling Jesuit University, long interested in the psychology of food and eating, conducted a study on the effects of chocolate on cognitive performance. He found that performance on several cognitive tests was improved 15 minutes after eating milk chocolate in comparison to dark chocolate, carob, or nothing. Additionally, both milk and dark chocolate improved reaction time.

Chocolate contains theobromime, caffeine and phenethylamine (aka methylxanthines) and these components are hypothesised to be the major psychoactive (acting on the brain) chemicals in chocolate. Caffeine and the other methylxanthines are known to produce positive effects on cognition. Chocolate also has sugar, and milk chocolate has more sugar than dark chocolate. Sugar has also been shown to have positive cognitive effects, so the better performance of milk chocolate in this study may be due to the double-whammy (that is the scientific term) of methylxanthines and sugar. These effects are short-term as far as we know, so popping hershey's kisses and M&M's probably won't stave off dementia or Alzheimer's disease. But then...the antioxidants in dark chocolate may be protective....hmmm.

CSPI's latest Nutrition Action Healthletter has a great article on why whole grains should be a priority for you and also what you're really getting in those new brand-name foods proudly touting new whole-grain formulations.

Good sources of whole grains include: bulghur, polenta, brown rice, whole wheat pasta or whole wheat couscous, quinoa, barley, and oats. Whole grain breads whould list "whole grain" or "100% whole grain" as the first ingredient, the term "wheat flour" is meaningless. Not all whole grains are sources of high fiber, but fiber isn't the only reason to bulk up on grains. A variety of whole grains provides protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, complex carbohydrates, and iron.

If you don't think you like whole grains, try a different brand of bread, or try a different type of grain. Give yourself a chance to get used to the textures and flavors of a new food.

** One ounce equivalent is 1/2 c cooked brown rice, 1/2 cooked oatmeal, 1 oz slice whole grain bread, 3 cups popped plain popcorn, or one cup whole-grain cereal flakes.

Ingredients

12 oz ground lamb (or beef if you don't care for lamb)
1 box Near East tabbouleh mix, prepared with 1 cup of water and allowed to stand for 30 mins (Don't add the oil or tomatoes)
salt
pepper

Optional: Handful of raisins, some pine nuts

Also Optional, but really adds somthing: a little tomato sauce, ketchup, or even BBQ sauce for glazing.

Oven @ 335

Take all of the ingredients and mix in a bowl, except for what you're using for a glaze. Mix really well with your hands.

Spray (or oil) a shallow casserole dish and pat the mixture into the pan.

Spread the glaze over the top of the meat, cover with foil (or lid if your casserole has one).

Bake for about an hour.

That's it. Really.

What's in it for you

Both red meat and bulgur are a good source of B vitamins. Red meat also gives you zinc and bulgur adds fiber.

The NIH State of the Science consensus report released this week focused mainly on the use of a multivitamin/mineral supplement in the prevention of chronic disease. What they state is not really surprising. Multivitamin use for prevention of heart disease, cancer, age-related macular degeneration, osteoporosis, etc., shows some promise. However the available research is inconsistent. People who are generally healthy, with a good diet, and who exercise may not need a multivitamin, but these are the people who are most likely to take them. People with poor health habits may benefit from a multivitamin, but a multivitamin alone will not miraculously reverse the effects of unhealthy living.

In the upcoming weeks I will be discussing various vitamins and minerals, where we get them from our food, and how fortification may result in you getting more than you think. Don't worry if right now all the numbers and percentages are a big jumble to you. A reasonable goal is to not get more than 100% of any nutrient from fortified foods and supplements, especially iron if you're a non-menstruating person (that means menfolk, post-menopausal women and the wee kiddies).

If you can't wait, there's some good reporting over at NPR.

Straight up--if you're eating a big bowl of Total and taking a high potency multivitamin, you may want to take a close look at what you may be getting too much of.

Read your labels!

However, kids know a thing or two about artful dodging around adult rules.

The latest word on smuggling by school children isn't drugs or weapons, but junk food. Kids buy snack foods and bring them into school and sell them to other children for a profit. Some kids will get together and pool resources to buy snack foods and share them amongst themselves.

[Standing on soapbox--danger, danger]

Banning or forbidding food will not make healthy eaters, it will just drive up the market value of junky foods. If you want your kids to eat well, educate them (and yourself). Be a good example, and don't demonize foods or food groups. Make good food choices available, and involve your child in some of the food buying or preparation activities.

It's not as crazy as it sounds, and it really works.

Information on fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances (and insomnia), memory and concentration difficulties (aka Fibro Fog) and many other symptoms. Many people who have this condition (fibromites) go through years of bouncing from doctor to doctor in a attempt to diagnose it, and frequently are faced with frank disbelief by friends, family, co-workers, and even the medical profession. There is no cure for FMS, only symptom management. (.pdf of full FM Monograph)

FMS is an invisible condition, meaning that there are no outward signs to other people, and there are no diagnostic tests that will lead to a definative diagnosis.

FMS can be managed through medications, but eating a well-balanced diet and getting some gentle, regular exercise helps significantly with symptom management. There are many different philosophies on diet and fibromyalgia, and the truth is that no one diet regimen will work for all fibromites. Trial and error is the only way to determine what's right for the individual.

Many people are driven to find solutions in alternative or herbal cures. While some of these therapies may be useful, it is important to remember that just because it's natrual don't mean it's safe, and if a cure sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You can always check out for yourself whether these therapies are safe.

If you know someone with fibromyalgia, take a moment today to learn more about FMS, and send some kind thoughts to your fibromite.

Mangos can be peeled and eaten out of hand and used in desserts. They can also be used in drinks (think mango lassi) or savory dishes (say....duck a la mango) and spicy dishes (black bean mango salsa) not to mention the wildly popular chutney.

The fruit surrounds a large pit, and can be intimidating to the novice eater--if you are such a novice, read up on how to tackle your very own mango. Don't know how to pick out a mango--fret not and educate yourself.

What's in it for you?
Mangos are a good source of vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber. Go ahead, read more than you ever needed to know about them.

Normally, when a drug is taken, it is absorbed into the blood stream--frequently after undergoing some enzymatic degradation (enzymes break down chemicals). Since drugs are tested and compunded with the expectation that some enzymatic breakdown will occur, some drugs are dosed with a higher potency than if there was no degradation. Many different enzymes are present in the body, and many different types of drugs are affected by these enzymes. One such enzyme (CYP3A) is located in the intestines and is inhibited by furanocoumarin. By inhibiting the enzymatic breakdown of certain drugs, furanocoumarin causes more drug to be made available to the body than was intended. In the recent study, after being given regular grapefruit juice, participants had higher levels of the blood pressure medication felopidine (Plendil) than people given furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice or orange juice.

I have to be honest, I haven't gotten a copy of the full article yet, but I can tell right now that this isn't the final answer on grapefruit juice and medications, as measurements were taken throughout the day after one dose of the drug and one drink of juice in only 18 people. This type of study is extremely informative and provocative, but more studies with different types of medications and in different people are needed. Larger studies may yield different results.

Here's a list of some medications that may interact with grapefruit juice. PLEASE do not alter your medications without speaking to your doctor first! You can do your own search on Google using the search string "grapefruit juice medications".

Research article: MF Paine, WW Widmer, HL Hart, SN Pusek, KL Beavers, AB Criss, SS Brown, BF Thomas, and PB Watkins. A furanocoumarin-free grapefruit juice establishes furanocoumarins as the mediators of the grapefruit juice-felodipine interaction. Am J Clin Nutr ; 83: 1097; 2006.

Well, not so fast there, it look like roasting some types of vegetables, mainly those in ratatouille (or exactly as in my Provencal Vegetable Gratin can increase the acidity of these vegetables, possibly raising your risk of dental caries. Maybe. To be safe, you can counteract the actions of this acid by brushing after each meal--you do that anyway, right? Or by eating some aged cheese, this will also help offset the acid.

Now, eat your veggies!

You can make this ahead and reheat--it's even better that way. Make it in a non-reactive pan (i.e. glass or corning ware) and if you store it overnight, cover with plastic wrap not tin foil or else the acid in the tomatoes can react with the foil--this is NOT a candidate for disposable tin-foil pans!

When you reheat, you add some more cheese and reheat uncovered in a moderate oven until all bubbly and yummbly.

Ingredients
2-3 smallish eggplant.
I like them about 7 inches long/2 in around since they aren't too seedy yet. Eggplant should be firm and glossy, with no soft squishy bits.

5-6 ripe tomatoes (or 7-8 ripe plum tomatoes). Be sure they are nice and ripe and smell like tomatoes rather than like nothing.

2 small zucchini (optional, but tasty)

salt, pepper

olive oil--preferably extra virgin

good handful each of flatleaf parsley and basil

chunk of good parmesan for grating.

Oven at 425.

Prep-work:

Slice the eggplant longways in 1/4--1/3 in slices, and salt both sides generously with several big pinches of salt. Place in colander and put a weight on top to help squish out the juices and leave alone for a good 30 mins. People allege that this draws out the bitterness. I don't think that's entirely accurate, but salting helps break down the plant cell walls so that the eggplant gets softer and more unctuous in the baking process. Don't skip this step. (you can peel them first if you like but I never do)

While the eggplant is salting, slice the zucchini lengthways and slice the tomatoes--both a little thinner than the eggplant. I like to saute the zucchini (but only the zucchini) on both sides in a frying pan with olive oil and a pinch of salt until golden. this step is optional as is including the zucchini.

Rinse the eggplant under running water and squeeze HARD, like a sponge. The eggplant should be sort of soft and limp and not waterlogged.

Assembly

Chop the herbs up (you don't want to chop them too far ahead or else the basil will oxidize and turn all black)

Glug about a tablespoon of olive oil in your cooking vessel. Layer in eggplant, a scant sprinkle of salt and pepper, herbs, zucchini (if using) and tomatoes, and a little sprinkle of olive oil on the top layer. you can either do this in one layer (more surface area to caramelize) or in a few layers (more solid mass to get gooey and bubbly). you want to end with tomatoes and herbs on top and glug some olive oil over the top. Use your judgment with the oil, you want to anoint the layers, not drown them. Go easy on the salt...you will need some--but the parmesan and the eggplant
will already be a little salty.

Finish with a good generous grating of cheese.

Pop into the oven (uncovered) at 425. Start checking after 25 minutes. You can lower to 375 and cook for an hour (more or less, depending on the total volume of food you're cooking).

What you want to see is that it's bubbly and browning on the top--the tomatoes should be quite soft and beginning to brown as well. if you stick a knife into it, there should be no resistance. It should "smell done".

Options:

--Top with bread crumbs mixed with a little cheese and olive oil--making it more like an au gratin ( and crunchy on the top)

--Add rounds of goat cheese to the layers--not a lot--enough to know that there's something goaty going on in there. I'd stick to a mild fresh goat cheese or a mild goat cheddar--not a skeezy aged cheese for this dish.

What's in it for you

Olive oil is a good source of mono-unsaturated fats. Cheese provides calcium and tomatoes provide lycopene.

Today, just a news brief on a topic that I will be spending much more time on.

Eating a Mediterranean-style diet, one that is rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and lean on meat, may help prevent the development of dementia in later life. The Mediterranean-style diet also emphasises daily physical activity, and moderate consumption of wine at meals. It is possible that this style of living promotes good vascular health, and many dementias are attributed to a decrease in vascular health. Therefore, keeping your cerebrovascular system (that's the blood flow to the brain) in good shape, you can help keep your mind sharp.

NY Times (Req. Registration)
BBC News

Nutrition information from the Harvard School of Public Health

They're an Easter time cult favorite, pick some up today.

I apologize that I don't have the exact source of this description--I will post credit once I track it down.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SEDER AND THE HAGGADAH

Haggadah means narration, telling or recital in Hebrew. The Passover Haggadah describes the order of the events and rituals in the Passover Seder using a Rabbinically formulated and highly structured framework that is organized into 15 steps. The Passover Haggadah is a collection of literary works from many time periods, not all of which are in chronological or any other logical order and the Passover rituals are performed at various points in and amongst all these literary works. The works in the Haggadah include biblical passages, psalms or hymns, benedictions or rituals, prayers, explanations of the rituals, blessings, stories, short dialogues and rabbinic literature.

The Passover Haggadah is based on a Passover Seder described in the Talmud. This Seder was held in Bnai B’rak during the time of the roman occupation of Palestine, where Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Elazer Ben Azarya, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon were reclining and discussing the Exodus from Egypt. The order of this Seder was a Rabbinic version of a 1st. century C.E. Greco-Roman ritualized meal called a “symposia”. The original rabbinic version of the Seder began with serving and eating the meal, followed by spontaneous questions among the Seder participants to prompt a discussion, a Midrashic recounting of the Exodus from Egypt and finally, a recitation of the ten plagues. By 200 C.E., the Seder meal was postponed until after the liturgy was recited and set questions (i.e. the four questions) replaced the spontaneous questions. Over time, the narrative to the meal grew larger and more varied, reflecting different rabbinical streams of thought and cultural influences.

Rabbis have encouraged the reinterpretation of the meanings of the events in the Passover story to both adapt to changing times and to reflect various political and religious philosophies within Judaism and to reach out to as many Jews as possible.

THE SEDER PLATE

The entire story of the Haggadah is contained in the Seder plate: everything on it symbolizes an aspect of the Exodus:

ZEROA, a roasted bone, evokes the Paschal lamb, which our ancestors offered to God.

BEITZA, a boiled egg, whose roundness symbolizes the circle of life and death.

MAROR, a bitter herb, reminds us of the bitterness of Egyptian bondage.

CHAROSET, a mixture of nuts, fruit, wine and spices, represents the mortar our ancestors used to build the pyramids in Egypt.

KARPAS, parsley or another green vegetable, represents hope and renewal.

CHAZERET, the bitter herb for the “sandwich” which we eat later, following the custom established by Hillel the Elder, as a reminder that our ancestors “ate matzah and bitter herbs together”.

You can read more about Passover and learn about vegetarian celebrations of Passover as well.

Modified from Gourmet: Sept 1995

2 cups prepared whole barley, or a mix of cooked grains
2 pounds assorted delicate greens (escarole, spinach, Swiss chard, and/or mustard) ****OR YOU CAN USE JUST ONE TYPE: I ALWAYS MAKE W/SWISS CHARD****
One container grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
6 large garlic cloves, minced
Nonstick spray
Salt/pepper/Mrs Dash (If you like) To taste

**************
For topping (Optional: but good)
1/4 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
**************

Keeping each variety of green separate, tear greens into bite-size pieces, save swiss chard stems and roughly chop stems (Discard other stems).Wash thoroughly by dunking in a sinkful of water and transfer to a colander to drain--do NOT spin dry, the moisture will help cook the greens.

In a large heavy skillet cook garlic in oil (or non-stick spray) over moderate heat, stirring, until softened but not golden. Stir in Swiss chard stems (if using) and tomato halves until softened. Stir in greens and season generously with salt and pepper. Cover with lid and cook gently until greens begin to look well-wilted (and mostly cooked). Remove from heat and mix in grains.

Preheat oven to 375°F. and lightly oil or spray a 1 1/2-quart gratin dish or other shallow baking dish.

Spread greens mixture in dish. Gratin may be prepared up to this point 8 hours ahead and chilled, covered.

Make topping (If using):
In a small bowl with a fork stir together bread crumbs and oil until crumbs are evenly moistened.

Sprinkle topping over greens mixture and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until top is browned lightly.

Serves 4 - 6 as a side dish.

NOTES: 1. you may also sprinkle some freshly grated parmesean on top, instead of--or in addition to the bread crumb topping.

2. if the mixture looks really dry (there should be liquid from the cooked greens and tomatoes) you can add a little broth. You don't need the liquid to actually COOK anything once you put it in the oven, since everything is already cooked, but you don't want your poor little grains to dehydrate either.

I usually make this with cooked leftover grains. You can also make up a fresh batch of grains of choice, and you can even use bulgur. Make enough so that you have about 2 cups cooked.

What's in it for you

Green leafy vegetables are a good source of folate, and dark leafy greens also provide some calcium. Whole grains are full of fiber, B vitamins, and iron. Cooked tomatoes are a good source of lycopene and garlic contributes selenium.

But wait! While wandering the aisles of my local supermarket, an old friend was wearing a shiny new look. Hershey's Special Dark has been reborn along with some stylin' new friends.

The Product

I promise, I'm not getting kickbacks from the folks in PA, nor am I getting discounts at the spa (gosh, that does sound nice though.....but I digress)

Hershey's has redesigned their dark chocolate line with packaging to reflect some of current science. They are not able to make specific health claims on the packaging--which they very nicely don't do. I applaud them as well for coming right out and saying that chocolate is an "indulgent treat". On the large bar that I bought, they provide calories per serving, and also the total for the whole 100g bar. The candies also come in those nifty Hershey's minatures size. Some might argue that the bag of candies is too small for the price, but I say that our indulgent treats shouldn't really be available in jumbo-size.

The Flavors

In addition to the original Special Dark, there's also Extra Dark, Extra Dark with cranberries, blueberries, and almonds, and Extra Dark with macadamia nuts and cranberries.

All of these ingredients contain nutritional fiddly-bits hypothesised to be very good for you, which presumably drives the development and marketing of the new flavors.

I think that the new flavors are simply divine and rather sophisticated.

The Bottom Line

I shouldn't have to tell you this, but the amount of added ingredients such as blueberries and nuts are probably too small to provide any additional nutritional punch on their own. That's fine, I say, since I place more value on my food tasting yummy than on living up to a particular nutritional profile.

Research suggests that dietary sources of antioxidants are good for your health in a way that pills aren't, and the truth is we still know very little about all of the chemical components of our food. I will almost always tell you to get your nutrition from food rather than from supplementation. There are cases where supplements are good and useful things, but I want you eating FOOD darn it.

And here's my usual disclaimer, if you want to eat nummy chocolate, go right ahead, but please have an awareness of your indulgence. If you add a high fat, high calorie food into your diet, out must come something else!

Ok, ok. I'm not the food police. I'm no vegetarian. Heck, I think that the greatest culinary crime of the past few decades is the selective breeding of lean--AKA dry and tastless--pork.

Prairie Orchard Farms (site requires Flash) has increased the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their pork products through feeding pigs a special diet. Why is this important? Our own stores of body fat are reflective of the types of fat we actually consume. Eating fatty cold-water fish (sardines, salmon, tuna), walnuts, and flax seed oil will increase our ratio of omega-3 fatty acids. (There's a whole discussion on omega-3's and omega-6's that I will feature soon--but the take home point here for now is that we want to increase our intake of omega-3's). Therefore, by feeding our food omega-3-rich foods, then we'll get more omega-3's in our bodies. This is a good thing.

Just don't kid yourself into thinking that loading up on more omega-3's from bacon is really the same thing as improving your diet. If you really want to add something like omega-3-enhanced pork to your diet, remember that fat and calores has to come out from your diet somewhere else. You don't get to add bacon to your burger, fries and shake and call it healthy.

Roasted Asparagus

Preheat oven to 350 **

Take one bunch of asparagus, wash and trim the ends. Toss lighty with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Place in roasting pan.

Roast for at least 20 minutes, or until the asparagus begins to look toasty and smell roasty.

Serve as is, or if you're feeling fancy grind some black pepper and grate some hard cheese (such as parmesean, manchego, swiss, what have you) over the top and heat for 5 min more.

** If you're using the oven for something else, you can put the 'gus in at whatever temperature you're using already, just be sure to check on it from time to time.

You can visit the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board for more info on how to prepare, store, and eat this springtime delight.

What's in it for you?
Asparagus is a good source of fiber, vitamin B6, and folic acid.

It's also wicked yummy.

The reality was an 8-second soundbyte declaring that Splenda may cause stomach pain in some people.

Hmmmm, I stayed up to 10:45 pm for this?

So this morning I did a quick search for more...and came up with very limited information. Really limited.

Being that I'm first and foremost a scientist, I was not satisfied to simply follow the news headlines. I decided to use my trusted friend PubMed. I was in truth unable to unearth any scientifically peer-reviewed evidence that Splenda (or sucralose) poses any significant health concerns. This is not to say that some people might not feel too well after eating foods containing Splenda, much like some people can't tolerate aspartame, and some can't tolerate monosodium glutamate (which, FYI, is a naturally-occurring substance and is found in sea vegetables such as kelp).

Still, don't take my word for it, check out what the Citizens for Health have to say, and please follow it up with this rebuttal from the American Council on Science and Health. Then do some more research.

If you're really all that worried, 1 teaspoon of sugar (the size of one standard packet) contains only 16 calories. Pretty sweet.

Now, am I carting around a few extra pounds? Like many people I sure am. My penchant for Pocky could be to blame, or my desire for fine wines and cheeses. Maybe the Internet is to blame. Genetics, environment...oh whatever!

The point is this. Instead of reading about how fat we all are as a nation, I can do something about preventing the insidious creeping of pounds. Once I post this story, I'm going to do at least 30 minutes of exercise. Really. Yoga. For dinner I have decided to do entirely plant-based: vegetable curry with brown rice. Yum. For dessert, a perfect pear with a sliver of delicious aged goat cheese.

The equation is simple, if you spend more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. Research shows that it may not matter overly much which diet you follow (although I STRONGLY urge a well-balanced diet and exercise that you enjoy, more on that later). What matters is that you pick a way of eating that is enjoyable to you and sustainable. I don't care if Mary at the office lost 90lbs on Atkins or if Joe lost 10 lbs on the Subway diet, or if your mother lost 15 on Weight Watchers. If YOU don't like boatloads of meat, can't stand veggie subs, or just plain don't want to track your food intake, then these plans simply won't work for you.

Now, hit the floor and give me 20!

I am by training a nutritional neuroscientist and an educator. I aim to take a look at the nutrition news that comes across my desk, and pass along some of my thoughts about said news. Some days this may take the form of presenting supporting or conflicting evidence, other days I'll give you some good ideas on how to incorporate nutrition news in a relevant manner into your own lives. (Think how to get five servings of vegetables into you and your kids).

Above all, I love food. I love to play with my food. And I want you to love what you're eating and to have some fun while you do.

-Kris