HealthyLife Articles

Tag: flavor

  • Curry: A Powerhouse Spice

    HEALTHY EATING

    Curry powder and wooden spoon.

    Curry is a unique, delicious spice commonly found in East Indian cuisine. Curry powder is actually a blend of several ground spices, including turmeric, coriander, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and chili. Each mixture can be different, and its color ranges from golden yellow to deep orange. The spices that make up curry powder have long been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. More recently, modern science is researching some possible health benefits.

    Decreased Inflammation

    One of the main ingredients in curry, turmeric, contains a botanical component called curcumin. It has been studied for its anti-inflammatory ability. Curcumin may be beneficial for people with inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

    Improved Digestion

    Many of the spices in curry powder may help digestion. Turmeric, cinnamon, and cumin are among the spices known for improving digestive health. Some curry blends also contain ginger, which may help reduce nausea and speed digestion.

    Antioxidant Properties

    Antioxidants are abundant in curry powder. These act to help prevent cell damage and protect against early aging. In general, plant foods with rich, deep colors are higher in antioxidants. Curry is no exception. The bright yellows and oranges indicate a variety of potent antioxidants.

    Heart Health

    Curry powder may help decrease blood pressure and lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

    Cancer-Fighting

    Turmeric shows promise as an anti-cancer agent by interfering with cancer cells. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of curry may also be protective against cancer.

    Ask Your Doctor

    Always check with your doctor before taking turmeric or curcumin as a supplement.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Improve A Packaged Meal

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 3

    Frozen pizza with added fresh vegetables.

    Cooking from scratch is a great way to know what is in your food and to prepare it how you like it. You can also start with a pre-made, packaged food and make a healthy meal from it! The chart below gives examples of ways to add nutrients to packaged foods. Add your own ideas.

    Chart of ideas to improve packaged meals.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Improve A Packaged Meal 2

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Menus & Recipes

    Frozen pizza with added fresh vegetables.

    There are many ways to start with a pre-made, packaged food and make a healthy meal from it. Use this chart for ideas on adding nutrients to packaged meals. Add your own ideas in the spaces provided to have on hand.

    Chart of ideas to improve packaged meals.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Garlic Secrets

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of garlic.

    Use a garlic peeler to quickly peel garlic. A garlic peeler is a cylindrical piece of rubber that you place the garlic in and then roll it on the counter with the palm of your hand. The peel will stick to the inside of the peeler, and the garlic will fall out the end. If you don’t have a garlic peeler, you can do the same thing with a rubber jar opener, say extension experts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

    Bonus tip:

    To mince garlic without having it stick to your knife, add a few drops of water to the garlic and then chop. The garlic sticks to the cutting board and not your knife.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Grill Master

    HEALTHY EATING

    Close up image of a person grilling.

    Charring, burning, or grilling meat, poultry, and fish over high temperatures causes heterocyclic amines (HCAs) to form. These HCAs can damage your genes and raise your risk for stomach and colorectal cancers, says The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. You can avoid HCAs:

    *  Use a marinade. Marinating meat in vinegar, lemon juice, and herbs such as mint, rosemary, tarragon, or sage can reduce HCA formation by as much as 96%. Just 30 minutes can help.

    *  Stick with fish. Fish contains less fat and cooks faster than meat and poultry.

    *  Lightly oil the grill. This keeps charred materials from sticking to your food.

    *  Pre-cook food. Cook meat, poultry, or fish in the microwave or oven for 2 to 5 minutes, then finish them on the grill.

    *  Lower the temperature. For a charcoal grill, spread the coals thinly or prop the grill rack on bricks. This reduces the heat by increasing the distance between your food and the coals. And use barbecue briquettes and hardwood products, such as hickory and maple. They burn at lower temperatures than softwood (pine) chips.

    *  Scrub the grill. Cleaning the grill after each use prevents harmful chemicals from building up and transferring to your food.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Picky Eater?

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of young child with a sad face looking down at a bowl of brussel sprouts.

    Is dinner time a war zone at your house? Do you fight battles with your kids over vegetables and mac and cheese?

    Picky eating is as normal as potty-training. Even the best of parents can have a difficult time getting their child to eat. In fact, picky eating is one of the most common events in children, often outgrown as the child reaches adolescence.

    But when eating behavior affects normal development, it could be something much more serious-a pediatric feeding disorder.

    “The difference between a fussy eater and a child with a feeding disorder is the impact the eating behavior has on a child’s physical and mental health,” said Dr. Peter Girolami, clinical director of the Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore.

    Pediatric feeding disorders are more common than most think, affecting 1 in 10 infants and children. Some kids just don’t eat enough calories and nutrients to thrive.

    Common symptoms of a pediatric feeding disorder are these:

    *  A sudden change in eating habits lasting longer than 30 days

    *  Delayed development of skills needed to feed or eat foods with greater textures

    *  Weight loss or failure to gain weight

    *  Choking/coughing during meals

    *  Unexplained fatigue, loss of energy

    *  Disruptive behavior during mealtime, throwing utensils

    Early diagnosis and treatment is extremely important.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Spice Up Your Life

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of different spices.

    If you’re cutting back on salt to control blood pressure, the Spice Islands Test Kitchen has developed 5 tips to boost flavor in food:

    *Increase the amount of herbs when reducing salt.For a great flavor punch, increase your spice and herbs by 25% when reducing or eliminating salt in a recipe.

    *Crush herbs to release all flavor.For leafy herbs such as rosemary and leaf oregano, lightly crush the herbs to bring out maximum flavor.

    *For soups and stews, reduce the salt and add spices last.For long-cooking soups and stews, reduce the salt. Save about a fourth of the spices called for and add them at the end of cooking. This will give a more intense flavor to the dish.

    *Add herbs early in no-cook meals.For salad dressings, fruit dishes, or other no-cook foods, add herbs and spices several hours before serving so flavors can develop and blend. For salad dressings, add seasonings to the vinegar and let stand before adding the oil.

    *Give dried spices a boost.If a recipe calls for fresh herbs and you have dried on hand, simply use a third to a half as much dry for fresh.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine