Healthier Meal Options

Posted on 29. Aug, 2010 by Howard Salus in Dining, Florida News, Green Business, Healthy Foods, Healthy Products

MIAMI STUDENTS GET HEALTHIER MEAL OPTIONS FROM EVOS®

 
By Nancy Powell Radlauer (PowellReviews@aol.com)

EVOS® is a quick-service restaurant chain serving burgers, fries, and shakes. One exception from the norm; their philosophy is to use healthier ingredients such as naturally-raised hormone/antibioticfree beef and organic ingredients, as well as alternative cooking techniques. The result is 50 to 70
percent less fat without sacrificing flavor.
Dino Lambridis, Alkis Crassas and Michael Jeffers expanded their business to include stores in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and California since starting the franchise expansion in 2005. The company employs sustainable business practices that range from purchasing renewable wind energy to utilizing environmentally-friendly materials in the building of its stores.
EVOS, the restaurant known for great tasting, healthier menu options is proud to
announce the EVOS® Healthy School Lunch Program. Now available at public and
private schools throughout the Miami area this year, it offer an easy, affordable option for parents that ends daily lunchbox dilemmas.
Schools that choose to adopt the EVOS® Healthy School Lunch Program this year
are being rewarded for their efforts because the restaurant chain has committed to
donating a portion of each lunchbox sale back to the school from which it was
purchased.
“This year alone, more than 31 million students will consume 30 to 50 percent of their daily calories during their 30 minute lunch break,” says Jackie Macaluso,community ambassador at EVOS. “Packed with high amounts of salt, fat and sugar today’s school lunch simply “fails” miserably. The EVOS Healthy School
Lunch Program hopes to not only make a direct nutritional impact in the lives of those students we serve, but to also help schools get one step closer to meeting their unique fundraising milestones.”
While many people may assume that the idea of a healthier school lunch would be a
hard “sell” for students used to devouring the first slice of pizza, bag of chips, or
cookie assortment that comes their way, EVOS has succeeded in building a solid
following. From naturally-raised, beef burgers and hotdogs (free of added
hormones, antibiotics), to air-baked chicken strips and even a vegetarian option,
EVOS’ great tasting food and hip, trendy attitude has set the stage for great things to
come. Students are expected to talk about their “Most Talented, Most Likely to
Succeed, Most Athletic and Most Attractive” form those all packed into their tasty
lunchbox.
For more information on EVOS Healthy Lunch Program, menu offerings or for information on how your
school can get involved, log on to www.evoslunchroom.com. And, for those of you who just can’t get
enough EVOS during your lunch hour, visit EVOS’ Miami location at 9537 South Dixie Highway,
Pinecrest, Florida. The restaurant is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. www.evos.com.

Christina Pirello Addresses the USDA

Posted on 28. Jul, 2010 by Howard Salus in Dining, Education, Environment, Healthy Foods

Quite recently, I had the privilege to testify before the USDA with my friend and colleague, Dr. Neal Barnard, president and founder of the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine.  I presented the following comments on the first draft of the USDA dietary guidelines, to be released this December.
I am honored to be here to comment on such an important topic.
It is no secret that our population is in serious trouble with obesity and chronic disease. Epidemics of completely preventable diseases threaten to destroy the very strength of this country.

The draft of new dietary guidelines shows an astute insight into actions needed and if observed by Americans, can dramatically increase our chances of reversing this seemingly irreversible tide.

The proposed guidelines go further than ever before toward guiding the country to a plant-based style of eating, but there are some topics that need addressing so that the new guidelines can correctly inform citizens about the choices available to them to live healthy lives.

While it would be utopian to think that the guidelines would recommend the elimination of meat and other animal products, vegetarian eating needs to become a more attractive option for people. As a 30-year vegan, I can tell you that I am one of millions of people who have no deficiencies nutritionally. I do supplement with vitamin B-12, but otherwise, a well-balanced and varied plant-based diet has served my nutritional needs nicely in my very active life.

In the draft there is plenty of complimentary language supporting the choice of vegetarian eating, but I think that stronger language is needed. In the section dedicated to nutrient adequacy, the question of what nutrients are over and under-consumed is posed.

The answer is easy. Americans eat far too little whole, unprocessed, fresh food, like whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds and far too many of the foods that every expert agrees are stealing their health: processed and cured meats, sugar and other junk food.

The idea is presented that little conclusive evidence exists to support the idea that a plant-based diet can better prevent disease than any other low-fat diet. In fact, there is plenty of research to support this as well as the idea that disease can be reversed with the use of a vegetarian diet and other lifestyle changes. One need only read ‘The China Study’ by T. Colin Campbell, PhD or look at Dr. Dean Ornish, whose work is so effective at treating and reversing disease that it has just been approved for coverage by Medicare. Further proof can be found in America ’s very own ‘Blue Zone’ in Loma Linda , California . Dr Gary Fraser, of Loma Linda University ’s Medical Center discovered that even among the Adventist population, the non-vegetarians had about twice the risk of heart disease than the vegetarians. So they dug deeper and discovered that meat remained the consistent contributor to heart disease, as it would because of the concentrations of saturated fat.

The real problem here in America however lies with marketing and food manufacturers. They seduce the public with fat, sugar and salt to trick the tastebuds into wanting more. They make a bigger profit and America loses.

The key to the success of the new guidelines is not fear-mongering but progressive thinking that moves us forward nutritionally speaking. The new guidelines need strong language that promotes the consumption of whole grains, vegetables and beans. And while I personally would love to see animal products, especially processed cured meats and dairy foods completely disappear from this new guidance, powerful lobby groups will never allow that to happen. There is a lot at stake for the manufacturers of animal foods, from subsidies to huge bottom line profits for their sales.

I think it is the role of this committee and the experts in the room to educate consumers as to the best choices for health and to demonstrate that a healthy lifestyle can be delicious, satisfying, affordable and far superior to any meal that’s served in a bucket. Americans are suffering at alarming rates from diseases that are nearly completely preventable and in many cases reversible. But we must free them from the stranglehold of marketing and subsidized foods. We can encourage them to eat their vegetables and fruit until the cows come home, but if it costs more to buy the ingredients to make a salad than to buy a Happy Meal, then all the work, research and findings are for nothing.

This committee has the power to systemically change the relationship Americans have with healthy foods like vegetables and whole grains. Healthy foods must be accessible to all Americans. An endorsement by this committee for healthy eating, with the focus on plant-based nutrition will create consumer demand which in turn will create the changes needed to turn the tide of disease that threatens to swallow us.

The draft that has been released is a great start, but I would respectfully submit that there is much to be done to move the country forward to a state of healthy fitness and a plant-based diet is the foundation upon which we can rebuild that health.

Thank you.

Christina Pirello, MFN
Emmy-Award winning host of ‘Christina Cooks’ on national public television
Best selling cookbook author
Chef Instructor, The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College , Philadelphia , PA
References:
The China Study, T. Colin Campbell, PhD, Benbella Books, June 2006
Healthy at 100, John Robbins, Ballantine Books, August 2007
The Blue Zones, Dan Buettner, National Geographic, April 2009
The Spectrum, Dean Ornish, MD, Ballantine Books, December 2008

Soy Vey!

Posted on 26. Jul, 2010 by Howard Salus in Dining, Education, Healthy Foods, Healthy Products

another fun-to-learn, highly informative, jolly  article from nationally-known and respected Christina

By Christina Pirello

If I had a nickel for every time someone asks me about soy and its health benefits, I could buy that little place in Tuscany I have had my eye on and never work again. Okay, maybe I would grow basil and sell it at the local market in the village, but that’s about it.

I’m kidding, but this is a serious issue and one that I am asked about in every setting and form of media, from classes to the internet. So I thought it was about time I set the record straight, from my point of view and understanding of the facts.

Some history. The soybean comes to us from Southeast Asia, first domesticated by the Chinese in 1100 BC. By the first century AD, Japan and many other countries were growing this prolific bean. Today, after a long history of migration, the United States produces the majority of soybeans used in the world, about 32%. The bad news is that much of that crop will go to feed livestock, produce margarine and oil and other highly processed products.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The truth is that the soybean, in its whole state and in traditional forms, like tofu, tempeh, miso, shoyu and edamame contain carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals as well as containing all the amino acids essential to human health. Soybeans are rich in lecithin, a compound proven to help lower cholesterol, prevent hardening of the arteries and aid in controlling diabetes.

Some studies suggest that people whose diets include soy enjoy a reduced risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer and menopausal problems. This widely grown bean has been one of the best-researched legumes known to man. Their key benefits include a rich concentration of protein with no saturated fats, fiber and high levels of essential fatty acids. But it seems that the miracle of soy lies in its concentration of isoflavones, secondary vegetable substances that are the beauty of soybeans and the source of most of the controversy. So let’s clear things up.

Isoflavones, within which we find genistein and daidzein can act like estrogens in the body and provide a protective function to health. They are not the same as estrogens found in the human body; in fact their effectiveness represents 1/1000 of estrogen hormones. But here is their real value. Isoflavones and phyto-estrogens exercise a balancing effect when the levels of estrogen are low, like during menopause and result in fewer and less intense menopausal symptoms. These same isoflavones can also reduce the effect of estrogen on cells and tissue when the levels are high and then essentially reduce the risk of estrogen-linked cancers. See, it works like this: when natural levels of estrogen are low, isoflavones can help estrogens by activating the beta-receptors. When estrogen levels are high, the isoflavones bind with alpha-receptors and prevent the estrogens from binding to these receptors. Brilliant, right?

So why all the controversy about soy and cancer, particularly women with breast cancer being advised by doctors to avoid soy at all costs?

I think there are a couple of things going on, not the least of which is misinformation or lack of information. On the part of most doctors, I would venture to say that most women know more about soy (and food’s affect on their health in general) than their doctor. When a woman comes to me now, having been diagnosed with breast or some other reproductive cancer, telling me that their doctor has advised them to stay away from soy, I ask them this. How much soy did they eat before they were diagnosed? Usually, the answer is none at all. Then I ask them how much dairy they ate before they were diagnosed? Usually, the answer is a lot. So the conclusion is that a food they did not eat can contribute to their cancer, but a food they did eat that is notoriously loaded with hormones is okay for their health as they go forward. Am I the only one who thinks this is a little crazy?

The humble soybean will not make men grow breasts; shrink their prostates; reduce the brain development in babies; increase the risk of dementia in old people or cause your breast cancer to get worse…at least not soybeans in their traditional forms, like tofu, tempeh, edamame, miso and soy sauce.

That said; there is a dark side to soy that can be problematic to your health.

Once marketing sunk its teeth into this wonderful food, everything changed. Today, the only soy I would consider using is organic and in one of the traditional forms listed above. So many of the products made with soy and marketed as healthy are in fact, not.

Many companies decided that since soy was so great for health: it could lower cholesterol; it could balance hormones; it was high in protein, low in fat and rich in essential nutrients, they would need to figure out a way to include it in every single product marketed to women. And so they did. The result of this ingenuity? Soy isolates or isolated soy protein, both names for an adulterated soy product that has reared its ugly head and compromised the health benefits of soy.

Advances in technology make it possible to produce an isolated version of the soy protein so they can claim health benefits. Problem is when the protein is isolated, the isoflavones are not effective in their benefits. So they take this defatted, high protein, foul-smelling waste product and transform it into things to sell to us and market these products as healthy. Flavorings, preservatives, sweeteners, emulsifiers and synthetic nutrients all combine to turn isolated soy protein into a New Age Cinderella, except it isn’t. This version of soy is highly processed and not a healthy ingredient for us in our day to day diets. In fact, I would go so far as to say to skip any product that contains the ingredient ‘isolated soy protein’ or ‘soy isolates.’

Now, I have heard all the other views, from Dr. Mercola to Weston Price and everyone in between. I have read most of the articles out there from Men’s Health to various newsletters. Their extreme views demonize soy leading us to believe that this humble bean will cause everything from genital shrinkage to brain malformation to cancer. I hear them; I read their articles and even see their research, but I have to say that in my 27 years of living a lifestyle where soy plays a role, I have not seen any…not one…of these problems with my students, clients or my family.

As a soy lover, I will tell you that there is one health condition where soy is not appropriate and I, personally, have not seen any way around this one. People with thyroid issues, whether on medication or not, need to minimize or avoid soy completely. I have worked with people and have not seen any changes that would allow for soy to play a major role in their diets. Sorry about that.

And then there are allergies. Some people have a hard time digesting soy or have an allergy to soybeans. In these cases, I also think people need to minimize or avoid soy, although I have seen people with allergies change and tolerate soy over time once they have changed the way they eat overall and their digestion improves.

So…in light of all the information out there, some good and some, as Jon Stewart says, not so much, it remains, as always, up to you to decide what you want to do about soy in your life. If you decide to include it, go with certified organic only and with products made from whole soybeans in traditional forms. It would be a waste of a perfectly healthy food to let scare tactics, misinformation, special interests and marketing deprive us of the wonders of the humble soybean.

Looking forward to reading your comments (see below) . . bye for now.

More About Essensia

Posted on 25. Jun, 2010 by Howard Salus in Dining, Healthy Foods

By Marguerite Gil (famae.org)

Essensia: From the Farm to the Table
I’m sure this has happened to most of you.  You drive by a place, tell yourself that one day you’ll stop and visit, but you never do. Recently, I actually parked the car and walked into a charming and luxurious hotel that in my 30 years of living in Miami I had never visited. Echoes about a wonderful eatery (I remember reading an article about this amazing eatery in ENV Magazine and it made my mouth water),  that serves locally grown produce and prepares healthy meals were making me curious and I just had to experience this hidden gem that promotes “green” meals.
Chef Frank Jeanetti is in charge of Essensia Restaurant & Lounge at The Palms.  If you appreciate perfect preparations and environmentally friendly foods, this is a place you should try.  Chef Jeanetti is trained in classical French cuisine.  His credentials include having been a chef at The Biltmore, Pacific Times, Nemo and Pearl.  His quest is to find the freshest ingredients, locally grown and offer clients natural gourmet dishes that will make your mouth water in anticipation.  Essensia embodies the simplicity of organic dining and wholesome light worldly fare with a genuine focus on healthy farm products from places such as Paradise Farms in Homestead. Our meal was divine in every way. From the al-fresco dining to the lush environment to the amazing dishes that were served by an efficient wait staff and prepared by a great chef, Essensia presented the essence of fine dining in a genuinely relaxing ambience.

Executive Chef Frank Jeannetti

Deeelicious

The Palms was completely redesigned in 2009 and features 251 guestrooms that face both the city and the ocean.  Besides Essensia, there is a Tiki Bar located poolside, cabanas by the beach and a rejuvenating Spa. The whole place has a tropical atmosphere and is home to a variety of palms, flowering plants such as exotic orchids and several birds.  Next time you’re driving north on  Collins Ave. and 30th Street, park the wheels and head over to this luscious hidden oasis in the heart of busy Miami Beach and let yourself get pampered.
The Palms Hotel & Resort, 3025 Collins Ave. Miami Beach. Reservations: 305.908.5458.

Photos by Marguerite Gil

Agave, Oy Vey!

Posted on 15. Jun, 2010 by Howard Salus in Healthy Foods

another learning-can-be-fun article by

Christina Pirello

To agave or not to agave; that is the question. It seems that everything today creates scandal and confusion…our food, our politics, our neighborhoods, how we exercise and now even our sweeteners, natural and otherwise.
A relative newcomer to the culinary world (but not the world) is agave nectar, processed from the agave cactus. It became quite popular with the raw foods community because it is processed at low heat, but in reality, about 30 degrees higher than most raw foodists would allow.
It seemed that this low glycemic sweetener was destined to be the next big thing in healthy cooking. Deliciously sweet, naturally processed, gluten-free, delicate enough for most recipes, it had it all. Or did it?
Some facts about agave: agave plants are crushed and the sap is collected in tanks. It’s heated to about 140º F for about 36 hours to concentrate the sap into syrup and develop the sweetness. See, the main carbohydrate in agave is a complex form of fructose, one of which is inulin. I know; I know, too science-y. Anyhow, the sap is not very sweet, so when the agave sap is heated, the complex form of fructose is hydrolyzed and then filtered to obtain the desired sweet flavor, from the dark to the lighter, milder amber. In sort, the complex fructosans are being broken down into fructose.
Based on my own research, I am not as in love with agave as I was in the beginning. I believe that it’s more processed than I originally thought and in that processing some of the vital nutrients that made it healthy for us are lost.
It is marketed as being low-glycemic and therefore safe for diabetics. Well, I say “Not so fast” on that one.  Not only is the whole glycemic index misinterpreted and mis-used, but agave is considered low-glycemic because of its high concentration of fructose as compared to glucose (only about 10%). My concern is that this ratio of 90%/10% is not natural. Even high fructose corn syrup only contains about 55% fructose and we consider that to be the Darth Vadar of food because of its high concentration of fructose.
And the big deal about fructose? Ay, ay, ay! While fructose naturally occurs in fruits and veggies, it is in small concentrations, so the liver can handle its metabolism. But when concentrated like it is in agave and high fructose corn syrup, an added burden is placed on the liver. Glucose, our body’s desired fuel is metabolized by every cell, while fructose is not. It requires the liver, which can lead to fatty deposits showing up in this most overworked gland. And since it’s metabolized by the liver, it is more likely to contribute to weight gain than other natural sweeteners.
Some studies also show that fructose can be indirectly linked to the inhibition of collagen and elastin production in the body.
And finally, this form of hydrolyzed fructose contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals, so like sugar; it can rob the body of these nutrients in order to assimilate itself for use.
Now that I front-loaded the bad news, there is good news about agave. First and most important, its high fructose concentration is where its similarity to high fructose corn syrup ends. Agave is natural, while HFCS was invented, making it superior in quality.
Agave’s low glycemic index does make it an okay sweetener to use in small quantities. Its molecular structure allows it to provide sweetness without a ‘sugar rush’ and resulting crash…and no blood sugar spike. And it does make great tequila, so it can’t be all bad. (Kidding…)
Look, I have always found agave to be too sweet in taste, so I did not use it much in my cooking. But I have found it to be a nice alternative for people looking for a more intense sweet without sugar and a gluten-free option for natural sweetening.
Do I think you should throw out your agave and cower in fear? Nope. But I do think that I will stick with my old reliable brown rice syrup, which I have used with great success in both cooking and health for more than 25 years. After processing, brown rice syrup remains 50% complex carbohydrate, 45% maltose and 5% glucose. This strong polysaccharide structure allows brown rice syrup to be used by the body more efficiently and is less likely to store as fat. And it digests more slowly so you are less likely to crave more and more sweet taste and binge. You will be satisfied with less. And in most cases, it also is gluten-free, so read the labels before you buy if that is a concern.
Now that’s not to say you can use it without reservation. With about 70-75 calories in a tablespoon, brown rice syrup, like all sweeteners is calorically dense (about 60 in a tablespoon of white sugar) and can pack on the pounds if not used wisely. So while a better choice than white sugar, because it’s a polysaccharide, like all sweeteners, brown rice syrup is a treat, not a staple of life, as much as we would like that to be our truth. If it becomes a staple of life, you will have the waistline to prove it!
So…back to the topic at hand. Is agave healthy as a natural sweetener? In small amounts, I would say it’s okay, not the best, but okay. Is it healthier than HFCS? Yes, because it’s natural, not invented. Is it healthier than artificial sweeteners? Hell, yes, for so many reasons. Are there other options? Yup, from xlyitol to stevia, healthy, natural, low in calories. If you like them, go for it. And it’s vegan, as is rice syrup, so it ain’t all bad news. And as our modern food supply goes, you could do a lot worse than agave nectar.
I prefer (and will likely always prefer) brown rice syrup as my primary sweetener for baking, sauces, puddings and all things sweet.
So relax and enjoy the sweetness of life…
Let me know what you think? Comment section just below . . .