Nutrition counseling for those who want to feel healthier

December Newsletter: Nutrition Matters

Tip of the Month: Do you like sushi?  Go to Blue Ocean's website to download a pocket guide of which fish are less contaminated and which are more sustainably harvested: http://www.blueocean.org/files/boi_sushiWEB6.pdf

Food Focus: Nuts

          As a lover of nuts, I've wondered why the word equates with crazy -- but apparently others have felt the same way, even so enthusiastic as to be nuts about nuts! 

          In any case, it's far from crazy to eat nuts, unless of course you have an allergy to them.  Walnuts have come in for a lot of good press in recent years and are described as "heart healthy." Why is that? Among the several reasons one is the amino acid argenine which is used to make nitric oxide which, in turn, contributes to keeping blood vessels flexible.  And walnuts, along with pecans and pistachios, as well as other nuts, also contain plant sterols which help lower cholesterol, especially the so-called "bad" LDL.  (Sterols are what make Benecol an effective cholesterol lowering butter substitute.)         

The goodness doesn't stop there.  Walnuts and almonds are good sources of vitamin E, an antioxidant, as is vitamin C, which is plentiful in chestnuts.  To get all the antioxidant value from an almond, be sure to eat the skin.  If blood sugar is your problem, almonds and pistachios may help out as they slow the absorption of carbohydrates into your bloodstream.  All nuts, of course, have protein and fat.  The amount of omega-3 essential fatty acid varies from nut to nut, but over all, you can consider them a good antioxidant addition to your meals -- good in salads, pilafs, or cracked open at the end of a meal to bring it to a healthy, satisfying  close.

A Note on Storage: Because of the fragile unsaturated oil in nuts, they tend to rancidity if not stored properly. Avoid metal, light, heat, and moisture for best longevity.

Recipe: Maple-roasted Nuts

Because the holidays are coming up, the following very easy recipe is offered as a treat for the sweet tooth.

Ingredients:

1 cup of walnuts or pecans

3 tablespoons of maple syrup

Directions:

1.     Shake the dry nuts in a colander to get rid of flaky bits.

2.     Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium high heat and stir constantly till you can smell them.

3.     Pour on the syrup and keep stirring, for about one minute, or until all nuts are coated.

4.     Transfer the nuts to a cutting board and keep them moving till they're dry and won't stick.

N.b., be sure to put the skillet and cutting board under water asap to facilitate cleaning them.

Recipe source: Full Moon Feast: Food and the Hunger for Connection, Jessica Prentice, Chelsea Green.