Herbal teas are a wonderful way to incorporate nutrients into our daily diet.  The benefits of green tea are well documented but what about some of the wonderful benefits of some other herbal teas?

Scientists from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University recently looked into the health benefits of three of the most popular herbal teas.  Take a look at the benefits below:

Chamomile tea is well known for its calming properties.  Tufts researchers also found that it has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Peppermint tea has traditionally been used as a digestive aid and the Tufts researchers found that not only did it also have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties but also antiviral properties as well.

Hibiscus tea was found to have positive effects on blood pressure.  Researchers note that three cups of tea per day led to significant reduction in systolic blood pressure.

Source: “Reading Herbal Tea Leaves: Benefits and Lore,” by Rosalie Marion Bliss, Agricultural Research, 3/11

Green tea — contains the potent bioflavonoid epigallocatechin, rich in chlorophyll and magnesium. Calming and energizing. Enjoy often (serving = 1 cup)

Reference:

Bauman, E. (2010). Foundations of Nutrition. Penngrove, CA: Bauman College

These gluten and dairy-free macaroons are a great sweet alternative to traditional cookies.

2 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup honey or brown rice syrup
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange zest
3 oz dark chocolate, cut into small chunks

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Lightly oil a glass measuring cup to measure honey or rice syrup. Place sweetener in a pan over low heat until it begins to loosen. The brown rice syrup will yield a slightly less sweet macaroon. Add coconut and egg white. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until it begins to collect (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in extracts and zest. Let mixture rest until cool enough to touch.
3. Mix the chocolate chunks into the macaroons. With moist hands, make small rounded mounds and place them side by side on the cookie sheet (they will not spread). Or, line a mini muffin tin with paper liners. Scoop a small amount of the mixture into each cup. Bake about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow to cool to room temperature on cookie sheet.

Author: Kasey Caletti, Natural Chef

This and other great health-supportive recipes are taught in the Bauman College Natural Chef Training Program. If you would like to learn more, visit us online by clicking here.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and millions of American women are looking forward to the smoothest textured, the most seductively sweet and unashamedly romantic gift of all: a box of heart-stopping chocolates.

But lest you think that chocolate is one of those phenomena that’s quintessentially American, consider the fact that the Aztec and Mayans cultivated “theobroma cacao” for centuries before the arrival of the Europeans. Theobroma cacao” translates literally as “food of the gods.” In fact, the Mayans used this heavenly treat as currency (according to a 16th Century Spanish source, a Mayan mule once cost 60 cacao beans), and when the Europeans brought it home, it quickly became the favorite of the royal courts of Europe. Civilizations from Brazil to Belarus have hailed chocolate as an aphrodisiac, and the U.S. government officially lauded it in World War II by making it standard issue for the military. Today, more and more studies are validating that our cocoa- consuming predecessors were certainly on to something big.

To start, we women have always been sweet on the stuff because it elevates mood and associates us with feelings of love and comfort. But there’s much more to the story for both women and men alike.

Review, for example, chocolate’s impressive cast of flavonoids. Flavonoids are chemical compounds with antioxidant properties that plants use to protect themselves from environmental toxins. When we eat the plants that contain these chemicals, we too reap the benefits.

Scientists have recently discovered a particular type of powerful flavanoid in chocolate, called epicatechin. In chocolate, primarily the dark variety, flavanoids are plentiful, and provide a powerful cardiovascular boost. In addition to quenching free radicals, those destructive metabolic byproducts that can wreak havoc on our blood vessels along with every other organ, the specific flavanoids in chocolate, like those in red wine, have also been found to:

• Decrease “bad” LDL cholesterol
• Raise “good” HDL cholesterol
• Reduce the tendency of the blood to form dangerous clots
• Relax the blood vessels which inhibit an enzyme that causes inflammation, a major cause of heart disease

If you’re worried about the high fat content of the chocolate, your concerns are both valid and unfounded. True, the bar, with a 50 percent fat content is high in calories, and like anything sweet and fatty, should clearly be eaten in moderation. The cocoa butter fat in chocolate, however, is by and large of the “good guy” variety. Oleic acid, for example, is the healthy monounsaturated fat for which olive oil is feted.. And the evidence is stacking up that the stearic acid in cocoa butter, although a saturated fat, is in fact responsible for raising those protective HDLs.

Got a cough this Valentine’s Day? Don’t worry, a recent study found that theobromine, a derivative in cocoa, was nearly a third more effective than codeine in suppressing the common cough, due to its inhibition of the cranial nerve responsible for coughing.

And if that weren’t enough, it even appears that dark chocolate has an impact on longevity, when eaten regularly in moderation. Indeed, no less august an institution than Harvard postulated, in a public health study, that chocolate- eating added nearly a year to men’s lives, after accounting for weight, smoking status and other factors.

Not bad for a candy bar, eh? Remember, however, it’s only the dark chocolate that has been shown to have this powerful effect. So make sure it’s of exceptional quality, with at least 70 percent cocoa content, and if at all possible, organic. After all, you want only the best when it comes to guarding your health AND romancing your sweetheart.
____________________
Helayne Waldman, Ed.D , N.E.,. is a health and nutrition educator, a writer, and an Adjunct Professor in the Dept. of Holistic Health Studies at JFK University. She can be reached at hwaldman@turning-the-tables.com, or on the web at www.turning-the-tables.com
©2005-2006 Helayne Waldman, Ed.D., N.E.. All rights reserved.

While I was searching for fun information about the leek I came across this wonderful article “Learn why Europeans Love Leeks“.  Never did I know how exciting and mouth watering a leek could be!  I must share!

1. Clean out your Pantry

If you’re like me, you hate throwing away food. Two years ago, I had a short conversation with my Nutrition Consultant when she was helping me to look through my own food stores. She found in my fridge  a brand new tub of cream cheese substitute that contained partially hydrogenated soybean oil (which, by the way, is very bad) and told me to throw it away. I squirmed a lot and explained my difficulty with throwing away food. “That’s not food,” she said, “it’s poison.” That clicked for me. Food is nourishing and supports your body. If something contributes to poor health, then it’s not food – it’s harmful to your health and it should not be eaten. Throw it out!

Okay, okay. I understand that cleaning out your pantry takes an initial time investment. But this is generally just a little bit of time – an hour or less – and once it’s done then it’s just a matter of buying or not buying certain things and the initial time investment will pay off.

Click here for 5 helpful tips for cleaning out your cupboard or read on to find additional ways to easily improve your wellness.

2. Replace Teflon with Cast Iron or Stainless Steel

When used to cook at high temperatures, Teflon pans release chemical C-8 into the air. This chemical, which has been known to kill pet birds in homes where Teflon pots and pans are used, can cause flu-like symptoms in people including headaches, chills, and fever. What’s worse, once it’s in our bodies it stays there. Each time C-8 is released into the air, it builds up in us. High levels of C-8 in the blood have been linked to cancer, organ damage, and birth defects. Replace your pans with those free of both Teflon coating and aluminum.

3. Eat more Vegetables

In the Standard American Diet (SAD), vegetables generally take up less room on the plate than does meat. In a healthy diet, however, the amount of vegetables eaten is 2-3 times that of meat. Yes, meat has its place on the plate and, if chosen and cooked properly, offers necessary protein, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and even a few vitamins. The real power foods of health, however, are vegetables. A diet rich in diverse vegetables provides more vitamins, phytonutrients, anti-oxidants, and other health benefiting qualities. If you’re depriving yourself of vegetables, you are depriving yourself of health. To make room in your stomach for all those veggies you may have to cut down your meat intake; a serving of meat should only be 1/4-1/3 pound to begin with, not the huge serving size that has unfortunately become normal in far too many households.

4. Eat Whole Grains Instead of Bread and Pasta

Even if the bread and pasta you choose is “whole grain,” the original whole grains have been processed into flour, which has then been processed into bread and pasta. The more a food is processed, the more vitamins, minerals, and nutrients are lost. Who says tomato sauce needs to be poured over pasta instead of millet and vegetables? Who says you need croutons in your salad instead of a little quinoa or brown rice? Experiment and see what meals you come up with yourself. If you have bread or pasta in a meal, make sure it has 100% whole grains in its ingredients and no white or enriched flour.

5. Exercise Wherever it can Organically Fit in your Life

Don’t have time to drive to the gym, much less work out for an hour once you’re there? There are little ways you can work your body throughout the day to help work those muscles and get that heart pumping:

• Take the stairs whenever you can
• Do a few push-ups, sit-ups, or leg lifts while waiting for your shower to get hot enough to get in
• Put a pull-up bar in a doorway and do a pull-up or two whenever you walk by
• Do a few jumping jacks or other exercises while watching TV
• Play with your dog or kids
• Do a few squats while waiting for dinner to cook
• Hold in your stomach and lift one foot off the ground at a time while sitting at your computer (hold each one up for several seconds before switching to the next foot)

It may not feel like you’re doing much, but you are building muscle, which helps build a healthy metabolism. After all, a little is far better than nothing at all.

6. Get a Bag of Ground Flax Seed

Like all seeds, flax is a wonderful booster food full of protein, fiber, and omega-3 essential oils. It aids digestion, fights cancer, protects the heart, improves mental health, boosts the immune system, acts as an anti-inflammatory, and even helps improve your skin. It’s subtle, nutty flavor is incredibly versatile and can be added to soups, pasta sauces, salads, cereal/oatmeal, baked goods, veggies… just about anything. Add 1 Tbs of ground flax seeds per serving to at least one meal a day. When possible, eat raw flax in your meal for optimal nutrition.

7. Drink More Water.

Drink at least 6-8 cups of filtered water per day. To determine how much water is best for you, divide your weight in half and drink that many ounces of water per day. Drinking water conquers kidney stones, smoothes the skin, and helps to clean the body of toxins. It is also a wonderful tool for appetite control, as dehydration is often mistaken for hunger.

8. Use a Slow-Cooker

Using a slow cooker is a very easy way to have home-made, healthful meals more often. Chop up your veggies, meat, lentils, or other ingredients whenever you have time and throw it in a slow-cooker pot with herbs, spices, and water or broth. Find a place for it in the fridge. In the morning before leaving for work, put the pot in the slow cooker and plug it in on low. By dinner time, you’ll have a delicious, nutritious soup or stew hot and ready to eat. No need for multiple pots and pans, no need for sautéing or keeping your eye on the food. Just chop it, throw it in the pot, and cook it. In my own home, we get two crock pots going at once and freeze what we don’t eat right away. Then, whenever we need a fast meal, we have ready-to-heat, pre-cooked meals waiting for us. How much easier can health be? The slow cooker can also be used overnight so your breakfast is ready when you wake up. Check out some recipes, get yourself in a slow-cooker routine, and see how time-saving healthful food can actually be!

9. Add Shakers of Different Dried Herbs and Spices to the Table along with your Salt and Pepper

Herbs and spices have an amazing array of health-promoting qualities. Encourage their use in your family by simply putting them on the table. Different people have different likes and dislikes. Give them a chance to individualize the flavor (and nutrients) of their food in this way. My oldest says his favorite spice is paprika, but I personally think he just likes the bright color that he sees inside the glass shaker. Whatever the reason, when he sees it on the table and adds it to his food I know he’s getting extra vitamins A, B, & C. Having alternative flavors to shake on your food may also cut down on sodium intake. Increase the health potential of any meal simply by putting a few extra shakers on the table.

10. Take Just a Few Seconds Here and There Throughout the Day to Breathe and Relax

Look away from the computer, book, or whatever you may currently be doing. Breathe in deeply through your nose and out through your mouth 2-5 times. Envision breathing in calm, positive energy and breathing out any negativity. It takes less than 20 seconds to do this 3 times. I personally like to take two deep breaths while reciting the words of the Buddhist monk Tich Nacht Hahn in my head: “Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is a wonderful moment.”

Yes, it really is that easy for you to be a healthier you in 2012. So, go ahead and make that resolution. You may even find that, with all the extra energy and clear thinking you’ll gain from living a healthier lifestyle, you’ll actually get more done and have more time on your hands to revisit old resolutions and make them happen.

If you are interested in learning more about living, eating, and cooking healthfully, or would like to learn about the healing powers of food, be sure to check out the Bauman College Natural Chef and Nutrition Consultant Training Programs and Nutrition Essentials for Everyone™ personal growth program. There’s a whole world of wellness out there waiting for you to discover it.

Sources:

Bauman, E. and Friedlander, J. (2011). Nutrition Essentials for Everyone Workbook. Penngrove, CA: Bauman College Press

Bauman, E. and Friedlander, J. (2011). Foundations of Nutrition. Penngrove, CA: Bauman College Press

Bauman, E. and Friedlander, J. (2011). Therapeutic Nutrition. Penngrove, CA: Bauman College Press

Can Nonstick Make You Sick? (2003). Retrieved from ABC 20/20: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=124363#.TvkYoDVSTFi

What is the Healthiest Salt? (2007). Retrieved from Trusted.MD: http://trusted.md/blog/vreni_gurd/2007/10/28/salt#axzz1hO4UyElL

Yield: 6 snack-size servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup red quinoa, soaked overnight
3 Tbs currants
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1 med. lemon, juiced
1 small orange, juiced
2 Tbs plain yogurt
Sea salt to taste
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dried apricots, soaked and minced
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, toasted and chopped
1 head lettuce, cut into pieces to make lettuce cups

Directions

1. Drain and rinse the quinoa. Place in a medium saucepan with 2 ¼ cups of water or stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook covered for about 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender but not mushy. Remove to a sheet pan and fluff out the grain to cool.
2. Place currants, coriander, cumin, lemon juice, orange juice, yogurt, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and mint in a blender. Blend on high to combine, scraping sides as needed. Add olive oil slowly to emulsify. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
3. Place cooled quinoa into a large bowl and fluff with a fork. Add dried fruit and pistachios. Drizzle with enough dressing to coat the quinoa.
4. Place the lettuce cups on a large platter. Scoop some of the salad into the lettuce cups either with a spoon or with a small ice cream scoop for a more refined presentation. Garnish as desired with extra herbs and a drizzle of any extra dressing.

Source: Bauman College Cookbook, 2010; Catherine McKonkie, Natural Chef Instructor

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