Nutritional Counseling Questions answered at Nancy Cohen's Wellness News Blog

Toe-Mate-Oh Toe-Mah-Toe Taylor Sikes UNF Student

4/11/2018

Toe-Mate-Oh Toe-Mah-Toe

Taylor Sikes
UNF Nutrition and Dietetics Student

Have you heard?
April is Florida’s Tomato Month! Tomatoes are such a fun fruit with many nutritional benefits and uses. The tomato comes in many different forms and sizes such as the grape tomato and the cherry tomato, which are the smaller shaped tomatoes seen on side salads. Salad tomatoes are the plump round and red tomato we all picture in our heads whenever we hear the term “tomato”. Salad tomatoes are more commonly seen sliced on burgers and sandwiches. Examples are Roma, Early Girl, Heirloom, and Beefsteak. These specific tomatoes are also good to use for a tomato sauce. But enough of what you already know, lets start learning about phytochemicals.
Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are compounds produced by plants that are believed to affect health.1 Phytochemicals found in tomatoes are carotenoids with the most prominent carotenoid being lycopene.2 Carotenoids are what provide tomatoes with their red color while lycopene is related to the antioxidant effect that tomatoes have. Lycopene has recently been studied for its health benefits and researchers have concluded that lycopene may be useful in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease.3 More reasons to eat some tomatoes, right?
Nutrients
Nutrients found within tomatoes include vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K, and even folate.4 These minerals and vitamins are good for… wait a minute, you should have seen this on my last article! (See blog post under National Nutrition Month). But just in case you’re new here, they are used in the body for warding off free radicals, muscle contractions, blood clotting, and the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, respectively.
If all of this new information has gotten you into the mood for a tomato or maybe you want to start incorporating them into your diet, here’s a recipe for you to try at home.

Bruschetta Appetizer
Serves: 8 servings
INGREDIENT

8 ripe roma tomatoes, diced
½ cup basil, chopped (or more if desired)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. cracked black pepper
1 whole wheat baguette, cut into 16 slices

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Dice tomatoes and place in a bowl, mix in chopped basil, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and set aside. Slice baguette into about 16 slices (or however many it yields) and place on a baking pan to bake for about 10 minutes.
Serve bruschetta with warm bread (gluten free bread is an option of course) slices and enjoy!
Store your excess bruschetta in an airtight container in the fridge, tastes amazing over grilled chicken!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size: 2 slices • Calories: 153 • Fat: 3.4 g • Saturated Fat: 0.4 g • Carbs: 25.7 g • Fiber: 0.9 g • Protein: 5.1 g

References

Tomato Varieties, Types of Tomatoes, Heirloom Tomatoes. Grow It Organically. https://www.grow-it-organically.com/tomato-varieties.html.
What are phytonutrients, how do they work in the body, and what foods contain them? http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=dailytip&dbid=286.
Beecher GR. Nutrient Content of Tomatoes and Tomato Products. Experimental Biology and Medicine. 1998;218(2):98-100.
Tomatoes 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/tomatoes#section4.
Story EN, Kopec RE, Schwartz SJ, Harris GK. An Update on the Health Effects of Tomato Lycopene. Annual Review of Food Science and Technology. 2010;1(1):189-210.
http://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/tomato-and-basil-bruschetta

For more Nutrition information contact:

Nancy Cohen RDN LDN
Nutritionist
www.feedingthebodyfeedingthesoul.com
904-687-0720

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Healthy Smoothies by Kea Schwarz

4/9/2018

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I love smoothies. They’re super convenient for an on the go meal or snack, and they taste great. You figure they would be pretty healthy since they’re filled with heathy fruits. But, lurking in that blend of fruit filled deliciousness lies a little monster called sugar. Yes, sugar in fruit is a little different because all the fiber, but, it’s generally the addition of sweet ingredients, like agave that are may make a smoothie an unhealthy choice. Even using all-natural ingredients, you may still end up consuming more calories than you desire. No need to worry, you can still enjoy delicious smoothies using these super simple tips.

Use fruits with a lower sugar content. Most berries are very low in sugar. Other fruits like grapefruit, cantaloupe, papaya, and pears are also naturally lower in sugar. Generally, bananas are used to make smoothies denser and achieve a desirable texture, but one serving of banana has about 10 grams of sugar. Using frozen varieties with no added sugar will make your smoothies thicker and frosty like. Adding ice cubes can be another way to get a fuller smoothie texture.
Avoid using juice as the liquid in your smoothie. It may seem like a way to add extra nutrients to your smoothie, but it has a lot of sugar and really isn’t needed to make a tasty smoothie. Let the whole fruits you’re adding provide the sweet flavor and opt for other liquids. Water is just fine, or you can try fresh coconut water for added electrolytes. Also, unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, or any other nondairy milk are a great substitute. Regular milk will work great too. Keep in mind the added fat and calories, but milk is a great way to add extra protein.
Add Healthy Fats and Proteins. These help to lower your glycemic response. In other words, it helps to slow down the absorption of sugars. Protein powders can be a great choice. Whey and pea protein is easily digestible and contains essential amino acids. They blend well in smoothies too. Adding some Greek yogurt is a great way to boost protein and create a creamy textured smoothie. You can also try adding some peanut or almond butter. Chia, flaxseeds, and walnuts are a great way to add fiber and healthy omega 3 fats. These will all help keep you fuller longer.
Don’t forget to add some greens. Green smoothies are always in vogue for a good reason. Adding in a few handful of kale or spinach is a great way to add extra nutrients without sacrificing the taste. Greens generally have a mild taste and are masked by the sweet taste of the added fruits. This also lend to adding in less sugar and getting an antioxidant, nutrient, and fiber filled boost.
Sweeten Wiseley. It makes no sense to add in all these healthy ingredients then jump in sugary sweeteners. Try using spices instead. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or some vanilla extract can be a great way to add flavor without adding sugar. If you’re going to add sugar, do so using a very light hand.

Here is my favorite green smoothie recipe. There are also great smoothie recipes all over the web. When searching just keep in mind healthy swaps you can make to get the most out of your smoothies.
Ingredients