Pros and Cons to GMO foods

Genetically modified organisms (GMO) are foods that have been created by combining different DNA material from one organism into another. GMOs have been a controversial topic within public health, making it important for one to evaluate both the pros and the cons before making a decision. 

Some of the pros of GMO foods are that they can be a solution to improve storage capacity and nutritional value of food while costing less than non-GMO crops. They have a higher yield potential, growing more food for the growing populations. GMOs allow plants to become more pest and disease resistant, have a higher herbicide, cold and drought tolerance. This allows plants to live and grow in conditions that would have otherwise killed them. 

Some of the cons to consuming GMO foods are that they can cause allergic reactions. Consumers are also concerned that these crops are depleting the soil of essential organisms and leaving a residue which could impact soil fertility. Others are concerned that they will increase cancer risk because of the DNA changes that could impact the body, although the data does not completely support this. Other cons include possible antibacterial resistance and the unknown long-term effects of these plants. Research still needs to be done to evaluate these potential effects.

Although much is unknown about GMOs, there are important benefits that are helping with issues, such as world hunger and malnutrition.

For more information on GMOs, go to: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324576.php.

Herb Chickpea Bowl

Ingredients:

1 carrot

1 onion

1 celery stalk

Fresh oregano

6 cloves garlic

1 lemon

1 can chickpeas

1 tsp French mustard and herb blend

2 packets vegetable broth concentrate

1 tbsp butter

4 oz baby spinach

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Peel and chop the carrot into thin rounds. Peel and chop the onion. Chop the celery into bite-sized pieces. Pick the oregano leaves from their stems and finely chop. Peel and mince the garlic cloves. Drain the chickpeas and rinse.
2. Place a large pot over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the chopped carrot, chopped onion, chopped celery, chopped oregano, and just 3/4 of the minced garlic. Cook until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas, French mustard and herb blend, vegetable broth concentrate, and 1 1/3 cups water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.
3. Halve the lemon. Squeeze the juice from just half the lemon into the pot, dropping the lemon into the broth afterward. Add the spinach to the pot, stir, and simmer until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season the brodo with 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper.
4. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges. Ladle the herb chickpeas and lemon brodo into large, shallow bowls.

Find this recipe here: https://www.purplecarrot.com/plant-based-recipes/herb-chickpea-bowl-with-lemon-brodo-garlic-bread

Benefits of Coffee

Coffee has been known to have many benefits, one of these benefits includes protective properties for the brain. Coffee consumption has been shown to decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. A recent study has linked this protective benefit to not just the caffeine but also phenylindanes, which are compounds that form during the roasting of the coffee bean. They found that the longer the bean is roasted (darker the roast), the more of these phenylindanes are produced. Although there is a great deal more research that needs to be done, this research can pave the way for potential preventative measures to be made.

Some other benefits of coffee include boosting your mind. Some research has suggested that coffee can boost dopamine production in the brain and improve one's mood. Coffee also can protect your heart by reducing your risk of heart failure, stroke, and CVD. Another potential benefit of coffee has been related to the promotion of liver health and decreasing the risk of liver cancer as well. It has been shown that filtered coffee has more of these benefits than drinks such as espresso because of the compounds contained within the drink. 

Find this information and more at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318399.php and www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323594.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_country=US&utm_hcp=no&utm_campaign=MNT%2BWeekly%2BFull%2B%28non-HCP%2BUS%29%2B-%2BOLD%2BSTYLE%2B2018-11-07&utm_term=MNT%2BWeekly%2BNews%2B%28non-HCP%2BUS%29

What is Malnutrition?

Malnutrition can result from a poor diet, the lack of food, or a disease where nutrients are prevented from being absorbed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “malnutrition is the gravest single threat to global public health.” Malnutrition is when the body is deficient in vitamins, minerals, or other essential substances. Malnutrition is a huge concern because being malnourished during important growth periods of one's life it can lead to long-term health problems. When someone is malnourished it can slow recovery from wounds and illnesses, there can be lack of growth, and also slowed development.  Those at higher risk for being malnourished are the elderly, those with low incomes, those who have difficulty absorbing nutrients, people with chronic eating disorders, and those who are healing from a wound or illness. In order to prevent malnourishment, people should consume different nutrients from a variety of food types. The diet should include a range of all the macro- and micro-nutrients including carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fluids.

Retrieved from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/179316.php. 

Lentil and Chicken Soup with Sweet Potato Recipe

Anti-inflammatory food incorporated within one’s diet can help reduce inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet is typically high in plant foods, fermented products, and also fatty fish. Here is one recipe that has some anti-inflammatory properties, but you can visit the link below to view other recipes as well! 

Yield: 4-6 servings

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

○      1 cooked chicken carcass (from 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken or homemade roast chicken)

○      1 lb. sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled, cut into 1" pieces

○      3/4 cup French lentils (about 5 oz.), rinsed

○      1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more

○      2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

○      10 celery stalks, sliced on the bias into 1/4" slices

○      6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

○      1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 1/2 of a store-bought rotisserie chicken or homemade roast chicken)

○      1/2 head escarole, cut into bite-size pieces

○      1/2 cup finely chopped dill

○      2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1. Place chicken carcass, potatoes, lentils, and 1 tsp. salt in a large pot. Cover with 8 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are fork tender and lentils are cooked through, 10–12 minutes. Discard chicken carcass.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high. Add celery and garlic and cook, stirring often, until celery and garlic are lightly golden brown and tender, about 12 minutes.
3. Stir celery, garlic, shredded chicken, and escarole into soup and cook, stirring occasionally, until escarole is wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in dill and lemon juice; season soup with salt.

Recipe retrieved from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322897.php.

Plant or Animal Protein Source

A recent research article published by the International Journal of Epidemiology looked to see if the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk changed between those who ate large amounts of animal protein and those who ate large amounts of protein from nuts and seeds. Often, different types of fats are associated with CVD risk, but this new data suggests that specific  proteins may also be a factor. Looking at the data from 81,000 patients, this study looked at not just meat protein vs. plant protein, but further separated the categories. This study found that the people who ate large amounts of meat protein had a 60% increase in CVD, and those who ate large amounts of protein from nuts and seeds had a 40% reduction in CVD. In future studies, specific amino acids could be identified to see if certain ones have a greater impact than others on CVD risk.

Read the full article here: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180403111106.htm.

Make Your Own Dressing!

This vinaigrette is a simple dressing that is perfect to top any leafy green salad or roasted vegetables.

Citrus Vinaigrette

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

3 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 small shallot, diced

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1.     Place all the ingredients in a jar and shake well to combine.

2.     Season with salt and pepper as needed.

This recipe derived from: https://foodandnutrition.org/blogs/stone-soup/citrus-vinaigrette/

Type One Diabetes Risk Increases with Later Gluten Introduction

People avoid gluten in their diet for a variety of different reasons. The most important reason for avoiding gluten is in the presence of Celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity.  However, many people avoid gluten in their diet simply because they believe it to be a healthy choice. A new study, conducted by the TEDDY study group, has recently been published and suggests that the later gluten is introduced into the diet of infants, the higher the risk is for developing type one diabetes. This article looked at 7,563 infants from Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the U.S that had a high genetic risk of developing type one diabetes. Through the collection of blood samples, they were able to look at the amount of insulin autoantibodies within their blood. A higher amount of autoantibodies indicated a higher risk for type one diabetes later in life. This study's results state that, “The later that gluten was introduced into the infants’ diets, the higher the risk of developing insulin autoantibodies. For each one-month delay in introducing gluten there was a 5% increase in risk of developing the autoantibodies. Children that had gluten introduced before four months of age, showed a 32% lower risk of developing the autoantibodies.” When it comes to type one diabetes, the introduction of gluten into the diet is not the only factor, but it does appear to have some impact. Despite the findings of this study, this topic should be further researched. 

Find this research and more at: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2018/jan/late-introduction-of-gluten-linked-to-higher-risks-of-type-1-diabetes-91747596.html

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

This recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving with friends and family!

Ingredients:

4 cups sweet potato, cubed

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

3 Tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

Benefits of sweet potatoes:

Sweet potatoes contain a vast amount of nutrients that are essential to our daily lives! These include vitamin A, C, B-6, and potassium. There are also small amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, and folate. Possible health benefits include fighting diabetes, as they are low on the glycemic index scale. The potassium present in these mighty vegetables is just as important in maintaining a low blood pressure as having low sodium intake. Digestion and regularity can also be influenced because of the fiber content, which tends to promote a regular digestive track. Immunity is also a potential benefit because sweet potatoes are high in vitamin C.  In addition, vision health can be improved due of the high levels of vitamin A present, which is essential to maintain vision and prevent deficiencies. 

Find out more about sweet potatoes at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/281438.php and the full recipe at: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/21261/yummy-sweet-potato-casserole/.

Paying More for Food Saves on Health Care

What we eat directly influences our health. “Unhealthy” eating patterns are related to the increase in many chronic diseases, such as diabetes,  heart disease and obesity, that are extremely prevalent in our lives today. Often times people will purchase cheaper food in order to save money. Because of the diseases that are associated with eating these cheaper and unhealthy foods, the question has become whether or not we are really saving much because of the amount of money we spend on health care and treatment of these diseases.

An article in TIME Magazine states that, “On average food insecure people living in the U.S. incur an extra $1800 in medical costs every year, accounting for $77.5 billion in additional health care expenditures.” Many people do not see the immediate benefits of buying more quality ingredients, which are possibly a little more pricey,  so they opt for the cheaper option. Buying foods that are fresher, unpackaged, contain less preservatives, and sourced from local farms may be more expensive, but may actually save money.  This is because the consumer will not have to pay for medications and doctor's appointments resulting from chronic disease that could potentially cost much more than the cost of the more nutrient dense food.

To read the full article, go to: time.com/4962475/nutrition-snap-health-care.

What are Processed Foods?

Processed food is anything that has been changed from its original form.  This can be done in the home or in factories, which is what most people think of when processed food is talked about. But, why do we process food? Before grocery stores were around, people had to grow and process all their own food. Although many of us could not imagine a life without grocery stores, processing, was the only way to ensure they had food all year long when crops were not producing food. They had to can, freeze, and dry all the food they grew in order to store it for the rest of the year. 

Today, some foods are minimally processed simply for our convenience, such as spinach in a bag or frozen green beans. These processes slightly change the nutritional composition of these foods. There are also more heavily processed foods that are created in factories with added sugar, salt, fat, and preservatives that the body is unfamiliar with. Examples of these foods are frozen or microwave dinners and deli meats. 

When we consume high amounts of these highly-processed foods we are consuming extremely high amounts of sugar, sodium, and fat that the body is not accustomed to eating. The best way to avoid these foods is to try and eat foods that are closest to their natural form. Looking at the nutrition label to see specific nutrient content, and reading the ingredient list can also help. A good indication of whether a food is highly processed or not is to see how familiar the ingredients are. Often highly processed foods  have unknown ingredients that are hard to pronounce. The reason we would want to shy away from eating heavily processed food is because these processes change the nutrient composition, often decreasing nutrient density, while increasing caloric content.

This information was derived from: www.eatright.org/resource/food/nutrition/nutrition-facts-and-food-labels/avoiding-processed-foods.