School Reports Students "Dealing" Sugar

In Victorville, CA, the latest trend at schools is an underground sugar trade. With candy and other "bad" snacks banned from school campuses, kids are selling contraband Snickers and Twinkies right out of their backpacks.
We always though sugar was addictive, now we know for sure.

More details at http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/81941/

Our Beatles' Moment

Paul McCartney has been quoted as saying that he stopped eating fish after a fishing trip. I never thought I would have a Beatle moment, but I had a similar experience which solidified my meatless way of life. Up until the trout appeared Ie had forsworn meat – except for the occasional restaurant fish. But a gift of very fresh trout (minutes dead) by a carpenter-friend who was working for us at that time changed everything. As Greg handed me the trout a thought spontaneously appeared. I said, “These fish were neighbors. These trout were swimming in the creek (that virtually abuts our land) just a few minutes ago. That was it – no more fish for us - ever. That was thirty-seven years and five vegetarian cookbooks ago.
- David
BTW if you want to read a great book about the Beatles takea look at "Can't Buy Me Love" by Jonathan Gould. (He's a friend, but its still a great book - even the NYT said so.)

Twenty-One Reasons to Eat Like a Vegetarian

By Nikki & David Goldbeck, co-authors, American Wholefoods Cuisine: 1300 Meatless Wholesome Recipes from Short Order to Gourmet

Not so long ago, the word vegetarian was sure to elicit laughter on late night talk shows. But not anymore. Many people now recognize that vegetarian meals are not only familiar--think peanut butter sandwiches and bean burritos--but that these meat-free meals have a lot going for them. Even if you do not want to become a vegetarian, you may wish to consider adding more meat-free days to your week.

People often say to us, “I could be a vegetarian. I love vegetables.” Loving vegetables is a very good thing, since collectively they are probably the most health-protective of all foods. However, they are certainly not just for vegetarians, and despite the name, vegetarianism is not about eating vegetables.
The vegetarian diet is defined by its protein source. Meat eaters get their protein from animal flesh. The typical vegetarian obtains protein from beans, nuts, seeds, eggs, yogurt, cheese, and milk. Another group of vegetarians known as vegans refines this to exclude any food of animal origin, including dairy products, eggs, and even honey.

While at one time people were concerned about the adequacy of vegetarian diets, today even the American Dietetic Association confirms that they are healthy. Here are our twenty-one reasons to go meatless:

1. Less fat and calories. One noteworthy feature of a vegetarian diet is the potential for less artery-clogging saturated fat. For example, beans, which are a focal point of healthy vegetarian meals, contain very little fat. Soybeans and products made with them are somewhat higher in fat than other beans, but the fat they contain does not promote heart disease. In fact, the protein in soy is believed to have just the opposite effect by reducing cholesterol levels.
Nuts and seeds are indeed high in fat, but again, not the kind that is bad for your heart. In small quantities, these foods help satisfy your appetite and can thereby actually curtail overeating.
Low-fat and nonfat dairy products are another example of protein in a lean package. As you will soon see, in Enemy of the Steak, we sometimes make use of a little-known food called yogurt cheese, which is easily made from yogurt. We also use eggs in moderation because, contrary to what many people now believe, eggs are low in fat and calories relative to their nutritional return.
Finally, because many vegetarian staples are high in fiber, and because the vegetarian meals we promote emphasize more vegetables and whole grains than meat-based meals, a sound vegetarian menu is likely to fill you up with fewer calories.

2. Better nutrition. It’s often easier to get adequate amounts of most vitamins and minerals from a vegetarian diet than it is from a meat-based diet. By its very nature, vegetarian eating includes abundant amounts of vegetables on a daily basis. While there is no reason meat eaters can’t eat similar amounts of vegetables, in general, they give these foods a lower priority. The same is true of whole grains. Due to these choices, as well as the fact that beans and nuts are high in fiber while animal foods contain little, vegetarians also get far more health-promoting fiber in their diets.
This is not to say that all vegetarians enjoy better nutrition. Poorly chosen diets are unhealthy irrespective of the diet’s protein source. And vegans do need to put more effort into getting adequate calcium. Moreover, it is possible to become deficient in vitamin B12 after years of vegan eating, which is why nutritionists recommend a B12 supplement for vegans.

3. Mad cow disease. Concerns about animal husbandry have motivated vegetarians for years. Practices such as the overuse of antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides in animal feed were what prompted our own turn to a meat-free diet in the 1970s. Now there is another compelling reason for people to consider vegetarian eating--the disturbing news about the health of cows, and the possibility that the meat they yield may be deadly. Mad cow disease was first seen in British cattle. Initially, most scientists insisted that it could not be transmitted to people. It seems they were wrong. Suspected cases have been traced to Canada, and several deaths have occurred in the United States.

4. Mad Dow. The fact that meat-free meals are generally less expensive than their meat-based counterparts is another selling point for most people.

5. Easy, interesting, and convenient dishes. One of the best reasons to try meatless dining is that with the increased selection of inviting ingredients and appealing recipes, vegetarian dining is easier and more exciting than ever. And despite rumors to the contrary, preparing meals without meat is no more difficult or time-consuming than preparing food in general.

6. Concern for animals. Practically all animals destined for the table are raised in inhumane conditions. They are crowded together in unclean quarters, with some rarely breathing fresh air or seeing the light of day. Lack of exercise makes their lives miserable, but it is also what makes their meat tender and juicy.

7. Concern for people. The feeding of plant protein to animals has been called a “food factory in reverse,” in that it takes almost six pounds of plant protein--soy, grain, and forage--to produce just one pound of animal protein. While not all of this plant material is suitable for people, the growing of feedstuffs has reduced the amount of land devoted to edible food production, and is a contributing factor to world hunger.

8. Concern for the environment. One of the most alarming consequences of commercial meat production is the resulting air and water pollution. In areas surrounding large-scale feedlots and factory-like poultry facilities, the stench of urine and feces is far more noxious and pervasive than the odors found on a small-scale farm. Moreover, the methane gas emitted by livestock adds to the buildup of greenhouse gasses associated with global warming, while the massive accumulation of manure in feedlots leaches toxins into the ground and, ultimately, the waterways.
On the waterfront, the fishing industry is heading toward self-destruction by compromising the ocean’s ecosystems. The demand for reef-fish has contributed to the loss of coral reefs, some said to be over a million years old. Fish farming is no less damaging, since shoreline aquaculture has led to the decimation of mangroves--the trees and shrubs that protect the landmass. In fact, mangroves are considered natural shields against tsunami waves.

9. Concern for the future. According to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates, 70 percent of the world’s commercial fish stocks are in danger due to unsound fishing practices and over fishing. Industrial-scale commercial fishing has been blamed for the severe depletion of many fish species over the past fifty years. In addition, the escape of farmed fish can spread disease and threaten the genetic purity and survival of wild species. On land, the loss of arable soil to animal raising and animal feed production threatens the future of farming.

10. Concern for your health. Numerous studies point to the connection between meat eating and many types of cancer and heart disease. Every leading health agency, from the American Cancer Society to the American Heart Association, promotes a diet emphasizing vegetables, fruit, grains, and legumes (beans).

11. Resistant bacteria. Antibiotics are routinely administered to animals for enhanced growth as well as disease prevention--a constant threat due to overcrowded, unsanitary living conditions. This practice has led to a surge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and is adding to the increasing world crisis of drug-resistant diseases.

12. Food-borne pathogens. While meat is not the only source of food-borne disease, the majority of deadly E. coli cases have been traced to meat products. Moreover, factory-raised poultry is notorious for the presence of Salmonella and Campylobacter. While these bacteria are not likely to kill you if you are in good health, they can make you mighty sick. Moreover, for the young, the elderly, and anyone with a compromised immune system, the outcome can be much worse.

13. Kitchen contamination. Poor food-handling practices in home kitchens are far more serious when meat, poultry, and fish are on the menu. Failure to properly sanitize cutting boards, knives, utensils, and other items that come in contact with food can result in the spread of harmful bacteria to the rest of the meal.

14. Persistent pesticides. Pesticides, heavy metals, and other environmental toxins that are found in all industrial societies accumulate in the fat tissues of both animal and human. When people consume fat-containing meat, poultry, and fish, they simultaneously take in these accumulated chemicals. These concerns are so serious that the US government advises pregnant woman and young children to avoid eating certain fish altogether, and suggests limits on the consumption of others.

15. Protein loading. Even if no other protein-providing foods were eaten in the course of a day, it would take only about 6 ounces of meat to satisfy the 45-gram protein needs of the average woman, and just 3 ounces more to take care of a man’s 65-gram protein need. For people with higher protein needs, including athletes, heavy laborers, and pregnant women, only 100 grams (what you would find in about 14 ounces of meat) are required. Consuming protein above these levels serves no useful purpose. Furthermore, animal-focused high-protein diets like those touted by some weight-loss programs can disturb liver and kidney function, as well as increase the loss of bone calcium. While these are long-term consequences, more immediate effects such as dizziness, nausea, and bad breath can reduce the general quality of daily life.

16. Feisty phytochemicals. A newly identified class of food components called phytochemicals is believed to be among the most health-protective elements in food. Some phytochemicals are potent antioxidants. Others can alter human enzyme production in order to subdue inflammatory ailments. Some regulate hormones in a manner that may enhance bone strength. Phytochemicals have been shown to help cells resist cancer-causing agents and fight retroviral infections, including AIDS. In addition, they have been credited with having a positive effect on circulation, vision, blood clotting, cholesterol production, and more, thereby preventing or curbing a wide range of ailments. As their name suggests, phytochemicals exist only in plants.

17. Fortifying fiber. Only plant-based foods contain the fiber that aids digestion, contributes to satiety and thereby curbs overeating, slows down the release of carbohydrates into the blood stream to help maintain proper blood sugar levels, and reduces the body’s production of artery-damaging cholesterol. Most meat-centered diets are deficient in fiber.

18. Happy hearts. The fat in animal foods is mainly saturated fat, which is the only kind of fat that has been directly implicated in heart disease. Conversely, the predominant fats in most plant foods, which are limited largely to nuts and seeds, are believed to raise levels of the so-called “good” HDL-cholesterol, which appears to reduce heart disease.

19. Living longer. Longevity studies from around the world--including studies of Seventh-day Adventists in North America, wartime Europeans, and populations in China and Okinawa--indicate that the healthiest and longest-living people eat relatively few foods of animal origin. While genetics may play a part, peers and progeny who eat a more meat-centered westernized diet do not enjoy similar longevity.

20. Weight control. British researchers studying the eating habits of 22,000 people over five years, including meat eaters and vegetarians, found that while all put on a few kilos, meat eaters who changed to a vegetarian or vegan diet gained the least.

21. Adventures in eating. Because vegetarian meals are not routinely available everywhere, vegetarians become more resourceful and adventurous away from home. They seek out different international cuisines, venture off the beaten path, and look beyond the meat entrées on the menu. As a result, they are apt to engage in more conversation when they travel, be open to trying new places, and be on the lookout for options that others might never notice.


David Goldbeck is co-author with Nikki Goldbeck of nine food books. These books include the bestsellers, The Supermarket Handbook and American Wholefoods Cuisine. Other books include Healthy Highways and Eat Well the YoChee Way. David is also the author of The Smart Kitchen; his most recent book is The ABCs of Fruits & Vegetables and Beyond. David, trained as a lawyer, has worked as a waiter, produce man, and elementary school teacher.

Nikki Goldbeck received a BS in food and nutrition from the School of Human Ecology at Cornell University. In addition to co-authoring nine books with David she is author of As You Eat, So Your Baby Grows: A Guide to Nutrition in Pregnancy. Before her career as a writer and nutrition consultant, she worked as a food publicist, participated in new product development and created recipes for major food companies. In addition to writing and lecturing, Nikki, a New York State Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist, has an active private nutrition counseling practice.


Please visit HealthyHighways.com (or call 888-804-8848) to learn more about the Goldbecks best-selling vegetarian and environmental books

© Nikki & David Goldbeck/ Enemy of the Steak (SquareOne)

Educational Use of the ABC's of Fruits & Vegetables and Beyond

 

A number of school districts and organizations have bought the book in quantity for use for educational and library use.

We thank Brenda Harper for sending us this photo - as seasoned authors we were very moved to see our book actually affecting future generations.

Here Brenda reads from "The ABC's of Fruits and Vegetables and Beyond" to a class in a Humboldt County California elementary school. As the Consumer Education Coordinator for the North Coast Co-op in Arcata, California she presents nutrition lessons to 84 classrooms in 11 schools each month. She wrote to us that "The students loved hearing this book read aloud and it became the springboard for the month’s nutrition lesson."

Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Weight Gain

Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Weight Gain

We recently went to dinner with a friend and were taken aback when she shook a packet of Sweet & Low into her water during the meal. When I saw this new study linking artificial sweeteners to weight gain, it once again affirmed what has been alluded to in many previous studies over the years: Cutting the connection between sweets and calories may confuse the body, making it harder to regulate intake.

According to the study, new laboratory evidence indicates that the widespread use of no-calorie sweeteners may actually make it harder for people to control their food intake and as a result, body weight. Psychologists at Purdue University’s Ingestive Behavior Research Center reported that relative to rats that ate yogurt sweetened with glucose (a simple sugar with 15 calories/teaspoon), rats given yogurt sweetened with zero-calorie saccharin later consumed more calories, gained more weight, put on more body fat, and didn’t make up for it by cutting back later.

The researchers theorized that by breaking the connection between a sweet sensation and high-calorie food, the use of saccharin changes the body’s ability to regulate intake. Problems with self-regulation might explain in part why the rise in obesity has paralleled the use of artificial sweeteners. It also might explain why scientific consensus on human use of artificial sweeteners is inconclusive, with various studies finding evidence of weight loss, weight gain or little effect. It seems that experience (i.e. repeated exposure) plays a role in this phenomenon. Because people may have different “experiences” with artificial and natural sweeteners, human studies that don’t take into account prior consumption may produce a variety of outcomes.

“The data clearly indicate that consuming a food sweetened with no-calorie saccharin can lead to greater body-weight gain and adiposity than would consuming the same food sweetened with a higher-calorie sugar,” the authors wrote.

The authors acknowledge that this may seem counterintuitive and won’t come as welcome news to human clinical researchers and health-care practitioners, who have long recommended low- or no-calorie sweeteners (and certainly not to dieters who have followed their advice!). What’s more, the data come from rats, not humans. However, they noted that their findings match emerging evidence that people who drink more diet drinks are at higher risk for obesity and metabolic syndrome, a collection of medical problems such as abdominal fat, high blood pressure and insulin resistance that put people at risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Why would a sugar substitute backfire? Swithers and Davidson (the study authors) wrote that sweet foods provide a “salient orosensory stimulus” that strongly predicts someone is about to take in a lot of calories. Ingestive and digestive reflexes gear up for that intake, but when false sweetness isn’t followed by calories, the system gets confused. Thus, people may eat more or expend less energy than they otherwise would.

Based on the lab’s findings, other artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame K, which also taste sweet but don’t delivery the predicted calories, could have similar effects.

Hopefully, my friend will read this blog and find a more effective way to manage her weight in the future.

Source: “A Role for Sweet Taste: Calorie Predictive Relations in Energy Regulation by Rats,” Susan E. Swithers, PhD and Terry L. Davidson, PhD, Purdue University; Behavioral Neuroscience, Vol. 122, No. 1. The entire article is available online
at http://www.apa.org/journals/releases/bne-feb08-swithers.pdf

-- Nikki

Interesting Eats around Deerfield Beach

Interesting Eats around Deerfield Beach, Florida

Dining in Florida is often what I describe as a “mall” experience. Although I know that great restaurants can be located in malls, the ambiance has always bothered me.

Recently, cruising along Federal Hwy in Deerfield Beach, I spied a small strip of stores with a Turkish American Deli at one end and an “Italian Wine Bistro” with the unlikely name Hot Tomatoe (it’s their spelling, not mine) at the other end. It was early afternoon, the restaurant was closed, and there was no menu outside. We walked around the market, which has a few casual tables for diners and a nice selection of prepared Middle Eastern specialties, including vegetarian lentil soup, the usual dips, grape leaves, feta cheese rolls, lentil balls (a cousin to falafel), and such. There is also a case of enticing desserts, including Noah’s Pudding, “a mixture of what Noah had on his ship; dried fruits, walnut, currants and more…”

A few nights later, we decided to see what Hot Tomatoe had to offer. Inside the unassuming storefront exterior is a comfortable dining room and an extremely welcoming and congenial staff. Executive chef/owner Elsa Addario greeted us and when we asked about vegetarian options, she was more than accommodating. She enthusiastically suggested we try the homemade whole wheat, organic rigatoni, the vegetarian pasta fazool soup, and offered to mix and match according to our preferences. The homemade hot Italian bread was tasty (and sometimes they claim to do a whole wheat version). We each ordered an eggplant dish (parmesan and rollatini) with a side of the whole wheat pasta. By the end of the meal, we knew we would return to focus on the pasta.

N.B. At our second visit, the pasta machine had broken so there was no whole wheat rigatoni. (The pasta dishes we ordered were nonetheless exceptional.) Elsa was experimenting with whole wheat linguini and hoping to have a new machine soon.

If you are in Deerfield Beach:

Turkish American Deli
604 S. Federal Hwy.
954-480-8843
M-F 9-8, Sat-Sun 10-6

Hot Tomatoe
626 S. Federal Hwy.
954-785-5058
http://www.hottomatoe.com/
Daily 5:30-10 (10:30 F & Sat)

Happy Trails...Nikki

Surprises on the Road: New York To Florida

Driving down I-95 from New York to Florida every winter to escape the cold has become pretty routine for us by now. We know the best towns to stop in for a meal and try to time our driving so we can visit favorite eateries en route. In Fredericksburg, VA, Sammy T’s has long been a reliable oasis. But this December, tired from the ride and eager for a new adventure, we pulled into a motel just off exit 130 and decided to take our chances at one of the mall restaurants across the street. We entertained a Mexican place (with an Irish name), but one look and we knew this would be a last resort.

A few doors down was a non-descript storefront advertising “Mediterranean Restaurant & Café.” The menu in the window ran the gamut from hummus and falafel to cheeseburgers and fries. What caught our eye, and convinced us try this place, was the offering of koshri, an Egyptian specialty we hadn’t encountered since traveling in Egypt many years ago.

To our great disappointment, they were out of koshri, but we had a terrific “mezza,” including foule m’ damas (fava beans cooked with garlic, oil and lemon, topped with parsley) that was so delicious we ordered seconds.

Other vegetarian specialties of the house include lentil soup with potatoes and Swiss chard, along with typical Middle Eastern spreads, spinach pie, grape leaves, and several salads. Our ample and well prepared spread came to under $20 for the two of us.

The one caveat is that the “hookah” trend has hit here, and in one section of the restaurant you are apt to encounter a table or two of smokers.

Aladin, 2032 Plank Rd., Fredericksburg, VA: 540-372-7755. Hours: M-Th 11 am-midnight, F-Sat 11-2am, Sun 12-12.

If you don’t get to Fredericksburg but are eager to try koshri (or kosheri) – a flavorsome combination of lentils, rice, pasta, fried onions, and spicy tomatoes – try our recipe in American Wholefoods Cuisine.

P.S. We usually stop in northern FL for our second night on the road, but this year we got a late start on the road and ended up in Brunswick, GA. We repeated a mistake we have made before – Mexican food in the South. I am sure there must be places in Georgia where you can get a decent Mexican dinner. But in this case, the cheese tasted like Velveeta and the tomato sauce like ketchup. Next time we’re in Georgia we’ll be sure to carry a picnic.

Happy Trails….Nikki