Recently in Food Category
blogLosing The Belly Rolls with Whole Grains
By Nicole Ohebshalom, Radiant Living Wellness
More brown rice, please!
New research shows that filling up on whole grains may be better for your belly as well as your heart. A recent clinical study at Penn State reports that whole grains have helped dieters lose more abdominal fat and improve levels of inflammation that are linked to reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The researchers in the Penn State study recruited 50 obese adults who live with a metabolic syndrome. Two groups were created. One group focused on whole grains, and the other group consumed refined grains. Both groups received the same dietary advice on weight loss and exercise.
The study found those who trimmed calories and increased their whole-grain intake shed more belly fat and lowered their blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is a chronic, low-level inflammation in the blood levels. When CRP and abdominal fat are in excess there is a link to heart attack and stroke. In this study, the scale of C-reactive protein reduction in the whole-grain group was similar to that seen with the use of statin drugs. More proof of how powerful our diets are to the health and happiness in our life.
More brown rice, please!
New research shows that filling up on whole grains may be better for your belly as well as your heart. A recent clinical study at Penn State reports that whole grains have helped dieters lose more abdominal fat and improve levels of inflammation that are linked to reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The researchers in the Penn State study recruited 50 obese adults who live with a metabolic syndrome. Two groups were created. One group focused on whole grains, and the other group consumed refined grains. Both groups received the same dietary advice on weight loss and exercise.
The study found those who trimmed calories and increased their whole-grain intake shed more belly fat and lowered their blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is a chronic, low-level inflammation in the blood levels. When CRP and abdominal fat are in excess there is a link to heart attack and stroke. In this study, the scale of C-reactive protein reduction in the whole-grain group was similar to that seen with the use of statin drugs. More proof of how powerful our diets are to the health and happiness in our life.
blogGo Ahead, Be Selfish
By Maggie Shi, iVillage.com
So I admit I'm not the greenest person in the world. I still use plastic grocery bags. I drink bottled water. Sometimes I forget to turn my computer monitor off at the end of the day, and I rarely remember to use the blue recycle bin when I'm throwing out papers at work. I'm certainly in favor of saving energy, reducing waste, saving the world and all that. These are, unquestionably, good things. But truthfully, sometimes I'm just too lazy or too... selfish (there, I said it) to actually do all the good stuff I'm supposed to. And you know what? I suspect I'm not alone. I'm sure there are others of you out there who are still using energy-hogging incandescent light bulbs and are guzzling down $9 bottles of Poland Spring with reckless abandon.
But here's what I say: Embrace your inner selfishness, because while you're doing good deeds for yourself, you can still live a greener life. For example: Buying locally grown food. I'm lucky enough to have a farmers' market right across the street from my home; the produce and other goods I find there are fresher and cheaper than the soggy celery and limp lettuce that are in the grocery store nearby. The payoff? I get higher-quality produce at a lower price, while helping to preserve rural land by supporting small local farmers who practice sustainable farming. Plus, many of the goods for sale are naturally grown and some are organic, which brings me to my next selfish act: buying organic.
So I admit I'm not the greenest person in the world. I still use plastic grocery bags. I drink bottled water. Sometimes I forget to turn my computer monitor off at the end of the day, and I rarely remember to use the blue recycle bin when I'm throwing out papers at work. I'm certainly in favor of saving energy, reducing waste, saving the world and all that. These are, unquestionably, good things. But truthfully, sometimes I'm just too lazy or too... selfish (there, I said it) to actually do all the good stuff I'm supposed to. And you know what? I suspect I'm not alone. I'm sure there are others of you out there who are still using energy-hogging incandescent light bulbs and are guzzling down $9 bottles of Poland Spring with reckless abandon.
But here's what I say: Embrace your inner selfishness, because while you're doing good deeds for yourself, you can still live a greener life. For example: Buying locally grown food. I'm lucky enough to have a farmers' market right across the street from my home; the produce and other goods I find there are fresher and cheaper than the soggy celery and limp lettuce that are in the grocery store nearby. The payoff? I get higher-quality produce at a lower price, while helping to preserve rural land by supporting small local farmers who practice sustainable farming. Plus, many of the goods for sale are naturally grown and some are organic, which brings me to my next selfish act: buying organic.
blogThe Eco-Savvy Mother's Recipe
By Nicole Ohebshalom, Radiant Living Wellness
Who doesn't want to raise healthy kids and give them the best possible start in life? If you are a new mother you are probably beginning to make many new decisions. A very important decision is to decide what environment you want your baby to be raised in. Adequate nutrition is vital to keep your babies growth and health on track. Babies need more nutrients than adults because of their growing bodies. The best choice for your baby and the environment is to live consciously.
Take the plunge and begin pureeing all sorts of food!
Who doesn't want to raise healthy kids and give them the best possible start in life? If you are a new mother you are probably beginning to make many new decisions. A very important decision is to decide what environment you want your baby to be raised in. Adequate nutrition is vital to keep your babies growth and health on track. Babies need more nutrients than adults because of their growing bodies. The best choice for your baby and the environment is to live consciously.
Take the plunge and begin pureeing all sorts of food!
blogIt's Not Easy Being "Green"!
By Phil Lempert, iVillage.com
When Kermit first uttered this now famous line, he didn't even imagine the implications for supermarket shopping. But now, as more of us want to do our fair share to protect the planet and ease the impact of products' global footprint by choosing wiser, we need a bit of help to really understand what these labels do (and don't) mean.
USDA Certified Organic - organic foods seem to be everywhere, but did you know there are different designations?
100 percent organic - Organic standards require that the land used to grow organic crops go through a three-year "transition period" to make sure the crops are free of synthetic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. All organic agriculture prohibits the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, irradiation, sewage sludge, and growth hormones, and no genetically modified organisms can be contained in anything labeled organic.
When Kermit first uttered this now famous line, he didn't even imagine the implications for supermarket shopping. But now, as more of us want to do our fair share to protect the planet and ease the impact of products' global footprint by choosing wiser, we need a bit of help to really understand what these labels do (and don't) mean.
USDA Certified Organic - organic foods seem to be everywhere, but did you know there are different designations?
100 percent organic - Organic standards require that the land used to grow organic crops go through a three-year "transition period" to make sure the crops are free of synthetic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. All organic agriculture prohibits the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, irradiation, sewage sludge, and growth hormones, and no genetically modified organisms can be contained in anything labeled organic.
blogCollege Café Leftovers Powering Professor's Cars
By Ginger Zee, NBC - Chicago
When I fondly reflect on college, the cafeteria surely doesn't pop as a positive. But
at Loyola University in Chicago, it will be for one group of students changing the world with leftover grease from the café. It's Chicago's own on the cutting edge of bio-fuel technology.
I ran across this story while covering another 'green' event at a new restaurant in the Windy City (The Uncommon Ground). A fully acoustic and dedicated green group of rockers - The Giving Tree Band - were playing as I enjoyed an eco-tini (like s martini - just friendlier - earth-wise). When suddenly a group of seemingly marauding college students rushed the kitchen and said, "We're taking your grease!"
When I fondly reflect on college, the cafeteria surely doesn't pop as a positive. But
at Loyola University in Chicago, it will be for one group of students changing the world with leftover grease from the café. It's Chicago's own on the cutting edge of bio-fuel technology.
I ran across this story while covering another 'green' event at a new restaurant in the Windy City (The Uncommon Ground). A fully acoustic and dedicated green group of rockers - The Giving Tree Band - were playing as I enjoyed an eco-tini (like s martini - just friendlier - earth-wise). When suddenly a group of seemingly marauding college students rushed the kitchen and said, "We're taking your grease!"
blogBiodynamic Wine
By Kris Sanchez, NBC KNTV
I like wine... from the good stuff to the stuff that comes in a box my roommates and I loved in college, I'm not too picky. I'd like to think I have a decent palate, but I have rarely sent a glass back. That being said, tasting biodynamic wine was a whole new experience for me.
First of all, I thought biodynamic wine sounded like something out of the future, engineered and tweaked in a lab. In a visit to the Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz, I found out quite the opposite is true.
As I am expecting my second child, I took my husband Chris along for the tasting along with my 20-month old daughter Isabel. Turns out, founder Randall Grahm's own young daughter was part of the impetus for the sale of his more commercial labels which sold 400,000 cases a year to concentrate on making just 35,000 cases of biodynamic wine he says are better for the body and the environment.
Biodynamic growing is about getting back to old world ways of winemaking, letting the vines extract everything they need from the soil they're planted in and the air around them. Okay, up to this point, I think this sounds like the organic movement. Here's where it gets a little out there.
blogThe Low Carbon Diet
By Nicole Ohebshalom, Radiant Living Wellness
The global food and agriculture system produces 1/3 of
humanity's contribution to greenhouse gases. The concern is not just paper or plastic anymore. Consumers are turning their attention to their meals and food shopping experience. These conscious consumers who want to tread lightly are becoming more
concerned about their carbon footprint. When choosing food people are shifting from "Will this make me fat?" to "Is it good for the plant?"
The global food and agriculture system produces 1/3 of
humanity's contribution to greenhouse gases. The concern is not just paper or plastic anymore. Consumers are turning their attention to their meals and food shopping experience. These conscious consumers who want to tread lightly are becoming more
concerned about their carbon footprint. When choosing food people are shifting from "Will this make me fat?" to "Is it good for the plant?"
blogBaggage
By Nicole Walters, GreenisUniversal.com
If you went to grade school with a girl who used oral reports as a forum for environmental issues, chances are you went to grade school with me. Since I can remember, I have been an advocate for the environment. So last year when my project launching hulu ended and the Green Is Universal project came across my desk, I jumped at the opportunity. It seemed a natural progression, no? From hand drawn posters of recycling bins and the ozone layer to digital versions of the same... and this way I get to save paper.
Being an advocate and actually being someone who does things to save the environment are two very different things. Launching a website like GreenisUniversal.com shined a light on all of the things that I wasn't doing, and as my knowledge grew, so did my list of personal commitments.
If you went to grade school with a girl who used oral reports as a forum for environmental issues, chances are you went to grade school with me. Since I can remember, I have been an advocate for the environment. So last year when my project launching hulu ended and the Green Is Universal project came across my desk, I jumped at the opportunity. It seemed a natural progression, no? From hand drawn posters of recycling bins and the ozone layer to digital versions of the same... and this way I get to save paper.
Being an advocate and actually being someone who does things to save the environment are two very different things. Launching a website like GreenisUniversal.com shined a light on all of the things that I wasn't doing, and as my knowledge grew, so did my list of personal commitments.
blogIt's Easy Eating Green!
By Andrea Strong, Top Chef
This week at NBC we're celebrating everything Green, going an extra mile to try help fight the Global Climate Crisis. Eating vegetarian dovetails nicely with this mission. Thankfully, going vegetarian doesn't mean just bowls of sprouts and tofu anymore. New York City is home to some fairly sophisticated vegetarian restaurants that also happen to support local farmers and agriculture, which helps minimize the size of that carbon footprint caused by transporting out-of-season foods from places like California and South America to New York City.
While I am not a vegetarian, my brother and future brother-in-law are (they're both actually vegan), so I am no stranger to the issue of being an omnivore in a veggie-vore world. But honestly, these restaurants are so good, I frequent them even without my vegan crew in tow. Check them out and let me know your favorite Vegetarian restaurants too.
This week at NBC we're celebrating everything Green, going an extra mile to try help fight the Global Climate Crisis. Eating vegetarian dovetails nicely with this mission. Thankfully, going vegetarian doesn't mean just bowls of sprouts and tofu anymore. New York City is home to some fairly sophisticated vegetarian restaurants that also happen to support local farmers and agriculture, which helps minimize the size of that carbon footprint caused by transporting out-of-season foods from places like California and South America to New York City.
While I am not a vegetarian, my brother and future brother-in-law are (they're both actually vegan), so I am no stranger to the issue of being an omnivore in a veggie-vore world. But honestly, these restaurants are so good, I frequent them even without my vegan crew in tow. Check them out and let me know your favorite Vegetarian restaurants too.
blogThe Other Gail Green
By Gail Simmons, Top Chef Judge
About a year ago, I made a very conscious choice to Eat Green. I have
always felt strongly about preserving our planet. My father, a chemical
engineer and avid nature lover, has spent most of his life actively
trying to clean up the mess and waste we have created. He taught me
from a young age that this planet is precious. Everyone must take
responsibly for his or her actions especially with regard to the
impact we have on the world around us. But it was only recently that I
decided to reexamine what I personally can do to tread more lightly on
the Earth.
About a year ago, I made a very conscious choice to Eat Green. I have
always felt strongly about preserving our planet. My father, a chemical
engineer and avid nature lover, has spent most of his life actively
trying to clean up the mess and waste we have created. He taught me
from a young age that this planet is precious. Everyone must take
responsibly for his or her actions especially with regard to the
impact we have on the world around us. But it was only recently that I
decided to reexamine what I personally can do to tread more lightly on
the Earth.
