Fruit or Vegetable? Who Cares? Have One!

Is it a fruit or is it a vegetable? Unravel the mysteries of the ruby-red beauty also known as the tomato.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says tomatoes come in 25,000 varieties and it appears demand for this nutritious and delicious produce is ever-increasing. Americans have increased their tomato consumption 30 percent over the last 20 years, mostly in processed forms such as sauce, paste, and salsa. Canada is the largest producer of greenhouse tomatoes in North America.

Yet, still the question remains, is the tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

The answer is simple. The tomato is a fruit, but it is used as a vegetable in cooking. Many think of tomatoes as a vegetable, because most recipes that involve tomatoes involve savory cooking instead of sweet.

Tomatoes deliver a lot more than their rich color and robust flavor. They also have a red-hot reputation as guardians of good health. Tomatoes are great sources of Vitamins C, K, and A, and are loaded with beta-carotene, lycopene, potassium, and fiber.

So what does it mean health-wise to eat this fruit raw, grilled, roasted, stewed, sautéed, or even puréed? Tomatoes contribute to better heart and bone health. Their powerful nutrients may also help lower the risk of pancreatic and other cancers, reduce migraine pain, and aid in blood sugar control.

by Soleatha Ransom

Ran another 5K Plus today!

3.89 miles...I'm still at a 12+ minute pace, but it's feeling easier every time now.

I'm also starting to track my runs at MapMyRun.com. It's a pretty nice site that allows you to map your routes using Google Maps (or similar) technology, then with some input from you like time it took to complete etc. it tells you your pace...how many calories you burned etc. You should check it out.

I ran just over a 5K today at lunch!

Felt good. My longest run so far (3.67 miles)

I have about a 12min mile pace...slow, but sustainable :)

I'm training to run a 1/2 Marathon in April. Hope I make it.

12 Superfoods for Faster Weight Loss

"Nuts" The New American Diet smart bombs. They’re packed with monounsaturated fatty acids, those good-for-you fats that lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and, according to new research, help you control your appetite.

"Whole Grains" When Harvard University researchers analyzed the diets of more than 27,000 people over 8 years, they discovered that those who ate whole grains daily weighed 2.5 pounds less than those who ate only refined-grain foods.

"Avocados and Other Healthy Fats" Just because a food has plenty of fat and calories doesn’t mean it’s fattening. See, certain foods cause you to gain weight because they provoke hormonal changes that trigger cravings, or “rebound hunger.”

"Meats (Pasture-Raised and Free-Range)" Grass-fed beef, chicken, and pork are leaner and healthier than conventional livestock—and can help trim away pounds.

"Environmentally Sustainable Fish" Choosing seafood these days isn't easy. Some species (swordfish, farmed salmon) contain obesity-promoting pollutants (dioxins, PCBs).

"Raspberries and Other Berries" A recent study by researchers at Yale University school of medicine discovered that after eating a high-carb, high-sugar meal, free radicals (rogue molecules produced when your body breaks down food) attack the neurons that tell us when we’re full. The result: It’s hard to judge when hunger is satisfied. Escape the cycle of overindulgence by eating foods that are rich in antioxidants. And berries top the charts.

"Instant Oats" Fiber is the secret to losing weight without going hungry. One U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that those who increased their daily fiber intake from 12 grams to 24 absorbed 90 fewer calories per day than those who ate the same amount of food but less fiber.

"Cruciferous Vegetables and Other Folate-Rich Greens" The more folate you have in your diet, the lower your risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s and depression. And a recent study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that those with the highest folate levels lose 8.5 times more weight when dieting.

"Apples and Other Fruits" What makes the apple so potent? In part, it’s because most of us eat the peel: It’s a great way to add fiber and nutrients to your diet.

"Navy Beans and Other Legumes" Study after study reveals that bean eaters live longer and weigh less. One study showed that people who eat 3/4 cup of beans daily weigh 6.6 pounds less than those who don't eat beans.

"Dark Chocolate" A new study from Denmark found that those who eat dark chocolate consume 15 percent fewer calories at their next meal and are less interested in fatty, salty, and sugary foods.

"Ice Cream and Other Healthy Desserts" Calcium-rich desserts like ice cream bind to fatty acids in the digestive tract, blocking their absorption. In one study, participants who ate 1,735 mg of calcium from low-fat dairy products (about as much as in five 8-ounce glasses of milk) blocked the equivalent of 85 calories a day.

Highlights from http://health.msn.com/nutrition/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100251810&imageindex=1

Eat your Ketchup

I love ketchup...ketchup is made from tomatoes...tomatoes contain LYCOPENE:

Lycopene is something that is found in certain fruits and vegetables and the body uses it as an antioxidant. It is a great addition to any men's health regimen. But, there are also other lycopene benefits. Some of them have nothing to do with men's health. Here is a short list:

• Cancer, especially prostate cancer, mouth cancer, and others.


• Guards against aging of the skin.


• Helps with problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular system issues and disease.


• May prevent osteoporosis.


• Can assist with fertility problems in men.

Info From: http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/lycopene-benefits.html

Use Fiber for Weight Control

Excerpt from, Fiber: The Number One Supplement for Weight Control:

When you take fiber supplements with water before meals, the water soluble fiber binds to water in the stomach, making you feel full, and therefore less likely to overeat. It also suppresses hunger. In addition, fiber supplements have been shown to enhance blood-sugar control and insulin effects and even to reduce the number of calories (adding up to about three to 18 pounds per year!) that the body absorbs. And a study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a diet with 50 grams of fiber per day lowered insulin levels in the blood. (Remember, insulin is known as "the fat storage hormone" for good reason.)

I'm eating my fiber in the foods I eat...but, if you want to lose weight and don't like eating fiber...try supplements!

9 Power Foods That Boost Immunity

You're washing your hands, using Purell like crazy, and sneezing into your shirtsleeves. Now add these superfoods to your family's meals for extra flu-fighting punch.

By Amanda MacMillan and Tamara Schryver, RD
Foods that Fight Illness
1. Yogurt
2. Oats and Barley
3. Garlic
4. Fish
5. Chicken Soup
6. Tea
7. Beef
8. Sweet Potatoes
9. Mushrooms

Great Fiber "Rich" lunch recipe

So, as you might already know...I'm very much INTO fiber these days. Here's a great fiber-full lunch:

• Cook up a Healthy Choice Mediterranean-Pasta
• 12g fiber
• Wrap everything up in a Don Pancho high fiber wrap
• 6-7g fiber

Wow! Tastes like a Thanksgiving feast (I think because of the cranberries) and you get about 19 grams of dietary fiber!!

Health Benefits of Sesame Seeds

This is cool...I did not know how awesome the sesame seed was:

Not only are sesame seeds a very good source of manganese and copper, but they are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber. In addition to these important nutrients, sesame seeds contain two unique substances: sesamin and sesamolin. Both of these substances belong to a group of special beneficial fibers calledlignans, and have been shown to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in humans, and to prevent high blood pressure and increase vitamin E supplies in animals. Sesamin has also been found to protect the liver from oxidative damage.

I learned this from "The World's Healthiest Foods"

Dr. Oz, Fiber Wraps, and Google

Hey, this is cool...

Dr. Oz talked about fiber and cholesterol the other day and interested folks started Google'ing "Dr. Oz "Fiber Wraps"" and my blog comes up as a top link :)

Here's another fiber tip: POPCORN

Popcorn is made from a seed, which is actually a whole grain. Therefore when popped, it's considered to contain as much fiber as other grainy treats.

I like to sprinkle Nutritional Yeast over my popcorn...I eat popcorn almost every night.

See, TEN Reasons Why You Should Eat Popcorn

H1N1 Vaccine?

We're either gonna:

• Feel stupid for getting the vaccination...
• Or, feel stupid for not getting it...

My cholesterol is going down...Naturally!!!

OK...here are the results of my last 3 months of eating right and getting regular exercise:

	Initial Test Results	Current Results
Cholesterol	276mg	222mg
HDL	45mg	43mg
Triglycerides	192mg	131mg
LDL	193mg	153mg
Chol HDL Ratio	6.1	5.2

!! Y E S !!

Now, I need to figure out how to raise that HDL -- Very tricky this good/bad cholesterol thing.

My 2nd cholesterol check is today...

It's been about 3 months since the 1st check and finding out it was high. My Dr. gave me the time to see if I could lower it on my own without drugs.

Hopefully I have :)

If this is your first time here, read below for some of my meal plans that have been helpful to me for obtaining my cholesterol and weight lowering goals.

Still losing weight!

It's been a few more weeks since my last post. Still eating the healthy and fiber rich food described earlier...and still doing my walking.

I was 178 lbs the other day...that's 22 lbs lost since the beginning of June, 2 lbs over my goal :)

Health Help from Cheerios

From http://www.cheerios.com/promotions/10in1/Calendar.aspx

More Weight Loss Info

I ate this for lunch today...Hmmm, and healthy :)

Ingredients:

• Two slices of Orowheat Sandwich Thins
• Three slices of a medium sized tomato
• Some spinach leaves, and a selection of lettuces from a Tanimura & Antle Artisan™ Lettuce pack I got from Costco
• A tablespoon of Best Foods Lite Mayo
• A tablespoon of Mustard
• One Morningstar Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger

Lose Weight Now...

...Ask the MAWB how.

I found out like May 20'ish of this year that I had high cholesterol etc. It runs in the family I guess...and, I just chose not to get tested until now :)

Anyway, losing weight and getting healthy was now top priority for me.

So, I became more consistent with my walking. I try to get in around 2 miles a day...and roughly 10 miles a week. I walk at lunch with other people at work, and find that not only am I getting healthier...but, I also find out more about what's happening in other areas of the company that I don't have a lot of contact with :)

I also have made drastic changes in my diet. I'm eating lots of fiber, fruits, and veggies. And cutting out fats and cholesterol ridden foods like Ice Cream (ouch, cutting ice cream hurts) etc.

My typical breakfast is:

• 3 cups of Cheerios and enough skim or soy milk (I like Silk brand Lite Vanilla) to fill the bowl, but not have much left when done...probably a cup and a half or so. Cheerios rock!
  
• Then a banana about an hour later

OR

• Two egg whites sandwiched between two slices of a high fiber bread, like Mack's Fax, with a little mustard on one slice and apricot marmelade on the other (kind of a sweet and sour breakfast sandwich)

My typical lunch is:

• A Don Pancho high fiber wrap filled with 2 oz of Tribe hummus and 1/4 to 1/2 lbs of a vegitable salad (like Cucumbers, Radish's, and Red Onions etc from a local super market deli)
• A glass of chocolate OR vanilla soy milk
• Then, an hour or so after that some kind of fruit or veggy

My typical dinner is:

• Another Don Pancho high fiber wrap filled with grilled red onion and other veggies (see pic). Grilling tip: I like to thow on several shakes of Curry Powder while Grilling my onions and pepers -- Hmmm.

The results of eating like this, walking\exercising, and cutting out excessive fats, calories, and cholesterol filled foods...I lost 7 lbs in my first 2 weeks. About five weeks more of this regiment brought my weight down by around 20 lbs, Wow!

I'm feeling better and I'm noticing several of my previous health issues are going away. This feels sustainable too...as it's a life change and not a diet.