Summer 2011: To Your Health

In this Issue:

• Healthy BBQ Options this Summer Season
• Men’s Health Week – June 13th-19th
• Nutritious Tips for a Healthy Camping Experience
• Embracing Eye Safety this Summer
• The Sweet Nutrition Power of Summer Fruits
• Feature Food of the Season: Papaya
• Recipe of the Season: Chicken Papaya Salad

With the summer season quickly approaching, so is the grilling season! When you think of your typical BBQ you might think of high calorie meats and creamy and high fat side dishes.  However, there are plenty of healthy grilling options that still have that savory, distinct taste that are full of flavor and are nutritious. What better excuse then to get outside, dust off your grill and start cooking up some tasty and healthy fresh meals hot off the grill?!

Ideas and Tips for Healthy Grilling:

Marinade Your Meats: Using marinades and combining spices is a great alternative to sauces.  BBQ sauce can be packed with sodium, sugar and extra calories.  Combine your favorite spices for a delicious lasting flavor.  Try oregano, basil, pepper, and thyme to add a savory flavor to your meats without the extra calories.

Grill Those Veggies: Grilled vegetables are packed with nutrients, are low in calories and are naturally fat free! Try brushing your veggies with a small amount of olive oil and put them on the grill, or better yet fill a skewer with some of your favorite veggies.  Zucchini, eggplant, onion and tomato make for a colorful and tasty kebab.

Keep Meats Lean: When grilling meat, pick proteins that are heart healthy and lower in fat like turkey, chicken or even buffalo. Turkey burgers are a great alternative to your usual beef patty but check the label to be sure your ground turkey is white meat only, not a mix of dark and white.  Often, ground turkey can have as much fat as ground beef.  Grilled chicken is always a delicious option on its own or over a salad.

Experiment with Fabulous Fish: Grilled fish is a delicious low fat option when barbequing. Try salmon, scallops, swordfish, tuna and shrimp.

Try Grilled Fruit: Putting fruit on the grill brings out all the natural sweet flavors and makes for an amazing dessert option. Treat yourself to summer favorites like grilled peach or pineapple. Or for an even more creative idea, wrap a banana (in the skin) in foil and place on the grill on a low flame.  Let it cool, unwrap and enjoy a warm dessert!

You might have heard of compounds that are formed when grilling that increase the risk of cancer.  Don’t fret. Click here for ways to make sure you are grilling safely this summer!

Men’s Health Week is celebrated from June 13th to June 19th leading up to and including Father’s Day on June 19th.  The objective of Men’s Health Week is to raise awareness of the common diseases occurring amongst males and to promote early detection and prevention.  Diseases that are highlighted include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Activities are held throughout the nation celebrating this week.  Past activities and events include projects like “Steppin to Health” and “Free Men’s Health Check-up Day” designed to remind men how important it is to get a check-up.

So why not give your Father a healthy gift this coming Father’s Day? Offer to take him for a check-up, take an exercise class together, join him for a jog or bond with him in the kitchen and create a healthy meal.

Gift certificates to BRG Dietetics & Nutrition make a great gift and will help get your dad on a healthy path and encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Looking for a summer family activity you haven’t tried before? Try camping!

Getting outdoors and exploring nature can make for many wonderful memories.  It also provides great health benefits and helps to relieve tension from a stressful week and allows you to leave the pressures of your job behind. Camping encourages physical activity, creativity, new learning experiences and good old fashion fun for all!

Fueling your body in a healthy way can help make your camping trip a positive experience.  Below are some tips to help you plan for a healthy camping trip.

1. Plan in advance: Planning your menu ahead will help to ensure healthy choices at every meal and avoid resorting to fast food. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains at each meal.
2. Fruits and Veggies: Make sure to include fruits and vegetables with all your meals while camping. Fruits like apples, oranges, banana and melon travel well and make for great snacks. Pack frozen bagged vegetables as an easy way to get in your veggies.
3. Pack whole grains: Whole grain bread, crackers and muffins will help fuel your body and don’t require refrigeration or any prep work.
4. Make your own “TV Dinners”: Have leftovers from the weeks prior to leaving for your camping trip? Perfect! Store your leftovers in your freezer until you are ready to pack for your camping experience.  Place your frozen entrees in your cooler and enjoy your very own TV dinners in the middle of nature.
5. Hydrate with H20: Stocking up on cold water bottles before your camping trip is a great way to ensure cold, purified, refreshing water. Make sure to keep yourself hydrated by drinking at least 8 (8)-ounce glasses of water a day.
6. Cookware and Utensils: Packing healthy foods is always important but making sure you can prepare and make these foods is essential! Make sure to bring a sharp knife to cut your fresh produce. Also, include a hot plate and saucepan to boil water and skillet to cook vegetables like sweet potato and squash.

Like camping, picnicking is a fun outdoor activity that often revolves around food.

Click here for ideas of how to pack the perfect picnic basket.

EMBRACING EYE SAFETY THIS SUMMER

The months of the summer bring awareness to eye safety and prevention of disease.

June is Cataract Awareness Month.  Did you know that most people over 65 have some degree of cataracts? Cataracts are a cloudiness that forms over your eye making things appear blurry and unclear.  Cataracts are often the result of older age, however can also be caused by injuries, medication, diabetes and alcoholism.

Although the risk of cataracts does not increase until a later age, it is never too early to take action on preventative eye care.  Recommendations to reduce the risk of cataracts include regular eye examinations, avoiding UV rays, eating a well-balanced diet, keeping weight under control and if you are a smoker stop smoking, as the smoke can produce free radicals that can damage the lens and membrane of your eye.

August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month reminding parents and children alike of the importance of eye care for our youth.   In fact, one in ten children can go with an undiagnosed eye problem, with near and farsightedness being the two main culprits. Make sure your children get regular eye check-ups and wear UV protected sunglasses.  Also be sure they eat a balanced diet filled with fruits, vegetables and whole grains and avoid excessive weight gain.

Click here for foods that can help prevent cataracts and eye disease.

THE SWEET NUTRITION POWER OF SUMMER FRUITS

There are some fruits that just make you think of summer! The refreshing, juicy flavors of peaches, plums, nectarines and melons sweeten up the hot days of summer. Look for these fruits at the height of their season starting from June to August and you won’t be disappointed.

Peaches: The peach originates in China and is part of the rose family. There are two different kinds of peaches, the clingstone (where the fleshy part sticks to the stone) and the freestone (where it does not stick to the pit). Peaches are rich in vitamin A and vitamin C and minerals like potassium and iron. Peaches have a yellow, orange and white coloring.  When choosing a peach look for ones that are rich in color, and slightly soft to touch.  Store peaches in the refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy.

Fun Fact: Georgia is nicknamed the “Peach State”.

Plums: Plums come in 200 varieties.  They are categorized by Japanese, American, Damson, Ornamental, Wild or European-Garden.   Plums are part of the same family as peaches, almonds and nectarines and come in all the colors of the rainbow such as purple, red, blue, yellow, green, pink, orange and black.  Plums are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin B2, potassium and fiber. Choose plums that are slightly soft to touch and store them in the refrigerator until ready to eat. If you purchase a plum that is not fully ripened, keep it at room temperature until they are ripe.

Fun Fact: Research has shown that the riper the plum the more antioxidants they contain.

Nectarines: Looks like a peach, shaped like a peach…is it a peach? Nope, it’s a nectarine! Although nectarines and peaches are part of the same family they are two different fruits.  Nectarines are smaller in size than peaches, and have a smooth skin that is usually yellow with a blushing of red.  Like peaches, nectarines come in clingstone and freestone.  Choose a nectarine that is soft to touch but avoid those that have bruise marks and brown spots.  Nectarines are a good source of vitamin C and vitamin A.

Fun Fact: 95% of nectarines grown in the United States are grown in California.

Honeydew Melon: Honeydew melon is slightly green in color and slightly oval in shape.  Honeydews have a smooth waxy skin and a fleshy sweet center.  Look for honeydews that are free from scars and maintain their spherical shape. Store unripe honeydews for a couple of days at room temperature and once ripe a honeydew can be stored for up to 5 days. Honeydews contain potassium, folate and vitamin C.  The height of the honeydew season begins in August and can last until October.

Fun Fact: Honeydew melons are also known as “temptation melons”.

Cantaloupe: Cantaloupe, also known as “netted melon” because of its skin, has an orange, sweet flesh that is part of the same family as squash, pumpkin, cucumber and gourd.  Cantaloupe is considered the most popular melon in the United States. Cantaloupe is an excellent source of vitamin A and beta-carotene, both of which are important for vision. Cantaloupe also contains vitamin C, potassium, B6, folate, fiber and niacin.  Choose a cantaloupe that is heavy in weight and free of bruises.  You may store a cantaloupe at room temperature until ripe however it is important that once the cantaloupe is cut, to store it in the refrigerator as there is a risk of salmonella if the melon is left out in a temperature danger zone of 41-135F.

Fun Fact: Cantaloupe got its name in 1700 A.D from the Italian Village Cantalup where it was first cultivated.

Don’t think you can incorporate fruit into each meal? Click here for ideas on how to fit fruit into breakfast, lunch and dinner!

FOOD OF THE SEASON: PAPAYA

History

Papayas are native to Central America and were brought by Spanish and Portuguese explorers to places like India, Phillippines and Africa.

Papayas did not reach the United States until the 20th Century and were referred to as “the fruit of angels” by Christopher Columbus. Hawaii is the most popular place to find papaya in the US and has been their major producer since the 1920s.

Preparation

Papayas are a pretty versatile fruit and can be used in different ways. The easiest and most popular way to eat papaya is all by itself.  Similar to a melon, wash your papaya, cut it vertically, remove the seeds and use a spoon to scoop out the deliciousness!  If you would like to add some zest to your papaya, squeeze some lemon or lime over it.  Other delicious ways to enjoy your papaya include dicing your papaya and adding to a salsa along with cilantro, pepper and ginger. Topping grilled fish with salsa makes for a unique and tasty combination.  Or, put the papaya through a juicer and quench your thirst with a naturally sweet papaya juice or add some unsweetened apple juice and lime for a cold soup!

Storage

Choose papayas that have reddish-orange skin if you would like to enjoy your papaya right away.  If a papaya has a yellowish tone to it, this will take a longer time to ripen.  Choose a papaya that is slightly soft but avoid those that are bruised or mushy. If you have a papaya with a few black spots this will not affect taste. Store your ripe papaya in the refrigerator and eat within 1 to 2 days.

Health Benefits:

Papaya is naturally fat free and cholesterol free. Papaya is filled with antioxidants including carotenes, vitamin C and flavonoids. Papaya also contains B vitamins and minerals like potassium, magnesium and fiber promoting cardiovascular health.

Nutrition Facts:

A 1/2 cup of Papaya has 30 calories, 0 grams of fat, 1.2 grams of

dietary fiber, 665 IUs of Vitamin A and 43 mg of Vitamin C, 127 mg of Potassium and 26 micrograms of Folate.

RECIPE OF THE SEASON: CHICKEN PAPAYA SALAD

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Mix cubed chicken, papaya and sliced grapes in a bowl and set aside.

2. In a separate container, mix the remaining ingredients.

3. Add to chicken mixture and mix well. Chill for several hours.

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 1 cup

Exchanges: 2 Meat, 1 Fruit

Nutrition Facts:

For more healthy recipes, click here.