Happy Healthy Long Life

My Amateur Spin on Putting the Diet Puzzle Pieces Together - The Omega-6 and Omega-3 Face-Off in Health & Disease

"..if you understand that food energy causes transient inflammatory insults and omega-6s amplify that into chronic injury and omega-3s moderate it, then you can tell people that the take home message is:

• Eat more omega-3s
• Eat less omega-6s
• Eat fewer calories per meal and stop smoking.  That's it.

"Curiosity is the beginning of learning and understanding.  Keep on keepin' on."

-William Lands, PhD., a pioneer in the study of lipids, omega-3 fatty acids, and the effects of diet on disease, University of Michigan & NIH-

Click here if you received this post via email to get all the links and a video.

The more I think about it, diets are a little like religion.  Everyone thinks that theirs is the perfect one.   But there are many paths to the same destination. 

The Dalai Lama says, "The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis."   

And who am I to argue with the Dalai Lama.  I'm using my own (perhaps limited) reasoning and critical analysis skills (?) to traverse this diet jungle.

For 2 1/2 years I've been tweaking my diet.  I'm now ready for a little more fine-tuning & experimentation.  Anyone want to venture a guess where this is going?

• Dr. Colin Campbell's China Study motivated me to "mostly" ditch meat, chicken, fish, and dairy for 2 1/2 years.   Without even knowing it at the time--I was completely eliminating all long-chain omega-6s--the most inflammatory of the fatty acids.  Guess what?  These only come from animal products.  Who knew?
• Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease "challenge" got me to ditch all oils, nuts, and avocados, and to substantially increase my intake of greens, beans, vegetables, and fruit over the past 9 weeks.  Without knowing it at the time--I was drastically cutting out the biggest suppliers of the short chain omega-6s--the vegetable oils (yes, olive oil, too), Earth Balance margarine, the nuts, the fake soy products, most tofus & other soy delights, and even my beloved avocados.  Who knew?
• Evelyn Tribole, Susan Allport, Dr. Artemis Simopoulos, and Dr. William Lands have taught me the importance of substantially lowering the omega-6s in my diet, and increasing the omega-3s.  Down with fats & nuts.  Up with  greens, beans, berries, flax, chia---and maybe some reconsideration of wild cold-water fish--and a teaspoon or spritz or 2 of canola oil every now & then?  Turns out, wild salmon (canned included) and canola do not impair vascular function or nitric oxide production--and salmon actually improves it.
• Dr. Robert Vogel and Dr. Lawrence Rudel--two physician researchers well-respected by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn--led me to reconsider adding wild salmon back into my diet.  Their recent research points to the superiority of the kind of omega-3s (EPA & DHA) found in cold-water fish over the less-dependable plant-based omega-3s found in flax, chia, & greens.  OK, sure, I agree--algal omega-3 sources are just as good--but they are harder to find & they lack EPA.

From Vogel:  "In general, endothelium dependent vasodilation is reduced to the greatest extent by saturated fatty acids, especially of the long-chain variety  (omega-6s found in animal products). The oxidation of cooking oil, which occurs during its reuse, also increases its adverse effect. At the other end of the saturation spectrum, highly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA & EPA (six double bonds), found in fish oil, do not impair endothelial function when ingested in a single meal and improve endothelial function when given chronically.  Concordant with these observations is the finding that fatty acids inhibit inflammatory markers proportional to how many double bonds they contain.  Vogel, RA.  Eur Heart J  27:13-14, 2006,  "Eating: vascular biology & atherosclerosis.  A lot to chew on."

From Vogel's classic article:   "The postprandial effects of components of the Mediterranean diet on endothelial function."  J Am Coll Cardiol  36(5):1455-60, Nov. 1, 2000.   Conclusions:  "In terms of their effects on postprandial (after a meal) endothelial function, the beneficial components of the Mediterranean and Lyon Diet Heart Study diets appear to be the antioxidant-rich foods—vegetables, fruits, and their derivatives such as (balsamic) vinegar, and omega-3-rich fish and canola oils—not olive oil.  Canola oil may share some of the unique vasoprotective properties of other omega-3-rich oils, such as fish oil. Dietary fruits, vegetables, and their products appear to provide some protection against the direct impairment in endothelial function produced by high-fat foods, including olive oil."  Note: Vogel used canned salmon in his tests.

From Lawrence Rudel's hot-off-the-press article, "Dietary n-3 LCPUFA from fish oil but not alpha-linolenic acid-derived LCPUFA confers atheroprotection in mice"  51:1897-1905, August 21, 2010.  "Indeed, the paradox of the data presented here is that dietary ALA (the plant-based omega-3) does not provide a similar atheroprotection in spite of significant conversion into EPA and DHA over the course of atherosclerosis development."

This article certainly got my attention.  All the mice were able to convert ALA flax oil into EPA just perfectly, something humans can't always do reliably.  But, the big surprise was that the EPA they were able to convert from flax oil, even at high-doses, didn't protect the mice from atherosclerosis--while the fish-oil did.  And a couple months ago, Dr. Christopher Gardner of Stanford also found out that even in high-doses, flax oil didn't lower triglycerides (in human subjects) anywhere near as well as fish-oil did! 

This gives me one more good reason to reconsider adding wild salmon, and/or fish oil back into my diet.         

• Although omega-3 expert Dr. William Lands is certain that when one lowers their omega-6s substantially--by cutting out the worst offenders, like vegetable oils, nuts, fried foods, junk snack food, and grain-fed animal products--that the plant-based omega-3s will adequately convert to the inflammation-suppressing-disease-preventing EPA & DHA--but, I'm ready to give that delicious super-EPA/DHA wild salmon a try.  I like the insurance.  And I like wild salmon.

• Turns out, coho salmon and canned salmon are very lean, low in saturated fat, high in EPA & DHA , and have almost non-existent levels of toxins.  Unlike fish oil capsules, they're whole foods, so they also contain substantial amounts of D3, and a new-to-me-superstar anti-oxidant called astaxanthin. This beta-carotene is what gives wild salmon it's red-orange pigment. Farm-raised salmon has red dye.
• According to Brenda Davis, RD, the blood & tissue levels of EPA & DHA in vegetarians are about half of those of non-vegetarians.  Sometimes flax, bean, berries & greens might not be enough.  The only way to really know if your body has converted plant-based ALA into the workhorse omega-3s known as EPA/DHA is by having a HUFA finger prick test--and these are presently not widely available--or inexpensive. 

Here's what Davis  has to say about vegetarian's and omega 3s:  "When fish is eliminated from the diet, few direct sources of highly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids remain.  Therefore, vegetarians predominately rely on the conversion of the essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) from plants to supply EPA & DHA. 

Unfortunately, this process is commonly inefficient, as enzymes necessary for this conversion are easily disrupted.  High intakes of omega-6 fatty acids can have a profound effect on omega-3 fatty acid conversion, reducing it by as much as 40-50% (or more).  Conversion enzymes may not function as well in people with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, or certain metabolic disorders."   

The best advice is to minimize the omega-6's, and maximize the omega-3's, if you want the most efficient conversion of plant-sourced omega-3s into EPA/DHA.  Recommendations for healthy vegetarians are to keep their ratios at 2:1 to 4:1, for optimal conversion of flax (and other ALA sources) into EPA & DHA.  Recent research, however, now recommends keeping that ratio to 1:1, but that's very difficult to do.

To read more on the Vegetarian's Challenge--Optimizing Essential Fatty Acid Status, by Brenda Davis, RD, click here. 

First Things First.  Why Should We Care About Increasing Our Omega-3s, and Lowering Our Omega-6s?

Two words:  Inflammation & disease.  Excess omega-6s (and excess calories) contribute to excess inflammation, which leads to--or plays a role in the following disease states:

• Blood vessel damage (omega-3s keep the blood vessels elastic & flexible)
• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Blood clot formation (omega-3s keep the blood flowing smoothly)
• Abnormal heart rhythms (omega-3s help maintain a steady and slower heart beat)
• Asthma
• Arthritis--osteo & rheumatoid (omega-3s act as pain relievers by curbing inflammation)
• Bone Loss (omega-3s help increase calcium absorption & bone formation)  New to me.
• Cancers (particularly colorectal cancer & breast cancer)
• Bipolar disease
• Depression
• Mood disorders (omega-3s help make & regulate key chemicals that affect mood)
• Learning disorders  (omega-3s are necessary for brain development & brain cell communication)
• Vision disorders (omega-3s are critical for vision)
• Inflammatory bowel disorders
• Autoimmune diseases
• Omega-3s slow biological aging--and lengthen telomeres
  

Increasing omega-3s can contribute to the prevention or management of all of these.

For details on the effect of omega-3 to omega-6 ratios on specific diseases, read:  Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acid Ratio:  The Scientific Evidence.  edited by Artemis Simopoulos & Leslie G. Cleland.  New York: Karger, 2003.  (World Reviiew of Nutrition and DIetetics.  vol. 92)  

For an easy-to-read understanding of how the omega-3s & omega-6s affect disease & health, read Evelyn Tribole's The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet

"Meeting" Evelyn Tribole, Susan Allport, and Dr. William Lands

Susan Allport:  About two years ago I was "introduced" to Susan Allport, the science writer who wrote the eye-opening, Queen of Fats.  After reading one of my blog posts, she emailed me a diet-changing video, called, The Rat Race.  It would convince anyone to pump up their intake of omega-3, particularly the DHAs! 

It shows Dr. Norman Salem's rats in a maze experiment--a rat fed a diet rich in omega-3s is pitted against a rat fed a diet deficient in omega 3's.  If you've been reading this blog regularly, Susan Allport might sound familiar--I recently wrote about her month-long diet experiment eating foods high in omega-6s.  The subtle changes she experienced convinced her that even one month on a high omega-6 diet was bad for her health: weight gain, belly fat, and fatigue.  I know I've posted this video before--but it's a favorite of mine.

Evelyn Tribole:  Also, about two years ago, I received an email from California author, dietitian, and private practitioner, Evelyn Tribole.  Her 2007 book, The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet  further opened my eyes to the importance of lowering my intake of omega-6s, and increasing my intake of omega-3s.  I highly recommend her book, and her blog, Omega-6 Commentary & News.  Here's a good introduction by Tribole about how omega-6s negatively affect our health.

Dr. William Lands:  Both Susan & Evelyn had sought out Dr. William Lands when they wrote their books.  If you want to know all about how important omega-3s are to growth, development, and disease prevention--Lands is the man you seek out.

On July 8th of this year I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Dr. Lands.  Turns out, he cc'd me, when he wrote a response to one of my blog readers--who had written him with questions after watching Bill's NIH lecture after I recommended it on my blog.  (if you can follow that connection)  Here's a link to Lands' lecture. 

And for the past 6 weeks I've had a back and forth mini-dialogue with Dr. Lands all about balancing omega-3s & 6s on a vegan no-oil diet.   I wanted to know what he thought about a vegan diet that nixed oils, nuts, & avocados.  Would he consider this to be an excellent model for curbing omega-6s and disease-prevention?  Would it provide sufficient omega-3s?  Needless to say, I was honored that he took the time to answer my questions, and I was enlightened by what I learned.  And no, he didn't give me a straight-forward answer to either of those questions.  He said you just have to "run the numbers" on his KIM2 software or by using a too-complicated-for-me mathematical formula--or measure your HUFAs (highly unsaturated fatty acids) via a finger prick test. 

• "The tissue is the issue."  It's all about how much omega-3 & omega-6 is saturated in your tissues.  The closer the ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s gets to 1:1 the lower the risk you have for a whole host of inflammatory diseases:  heart disease, stroke, autoimmune diseases, arthritis, psychiatric diseases, depression, asthma, eczema, and the list goes on.  Most Americans are at a 17:1 ratio.  But even when you start to get to a ratio of 4:1 you would see impressive improvements in disease prevention. 
• Omega-6s are rampant in our Western diet, and they compete for the same enzymes in our cells as do the omega-3s.  Since most of us eat far too few omega-3s, guess which omegas end up saturating our tissues?  The inflammatory omega-6s.  No use popping omega-3 pills if you aren't also lowering your omega-6 intake.
• Lower the intake of omega-6s & the body can properly convert plant-based omega-3s, into the powerful inflammation-suppressing-disease-preventing EPA & DHA.  According to Dr. Lands, "As you add more and more omega-6, the omega-3 is not very effective.  So do not be surprised, dear children, that there are a lot of articles in the literature saying that the short chain omega-3 (those are the plant version omega-3s found in greens, flax, chia, fruits, & most beans) are not very effective, because (these studies) are all done in the presence of a substantial excess of omega-6 (on people whose tissues are loaded with omega-6s).  The paradox is that, conversion is not effective when it's in the presence of omega-6, but by itself it's quite effective.
• "This puts together everything I've told you.  Let's lower the omega-6s.  You're eating like 17,000 milligrams a day.  What would happen if you just made it 4,000?  Now you're at a level where you have the protection that you want.  You can prevent disease.  It's as simple as that."
• Dr. Lands wouldn't tell me what he eats, even though nosy me asked.  He answered my question about diet with, "Never mind the diet details, my HUFA (hormone precursors) have about a 60% omega-3 to 40% omega-6 ratio.  That's pretty amazing, if you ask me.

He just turned 80 years old.  He's incredibly active, writing, researching, & lecturing.  One of the lipid researchers at my hospital tells me that he is the picture of health, fit, slim, an dedicated exerciser, and a role model.  I asked him if he knew what Bill ate.  He told me Lands eats a whole lot of fish!

• Lands covers all the bases, when it comes to diet.  Sure it's important to kick up the omega-3s, and lower the omega-6s substantially, but that's not enough for Dr. Lands.   We also wants us to eat less calories at every meal--to decrease the damage of oxidative stress.   And exercise is a crucial component to the whole package. 

Here's my summary of Lands' recommendations:

1.  Exercise
2.  Small, more frequent meals--less oxidative stress
3.  Less calories
4.  Emphasize beans, greens, squash, other veggies, fruit, wild fish, flax, seafood.
5.  Watch out for the "not-so-healthy" foods masquerading as good: like garbanzos, tofu, corn, hummus, nuts, peanut butter.  Who knew?
6.  Ditch the omega-6 oils/mayo, fast food, & junk food!

What foods are highest in omega-6s? Eat Less of These.

• Soybean, corn, cottonseed, safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, sesame, and peanut oils.  Even olive oil and walnut oil have substantial amounts of omega-6s.
• All nuts and seeds are high in omega-6s.  Peanuts & peanut butter are especially high.  Walnuts have the lowest amount with a 4:1 ratio of 6s to 3s.
• Margarines, mayonnaise (most are made with soybean or safflower oil, & eggs), and salad dressings (check the oil used--canola is rarely used)
• Grain-fed meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.
• French fries, fast-food restaurant fare, fried foods (beware the deep fat fryer that reuses oil), all processed snack/junk foods made with oils or sat fat, cakes, cookies, muffins, or crackers.  Read labels.  Unless you've made it yourself, it's probably suspect.
• Soybean & peanut based foods.  Yes, that includes edamame, soy burgers & hotdogs, & even regular tofu. Soy is over 40% fat.  (This made me think about that 2000 study correlating high tofu consumption with cognitive impairment.  Hmm.)
• An easy way to check the omega-6 & omega-3 content of most foods is through Nutrition Data. Look in the top right-hand corner search box.  Unfortunately, there isn't data on all foods, and the only way to know their omega content is through laboratory testing. 

Surprising sources of omega-6s. Even "healthy plant-based fare" may be high in omega-6s.  And fat-free doesn't me omega-6-free.   Who knew?

• Peanut butter, nuts, & seeds.  Walnuts are the lowest of the lot.
• Garbanzo beans aka chick peas have the highest amount of omega-6s of the beans.  1 cup=1178 mg of omega-6s, 45 mg of omega-3s.
• Fava beans  (an ingredient in falafel--it's moderate in n-6, but very low in n-3)
• Tahini
• Hummus (It has two offenders: garbanzo beans & tahini)
• Most processed faux meat soy products--oil + soy=oy!
• Most tofu, tempeh, edamame, & other soy products  (NaSoya low-fat firm tofu has far less omega-6.  Mori-Nu low-fat brands haven't yet been analyzed, nor has Soy Boy Low-fat Tempeh)
• Most whole grain products are higher in omega-6s (than beans, fruits & veggies) including:  quinoa, brown rice, corn, whole grain breads, & oatmeal.
• Avocados

But Don't Avoid Healthy Foods Just Because They Have Omega-6s. They're Still Important Foods--and we also need Omega-6s.

We need the omega-6s, too.  Just not as much as we're currently eating.  Be aware of the omega-6 content of the food you are eating, and balance them with a higher intake of omega-3s.  Cutting out oils, nuts, processed junk & fast food makes a huge dent in omega-6 intake.

What Else Can I Do to Kick Up My Omega-3 status?

• Eat lots & lots of fruits & vegetables  (greens & beans rock!)
• Reduce saturated fat
• Eliminate trans-fatty acids
• Eliminate hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils
• Maintain a healthy weight by getting enough exercise, and not taking in more calories than you need
• Try to eat a source of omega-3s at every meal--this could be greens or beans.
• If you absolutely must use an oil, stick to canola for cooking, and if you use flax oil, make sure that it's fresh & refrigerated--and use it "raw", not for cooking.
• Be aware that grain-fed animal products (meat, poultry, eggs, & dairy) are also high in omega-6s & this is the most damaging & inflammatory kind, arachidonic acid.

What's a good way to compare the omega-3 & omega-6 content of everyday foods?

• Get a copy of Evelyn Tribole's "The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet"
• Be sure to take a look at Dr. Bill Lands' recent handout that was distributed at the Morgan County, WV County Fair in August 2010.  It has excellent comparative charts of the omegas for all the food groups, sample menus from real people, demonstrating the best to the worst, in terms of reducing the risk for inflammation, depression & heart attacks.  It's also filled with sage advice on reducing the future risks of disease & provides an excellent overview of how our diet affects our health.  A critique of all the popular diet books is also included.  There's a lot of info packed into this excellent handout!
• Check out the omega-3 & omega-6 content of individual foods through the Nutrition Data website, I find it easier to understand that the USDA nutritional data database. 

Omega Definitions

1.  Short-chain omega-3 is the plant-based ALA (alpha linolenic acid) that needs to be converted in the body to make long-chain omega3 EPA and DHA--the inflammation-suppressing powerhouses.   This conversion is not always so reliable--and no one can guarantee how well it's working for you.

2.  Short-chain omega-6 can come from plants or animals.  It is easily converted into the most inflammatory-disease-producing fatty acid, arachidonic acid.  Not fair--plant-based omega-3 converts unreliably & short-chain omega-6 conversion in dependable!  The long-chain omega-6s come only from animal products, and they are a direct source of the inflammatory-disease-producing arachidonic acid.

3.  Omega-3s & Omega-6s "compete for enzymes and positions in cell membranes.  A high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio has been linked to many human diseases.  ... omega-6s are preferred in food processing: because omega-3s are easily oxidized, manufacturers remove them when possible to reduce rancidity and increase shelf life ...."  Susan Allport, The Queen of Fats.

I've tried hard to make sure that this information is correct--but, hey, I'm just a librarian, not a lipid researcher or a dietitian.  I'm certain I'll hear if I've misrepresented anything here--and I'll gladly make corrections on anything when it's fact-based & referenced to reliable sources.  I felt like I was writing a term paper as I put together this one.  Now for some lunch, & "La dolcezza di non fare niente!"  The Sweetness of Doing Nothing.

More from the Healthy Librarian's Plant-Based Kitchen Lab: The Restaurant Scene, Staying Fueled, PB2 the Nut Butter Substitute, and Chia Fresca for Omega-3s

Pajama Diaries by Terri Libenson

Life in My Kitchen.  Always Testing Out Something New.  And if Son #2 Likes It, It Has to Be Good

Click Here if You've received this via email.

Living the Plant-Based No-Oil Life in the Real World

The Restaurant Scene.  I'm not-yet-so-comfortable about asking for special orders, or asking waiters or chefs a lot of questions, but I sucked it up this week, and did what I needed to do.  This was a huge hurdle.  To me, a happy healthy long life is so wrapped up with breaking bread and sharing meals with family & fiends--I don't want to miss out on it.   So...if I want to continue to join my friends & family at restaurants occasionally, I've got to ask the restaurant staff the right questions.  I can't always say, "Hey, why don't you just come to my house.  I'll cook."

• Hippie Healthy Stir-Fries & Noodle or Rice Bowls.  Monday night, I was meeting a friend for dinner, and we tried out a local store-front healthy fast food joint near the university.  What could be better?  Homemade brown rice, fresh steamed veggies, a choice of 3 no-oil spicy sauces, topped with tofu.  Nothing fancy, but we sat outside and enjoyed the summer evening, and some hearty rib-sticking healthy fare.  And the price was right!
• Hip & Mod Mexican.  Friday night we met son #2 across town at a cool out-of-the-box Mexican restaurant in one of those old semi-gentrified neighborhoods.  I figured this was going to be a real challenge.  I could end up eating just steamed corn tortillas, salsa, beans, and a glass of wine--and that would have been just fine.  But I was in for a pleasant surprise.  If I wanted no-oil, vegan fare, our waiter told me my best choice was the grilled portobellos with sofrito, corn tortillas, and salsa verde.  No-oil, he promised!  The mustard crema was on the side, so I could just ignore it.  And I did.

It Tastes Much Better Than It Looks!  Grilled Portobellos Over Sofrito, with Corn Tortillas & Salsa Verde.  Hold the Mustard Crema, Please!

• My Big Mistake This Week.  Missing Breakfast, and Eating a Late Lunch.  After 27 years in our house we are FINALLY redoing our circa 1964 bathroom.  It all started on Wednesday--and I was home to "supervise" the demolition.  Right!  I thought my kitchen ceiling was going to come crashing down as the demo crew sledge-hammered out the old cast iron tub.  Breakfast got waylaid, and lunch was delayed until 1:00 pm.  Note to self:  Never do that again.  My fuel tank was running on empty.  To refuel I enjoyed this wrap for lunch. It did the trick in no time! 

Food tip of the week thanks to Mina:  Her suggestion--add broccoli slaw to wraps or salads!  Loved it and who would have thought?

Refueling with a 3 Bean All-American Chili, Sweet Potato, Broccoli Slaw, Spinach Wrap

 

Wrapped Up & Heated in a 450 Degree Oven for 10 Minutes--Crispy & Delicious

My new favorite wrap:  French Meadow Bakery Sprouted Grain Tortillas.  More pliable, and less dry than the Ezekiel brand.

Finding a Breakfast That Works for my Lab Rat Runner Husband

My niece Jamie clued me into a new product aimed at peanut butter lovers who don't want all the fat that's in peanut butter!  It's called PB2, and it's powdered defatted roasted peanuts that you mix-up with a tablespoon or two of water, and voila!  Instantly you have 2 tablespoons of peanut butter with just 1.5 grams of fat, and only 45 calories--sure it's almost 40% fat,  but compare that to the 190 calories, and 14 grams of fat (+2 grams of sat fat) for the real thing!  It's got less fat than heart-healthy cocoa--which has  25 calories & 1 gram of fat per tablespoon.  PB2 is made by Bell Plantation, click here for more info.  To get some--we had to order it--but it was quick & painless.  But I can't vouch for what the Esselstyn's would say about PB2. 

Believe me, this stuff is a very suitable peanut butter substitute--according to my nut butter aficionado husband--and niece, Jamie!  I'm not interested in imbibing, but PB2 is a huge boost for my husband who has given up his long-time-habit of morning almond butter on Ezekiel---too much fat.  And way too many omega-6s--as in 3802 mgs!  I can't vouch for the number of omega-6s in defatted PB2, but you can always sprinkle on some high omega-3 chia for good measure!  I'm planning to experiment with PB2 for spicy peanut noodles, and a homemade energy bar.

So where did Jamie hear about PB2?  On Emily Malone's Front Burner blog.  Check it out--she's a 29 year old culinary school trained chef who's cooking vegetarian lunches for the staff at an organic farm (I think--I don't exactly know her back story).  She's a vegetarian, a runner, who cares about healthy food, keeping fit, and she loves to experiment with food.  Her food photos are amazing.  She does use a bit of oil, & sometimes tiny amounts of cheese, eggs, or dairy---but hey, you can modify any recipe.  BTW, niece Jamie also recommends Chocolate PB2, made with cocoa.

Emily's PB2 & Jelly on Rice Cakes

Refreshing Lemony Chia Water for Omega-3s, Hydration, Protein, Fiber, & Feeling Full

Chia Water=1/2 squeezed lemon or lime + 1 TBS of Chia Seeds.  Shake Well & Shake Again!

Chia isn't a new story around this blog--but drinking Chia Water is!   What a great way to enjoy all the benefits of this nutritional powerhouse.  It's tasty, it has a great mouth feel, it will keep hunger at bay for about an hour longer than usual, it will energize your workouts, and it's like getting a slow IV drip of omega 3's. 

I've been taking it along to work and to work outs--instead of just plain old water.  My husband has followed suit.  And now son #2 is ready to try it out on the soccer field. Give it a try--and report back! My favorite brand is Salba--it's superior to common chia seeds.  Click here  to find out why it beats common chia.  Click here to find out why it beats flax.

"The Salba agronomic teams have invested the past 15 years researching Salba (Salvia hispanica L.).  During those 15 years, we found the perfect location, the perfect soil composition, the perfect climate, the perfect irrigation methods, the perfect crop life-span, and the perfect amount of sunlight. We perfected the art of Non-GMO selective breeding and studied each crop carefully.

Salba seeds are hand-picked, and only the seeds with the highest nutrient density are harvested and replanted. The result? Higher quantities of the quality nutrients you need and guaranteed consistency from crop to crop. When you choose Salba, you choose quality of life."

Tip:  Use a funnel, but be sure to pour out enough water from the bottle so that the funnel spout does not touch the water.  The seeds get a gelatinous coating as soon as they hit the water, and you don't want the funnel clogging up.  Add about 1 tablespoon to 25 ounces of water--and start shaking to keep the seeds separate.  Shake for about a minute.  And then shake the bottle before you take each sip, to suspend the chia in the water.  You'll quickly get the hang of it!

This ancient seed is the highest plant source of omega-3s, and it's also loaded with fiber (soluble & insoluble), antioxidants, protein, calcium, and a laundry list of other vitamins & minerals. 

If you've read Christopher McDougall's best-selling book, Born to Run, about the fit & healthy Tarahumara barefoot runners you know what a nutrition powerhouse the chia seed is.  McDougall likens chia water to "drinking a smoothie of wild salmon, spinach and human growth hormone".  Not at all sure about its human growth hormone similarities!

To learn more about all the benefits of drinking chia water,  click here for Christina Pirello's article about chia.   And a big thank you to reader M.L. for sending Pirello's article this way.  If the Tarahumara Indians sound familiar to you, it's because they are Dr. Esselstyn's poster children for zero heart disease--thanks to their plant-based diet of squash, corn, and beans.  Now I'm wondering how much a role chia has contributed to their stellar health.  That is until Western food made its way into their once hidden Copper Canyons--bringing along diabetes, obesity, & heart disease.

Excerpt about chia from McDougall's Born to Run:

"...after I satisfied my hunger and thirst with some iskiate, I at once felt new strength, and, to my own astonishment, climbed the great height without much effort.   After this I always found iskiate a friend in need, so strengthening and refreshing that I may almost claim it as a discovery."  (written by the great Norwegian explorer, Carl Lumholtz in the 1890's)

Months later, I'd (Chris McDougall) learn that iskiate is otherwise know as chia fresca--"Chilly chia."  It's brewed up by dissolving chia seed in water with a little sugar and a squirt of lime. 

In terms of nutritional content, a tablespoon of chia is like a smoothie made from salmon, spinach, and human growth hormone.

As tiny as those seeds are, they're superpacked with omega-3s, omega-6s protein, calcium, iron, zinc, fiber, and antioxidants.

If you had to pick just one desert-island food, you couldn't do much better than chia, at least if you were interested in building muscle, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease; after a few months of the chia diet, you could probably swim home.

Chia was once so treasured, the Aztecs used to deliver it to their king in homage.  Aztec runners used to chomp chia seeds as they went into battle, and the Hopis fueled themselves on chia during their epic runs from Arizona to the Pacific Ocean.

Despite its liquid-gold status, chia is ridiculously easy to grow; if you own a Chia Pet, in fact, you're only a few steps away from your own batch of devil drink.

So there you have it!  This week's new additions to my adventures in healthy eating.

• No need to miss out on meeting friends & family at restaurants.  Call ahead, ask questions, find out what you can eat that's plant-based, and prepared without oil.  And bottom line:  The goal is getting together with friends & family.  Don't decline invitations.  Make it work.
• NEVER MISS A MEAL.  Carbs are our number one primary fuel supply--and our brain's only fuel supply is carbohydrate glucose.  Keep the fuel tank filled by eating something about every 3 hours.  Unrefined carbs provide a nice slow drip of fuel.  Besides, small meals create less oxidative stress.
• Nut butter lovers might consider PB2 as a serious stand-in.
• Chia Fresca--for a daily omega-3 energizing drink!   And try chia seeds sprinkled on the higher omega-6 carbs, like oatmeal or rice to balance out their omega-6 content.  It's like eating mini-sesame seeds--great texture--no taste.

My Esselstyn Plant-Based Diet Trial Results Are In. Understanding the Numbers and Why No Oil or Nuts Makes Sense. Think Weight Loss, Lowering the Omega-6s, Healthy Arteries, and Energy

My Lipid Profile on a Mediterranean Diet, a Plant-Based with Olive Oil & Nuts Diet, and a Plant-Based No Oil & Nuts Diet

 

To read my 15 month follow-up to this post (8/23/11), be sure to read:  Fifteen Months Into the Esselstyn-Style Plant-Based No-Oil Way of Eating - The Healthy Librarian Spills the Beans - And It's All Good! Can't Wait to Compare Notes with Bill Clinton on Saturday.

Sorry for the delay in posting my Esselstyn trial results.  I just haven't had a chance to post until today--between visiting my sister & brother-in-law in HOT HOT Cincinnati--and of course, going to work!

So there you have it!  No earth-shattering changes in the numbers to my non-cardiologist's eye. 

Except for one big change that doesn't show itself on lipid tests!   According to Dr. Esselstyn, the most important change is in what I am eating, and how it affects my blood vessels.   When you eat plant-based without added oils or nuts--that are also high in inflammatory omega-6s--your blood is no longer sticky.   

The no-added oils along with the high anti-oxidant content of the 9-11 fruits & vegetables I'm eating daily is keeping my LDLs "fluffy & puffy", and keeping them from embedding themselves into my blood vessel linings, laying down plaque, and creating foam cells--the "Darth Vader" of heart disease.  It's as simple as that---well, maybe that's not so simple.

The changes not shown on the lipid profile:  A 5 lb weight loss that I never expected; my clothes are much looser; my blood pressure is a consistent low normal; and my energy level is higher than ever!  I don't need to count calories and I eat whenever I'm hungry.  My GI system is amazing!  And I hesitate to mention this very subjective benefit--but any subtle stiffness I sometimes have in my lower back has disappeared, and as a result I'm now able to do yoga poses I've never been able to do--like under the leg binds--and there is an improved hip flexibility that allows me to make deeper seated forward bends and more fluid position changes.  Could it be the anti-inflammatory effect of lowered omega-6s now that I've ditched the oil & nuts?  I know, now this really is sounding like snake oil!  But, hey,  a recent article in the American Journal of Physiology showed a correlation between trunk flexibility & arterial health, as strange as that might sound.  Click here for an explanation.

Calling Dr. Esselstyn - So, What about My LDL That Didn't Budge?

As soon as I got my test results I emailed Dr. Esselstyn to get his opinion.  So, my HDLs went down.  I didn't want that to happen.  My LDLs were basically unchanged, my triglycerides went down, all together bringing my total cholesterol to under 200 for the first-time in my life.   But I still was slightly disappointed.  I had expected more.  Like giant drops in my LDLs.  Because I was a 100% no-cheating perfect research subject.  Where was the reward for my efforts?

 

L-R Nephew, Brother-in-law, Me, Hubby, & Sis About to Order Dinner at a Cincy Veg-Friendly Restaurant When Dr. Esselstyn Called to Discuss My Test Results

The Chef Recommended the Poblano Black Bean Mole on Rice--no oils, all plant-based!

So there I am sitting in a Cincinnati restaurant about to order my no-oil heart healthy dinner, when my husband says, "I think your phone is ringing!"   It's Dr. Esselstyn, just back from Costa Rica,  calling to weigh in on my lipid results.

Bottom Line:  I'm doing a great job.  As long as I'm not eating any animal protein, oils, or nuts that can damage my blood vessels, and I'm eating plenty of vegetables & fruits (along with legumes & whole grains) that are nipping any free-radicals in the bud, my over-100 LDLs are just not relevant!  I'm not putting anything into my body that will cause those nasty "Darth Vader" foam cells to form, and wreak havoc. 

Some people just have higher LDLs.  It's my genetics--so I just need to eat the kind of foods that will continue to keep them "fluffy & puffy" and out of my "sub-endothelial space" (blood vessel linings).   Dr. Esselstyn said, "Sure, if I cared about numbers I could take a small-dose of a statin (and he wouldn't recommend it) and lower them further, but it's not necessary, as long as I continue to eat as I have been."   So there, you have it!   

What about the HDL drop?  As for the drop in my HDLs, Dr. Esselstyn isn't bothered by that either.  Eating olive oil & nuts can cause HDLs to rise--and it doesn't translate into healthy blood vessels.   Dr. Lawrence Rudel found that out when he fed African green monkeys olive oil with their meals for 5 years.  Their HDLs were nice and high, and he expected beautiful arteries as a result.  Not exactly.  When he autopsied the monkeys, they had just as much plaque formation and artery disease as their saturated fat eating counterparts.  A few years back there was a statin being tested that drove HDLs up and lowered LDLs.  The perfect drug.  Turns out it was never marketed because some patients died.  The numbers looked good, but it never touched the heart disease.

From Dr. Lawrence Rudel of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center:  Rudel ran a five year study feeding  olive oil and saturated fat to African Green monkeys.  The monkeys metabolize fat in the same way as humans, so they're good stand-ins.. At the end of five years, their autopsies showed that the monkeys who were fed olive oil had higher HDLs (the good cholesterol) and lower LDLs (the bad cholesterol) than the ones fed the saturated fat diet.  The big surprise here:  Both groups had exactly the same amount of coronary artery disease.  The higher HDLs & lower LDLs of the olive oil group were meaningless.  Rudel later repeated the study on rodents, and got the same results.   Read more about the olive oil paradox here.  "I'm Going to Miss My Olive Oil - Who Knew It Wasn't So Healthy After All?  Drs. Esselstyn, Ornish, Rudel, and Vogel Did."

Remember what Dr. Esselstyn told me two weeks ago, before I ever received my test results?

So what if my numbers don't go as low as I'm hoping they'll go? 

Dr.  Esselstyn stressed that the health of my blood vessels is dependent upon what I'm eating--in spite of the numbers.  If I'm really eating 100% plant-based, no-oil, all whole grain, very heavy on the greens, beans, fruits, & legumes--no problem!  He says my blood vessels should be thanking me by now. 

Turns out, even the Tarahumara Indians, who had no heart disease to speak of--had LDL levels from 80-115--and some had HDLs as low as 26--the kind of numbers that might make a cardiologist pull out a prescription pad.  They were eating only beans, squash, & corn--not a bit of oil.  Their LDLs were the light fluffy kind and they weren't causing a bit of damage.  And their lower HDLs weren't a problem either, because the Tarahumara's weren't eating anything that was going to turn their LDLs into the small dense dangerous bad guys.   If you aren't eating any inflammatory endothelial-damaging foods like fats, oils, and animal products---and you're loading up on high anti-oxidant greens you've reached the most important goal of all!  Your numbers will probably reflect this--but don't worry if they don't.

If you'd like to learn more about the day-long session I attended with Dr. Caldwell & Ann Esselstyn in June 2010 and my Esselstyn-style cooking adventures visit the following posts:

Oops! Take It From Me - Half Dietary Measures to Lower Your Cholesterol Will Result in Half Measure Improvements

The Great Kitchen Cholesterol Clean-Up - Parchment Paper, the No-Oil Saute, and Munching on the Top Cholesterol-Cutting Foods

What I Learned From Dr. Caldwell and Ann Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease "School"

Week Two on Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's Heart Disease Prevention/Reversal Diet Challenge. The Rules, Tips, and Tricks to Enjoy Plant-Based Oil-Free Eating

Can a Plant-Based No-Added-Fat Diet Survive "Real Life"? My Fourth of July Trial on the Esselstyn Diet - House Guests, Restaurants, Road Trips, and Dinner with Friends. Let the Numbers Speak for Themselves.

Everyone Can Do This! Breakfast & Lunch on the Esselstyn Plant-Based No-Oil Diet Challenge. Fast, Hearty, Healthy and Delicious.

Some Q & A about the Esselstyn Diet Challenge. Why Do It? What about Oil & Fat-Soluble Vitamins? What About Omega-3s? And My Top Recipe Picks of Week Three

Plant-Based Eating Confusion! Omega-3s, Omega-6s, Glycemic Index, ORAC Index and More. A Picture, a Chart, and the ANDI Rankings Help Clear the Confusion.

Final Week on the Esselstyn Plant-Based No-Added Oil Diet Trial. What's Changed? What Have I Learned? Tips and This Week's Favorite Recipes

My Esselstyn Plant-Based Diet Trial Results Are In. Understanding the Numbers and Why No Oil or Nuts Makes Sense. Think Weight Loss, Lowering the Omega-6s, Healthy Arteries, and Energy

More from the Healthy Librarian's Plant-Based Kitchen Lab: The Restaurant Scene, Staying Fueled, PB2 the Nut Butter Substitute, and Chia Fresca for Omega-3s

Wolf Blitzer's Interview with Bill Clinton's Diet Gurus, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr. Dean Ornish - What the Interview Didn't Have Time to Explain about How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease with a Plant-Based Diet

Painless Calorie Restriction for People Who Love to Eat - Lessons for Health, Longevity, and Disease Prevention from the NIH CALERIE Study

Follow One of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's Patients - Q & A on the First Three Months of a Diet to Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease

My Favorite Healthy Kitchen Pantry Staples: For Quick, Easy & Delicious Plant-Based/Vegan Meals

 

My Light Bulb Moment - Why Oil & Nuts Are Out of My Diet

I've written about this on earlier posts but now more than ever it's clear to me that all the vegetable oils (including olive & canola oil), all the nuts (yes, even almonds, peanut butter, & walnuts), and all the animal proteins (especially grain-fed) are our highest sources of omega-6s--a key factor that's responsible for creating heart disease, obesity, and a whole host of other diseases.   How had I missed this important fact? 

Yes, we need a healthy balance of omega-6s, but they are so plentiful, the trick is to lower them as much as possible, so the healthy omega-3s have a chance to "enter" our cells.  The goal is an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 1:1 or 2:1.  Most of us in the U.S. are about 17:1.

OK enough of the explanation!  A big thank you to the readers who have recently sent me some eye-opening links to bring the point home---too many omega-6s can slow your metabolism, cause belly fat to accumulate, make you sluggish, and cause you to gain weight!  Who needs that?

Susan Allport (I've written about her research here & included her totally cool video) is a science writer on a mission.  To prove her point that omega-3s rule, and too many omega-6s don't--she set out to eat a diet loaded with omega-6's for thirty days.  It looks like anyone's idea of a healthy diet--oatmeal & low-fat milk, tuna salad with mayo, almonds, peanut butter, salad with dressing, grain-fed chicken & fish.  Read her fascinating story below.  Thanks to M.L. for sending it my way!  

Also, read Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD's summary of Allport's experiment.  Case Study: 30-days of High Omega-6 Diet Stiffens Arteries and Increases Belly Fat.

I recommend you explore Allport's website, read her book, The Queen of Fats, and her article in Prevention Magazine.  I don't agree with her use of canola, olive oil, walnuts, grass-fed milk & meat, but I agree with the principle of lowering omega-6s.  When you see the chart below, and look at the spreadsheet link to the omega-6 content of common foods you can come to your own conclusions.

To give you a better idea of the high omega-6 content in oils & nuts, take a quick look at this chart and the link to the spread sheet sent to me by a reader.    Be sure to check out these 2 very helpful posts on the Fanatic Cook.  The author, Bix Weber, has created a clear graph that helps you to see where omega-6s lurk.   These 2 posts of his will explain the negative effects of a diet too high in omega-6, and how vegans can get enough omega-3 without eating fish.  Thanks to H.R. for pointing out this site.  For a more complete spreadsheet that compares the Omega-3 and Omega-6 content of common foods, created by the Fanatic Cook, click here. 

Important Note: Not all tofu's are created alike.  NaSoya's Low-Fat extra firm tofu is very low in omega-6s & in other analyses grain-fed farmed fish comes out very high in omega-6s.

 

Click on the graph to enlarge it.
      
Omega-6 Me: One woman’s journey to the dark side of the American food supply.

Why would anyone put herself on a diet associated with weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and depression?   by Susan Allport

That’s the question I asked myself as I sped east on Route 84, on my way to the University of Connecticut. There, I would spend the night and undergo a series of tests before beginning this experimental meal plan.

For the next month, I was planning to eat a diet with a gross imbalance of the two essential fats: omega-3s and omega-6s, fats that are called leaf fats and seed fats because omega-3s originate in the green leaves of plants and omega-6s are much more abundant in seeds. These two fats, both of which are polyunsaturates, are currently grouped together in most health recommendations, including the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. But evidence is mounting that a balance between them is critical for good health.

The leaf fats, omega-3s, are the more dynamic of these fats. They speed up the activity of cells and are concentrated, not surprisingly, in all our most active tissues: brains, eyes, hearts, sperm. They originate in green leaves -- including phytoplankton, the microscopic green leaves of the ocean -- and accumulate in animals that eat green leaves: fish, of course, as well as grass fed cows and other animals.

Omega-6s, the seed fats, are slightly less dynamic and much more inflammatory. They help animals fight infections and store fat for the winter. In excess – as in the American diet and the diet I was planning to go on – they’ve been implicated in everything from obesity to heart disease; cancer to Alzheimer’s and other mental disorders. 

And that was what was worrying me. How much damage would I do to myself in a month?  How much weight would I put on? I’ve spent much of my adult life trying to find that happy combination of foods that keeps me slim without dieting; healthy and energetic without an unhealthy obsession with food. Now, I would be throwing all that hard earned knowledge away.

Six years ago, when I began writing about omega-3s and paying attention to the balance of omega-3s and omega-6s in my diet, the pounds fell off and I could maintain a healthy weight  without any effort. Now, I would be shifting the balance of those fats in my diet – and my tissues.

 
To the casual observer, the foods in my experimental diet would look just like my normal fare: lots of whole grains, nut butters, vegetables, fruits, lean meats, fish, and salads. But they would differ in a small way that I, and a growing number of scientists, know to be very important: the fats I would cook with; the oils I would dress my salads with would be vegetable (or seed) oils that are very rich in omega-6s, oils such as safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oil, oils that constitute most of the added fats in the American food supply.

Omega-3s and omega-6s compete for positions in our cells, as scientists have known since the 1950s, such that anyone consuming a diet too rich in omega-6s (and that would be me) would have fewer omega-3s in all of her tissues – no matter if she continued to eat fish. Americans consume 10 times as many omega-6s as they do omega-3s, according to the Agricultural Research Service. And it is that imbalance – not the amount of fish we eat—that is causing us to be deficient in omega-3s, the scientists who study these fats realize. A healthy balance is on the order of 4:1.

So why was I doing this? Because no one, as far as I know, had ever done it before – and the results might just convince a few skeptics that the balance of omega-6s to omega-3s is really important. No one has ever taken an individual with healthy amounts of omega-3s in her tissues, and then switched her to a diet high in omega-6s – while monitoring the results.

This is very different from putting people with large amounts of omega-6s in their tissues on a high omega-3 diet – something researchers do all the time by giving fish oil to average Americans. Because we store large amounts of omega-6s (but not omega-3s) in our fat tissue, it can take years to see the benefits of those omega-3s. So the results of many of those studies have been equivocal or confusing. And it is very different from giving omega-6s to someone whose diet – and tissues are already laden with these fats (the case with most Americans), a change that would have very little effect.

But going in the opposite direction might be very quick, I hypothesized. If animals, as I have suggested in my book The Queen of Fats, use the differences between omega-3s and omega-6s to prepare for the changing seasons—for periods of activity and reproduction when the faster fats of green leaves are available and periods of hunkering down and survival when the slower fats of seeds are more abundant, then the response to a high omega-6 diet would have to be pretty quick if it was going to be useful.  This is why I volunteered to omega-6 myself for 30 days, and this is what I thought I might show.

The scientists I told about this project were enthusiastic (it was my body, after all, not theirs’!). Doug Bibus, a worldwide authority on fats at the University of Minnesota, agreed to test my blood on a daily basis with his home omega-3 kit (www.omega3test.com) and monitor how the omega-3s and omega-6s changed over the course the month. Bibus also put me in touch with Jeff Volek, an associate professor in the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut, who offered to measure my resting metabolic rate, the amount of energy my body expended at rest, before and after the diet. He suggested running a number of other tests that his lab performs routinely, as well.

And so I was driving up to the University of Connecticut on the night before the diet would begin.  Volek has all his subjects spend the night on campus, and fast for 12 hours, in order to minimize the noise, or day-to-day variation, in the resting metabolic test. The next morning, I was woken at 6:15 am by a call from one of Volek’s graduate students, Dan Freidenreich, who drove me the short distance from the inn to the Gampel Pavilion, which houses Volek’s lab, as well as the stadium where the indomitable Huskies play. Dan left me in the car while he fetched a wheelchair to transport me to my first stop: a cot in a small, darkened room. The idea was that I should exert myself as little as possibly before the test of RMR, or resting metabolic rate. By these careful measures, Volek has greatly reduced this test’s day-to-day variation.

Dan weighed me and then I lay down and fell promptly back asleep. In half an hour, he woke me and covered me with a plastic tent-like contraption that would measure all the oxygen I would consume over the next thirty minutes, in a relaxed but wakeful state. Each liter of O2 consumed, Volek later explained, was the equivalent of about 5 calories. A woman my weight and height might be expected to have a resting metabolic rate of about 1367 calories a day.

Next up was the blood draw – five vials that would be divided at the end of the month between Volek and Bibus. And then a body composition scan using a state-of-the-art dual-energy X-ray machine to determine the amount, and distribution, of fat and lean tissue throughout my entire body. (I was dressed in a hospital gown for this test, but had never felt so naked.)

The scan was followed by an ultrasound of the artery in my arm (the brachial artery) and an assessment of how well this artery responded to an increase in flow—what scientists call sheer stress. This test, called Flow-Mediated Vasodilation, was developed in the 1990s and is a good measure of overall vascular health and a good predictor of the risk of developing atherosclerosis, hypertension and heart failure.
Omega-6s have been implicated in all these conditions (because of their inflammatory nature and because they also increase blood pressure and promote blood clotting and constriction of the blood vessels), and Volek thought it would be interesting to see if my month-long diet would produce a change in my arteries. I doubted it, but was impressed by how quickly I was taken through this, and all the tests. Each was conducted by a different graduate student, highly trained in his or her particular assay.

 
The morning ended with breakfast at the inn where I had stayed. I ordered scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast, something my omega-3 self would rarely ask for in restaurant. Eggs are high in omega-3s when they are laid by chickens that forage for greens and insects—or chickens that have been fed a high omega-3 diet, such as flax and fish meal. But commercial eggs, of the kind that would be served in a restaurant, are sure to be high in omega-6s. The chickens that laid them are sure to have been fed on corn and soy.

And thus this month of omega-6 eating began.

I won’t bore you with the details of every meal, but here are the kinds of changes I made:

For breakfast:

Instead of my usual cereal (whole grain flakes with flax seed), I had either oatmeal or a whole grain cereal --without flax seed. Instead of the 1% milk I usually bought, from grass fed cows, I now bought 1% milk from grain fed cows. On those days when I didn’t eat cereal, I had either eggs (commercial ones, of course) with whole grain toast or toast with peanut butter. My omega-3 self would have always spread Smart Balance peanut butter on this toast, made with flax oil and peanuts. For this diet, though, I bought freshly ground peanut butter, which is high in omega-6s, from the health food store. The other foods I always had at breakfast, bananas, grapefruit juice, and tea, remained the same.

For lunch

I often had a sandwich and a bowl of soup – or a salad of arugula from my garden. When it was a peanut butter and banana sandwich, I made it with the whole peanut butter. When it was tuna fish, I made it with a mayonnaise made with soybean oil, instead of my usual canola-oil based mayonnaise. Canola, like flax and walnuts, are three seeds that happen to be rich in omega-3s, and all play a big part in my normal diet. My usual salad dressing is made of lemon juice, mustard, and a mixture of canola and extra virgin olive oils. For this diet, though, I dressed my salads with a mixture of safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils.

For dinner:

Dinner was usually lots of vegetables or salad, accompanied by chicken, fish, pasta, or a baked potato. When I ate at home, I always used my mixture of high omega-6 oils as the cooking fat. When I ate out, I made the assumption that the restaurant also used one or more of these  oils—because they tend to be less expensive and more shelf stable than oils that are high in omega-3s.  I also made the assumption that the meats and fish they served were from grain fed rather than wild or grass fed animals. These assumptions probably overestimated the amount of omega-6s in my experimental diet --because many restaurants do, in fact, use canola oil for cooking, but it allowed me to eat out during this month. Fish was on my menu, at least twice a week, as recommended by the AHA, and I usually had wine or beer with dinner. Dessert was often fruit, though sometimes ice cream or a piece of chocolate.  I snacked throughout most days on fruit, raisins, and almonds --instead of my usual, omega-3 rich walnuts.
It wasn’t an unhealthy diet – by most people’s standards, and it certainly wasn’t a supersize me diet. I knew it would be easy to put on five pounds from a month’s worth of eating fast food, as Morgan Spurlock had shown. But I wanted to see what would happen if I just switched the balance of omega-6s and omega-3s in my diet. What would happen if I kept the quantity, and the kind, of food the same, but just changed the essential oils?

 
Most medical organizations, as I’ve said, wouldn’t see anything harmful in this change, but a large number of scientists believe that our reliance on cheap, high omega-6 vegetable oils is the underlying cause of many of our health problems. Both omega-3s and omega-6s are essential: we can’t make them ourselves and must consume them in our diet. But a balance between them creates tissues with just the right amount of speed and activity, inflammation and blood flow. Ever since vegetable oil consumption began to skyrocket in the 1950s (replacing butter and lard) so has the incidence of inflammatory diseases, such as heart disease, and metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes.

  
My temporary shift to a high omega-6 diet didn’t result in any of these diseases (I hope), but I did experience an almost immediate thickening in my belly area.  I know from the literature that omega-6s promote the development of fat tissue; still I was amazed it was happening to me. I didn’t weigh myself during the diet since I feared that any weight gain might send me on a secret, subversive diet, but I felt sure that I was putting on pounds. Any other symptoms were more fleeting and hard to attribute to diet alone. My stomach felt on fire after several meals, and I flushed more and longer after drinking alcohol. My husband thought my body smell was different; and I was short of breathe on several of my daily walks.
Flash forward 30 days, and I was thrilled to be at the end of my diet.  By the time I returned to the University of Connecticut, I had a large, unpleasant wad of belly fat that I could grab in one hand. I was certain I had gained at least 5 pounds. I was shocked, therefore, when Dan picked me up in the morning, and then weighed me, before the follow up tests began. I couldn’t believe it when he said that my weight was exactly as it had been a month before – 56 kilograms or 124 pounds.

 
Could I have been wasting everyone’s time? I wondered as I laid down on the cot to prepare for the test. And then I fell back asleep. My worries, apparently, were no match for the warmth of the room and the early hour.

Omega-6 Belly Fat Backlash.  Later that morning – after all the tests were completed, I learned from Volek just how profound the changes to my body had been. Yes, my weight was almost the same, but what weight I had gained – 5.6 ounces or just under half a pound – was almost entirely fat and in my abdominal area, as the follow-up body scan showed – exactly as I had experienced it. Just as interesting, and the cause, perhaps, of this gain, was that my resting metabolic rate had fallen, by an intriguing five percent. This drop was within the day-to-day variation for this test (6.2%), but it was in the direction predicted by the diet and the magnitude to explain my small gain in weight.

 
Omega-6 weight gain.  In just one month, it seems, I had reduced the number of calories I needed to maintain my body at rest by 5%, the equivalent of 76 calories. This may not sound like a lot, but over time, those calories – the amount in a one-ounce piece of mozzarella, for example, or eleven whole almonds—would add up. If I didn’t reduce my food intake in order to compensate for this decrease (go on a diet, in other words), I would put on a pound in about 46 days; 8 pounds in a year.  And this 5% drop in metabolic rate was after just one month. What if I kept to this high omega-6 diet for six months? Or a year? A lifetime as most Americans do? Would my metabolic rate continue to fall?

Stiff Arteries.  The change in resting metabolic rate wasn’t all.  At the same time my RMR was falling, my arteries were becoming stiffer, or less able to expand and contract, as revealed by the follow-up ultrasound. In just 30 days, the amount of dilation my brachial artery was capable of had dropped by 22%, a change much larger than the day-to-day variation of this test. The direction of this change was also predicted by what is known about omega-6s, but the amplitude surprised everyone involved in this project.

 
In the coming weeks, these findings from Volek’s lab were backed up by the results of the blood tests, analyzed by Bibus in Minnesota. At the same time my metabolic rate was decreasing and my arteries were becoming stiffer, the omega-6s in my red blood cells (and therefore the rest of my body) were increasing and the amount of omega-3s were falling – dramatically and precipitously.

Omega-3 Drops. In just ten days, the total amount of omega-3s in my red blood cells had dropped from 10% to 6%. The amount of omega-6s had risen from 21% to 29%. The substitutions continued during the last twenty days of my diet, but the biggest change was almost immediate, as I thought it might be.  The omega-3s in my cells were quickly being replaced by seed fats, as I find it helpful to think of them, fats that change with the seasons for most animals, but that Americans eat, and overeat, all year long.

I’m glad to be back on my normal diet and hope that my month-long experiment in high omega-6 living helps readers to understand these fats. It would be easy to poke holes in this experiment, I realize. I am only one subject and anything but random. It would be easy to wait until this experiment was repeated on a larger scale. But wouldn’t it be prudent to make the small changes in your diet that will lead to a healthy, year-round balance of these fats in your tissues. Your cells will know the difference – even if most doctors currently do not – and your body will thank you.   




Susan Allport is a science writer and author of The Queen of Fats: Why Omega-3s were removed from the Western diet and what we can do to replace them (University of California Press, 1996).

 

 

My Three Favorite Recipes This Week - Recipes Tomorrow, Maybe!

 

My Oil-Free Adaptation of Veganomicon's Spaghetti and Italian Beanballs

 

From Dr. Neal Barnard's New Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook - Three-Layer Tortilla Casserole

 

Soba Noodle Cabbage Red Pepper Beef-Less Stir Fry

 

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Some Q & A about the Esselstyn Diet Challenge. Why Do It? What about Oil & Fat-Soluble Vitamins? What About Omega-3s? And My Top Recipe Picks of Week Three

My No-More-Olive-Oil Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Click here to go to the web version of this post if you received it via email.  Get links & photos.

My three-week-no-oil-plant-based Esselstyn Diet Trial ended yesterday. 

But, You'll Have to Wait Until Next Week for the Lipid Test Results

I was lucky enough to get my "gate-keeper" physician to write an order for a new lipid panel, but since I know I probably won't be able to have another one taken for five more years, I want to make sure that this one will accurately reflect my diet changes.  If I were on statins, they'd want to check me every year.

So, after talking to Dr. Esselstyn, I decided to wait one more week to have  my blood work taken.  And frankly I'm not in any hurry, because I'm now so used to this eating style that I'm finding it easier & easier to do, not to mention, delicious.

It's Not A Numbers Game - It's All About What You're Eating

Yesterday I also had a chance to ask Dr. Esselstyn a few of the questions that readers have been asking me.

So what if my numbers don't go as low as I'm hoping they'll go? 

Dr.  Esselstyn stressed that the health of my blood vessels is dependent upon what I'm eating--in spite of the numbers.  If I'm really eating 100% plant-based, no-oil, all whole grain, very heavy on the greens, beans, fruits, & legumes--no problem!  He says my blood vessels should be thanking me by now. 

Turns out, even the Tarahumara Indians, who had no heart disease to speak of--had LDL levels from 80-115--and some had HDLs as low as 26--the kind of numbers that might make a cardiologist pull out a prescription pad.  They were eating only beans, squash, & sweet potatoes--not a bit of oil.  Their LDLs were the light fluffy kind and they weren't causing a bit of damage.  And their lower HDLs weren't a problem either, because the Tarahumara's weren't eating anything that was going to turn their LDLs into the small dense dangerous bad guys.   If you aren't eating any inflammatory endothelial-damaging foods like fats, oils, and animal products---and you're loading up on high anti-oxidant greens you've reached the most important goal of all!  Your numbers will probably reflect this--but don't worry if they don't. 

Number One Reader Question.  My Cholesterol is Just Fine.  My Weight's Fine, I Exercise, and I Eat a Healthy Mediterranean Diet.  Why in the World Would I Need to Eat This Way?

Short Answer from Dr. Esselstyn:  Unless you are one of the lucky few and none of your relatives have ever had vascular disease and they all lived to be a healthy 100, then you more than likely already have some degree of vascular disease.  Unless, of course you've been eating like the Papua New Guinea Highlanders or the Tarahumara Indians all your life.

There are countless autopsy studies (click here for a few) of young adults from age 15-34 showing that everyone who eats our Western diet has heart disease.  It's a given. 

If you eat a healthier Mediterranean diet with olive oil, fish & chicken you're better off than someone who is eating cheeseburgers & fries--and you may be able to put off the likelihood of getting those nasty imperceptible tiny strokes (Dr. Megan Cleary of California examined over 11,000 MRIs of the brains of 50 year olds & found many had tiny white spots that indicated that they had unknowingly experienced tiny, imperceptible strokes.  These "brain attacks" have the same history and cause as heart attacks), heart disease or vascular problems until your mid-70s or 80s--but just think about spending your last years in a wheelchair, immobile, befuddled, and mute--or think about the erectile dysfunction, slowed mobility, balance and cognitive  problems that are all caused by impaired circulation and could be prevented. 

And then there's a whole host of other problems, like diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, constipation, and some cancers that could be avoided if you changed your diet.  Not to mention the side effects to all the medications you'll likely end up taking to keep heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, aortic valve stenosis, and erectile dysfunction at bay.  Diet can do a much better job.

Consider the email I received from a reader who thought he was doing everything right.  And then read about middle-aged fitness cyclist Michael Bicks who also thought he was doing everything right.  "Not a Moment Too Soon I Thought of Tim Russert" click here."   

Dear Dr. Esselstyn, I'm writing at the suggestion of  "The Healthy Librarian" who told you about my success with your diet (I've enjoyed the Engine 2 Diet as well). 

 

As I mentioned to her, in August 2007 I had quadruple bypass surgery.  I was actually fortunate.  I'd had no symptoms (apart from an unusual sensation in my chest when I exercised), "normal" cholesterol (180-200), and no real family history.  I was not overweight and had long eaten a low- to non-fat diet.

When I left the hospital, which is affiliated with a prominent medical school, they told me didn't need to change my diet in any way.  In addition to my PCP, I see an expert in the treatment of cholesterol.  She's told me that she can't explain why I developed heart disease.

Since my surgery, I've followed your diet fairly rigorously.  In March my scores were total cholesterol of 64, triglycerides 29, HDL 32 and LDL 26.  Needless to say, I am gratified and relieved. 

In addition to the diet, I had been taking 40 mg/day of Lipitor; since March that has been reduced to 20 mg/day.  I also take 1000 mg of Niaspan/day. 

I realize these medications likely played some role in my low scores; however, since not everyone who takes them does so well, I assume my diet is the major factor.

Update as of 6/23/2010:   My cholesterol scores since reducing Lipitor by half are total 75, trigl. 31;, HDL 32, LDL 37.

My  only vice is avocado once or twice/week and low-non-fat dark chocolate (cocoa) powder in my coffee every day.  And I feel great!!

Me:  Here's what Dr. Robert Vogel has to say about the Mediterranean diet.

"The beneficial components...appear to be anti-oxidant rich foods, including vegetables, fruits, and their derivatives. Dietary fruits, vegetables and their products appear to provide some protection against the direct impairment of endothelial functions produced by high-fat foods, including olive oil." (Vogel study: a meal containing olive oil impairs blood flow & vasodilation by 31%--and that was in healthy men)

Number Two Reader Question.  I thought we needed oil to absorb fat soluble vitamins, like vitamin A.  How am I going to absorb them on a fat-free diet?

Esselstyn:  Why would you want eat your vegetables with blood vessel-damaging oil?  Besides, this isn't a fat-free diet.  It's a no-oil added diet.  All food has some amount of fat in them.  The Iowa State University study on vitamin absorption with full-fat salad dressing was sponsored by Proctor & Gamble.  Follow the money trail.  It's in their best interests if we continue to eat oil.  And besides, you rarely eat foods in isolation--there is always going to be some naturally occurring fat in your whole-grain pasta noodles, or beans--and whatever else you are eating with your vegetables. 

My brilliant observation:  Since I've been analyzing some of my daily food intake on "My Food Diary" I consistently notice that I am getting over 2000% (yes, you read that right) of my daily recommended intake of vitamin A.  So, even if I'm only going to absorb half of that because I'm not eating oily salad dressing, I think I can be assured that I'm getting more than enough of my vitamin A daily. 

If you're worried about getting enough fat with your salad, sprinkle some flax meal or chia seeds on top of it!

Esselstyn:  You can never "overdose" on the fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin A, if you are getting them from real food.  The body only takes what it needs from food.  But, if you are getting your vitamin A from a supplement you can put yourself at risk for taking in too much.  

Number Three Reader Question:  How can you get enough omega-3s if you aren't eating fish?

Esselstyn:  All omega-3s come from plants, originally.  Fish make their omega-3s by eating microscopic green plants--phytoplankton.  If you are eating farmed fish (like farmed salmon or tilapia) fed on grain, they aren't going to have any omega-3s.  If you're eating all your green leafy vegetables (along with legumes & berries) you'll be getting enough omega-3s.  Add in some daily flax meal, and you'll definitely get enough.

Me:  The best way to get "enough" omega-3s is to drastically lower your intake of inflammation-causing omega-6s found in most oils, animal products, and many nuts (walnuts excepted).  Americans have a sky-high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 17:1.  We need it to be at best, 1:1 or at least, 4:1.   It doesn't help to load up on omega-3 supplements if you aren't lowering your consumption of omega-6s.

This week's top 4 recipe picks.  Mediterranean Lentil Salad, Mexican Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Chia Pudding, and Blueberry Oatmeal Bean Pancakes.

My kitchen lab is open & I'm on a wild recipe roll--having a fun time taking my old-time favorite recipes and seeing if I can cut out the fat--and keep the taste in.  So far so good.  Of course, I kind of know which ones are going to work before I even start.

 

My Olive-Oil Free Mediterranean Lentil Salad ala Moosewood

Serves 4 generously

Quick version:

1 package of Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils (1 lb. 1.6 oz size)

Longer version:

1 cup brown or green lentils cooked with 4 cups of water, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp fresh thyme (1/2 tsp. dried), and 2 peeled garlic cloves.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat & simmer until tender, around 20 minutes.  Drain, discard bay leaves, remove & mash garlic & mix back into lentils.

The vegetables

1/3-1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water until softened, around 20 minutes.  Drained, and chopped.

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced red or yellow peppers

1/4 cup minced red onion (I omitted this--not a raw onion kind of gal)

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

The dressing

4 tablespoons of Olive Tap tangerine balsamic vinegar  (order some online)

1 lemon, juiced  (my husband came up with this addition)

1 tsp. ground fennel (this is the key ingredient--if you can't find ground fennel seed, grind up fennel seed in a coffee grinder)

1 rounded tsp. Dijon mustard

salt & ground pepper to taste

Add 2 minced garlic cloves if you are using TJs lentils

Add the thyme if you are using TJs lentils

Toss the drained lentils, or TJs cooked lentils in a bowl, with all the vegetables.

Whisk up all the dressing ingredients & mix into the lentil/vegetable mixture.

Serve immediately or chill.  Great on whole grain pita or wraps!

Worth Noting:  This was given high marks by my Traditional-Picky-Eater-Omnivore-Son!  Believe him.

Nutrition Facts Healthy Librarian's Oil-Free Mediterranean Lentil Salad
Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories	204
Total Fat	0.3g
Saturated Fat	0.1g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	488mg
Carbohydrate	38.5g
Dietary Fiber	11.8g
Sugars	11.9g
Protein	12.8g
Vitamin A 27% Vitamin C 107% Calcium    5% Iron 32%

Blueberry Oatmeal Bean Pancakes with Maple Syrup

My Cuisinart GreenGourmet Non-Stick Pan--It Really Works--Cleans Right Up

On Saturday morning my husband made us a batch of these nutrient dense pancakes.  Next time he plans to do a double batch, and either freeze or refrigerate the leftovers.

This Recipe Came from Ann Esselstyn, who got if from Dr. Neal Barnard

High Protein Oat Pancakes

Makes 10  4 inch pancakes

"Beans in pancakes!  That got my attention in Dr. Neal Barnard's Stop Diabetes.  These are GOOD!  Get Hain's Pure Foods Featherweight Baking Powder that is sodium free.

1 can cannellini or great Northern white beans drained & rinsed.

2 1/4 cups water

1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats

2 tablespoons maple syrup or sweetener of choice (optional)

1 heaping tablespoon ground flaxseed meal

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 or 2 teaspoons vanilla

About 1 cup of blueberries--add these to the pancakes as they cook.

For best results use a "real non-stick" pan, like my GreenGourmet.  Otherwise you may have to use a light-hand on the cooking spray.  My pan browned these with zero spray!

1.  Place beans & water in a blender & blend well.

2.  Add oats, syrup, flaxseed meal, baking powder, vanilla & blend until completely smooth, light and foamy.  We used our VitaMix.

3.  On a well-heated pan, over medium heat, pour about 1/3 cup of batter per 4 inch pancake. Add some blueberries to each pancake as it cooks.

4.  We found it took 4 minutes per side to get these very moist pancakes, cooked through.

5.  Watch carefully, keep warm in a low oven, covered with foil. 

6.  Serve with maple syrup.

Note:  The GreenGourmet looks like it might stick, but it doesn't, and it actually browned the pancakes. The dark spots are blueberries.  Cleans up like a dream.

Mexican Chocolate Mousse

Last summer my chocolate-loving friend Babs turned me on to Mark Bittman's so-called "healthy version" of chocolate mousse, made with tofu, real dark chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, and chili powder.  Amazing stuff! Click here for Bittman's version.

 I made this Esselstyn-approved version with cocoa, "lite tofu", agave, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper.  Amazing stuff!  Picky son gave it a rousing thumbs up!  Believe him.

Serves 3-4

Ann says: Be sure to MAKE this serve 3 or 4.  It is so good it is way too easy for it to serve just 1!

1 package "Lite" silken tofu (look for NaSoya brand if you want organic & non-GMO)  I used Mori-Nu for this recipe.

1/3 cup agave (what I used), or maple syrup  (I want to experiment with stevia & just a bit of agave to cut the sugar)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tsp. real vanilla

1 to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

A pinch of cayenne or more if you like heat.

Blend until smooth.  Use something powerful like a food processor or a blender.  It didn't work with a hand mixer.  Refrigerate 2 hours before use.  Spoon into small bowls & use small spoons.

Ann's variations:  Add 1/4 tsp peppermint extract & a garnish of a mint leaf.  Instead of agave or maple syrup use 2 TBS. of Raspberry syrup, 1 TBS honey, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries & blend.

 

Chocolate Chia Pudding--Omega-3s, Fiber & Taste

I love chocolate pudding!!!  But my Jello Sugar-Free Cooking Chocolate Pudding is now history.

When we were vacationing in Maine with our kids, my grandson was getting a little "irregular".  I had brought along a recipe for a single serving of "Chia Pudding" so we decided to see if he would like it, and if it would "move him along".

For those new to Chia, it gets a pleasant gelatinous covering when it's immersed in a liquid.  So, when you mix it up with a little hazelnut milk, some vanilla, & a sweetener like agave, you get a vanilla tapioca pudding in about 20 minutes.  Read all about Chia here.

By the way, the gorgeous grandson loved his chia pudding--and felt just great when it cured him of his "irregularity"

So...last night I decided to open my kitchen lab, and test out Chocolate Chia Pudding.

It worked!  Loved it!

2 TBS. whole white chia seed.  Black works, too.  But white is more appetizing.

1/3 to 1/2 cup "nut milk"  I like hazelnut, but almond or soy should work just fine.  I used 1/2 a cup.

1 to 2 tsp. sweetener like agave, or maple syrup.  I used one packet of stevia--the equivalent of 2 tsp. of sugar.  You could try 1/2 a packet.

1 Tablespoon of unsweetened, non-Dutched cocoa.

Heat up a couple of tablespoons of the milk in the microwave--because it's impossible to mix up cocoa in cold milk.  Mix the cocoa up into the hot milk to form a nice smooth paste.  Add the rest of the cold milk slowly, mixing well. 

Add the chia seeds and sweetener and stir well, making sure to submerge the chia. 

Allow it to sit 20-30 minutes, but stir once more after 5 minutes to prevent chia-clumping.

Stir again before serving.

Makes one delicious serving.  Next time I'm going to double the recipe.

Options:  Try it with pureed pumpkin.

More Winners Made This Week

 

Book Club Cheese-less Pizza on Brown Rice Crust

 

Falafel Burger with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus & Yukon Gold Fries

 

 Rip's Bok Choy with Gingered Mushrooms, Carrots and Soba Noodles

Everyone Can Do This! Breakfast & Lunch on the Esselstyn Plant-Based No-Oil Diet Challenge. Fast, Hearty, Healthy and Delicious.

 

 

Hearty Lentil Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Veggie Sandwich

"Just find a simple nutrient-packed hearty breakfast & lunch and you're two-thirds of the way home.  No-fat roasted red pepper hummus makes everything taste delicious! Ann Esselstyn is 100% right."

-The Healthy Librarian-

 

 

Click here to get to the web version with photos & links, if you've received this via email.

Right off the bat I have to tell you that I will get back to reporting on other topics soon!  I promise.  My three week Esselstyn plant-based no-fat diet trial ends on Monday--and soon after I'll get that lipid panel taken.  And I still haven't told you about the success story of Robert D.--one of Dr. Esselstyn's patients who spoke at our orientation session on June 18th.  It's a must-hear story!

There have been so many other interesting stories coming my way that I haven't had a chance to share:

• Dr. Ned & Sue Hallowell's  (remember him?) new book:  Married to Distraction, Restoring Intimacy and Strengthening Your Marriage in an Age of Interruption.  Computers, smart phones, Facebook, and a million & one other attention grabbers that constantly entice us & compete for our attention--to the detriment of our most important relationships.  And yes, I have to admit that blogging is a huge time-consumer!
  
• William Powers' new book:  Hamlet's BlackBerry:  A practical philosophy for building a good life in a digital age.   All about how the onslaught of technology is affecting to our brains, our relationships, and our well-being.
  
• The Endocrine Society's just published 66 page position statement on "Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy"  in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, July 2010 vol. 95, suppl. 1.  Rethinking the Women's Health Initiative.  HRT for the 50-55 years old set?  Yes, there really are some benefits.  (Remember this one?) (or this one?)
  
• Dr. Ken Fujioka's (remember him?) recent Medscape CME on "Obesity & Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: The Loaded Gun.  Think arthritis, asthma, sleep apnea, cancer, and depression.
  
• Parenting 101.  Some of the best parenting advice I've ever heard--from psychologists, Lisa Damour & Ethan Schafer.  What does a 3 year old have in common with a Las Vegas gambler--and why you need to know?   What about teen-agers?   My husband also caught this interview & loved it. 
  

Almost Three Weeks on a Plant-Based No-Added Oil Diet---So, How's It Going?

Honestly, I wasn't expecting to notice any changes in just three weeks time.  And I certainly wasn't expecting to notice any changes other than, hopefully, in my lipid numbers.  But, I've had some pleasant surprises:

• I've lost 3 pounds and I'm eating whenever I'm hungry.
• My clothes fit much better, or are much looser than one would expect after only a 3 pound weight loss.  No at all sure why.  My out-of-town sis, who was visiting last week sees big changes--I'm not so sure.
• I really have more energy--and it's not as if I wasn't eating a healthy diet or exercising before.  I'm up at 5:30 or 6:00 am & going strong until 11:00 or 11:30 pm--It's like gaining an hour each day.  No idea about this one.
• I'm getting better at figuring out which foods will keep me full & satisfied the longest--especially  after heavy exercise.  I've got the shopping list down, and have a frig stocked with on-the-fly eating options.  No more sudden feelings of, "I'm out of fuel.  Feed me fast!"  But, I'm definitely cooking a lot.
• The day I ate a sliced roasted golden beet for a snack I knew I had turned the corner.
• My-make-life-easy tip:  Roast beets (wrap in foil), sweet potatoes, and large onions (wrap in foil) ahead of time for easy meal prep.  Great in salads, wraps, or to just eat plain.  Those roasted onions make browning & caramelizing onions into a quick job.
• My post-dinner snacking-binge is a thing of the past.  Cherries, watermelon, a Wasa Light Rye cracker with a schmear of red pepper hummus does the job.  For the first time ever, after working late last night I didn't care to eat anything more than hummus on a Wasa when I got home.
• Downside: I can't fly out the door unprepared--but I never did before, anyway.  On a work day, I'm packing either a 6 cup hefty salad, a hefty sprouted grain tortilla wrap, a hefty sandwich, or leftovers from dinner--a green smoothie, a piece or 2 of fruit, and maybe some veggies & hummus.    Trust me, I'm not going hungry.  I do miss my Larabars, and it would be nice to be able to eat nut butters & a few walnuts.  Stay tuned for my new discovery, thanks to my niece, Jamie--powdered low-fat peanut butter to mix up with water.  She says it tastes just fine---I just want to know if the powdered version is actually healthy.  Bell Plantation PB2   Does anyone know?
• The best part of this diet is how nutrient-dense it is.  I'm focusing on the fruit, veggies, & beans.  Chock full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutritents, and fiber.

No Excuses--Anyone Can At Least Make a Healthy Breakfast & Lunch

Even if you don't like to cook--you can still make a healthy breakfast & lunch.

Even if you have small kids or a spouse who refuse to eat this way--you can still make yourself a healthy breakfast & lunch.

Even if you don't want to miss out on restaurant food, and dinner parties--you can still make yourself a healthy breakfast & lunch.

So Simple Over-Night Steel-Cut Oats & Berries

 

 

 

 

4 servings

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Steel-Cut Oats

2 cups of water

1 tsp. pumpkin pie or apple pie seasoning

1/2 cup sliced dried apple rings, like Mariani, cut them into smaller pieces

Optional:  1/4 cup of raisins or chopped up dates, or use other dried fruits.   I want to keep the sugar content down, so I stick to the apples.

1/2 a cup of soy, hazelnut, almond, or oat milk

Add the oats, water, and seasoning to a saucepan before you go to bed.  Cover it and let it sit out overnight.

In the morning, add about 1/2 cup of the "milk" to the pan, mix, and heat over medium heat until it starts to boil.  As soon as it starts to bubble, lower the heat to a simmer, and watch carefully.  It's done in 5-10 minutes--as soon as the liquid is absorbed.  Add more milk if you like a creamier consistency.

Top with fresh berries & 1 TBS. of flax meal.

Refrigerate leftovers, and enjoy 3 more breakfasts.  Just warm them up in the microwave.  I like to warm the berries, too, so they are soft.

If you like this sweeter, add a bit of maple syrup or agave--or make try adding raisins or dates as it soaks overnight.

Nutrition Facts Healthy Librarian's Steel cut oat with apples & blueberries
Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories	211
Total Fat	5.2g
Saturated Fat	0.8g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	17mg
Carbohydrate	37.9g
Dietary Fiber	6.9g
Sugars	6.6g
Protein	7.9g
Vitamin A 1% Vitamin C 2% Calcium    6% Iron 12%

 

 

Nutrient Dense Wrap with Sweet Potatoes, Mina's Black Beans & Rice, Tomatoes, & Spinach

 

1 large French Meadow or Ezekiel 4:9 brand sprouted grain tortilla  (French Meadow seems moister & more pliable to me)

1/4 of a large roasted sweet potato, smooshed

3-4 TBS of Sahara Cuisine fat & tahini free black bean dip

1/2 cup (more or less) of Mina's Easy Rice & Beans (see recipe is below)

Handful of spinach leaves

Handful of halved cherry tomatoes (about 5)

Mina's So Easy Black Beans & Rice  (make a double batch & keep in the fridge)

Use 2 cups of cooked brown rice (or one bag of Traders Joe's boxed frozen brown rice); 1/3 cup or more of Trader Joe's Spicy, Smoky, Peach Salsa; 1/3 cup or more of Trader Joe's Corn and Chile Tomato-less Salsa; and 1 can of rinsed Black Beans.  Eat warm or cold.  Wrap in a burrito or eat in a bowl or on top of salad greens.

Nutrition Facts for  Mina´s Sweet & Spicy Black Beans & R Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 148 Total Fat 0.4g       Saturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 535mg Carbohydrate 28.9g       Dietary Fiber 4.9g       Sugars 6g Protein 6.2g Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 12% Calcium    4% Iron 9%

Spread the middle of the tortilla with the bean dip.  Add the sweet potato, the rice & beans, the tomatoes, and spinach.  Add a thin line of Olive Tap Mandarin Orange Balsamic Vinegar on top of the spinach, if you like.  Roll tightly, squishing the ingredients towards you, into the wrap, as you roll--in order to make a nice tight wrap.

Hot Crispy option:  Heat in a preheated 450 degree oven for 10-11 minutes, until crisp

Take to work option:  Tightly wrap in foil without heating.  Take along a large piece of waxed paper, so you can transfer the foil-wrapped tortilla into the waxed paper for microwave heating.  Warm for about 1 minute.

Just How Hearty is the Sweet Potato Black Bean & Rice Veggie Wrap?

Nutrition Facts Healthy Librarian's Sweet Potato Black Bean & Rice Wrap
Serving Size: 1 recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories	394
Total Fat	3.9g
Saturated Fat	0.5g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	589mg
Carbohydrate	73.2g
Dietary Fiber	16.6g
Sugars	12.8g
Protein	17.4g
Vitamin A 419% Vitamin C 67% Calcium    14% Iron 33%

Hearty Lentil Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Veggie Sandwich

 

 

2 slices of toasted Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted bread

2 ounces of Sahara Cuisine No-Fat Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1/4 cup Trader Joe's (already cooked) Steamed Lentils (in refrigerater produce case)

1/4 cup sliced cucumbers

1/4 cup red pepper slices

5 sliced cherry tomatoes

Option:  add some hot Sriracha Chili Sauce or some chipotle peppers with adobe sauce into you hummus if you like heat & kick.  Add some basil or spinach leaves.

Just How Hearty Is This Sandwich?

 

Nutrition Facts Healthy Librarian's Lentil Hummus Sandwich Serving Size: 1 recipe Amount Per Serving Calories 276 Total Fat 1.1g       Saturated Fat 0g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 424mg Carbohydrate 53.3g       Dietary Fiber 13.3g       Sugars 4.3g Protein 17.5g Vitamin A 31% Vitamin C 139% Calcium    8% Iron 22%

 

My Work-Late Salad with Spicy Teriyaki Sauced Seitan

 

Love Love Love These Six Cup Stomach-Filling Salads

Step 1:  Brown up a package or 2 of seitan--the "wheat meat" and then add some Bone Suckin' Barbecue Sauce (Thicker style) or my new fave--Dragunara Spicy Teriyaki Sauce, it's organic & oil free.  No need for oil or oil spray with my new non-stick frying pan!  Continue to heat until the seitan is nicely browned.  Don't worry, it's done in 5 minutes!

Note:  1/3 cup of seitan has 24 grams of protein--for those who are counting!

Store these tasty gems in the fridge, to add to your salads, stir fries, or wraps. 

Note:  Bone Suckin' Sauce is a lot lower in sodium than the Dragunara Spicy Teriyaki.  Why is there so much salt in everything???

I couldn't find Ann Esselstyn's recommended brands of seitan, like White Wave or Lightlife, so I used WestSoy's Seitan Strips--found in the refrigerated cheese/soy products case at Whole Foods & health food stores.  Too bad the sodium content is on the higher side & there's a tad of ginger oil in it for flavoring.  I did rinse them off before browning them--but I'm on the look-out for a lower salt brand.

My new fave non-stick frying pan: The Cuisinart GreenGourmet Non-Stick No Teflon, no-nasty-chemicals-in-it 10" skillet.  I'm not using any spray oil, and so far, so good.  Love this pan.  It looks like the food will stick, but then it doesn't.  Clean up is a breeze.  I even cooked pancakes in it without sticking.  Absolutely amazing!  Found this at Bed, Bath, & Beyond--20% coupon!!

The Six Cup Spicy Saucey Seitan Work Late Dinner Salad

Use a 6 cup plastic container.

Add a good splash of Olive Tap Mandarin Orange Balsamic Vinegar.  Keep any wet dressing on the bottom, so the salad doesn't get soggy.

Mesclun greens, spinach, or romaine lettuce

Red peppers

Slice roasted beets

Sliced tomatoes

Sliced cucumbers

Try Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn, thawed, too!

Add leftover veggies of any kind--carrots, cabbage, zucchini, corn. etc.

2 TBS. Trader Joe's Spicy No-Tomato Corn & Chili Salsa  (this & the balsamic are enough to dress the salad perfectly)

1/3 cup spicy teriyaki or barbecued seitan

More Recipes this weekend!  I promise.  The oatmeal bean blueberry pancakes, the lasagna, and some good bean burger & fries recipes!!  Still need to share my Spicy All-American Three Bean Chili, and Dick's Moroccan Stew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can a Plant-Based No-Added-Fat Diet Survive "Real Life"? My Fourth of July Trial on the Esselstyn Diet - House Guests, Restaurants, Road Trips, and Dinner with Friends. Let the Numbers Speak for Themselves.

4th of July - Dinner with Friends - Grilled Veggies & Fruit, Garlicky Kale & Caramelized Onion Lasagna, & Fruit

Click here to go to the web version, with all the photos & links, if you've received this via email.

Two and half years ago when I started on this plant-based eating adventure, I was clear that I didn't want my eating style to compromise the joys of sharing meals with friends & family. 

"Food is so wrapped up in friendship, family and fun and I don't want to miss out on any of that."  -The Healthy Librarian-

So, last week, my 2nd week into my no-added-fat-super-healthy Esselstyn Diet Trial, I had a chance to see just how this diet was going to hold up when I fielded all the "Real Life" curve balls thrown at me!  It was holiday time.  The 4th of July week.

• My son, daughter-in-law and grandson came to visit for 3 days
• We met my youngest son downtown for dinner at one of Bon Appetit's top 10 new restaurants
• My sister came to visit for 3 days
• Saturday night it was dinner & a movie---once again at a "real" restaurant
• We headed over to our friends' house for a 4th of July dinner
• We took a road-trip adventure for a day--where the only food option was McDonald's or ice cream.

Did I make it, or did I cave?

 

 

Ann Esselstyn's PERFECT "Nutrient Dense" Wrap - "Unwrapped"

Ann Esselstyn's PERFECT "Nutrient Dense" Wrap - Wrapped

 

Dr. Neal Barnard's High-Protein Oats & Beans Blueberry Pancakes

 

Red Bean Chipotle Burgers with Cajun Sweet Potato Fries & Chipotle Hummus

 

Lasagna with Garlicky Kale, "Herbed Ricotta", Caramelized Onions, & Roasted Tomato Sauce

 

Low-Fat Spicy Teriyaki Tempeh

 

Picnic Lunch of Teriyaki Tempeh, topped with Slaw & Red Pepper Hummus

 

Picnic Snack of Roasted Curried Cauliflower & Carrots with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dip

 

Roasting Curried Cauliflower on Parchment Paper without Oil

 

Salad of Greens, Soba Noodles, Broccoli, Red Peppers, Tomatoes, & Barbecued Seitan

 

Sky-High Anti-Oxidant Sangria

 

So How Did I Fare with House Guests, Restaurants, a Road Trip & as a Dinner Guest?

Piece of cake! Black bean, of course!

The Houseguests:  My family is easy.  They liked everything.

• My apple-blueberry steel-cut oatmeal was a hit--especially with my grandson--and even with my sis--who is not a big oatmeal fan.  I have a new so-easy recipe--I'll share in a later post.
• My "not-so-into-healthy-food" younger son totally loved the oats & beans blueberry pancakes--so if he gives them a thumbs-up, they've got to be good.
• Everyone loved the chipotle bean burgers & fries.  My daughter-in-law said, "These fries are sooo good, and not at all greasy!  I always want my fries made like this."
• Thumbs up for the PERFECT nutrient-rich wraps!  Another hit.  My sis & I started brain-storming all kinds of other fillings to try--like Asian veggies with hoisin sauce.  Crisped for 10 minutes in a 450 degree oven gives them a perfect crunch.  Who would have guessed?
• Homemade cheese-free pizzas, made by my oldest son--we all gobbled them up.
• Sky-high anti-oxidant Sangria--made by my oldest son--quickly devoured.

Dinner at one of Bon Appetit's Top 10 New Restaurants of the Year.  I figured I'd get by with a salad dressed with balsamic, a glass of wine, maybe some fresh steamed vegetables.  Was I in for a surprise!  The new menu for this "farm-to-table organic" restaurant had just come out the day before--and I actually had some oil-free vegan options to choose from.  Here's what I had.  Amazing!

• Sliced broccoli stems with chili paste & toasted bread crumbs (they held the anchovy paste)--we shared an order.
• Roasted Whole Padron peppers with heirloom garlic & lemon zest--we shared an order.
• Farmer Lee Jones Vegetables Enpapier with heirloom  summer vegetables, toasted fregola sarda (looks like Israeli couscous), white miso & saffron potatoes.   All just steamed in a hot oven in a parchment paper package!
• Grapefruit Gratinee (shaved ice) with a splash of Chardonnay, fresh blueberries & mint  (Turns out I was the only one who had room for dessert!)

Saturday night dinner & a movie.  We had not planned on going out to eat, but the movie started early, and ended late.  We were hungry & in need of quick food.  Thank goodness I had pulled a "Judy Collins", and brought a peach & a Klean Kanteen filled with my Green Smoothie into the theater.  But where were we going to go for oil free healthy food?  One of Dr. Esselstyn's patients had told me he had a whole list of restaurants that work for him, but his favorite was one of those "stir-fry" wok joints.  They have some oil free vegetarian sauces, they gladly stir-fry your veggies without oil, and give you brown rice.  It couldn't have been better! PS: Hated this movie.  "I Am Love"  the newest Italian movie with Tilda Swinton.

4th of July Dinner.  Les & Tess said, "Come on over for dinner.  We'll grill up a bunch of veggies.  You'll find something to eat."   I wanted to try out a fat-free version of Rebecca Katz' (One Bite at a Time) Veggie "Ricotta" Lasagna with Caramelized Onions, Garlicky Kale, & Roasted Tomato Sauce. 

So I asked Tess, "Would you like me to bring this lasagna I'm going to try out?  And how about some sangria?"  

Tess was more than happy for me to bring lasagna & sangria, because they were starting to get a little nervous about what exactly they could make--that would pass muster for my Dr. Esselstyn-diet-trial.  Here's what I happily ate as a dinner guest on the Fourth of July:

• Grilled corn
• Grilled eggplant & zucchini brushed with no-oil teriyaki
• Grilled pineapple
• Fresh fruit
• Veggie "Ricotta" Lasagna
• Fruit-sweetened popsicle for dessert

The July 5th Road Trip Picnic.  Within 15 minutes I made up a batch of spicy teriyaki low-fat tempeh.  Chopped some cabbage & tossed it with a mirin/rice vinegar/soy dressing for some slaw. Here's what we packed in a cooler for our picnic lunch.

• Spicy teriyaki tempeh stuffed into Alvarado Street Bakery Hot Dog Buns, to be later topped with slaw, and a dollop of roasted red pepper hummus
• Roasted curried cauliflower & carrots with roasted red pepper hummus dip
• Cherries & plums

The Numbers Tell the Whole Story

Curiosity got the better of me last night.  I wanted to see exactly how this diet was stacking up in the nutrient department.  I have access to a program (MyFoodDiary) that measures fat, carbs, protein, calories, sodium, vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, calcium, iron, and cholesterol.  I entered in everything I ate yesterday, recipes included, and checked it out!  Numbers don't lie.

Wondering if I'm getting enough fat?

Wondering if I'm getting enough calories?

Wondering if I'm getting enough protein?

Wondering if I'm getting enough nutrients?

Wondering if my salt intake has been reduced?

Check it out!

Note:  I didn't exercise yesterday.  If I had, I would have probably eaten more because my body would have needed more--and I would have naturally been hungrier.  

What am I missing without added oil, nuts, and sugary desserts?  

• Room for all the nutrient-dense fruits & veggies I've been eating.  An appetite for fruits & veggies, because the salty, fatty, creamy stuff is now "off the list".
• At least 280 calories & 28 grams of fat from the 2 TBS. of olive oil I would have used for cooking or as salad dressing
• 230 calories & 13 grams of fat from my daily Cashew Cookie Larabar
• 240 calories & 10 grams of fat from 1 Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage sausage--for example.
  
• And who knows what else if I added in some avocado, a handful of nuts, some vegan Daiya cheese, some vegan mayonnaise, dried dates, super dark chocolate, etc.

How My Diet Stacked Up Yesterday

Cholesterol: 0

Fat:  19.6 grams without an even a teaspoon of added oil

Sodium:  1091 mg--well below the latest recommendations

Vitamin A:  2,069% of what's recommended

Vitamin C:  557% of what's recommended

Protein:  56.7 grams--completely adequate   If you didn't read Gretchen Reynolds' New York Times article last week about women, exercise, carbohydrates, and protein, be sure to check it out.  Click here for "Phys. Ed.  What Exercise Science Doesn't Know About Women"  Hint:  Carbs trump protein.

Calcium:  676 mg  (add in my daily dose of Citracal & I meet everyone's recommendations for calcium)

Food Summary
Meal	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Protein
Breakfast	211	5.2g	37.9g	7.9g
Snack #1	175	2.7g	37.6g	4.7g
Lunch	444	11.4g	71.7g	26.0g
Dinner	387	3.6g	60.0g	15.9g
Dessert	173	0.2g	41.7g	2.2g
Total Percentage of Calories 1	1390	19.6g 12%	248.9g 66%	56.7g 15%

   ¹  Typical Percentages: Fat 20-35%, Carbohydrates 45-65%, and Protein 10-35%.

Calories Remaining to ...
Goal	Calories
Maintain Weight	96
Lose 0.6 lbs. per week (maximum safe)	over by 190

Monday, July 5, 2010

Breakfast Food Description Healthy Librarian´s ~ Steel cut oat with apples & blueberries 1 serving 181 3.0 0.5 0 0 17 35.9 4.9 6.6 6.4 69 1.1 63 2.1 Bob´s Red Mill ~ Flaxseed Meal 1 tbsp 30 2.2 0.2 0 0 0 2.0 2.0 0.0 1.5 0 0.0 10 0.4 Totals Percentage of Calories† 211 5.2 20% 0.7 3% 0 0% 0 17 37.9 66% 6.9 12% 6.6 11% 7.9 14% 69 1.1 73 2.5 Snack #1 Food Description Green Smoothie wt pom/chard/spin/bb/ap/car/or 0.65 serving 175 2.7 0.2 – 0 230 37.6 8.3 22.9 4.7 31113 69.5 114 2.6 Totals Percentage of Calories† 175 2.7 13% 0.2 1% – †† 0 230 37.6 78% 8.3 17% 22.9 47% 4.7 10% 31113 69.5 114 2.6 Lunch Food Description Kathy´s ~ Tempeh Bacon 1.5 servings 207 3.0 .5 0 0 107 20.4 7.8 8.2 11.4 0 0.0 0 0.0 Cabbage Raw 1 cup 21 0.1 0 0 0 16 5.0 2.0 3.2 1.3 152 28.7 42 0.5 Eden Foods ~ Vinegar ~ Brown Rice Organic 2 tbsp 4 0.0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Alvarado Street Bakery ~ Buns ~ Sprouted Burger 1 bun 140 1.5 0 0 0 290 27.0 3.0 4.0 7.0 0 0.0 0 1.1 Cauliflower Raw 1 cup 25 0.1 0 0 0 30 5.3 2.5 2.4 2.0 13 46.4 22 0.4 Carrots ~ Baby Raw 5 carrots 15 0.0 0 0 0 39 4.1 0.9 2.4 0.3 6895 4.2 16 0.5 Sahara Cuisine ~ Swwet Roasted Red Pepper Hummus 2 ounces 32 0.0 0 0 0 142 10.0 2.0 0.0 4.0 200 1.2 60 0.4 Totals Percentage of Calories† 444 4.7 .5 1% 0 0% 0 624 71.8 58% 18.2 15% 20.2 16% 26.0 21% 7260 80.5 140 2.9 Dinner Food Description Healthy Librarian´s ~ Veggie "Ricotta" Garlicky Kale Lasagna 1 serving 207 1.5 0.1 0 0 71 40.9 4.6 7.7 10.9 16772 148.5 257 3.6 Trader Joe´s ~ Salad ~ Spring Mix 2 cups 15 0.0 0 0 0 70 4.0 2.0 0.0 2.0 5500 30.0 60 3.6 Frieda´s ~ Beets Fresh 1/2 cup 35 0.0 0 0 0 65 8.0 2.0 5.0 1.0 0 3.6 0 0.7 Peppers ~ Sweet ~ Red Raw 1/4 cup 10 0.1 0 0 0 1 2.2 0.7 1.6 0.4 1166 70.8 3 0.2 Cucumber Peeled ~ Raw 1/4 cup 4 0.0 0 0 0 1 0.6 0.2 0.4 0.2 21 1.0 4 0.1 Wine ~ Table ~ Red 4 fl oz 84 0.0 0 0 0 6 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0 0.0 10 0.6 Salba ~ Chia seeds 1 tbs 32 2.0 0.2 – 0 1 2.2 2.0 0.0 1.2 – – – – Totals Percentage of Calories† 387 3.6 8% 0.3 1% 0 †† 0 215 59.9 58% 11.5 11% 14.7 14% 15.9 15% 23459 †† 253.9 †† 334 †† 8.8 †† Dessert Food Description Cherries ~ Sweet Raw 1 cup 73 0.2 0 0 0 0 18.7 2.5 15.0 1.2 75 8.2 15 0.4 Sweet Nothings ~ Ice Cream Novelties ~ Fudge Bar Non-dairy, fat free 1 bar 100 0.0 0 0 0 5 23.0 0.0 12.0 1.0 100 4.8 0 0.0 Totals Percentage of Calories† 173 0.2 1% 0.0 0 0% 0 5 41.7 94% 2.5 6% 27.0 61% 2.2 5% 175 13.0 15 0.4 Daily Totals   Totals Percentage of Calories† 1,390 19.6 12% 1.7 .07% 0 †† 0 1091 248.9 66% 47.4 13% 91.4 24% 56.7 15% 62076 †† 418.0 †† 676 †† 17.2 †† † Typical Percentages: Fat 20-35%, Carbohydrates 45-65%, Protein 10-35%, and Saturated Fats less than 9% †† Incomplete data

At a glance ...
	Notes
	A high-fiber breakfast can help you lose weight and reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
	You have eaten fiber-rich foods.  This is a good indicator of a healthy diet.
	Saturated fats only accounted for .07% of your calories.  Good job staying below the 9% limit!
	You consumed 417.9 mg of vitamin C.  This is 557% of the recommended daily value (75 mg) for adult women.
	You consumed 62077 IU of vitamin A.  This is 2,069% of the recommended daily value for women.
	Only 12% of your calories came from fat.  Fat should account for a minimum of 15% of your calories.

Week Two on Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's Heart Disease Prevention/Reversal Diet Challenge. The Rules, Tips, and Tricks to Enjoy Plant-Based Oil-Free Eating

 

My Vegetable Bin Lunch--6 cups of Super Salad

"Making breakfast and lunch simple and nearly the same as possible everyday is helpful.  For breakfast, include some form of oats with their good cholesterol- lowering properties.

Try to keep lunch to soup and bread, salads, or sandwiches. Start as many meals as possible with salads.  Add all the vegetables you can!  Find a salad dressing you love.

Greens!!  Put them everywhere!  Focus on them."

-Ann Esselstyn, heart disease prevention & reversal diet teacher, coach, & recipe developer, extraordinaire-

 

My Everyday Breakfast--Steel-Cut Oats, Dried Apples, & Berries

 

Daily Mid-Morning, Mid-Day, On the Drive Home from Work Green Smoothie Snack

 

If you received this via email, Click Here to get to the web version & all the links.

I'm now almost 2 weeks into eating plant-based Esselstyn-style.  Making the switch has been so much easier than I ever expected.  Here are some of my biggest surprises:

For Part I of this series, click here

For the post that explains why I'm taking this diet challenge, click here

• Cooking without oil is easy.  It's not the big deal I thought it would be.  I've browned Cajun sweet potato fries, & Yukon Gold potato wedges in a 450 degree oven on parchment paper or a Silpat.  Caramelized onions, browned tempeh, seitan, veggie burgers and vegetables, and even made amazing oatmeal white bean blueberry pancakes in a non-stick pan without added oil.
• A six-cup lunch salad will keep me full for hours.  Forget about just eating salad greens.  I add in roasted corn, cut-up roasted beets, red peppers, cut up left-over 100% buckwheat soba noodles, barbecue seitan, cucumbers, tomatoes, 2 TBS of Trader Joe's Corn Salsa for kick, and a splash of high quality Olive Tap balsamic vinegar--which comes in flavors like lemon, pomegranate, Mandarin orange, and more.
• Who needs avocados when you have fat-free Sahara Cuisine Roasted Red Pepper Hummus?  We are loving Sahara Cuisine's Fat-Free Hummus & Black Bean Dips!  It absolutely substitutes for the creamy mouth-feel of avocado on a sandwich or on a cracker.  I don't even miss my beloved Terrapin Ridge Spicy Chipotle squeeze. Dump a can of chipotle's with adobo sauce into a blender--freeze for storage--and add a teaspoon to some red pepper hummus & you've got instant delicious chipotle sauce to top your sandwich or bean/veggie burgers.  See below for where to buy hummus.
• I was eating way too much sodium/salt and fat without even knowing it.  Although I read labels carefully, I never paid much attention to the sodium content of vegetable broths, and soups.  My favorite brand, Imagine, has oil & huge amounts of salt added to all their vegetable soups (like Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper, Cuban Black Bean Bisque, & Moroccan Chickpea Bisque).  Like 750 mg ( 31% DV) of sodium for 1 cup of Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup & who eats just 1 cup of soup?  There's added oil in almost every store-bought pasta sauce, bread, tortilla wrap, veggie burger, cracker, or chip.  It doesn't matter if it's organic, or from a "health food" company like Amy's, Gardenburger, or Whole Foods.  Look at the labels.  Who knew?  Buy Pacific Low Sodium Vegetable Broth at 140 mg per cup, or Trader Joe's Low Sodium Vegetable Broth.
• Unsweetened Regular Silk Soy Milk is an acceptable coffee creamer.  It works.  It lightens my coffee, and tastes just fine.  We were used to buying cartons of Trader Joe's Soy Creamer, thinking the added sweetener & expeller pressed canola oil in it was OK.  It was almost as bad as using Cremora powdered coffee lightener--well maybe not quite as bad.
• Not missing the nuts!  It's funny, I thought I couldn't live without nuts or Larabars.  Don't miss them at all.  Soon after ditching the nuts I got to see Jeff Novick's DVD on "From Oil To Nuts"  (click here) that explains why nuts aren't exactly the health foods we think they are.  They're high in calories, they all have some saturated fat, and except for English walnuts, all of them are very high in inflammatory omega-6s--especially pine nuts, peanuts, almonds, brazil nuts, and my favorite, cashews!  I serendipitously found Dr. Bill Lands' NIH lecture about the importance of lowering our intake of omega-6 fats--and now I'm convinced about the benefits of no-oil & no nuts (walnuts excepted).  Big tip: do yourself a favor & cut out peanut butter!!  It's sky high in omega-6's. More on Bill Lands & Jeff Novick in another post--in the meantime if you'd like to catch Bill's lecture (you'll have to register with iAmplify & download the lecture), click here.
  
• Knowing the rules of the game makes it easier to play the game.  I don't even think about eating ice cream (vegan or dairy), chips of any kind, cookies, pretzels, or dark chocolate.  They are just off my list.  If I want a snack in the evening, it's watermelon, berries, a couple crackers with hummus, or maybe air-popped popcorn.  It's as simple as that.  We talk about how kids need boundaries--it makes life easier for them. I guess I do to!
• 100% Cheese-free Pizza can be a gourmet delight.  What a treat for me!  On Wednesday not only did I have to work while my kids were visiting from New York City (bummer), but I had a 3 1/2 hour long dental appointment afterward.  When I got home at 7:30, my son (who is a fantastic cook) was ready to pop 3 cheese-free pizzas into the oven.  He used 100% whole wheat Kabuli Pizza crusts (found at a non-Whole Foods natural food grocery) and Nature's Hilights Brown Rice Pizza Crust (found in the freezer section) of Whole Foods.  He topped the crusts with a no-oil added pasta sauce, an assortment of  vegetables we had just picked up from our Amish farmer's C.S.A. (community-supported agriculture co-op), and seasoned them with  oregano, basil, and chives from my garden.   Even my picky cheese-loving St. Louis son gave these pizzas a big thumbs-up--after first moaning & questioning the logic of cheese-free pizza.  Tip: We preferred the Kabuli crust to the Hilight's.

Zucchini, Red Pepper, Scallions, Fresh Oregano & Basil Pizza

Mushroom, Chives, Garlic, & Fresh Oregano Pizza

Roasted Beet, Sauteed Kale, Kalamata Olive, & Garlic Pizza

Ann Esselstyn's User-Friendly Rules & Strategies for Making the Heart Disease Prevention & Reversal Diet Work

• No meat, no poultry, no fish--not even salmon
• No dairy of any kind--not even skim milk or non-fat yogurt. 
• No eggs--not even egg whites or Egg Beaters. 
• No oil--not even virgin olive oil or canola oil
• Aim for 100% Whole Grain products. Ingredients must say, Whole Wheat, or Whole Buckwheat, Whole Rye,etc. 100% stone-ground wheat is not Whole Wheat unless the word Whole appears.  Forget about semolina flour in pasta.  Forget about white rice.  I thought my Barilla Plus multigrain pasta was fantastic--turns out, semolina is the number one ingredient.
• Do not drink juice. Fruit is fine.  A little juice used to saute, or season recipes or for salad dressings is fine
• Do not eat nuts, even walnuts unless you do not have heart disease.
• Do not eat avocados, if you have heart disease.
• Do not eat coconut, if you have heart disease.
• Eat soy products cautiously.  They are high in fat (40% +) and many are highly processed.  Only use Lite Tofu (like Mori-Nu or NaSoya Lite Firm Tofu).  I also use Soy Boy Organic 5 Grain Low Fat Tempeh.
• Reduce sugar as much as possible.  When you do use it for recipes, stick to the more unprocessed varieties.  But don't fool yourself, maple syrup, agave, and honey are still sugar. I use stevia.
• Read all labels, especially THE INGREDIENTS!!!

The Rest of the World of Vegetables, Fruit, Legumes, and Whole Grains is Yours.

Read Labels Carefully--What to Watch Out For

1.  Be sure no fat is added. Products change, and their ingredients change all the time.  Make sure there is no added oil of any kind, in the ingredient list, even if the label says zero fat.  By law products can contain less than .5% gram of fat & still say zero fat.  Glycerin, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, mono and diglycerides are all forms of hidden fat.  When you start carefully looking at labels you start to notice that there is added fat in EVERYTHING--even no-fat vegan Boca Burgers, and pasta sauces that say they have no fat.

2.  Watch out for sodium.  Salt is everywhere.  Buy no salt added tomatoes, and beans when you can.  Bionaturae organic diced tomatoes have 20 mg of sodium per 1/2 cup serving.  Contadina Diced Tomatoes with Roasted Garlic have a whopping 560 mg of sodium per 1/2 cup serving. Buy low-sodium Pacific or Trader Joe's vegetable broths.

3.  Find a bread that's whole grain, and made without oil--another big challenge.  Options include whole wheat pita, Ezekiel 4:9 breads, buns, wraps, & English Muffins.  You'll find the Ezekiel/Food for Life brand at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and in the freezer case at most grocery stores.  I love all their products--and they are flourless, and sprouted--which is supposedly healthier.

4.  Find yourself a pasta sauce made without oil or too much salt.  Options: Trader Joe's Organic Spaghetti Sauce with Mushrooms is oil-free, Whole Foods has a brand, as well as Muir Glen's Portobella Mushroom Sauce.  Or make your own.

5.  Veggie Burgers would be fine--but I can't find one brand that is made without oil.  I make my own Lentil Dal Burgers, Falafel Burgers, and Smoky Tofu Red Bean Burgers & freeze them.

Ann's Amazing Cooking Tips

Ann has over 20 years of experience with eating & cooking no-oil & plant-based.  This is just a few of her many tips.

1.  Roast Vidalia onions, covered in a low to moderate oven & keep in the fridge to chop up for recipes.  I made almost instant grilled onions to top burgers with one of these--just a 5 minute oil-free saute with paprika & a dash of pepper.  Bingo!

2.  Roast a supply of sweet potatoes or yams to add to salads, recipes, or to just enjoy plain.

3.  Keep no-fat veggie broth on hand to saute or stir-fry.  It's my new oil.

4.  Use no-fat added hummus as mayonnaise, as a sandwich base, an avocado substitute, a dip for veggies or crackers or pita, or a base for creamy salad dressings.  It's amazing stuff!

5.  Try to steam a few vegetables each night for dinner. 

6.  Use a wooden citrus reamer to get all the juice out of even dry limes or lemons--a microplane is a must for zesting citrus, or grating ginger.  I wouldn't want to eat plant-based without my Kyocera ceramic utility knife!

7.  Cook perfect collard greens in boiling water for a few minutes until slightly tender, and use them as wraps, or to make veggie sushi.

8.  If you do just one thing, Eat Greens!  Cook them along with your pasta water.  Kale, collards, Swiss Chard, bok choy, etc. are the best foods you can eat--have them as often as you can--blend them in Green Smoothies, add them to soups, stir fries, or just sauteed with garlic & lemon.

9.  Egg substitutes for baking.  Use 1 tablespoon of flax seed meal plus 3 tablespoons of water per egg. Or  1 1/2 tsp. of Ener-G Egg Replacer plus 2 tablespoons of warm water equals 1 egg.

10.  Oil replacement for baking.  Use equal amounts of mixed prunes or applesauce.

11.  Milk replacement for cereal, drinks, or cooking.  Use oat, almond, hazelnut, or no-fat soy milk.  Pacific brand makes oat, almond, & hazelnut milks.  Hazelnut is my fave.

12.  Flavored balsamic vinegars are worth the price.  Get these rich, flavorful vinegars from Olive Tap online, or through Dr. Joel Fuhrman's website.  

13.  Healthy desserts are OK once in awhile.  Ann whips up lime & chocolate mousse with 1 package of  Mori-Nu silken tofu, 1/3 cup maple syrup, then either 2 TBS. of cocoa powder or 3 TBS. of lime juice, depending on the version, and the  zest of 1 lime for the lime version or 1 tsp. vanilla for the chocolate version.  She refrigerates or freezes for 2 hrs. before serving.  A blender or VitaMix works best.  She likes to layer the lime mousse with berries. I've tried her recommendation of Sweet Nothing Non-Dairy Fudge Bars & loved them!  She also gives an A-OK for an occasional Haagen-Dazs, Edy's, or Dole fruit sorbet.  Read the labels.

 

Food Brands That I Recommend from Ann's Extensive List

Ann has put together an incredible list of recommended foods that meet her high standards.

Here are a few that I'm enjoying:

Bread

Ezekiel sprouted grain breads, buns, English muffins, & tortilla wraps

Cereal

Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Cereals

Uncle Sam's Cereal

Pasta Sauce

Trader Joe's Organic Spaghetti Sauce with Mushrooms

Crackers

Ryvita

Wasa Original Crispbread

Whole Foods Baked Woven Wheats (like Triscuits)

RealFoods Corn Thins with flax & soy

Hummus/Spreads/Dips

Sahara Cuisine no fat, no tahini Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Sahara Cuisine no fat, no tahini Black Bean Dip with garlic, lemon & spices

This product is not widely available, but you can order it by the case, and it's not expensive. Ann says you can freeze them. Call the owner, Hassan Kahlid at 216-832-8833.  Or get your health food store to carry them.  Be sure to only order the no-fat, no tahini varieties.

Oasis Classic Cuisine Zero Fat Hummus.  Comes no-fat in original, Mediterranean Medley, Roasted Red Pepper, Shiitake Mushroom only.  I have not tasted these.  Call the manager Evan Lanigan at 419-269-1459 for local locations, or to order a case.

Trader Joe's Mango Salsa

Trader Joe's Pineapple Salsa

Trader Joe's Corn and Chili Tomato-Less Salsa (this isn't on Ann's list, and sugar is the #2 ingredient) but 2 Tbs. on top of a salad is a fantastic spicy sweet ingredient.  I love this mixed into brown rice, black beans, & mango salsa.

Broth

Pacific Organic fat-free vegetable broth LOW SODIUM.  This is the lowest in sodium brand Ann has found at 140 mg/cup.

Trader Joe's Organic Low Sodium vegetable broth--same sodium content as Pacific's 140 mg/cup

Tofu/Seitan

Mori-Nu lite low fat silken tofu

NaSoya Lite Silken Tofu (includes extra firm)

White Wave Seitan (love this stuff--I saute the strips with Ann's recommended Bone-Suckin' Barbecue Sauce & add to salads, stir-fries, and wraps.

Lightlife Organic Seitan

Soy Boy low-fat 5 grain tempeh (my recommendation, not on Ann's list)--I brown with light Tamari & orange juice and use in a variety of dishes.

Polenta

Trader Joe's Organic Polenta  (look for other brands, too!)

Condiments

Muir Glen Catsup

Bone-Suckin' Barbecue Sauce

Low Sodium Tamari

Bragg's Liquid Amino's (get the spray bottle to use instead of salt)

Chips

There are no good chips available any more.  Guiltless Gourmet now adds oil to their brand.

Make your own chips from pita bread, corn, or Ezekiel tortillas, or just use crackers

Sorbet/"Ice Cream"

Sweet Nothing Non-Dairy Fruit-Juice Sweetened Fudge Bar, Mango Raspberry  (I found these at Whole Foods.  Made by Turtle Mountain

Haagen-Dazs Sorbet, raspberry, etc.

Edy's Whole Fruit Sorbet, raspberry, etc.

Dole Sorbet, mango, raspberry, lemon, etc. (not chocolate-it has egg whites)

Trader Joe's Double Rainbow Sorbet, chocolate raspberry, lemon, etc.

My Quick Update

After just under 2 weeks I'm happily surprised to notice that I've lost about 2.5 pounds (most people lose much much more, however)--but this is very unusual for me, because my weight just seems to stay stable, and believe me, I'm eating a lot!

My blood pressure is now consistently in the healthy range, even after weight-lifting.  Before, it was often variable.  I'm assuming this is because I'm eating much less sodium.

Not jumping to any conclusions here, but I'm just not tired at anytime during the day (except yesterday when I only got about 5 hours of sleep)--and I'm not ready for bed until about an hour later than usual.

I'm not feeling the sudden hunger pangs that I felt last week.  I owe that to eating a hearty breakfast, and a giant salad that includes some seitan, soba noodles, or an Ezekiel English muffin.  I makes sure I stay fueled.

Stay Tuned for more updates--and the experiences of some of Dr. Esselstyn's patients.

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Kitchen Cholesterol Clean-Up - Parchment Paper, the No-Oil Saute, and Munching on the Top Cholesterol-Cutting Foods

 

 

 

There's only one thing that we have to do in life, and that is to die.  I have often met people who use this fact to justify their ambivalence toward health information. But I take a different view.  I have never pursued health hoping for immortality.

Good health is about being able to fully enjoy the time we do have.  It is about being as functional as possible throughout our entire lives and avoiding crippling, painful and lengthy battles with disease.  There are many better ways to die, and to live.

 

 

-Dr. T. Colin Campbell, The China Study-

 

Not to worry.  I haven't gone off the deep-end with my diet.  But those recent cholesterol test results have given me some "food for thought".  I'm an experimenter at heart--and I'm ready to try some new tactics. Time to rethink what I'm eating when I go out to restaurants.  Time to figure out what cooking techniques I can easily change in my kitchen  Time to reconsider what foods I absolutely do not want to give up--at least until I'm convinced otherwise. And time to look more seriously at what foods naturally clobber cholesterol.

Last week I went on a Cooking Experimentation Rampage to explore the world of no-fat cooking.  Here's what I found out.

What can I easily change?

 

•  

  Can I cut out using cooking oil for browning and roasting?  I admit it--I have always resisted this practice.  Seems too hard--and a flavor sacrifice.  Too over-the-top.  But I tried it--and with the right techniques--it works beautifully!  Really!  And it's so much cleaner.
  

Parchment paper is amazing for non-stick oven roasting & browning.  Butternut squash, potatoes, asparagus, and eggplant roasted up beautifully.   The Silpat experiment failed.  I used some maple syrup when I roasted up butternut squash & cleaning my Silpat was way too hard.  I'm sticking with parchment paper.

Butternut Squash Browned Without Oil on a Silpat--Too Hard to Clean

And here's a tip from my sis--the professional baker.  Don't waste your money on parchment paper from the grocery store.  It's too expensive.  It's all rolled up & doesn't easily lay flat.  Buy it from a restaurant supply store where it comes in flat sheets--in a large quantity--and is a lot cheaper.  Split a box with a friend.  It will last for more than a year.

  Lentil Dal Burgers Browned Without Oil on Parchment Paper

My other WOW Parchment Paper revelation was how beautifully my Lentil Dal Burgers browned up in the oven.  Not a smidge of oil.  Not a smidge of oil spray.  Who needs to fry?  Who needs the oil splatters on the stove--and the clean-up?  Who needs the 520 extra calories from the 1/4 cup of oil needed for frying?  I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!

And even my veggies browned up on the parchment paper paper without oil or oil spray.  My oven was hot--400-425 degrees, and they did  need to be turned over midway.

 

• Can I successfully saute veggies without oil?   Oh yeah!  I got this cooking technique from a reader named Max--and it really worked well.  First heat up the pan (medium high) to the point where onions will sizzle when you put them in the pan.  Keep moving the onions around with a spatula until they start to release some of their own liquid.  They won't stick. Don't add any extra broth or liquid too soon or it will have more of a braise than a saute flavor.  And if you want to caramelize the onions, add a teaspoon or more of dark brown sugar, maple syrup, or molasses after the onions have cooked for 5-7 minutes.  When the veggies started to stick to the pan I added some Imagine No-Chicken broth.  I sauteed in an enameled cast iron pan.  Max uses a non-stick one.

Amy Cramer, a professional vegan chef, always steers clear of oil.  She uses "Better Than Boullion Veggie Base for sauteing and it lasts a year in her refrigerator.  She mixes up 8 oz of broth at a time--and adds some to the veggies to keep them from sticking as she sautes.

Isa Chandra Moskowitz (Veganomicon author) has another less-purist tip for cooking with less oil:  "When sauteing onions & garlic as the base for a soup or a stew you can get away with one teaspoon or two of oil.  Put a teaspoon in a pool on one side of your pan-- don't coat the entire pan.  Saute in that little corner of the pan, preferably with tongs.  When moisture begins to release from the onions, usually after 3 minutes or so, you can spread them out, and add a little broth to cook them further, if needed."

Sauteing Onions, Carrots, Garlic, & Jalapenos Without Oil

 

What do I absolutely not want to give up--at least until I'm convinced otherwise?

• Nuts!  I love them--and I don't overindulge.  They add to my satiety, and they add flavor & crunch to recipes. Plus, my fave Larabars (just fruit & nuts) really come to the rescue when I'm out & I need food fast!  And conveniently for me--a new study just appeared in the May 10th, 2010 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine   which provides even more supporting evidence that eating about 2.3 ounces of nuts a day  -- a third of a cupful -- reduced total cholesterol levels by 5.1% and "bad" LDL cholesterol by 7.4%.

  That amount of nut-eating also improved the ratio of LDL cholesterol to "good" HDL cholesterol by 8.3% and caused a decrease of 10.2% in triglyceride levels among people with high levels of those blood fats. 

But be an informed consumer:  2.3 ounces of nuts are a lot of nuts--the equivalent of almost 400 calories--practically a meal--and if you just tack that amount on to all the other foods you are eating--guess what?  You're going to gain weight! 

Full Disclosure: this study was sponsored by the International Tree Nut Council Research and Education Foundation.

"Nuts are a matrix of healthy nutrients, and the most obvious reason for the cholesterol-lowering effect is their unsaturated fat content.  Nuts also contain fiber, vegetable protein, phytoesterols and other antioxidants."

 

Dr. Joan Sabate, chairman of the Nutrition Department at the Loma Linda University School of Public Health in California and co-author of the article.

 

• Avocados!  Sure they contain fat--but avocados aren't just empty calories.  They got a bad rap back in the 1980's, but their omega-9 fat has also been shown to lower LDL's & triglycerides, while raising HDLs.  It contains beta-sitosterol, a natural substance that lowers cholesterol, and is also prostate-protective. 

And there's more:  Like lutein for the eyes, fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid.  Avocados also act as a "nutrient booster" by helping the body to better absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin D, and lutein.  1/5th of an avocado=50 calories & 4.5 grams of fat, in case you're wondering.  And just a bit spread on a sandwich, or on top of black beans or chili is so delicious--and stomach-satisfying. Not an everyday indulgence--but something I don't want to give up.

What foods can I add to help naturally lower my cholesterol?

Why can't I also start to just eat a little smarter?  Dr. David Jenkins of St. Michael's Hospital of Toronto is the researcher behind the Portfolio Diet--published in many of the top medical journals--and most recently in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society  69(1):39-44, 2010, "CVD, Diabetes & Cancer.  A Dietary Portfolio for Management & Prevention of Heart Disease"

Jenkins has pit his plant-based Portfolio Diet against the American Heart Association diet, and even against a combination of 20 mg of Lovastatin + the AHA diet.  The Portfolio diet always beats the AHA Diet, & it works just as well as taking Lovastatin combined with eating a low-fat diet.   Followers of the Portfolio Diet have consistently cut their cholesterol level by about 30%, without the side effects of statins.

 Jenkins Portfolio Diet:

• Soluble fiber foods:  Oats, barley, beans, eggplant, okra, psyllium (Metamucil)--14-16 grams of soluble fiber a day
• Soy foods:  soy milk, tofu, tempeh, soy burgers, soy yogurt, soy sausage--14-16 grams of soy protein a day--the equivalent of 2 glasses of soy milk a day.
• Total fiber--31-37 grams a day (includes insoluble & soluble fiber)
• Raw unblanched almonds--14-16 grams a day=about 1/2 an ounce=88 calories a day.
• Plant sterols--these are the cholesterol-blocking plant substances added to margarine (Benecol & Take Control) & orange juice (Minute Maid Heartwise).  But why eat caloric margarine or drink caloric juice  when you can take sterols staight-up in supplement form before a meal?  Check out Phytosterols made by Endurance Products  The Portfolio diet provided about 1 gram of sterols a day--the equivalant of 3 phytosterol tablets a day.
• Lots of fruits & vegetables & primarily a vegetable protein diet.
• Click here to see Dr. Jenkins' articles on the Portfolio Diet

Janet Brill's Cholesterol Down! diet uses the Portfolio Diet guidelines--here are her recommendations.

 

Twice a day:

1 gram of phytosterols or phytostanols

10 grams of soy protein

3 grams of psyllium in am & pm

Once a day:

Oatmeal with oat bran

2 TBS Flax seed

1/2 C beans

handful of almonds (1-1 1/2 oz.)

1 apple   

Harvard Heart Letter's Top 11 Foods That Lower Cholesterol--vol. 20(2): Oct. 2009

1.  Oats - soluble fiber

2.  Barley & other whole grains - soluble fiber

3.  Beans - soluble fiber

4.  Eggplant & Okra - soluble fiber

5.  Nuts - 2 ounces a day can lower LDLs by about 5% (based on previous research)

6.  Vegetable oils - I'm not advocating this one, but it's on the Harvard list as a replacement for butter, lard, & shortening

7.  Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits - these fruits are rich in pectin, a soluble fiber that lowers LDL

8.  Foods fortified with sterols and stanols - 2 grams a day can lower LDL cholesterol by about 10%.  My comment:  skip the fortified margarine & juice & take them in supplement form

9. Soy - consuming 25 grams of soy protein a day (10 ounces of tofu or 3 cups of soy milk) can lower LDL by 5-6%

10.  Fatty fish - the omega-3s lower LDLs & triglycerides.  My comment: skip the fish & go for high-grade pharmaceutical quality fish oil, or the algae vegetarian equivalents.  Note: recent research by Dr. Christopher Gardner of Stanford University has shown that flax does not come anywhere close to the triglyeride-lowering effect of fish oil. Very disappointing. 

11.  Fiber supplements - the least appealing way to get soluble fiber.  2 tsp a day of psyllium, which is found in Metamucil, provides 4 grams of soluble fiber

Last Week's Successful Cooking Experiments:

• Roasted Asparagus Soup - no oil
• Moroccan Stew - no oil
• All-American Amazing Fantastic Chili - no oil
• Homemade Italian Vegan Sausages ala Isa Chandra Moskowitz - just a tiny smidge of oil
• Herbed Ricotta (Boursin Cheese-like) - no oil, made from tofu
• "Sausage Cheese" Pizza with artichoke hearts & roasted red peppers made with a delicious oil-free Kabuli crust.
• Homemade Larabars - made with chia seeds, cocoa, almonds, & dates.  Yum!
• Oil-free humus--didn't miss the tahini--and a great way to add beans to the diet

For now, I'm thinking oats, beans, barley, eggplant, okra, apples, grapefruit, oranges, strawberries, soy, and a few nuts.  Not a bad way to naturally cut the cholesterol.

 

A Mid-Life Turnaround With Diet, Exercise, and Weight Loss - Lessons From a Woman Who Figured It Out After Fifty

Three years ago Brenda Stevens of Portland, Oregon went from 210 pounds to 160 pounds in one year--doing all the right things.

On February 20th, after I had written, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Losing Weight, Exercise, Stress, and Cardiovascular Risk from an Expert, Dr. Sharon Alger-Mayer. The Best Diet, How Much Exercise, the Hormone Stress Connection, the Best Phytonutrients, and the Healthiest Carbs", I got an inspirational email from a reader in Portland, Oregon.

Brenda Stevens wrote:  "The February 20th blog post is really important.  I am 53 years old,  5'9" and went from 210 pounds three years ago to 160 in one year, by doing all the things in this post.  Changing one's attitude and thinking about how you spend your time is critical."

I wrote back:  "Your story is inspirational.  So...what do you think was the biggest factor in your weight loss?"

After I read Brenda's common sense story of diet, exercise, and weight-training I asked her if she would be willing to share some of what she has learned over the past three years with all of us.

Brenda is like so many of us--lots of work and family responsibilities--with too little time to do it all--let alone find the time to exercise and prepare healthy meals.   But she finally figured out a way to do it--and as they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

Brenda's Story

 “Well, you are over fifty now,” said the doctor in response to my question about my little infirmities – the stiffness and pain in the morning, the inability to get out of a booth or a car without help, the difficulty in sleeping, the inexorable upward creep of my blood pressure. 

“This is all just a part of the aging process.”    

That was me two years ago.  Fifty one years old.  Aware that I was overweight (a size 20 qualifies, doesn’t it?) but not looking in the mirror much. 

Exercise meant a hard slog in the dark and rain in a heavy coat and then feeling exhausted for days or maybe a tweaked knee that made it even harder to get up the front stairs. 

Dieting meant no fat, or crunchy tasteless microwaved frozen broccoli – these doomed Herculean attempts never lasted long!  I made small permanent changes, drinking only non-fat milk and air-popped popcorn. 

Did these changes even slow the rate of my weight gain?  Hard to say.     

I’d started out my twenties at 125 pounds, walking everywhere in an Eastern college town.  But then I moved back to Oregon and got a car and a job, and began the standard American life of driving to work, sitting all day, a doughnut mid-morning, fast food at lunch, driving home into the garage and sitting all evening.  

By the time I was fifty, I weighed 210, parked in the closest possible parking spaces and sat on a stool to teach because standing for too long made me dizzy.  I was depressed.  I felt ugly.  I felt hopeless.  And after that visit to the doctor, I felt old.     

But on second thought, I realized that the way I felt was NOT due to aging.  I knew active, healthy people who were over fifty!  All I had to do was look in the mirror to know what was wrong.  And then figure out how to change it. 

"The day I decided this wasn’t a do-it-yourself project was an important day for me.  I found a trainer who had years of experience working with middle-aged people and a nutrition degree, and started in."

The Road to a New Me

The road to a “new me” turned out to be a five-fold process, and it took me two years – one to make the changes, and one to learn how to maintain them.  These are the five points of change that I put into place, pretty much all at once:

1.  My attitude.  This was the first and most crucial transformation.  I had to change the way I felt about myself and how much time and attention I was worth.

2.  How I fed myself.   I learned that I had been routinely eating so many calories that even if I cut down, I would still gain weight.  Different eating habits were necessary to lose fat, but not cause me to go into starvation mode.

3.  The amount of physical activity I engaged in every day.  Building up to 11,000 steps was an important part of this.

4.  I had to get my heart rate into my training range for 20 to 30 minutes or more at a time, for a total of at least an hour a week.  (This is also known as “high-intensity,” “cardio,” or “aerobic” exercise and it is on top of, and different from, those 11,000 steps.  And now I’m building up toward two hours per week.) 

5.  Building muscle tissue – important to have the stamina for all that exercise, and it sped up my metabolism so I had a fighting chance of maintaining my new weight and fitness level once I attained it.
 

Getting Started with Small Steps

Because I was so unfit, I needed to start at a low intensity of exercise. 

I did the muscle training, I did the cardio, just with lower weights and at a lower level than I do now. 

Having a trainer who was used to working with middle-aged, overweight women was really important!

And I didn’t start with 11,000 steps a day.  I started by wearing the pedometer and seeing how many steps I was taking every day.  Less than 1,000!  Oops.  My first goal was to double that.  By the time I’d been at it a couple of months, I was logging 10,000 steps a day. After a few months, I had worked up to the basic routine that I’ve stuck with now for two years. 

My Weekly Exercise Schedule

  
1.  The Gym Routine:  I go to the gym three times a week--in the morning, so I'm sure I do it--and do a classic weights routine. 

• I warm up for five minutes or so on the elliptical to save my bad knees.
• Then do a series of exercises designed to build and maintain muscle in the upper and lower body and core. 
• I do three dropped sets per muscle group, with two minutes of elliptical in between. 
• By the time I get to the cardio part of my session, my heart rate has been in my training range for half an hour.  I know this because I have my trusty heart rate monitor on! 
• Then I'm on the elliptical or the treadmill, in the higher end of my heart training range, for twenty or thirty minutes.

2.  My iPod Sets the Pace:  Along with the heart rate monitor, my other can’t-do-without-it resource is my iPod.  It’s crucial to my cardio session because it sets the pace.  My footfall has to keep in time with George Harrison, Demolition Man or Chris Thile--and that's fast!  When running on the treadmill, I keep the incline at 2.5% or more because it makes it easier on my knees.

3.  My After the Work-Out Routine: I drink about 50 calories of apple juice or have a little chocolate toffee after working out – a bit of simple sugars to replace glycogen stores.  I don’t do drink sports drinks.  It’s too easy to replace all the calories I just burned off!  I do drink a lot of water and make sure I stretch afterward, especially the calves, quads, the front of my legs and the hip flexors -- boy can they get sore if you walk a lot and don't stretch them!    

4.  A Rest Day is Non-Negotiable:  I take one day off per week.  That's my recovery day.  Not even active recovery -- I've done a lot of reading about the necessity of rest and recovery to the system.  I'm off my feet that day.  Well, that's the goal anyway.  It's hard to not walk around now!  Walking is my recreational activity of choice!     

5.  Hour-Long Walks:  I take an hour-long brisk walk three times a week.  My walking buddy and I meet early in the morning on Tuesdays and Thursdays and burn up four miles. My family likes to get outdoors, so we might go hiking, row on the nearby river, or go for a bike hike on the weekend.

6.  Getting My Daily 11,000 Steps In Every Day:  For daily activity, I always put my pedometer on when I get dressed and I make sure that I get those 11,000 steps in every day.  After the morning walk or work out, I probably have about 5,000 under my belt, and then I supplement with a lunchtime walk and a walk after dinner.

I don’t use labor saving devices – my can opener is a hand crank.  I would get up to change the channels manually except that watching TV went out the window somewhere in this whole process!

Managing That Ever Present "Food Thing"

The food thing was hard. 

My trainer tested my body composition and I learned that not only was 50% of me made up of fat tissue, my lean body mass would only burn 1800 calories a day. 

To lose fat, therefore, I needed to take in no more than 1350 and 1750 calories a day.  

This seemed completely unrealistic until I discovered the magic of:

• Logging my calories
  
• Planning what I would eat in advance
  
• Eating every three hours or so  
• Eating the right things.

Eating the right things turned out to be critical. 

It’s easy to ingest 1800 calories in one sitting if you’re eating fast food. 

I learned about lean meat subs with no mayo or oil--and adding extra vegetables. 

I learned that broth-based soups are my friend and that I really do like plain Greek yogurt with fruit and that eating that handful of nuts or bag of chips blows the whole budget for the day. 

I learned how to cook vegetables and make salads that were delicious--NOT chewy microwaved broccoli--and that air-popped popcorn and herb tea is a fine evening snack. 

And I learned that this wasn’t going to be a temporary fix.  This is a new way of "eating for life".  And that’s SO true!

The New Me

Two years later, I bumped into Mary at the grocery store. 

We had taught in the same school for years, but I hadn’t seen her in awhile. 

“Mary!”  She looked right through me. 

“Mary, hi!  Salem!  First grade!”  Now she looked scared. 

“Brenda!  Third grade!”  She’s backing away.  All of a sudden the light dawned. 

“Oh my gosh!”  She almost shouted.  “YOU’RE Brenda!”  She stopped and looked me up and down.  “What happened?  You look so young!"

“I didn’t even recognize you!"

What a difference two years can make.

 My life has changed profoundly.    Not only am I happy and healthy, but I’m confident that these are permanent changes in my attitude and lifestyle. 

When you are happy and healthy, you tend to attract and be attracted by healthy activities and people. 

Yes, it takes time and attention, but once you make the commitment to these changes and take the actions necessary to bring the change about, your life will open up in many unexpected ways. 

This change is probably one of my proudest accomplishments.  I really believe that if I could do this, anybody can!
     

Brenda Stevens lives and works in Portland, Oregon.  She is presently writing a book with her trainer, James Dubberly, on how to transform your life through exercise and nutrition. You can find more of Brenda’s writing on her essay blog: Tearing Up the Pea Patch .

What the Experts Say About Getting the Most Antioxidants from Our Food. Why We Need Them - How to Best Absorb Them - Cooked or Raw? - Why Organic Matters - The ORAC Index - and the O2 Diet

"About twenty years ago, researchers found the missing link.

They discovered that colorful plant foods in their natural state were also rich in thousands of compounds with important health properties for humans—phytochemicals.

Only by eating an assortment of natural foods that are micronutrient-rich can you get enough of these compounds to protect yourself from the common diseases that afflict Americans."

-Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of "Eat to Live-

If you've received this via email, click here to get to the web version with all the links!

On the long drive to New York City 2 weeks ago I brought along some light reading and listening material to fill my time:

• The March issue of The Oprah Magazine.  I zoned right into: Nina Planck's brilliant article: "Are Organics Worth Their Price"
•  Keri Glassman's The O2 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful  OK-- I agree, this is a terrible title, and I could care less about the thin & beautiful part (not going to happen)--but her user-friendly ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) rankings of common foods--and her easy-to-understand plan to kick up our daily intake of health-giving antioxidants makes this book definitely worth your while.  
• NPR's Your Health Podcast from 7/27/09 The Nutrient Detectives--How Do They Know?  I had listened to this 7 months ago--and what a serendipitous surprise that I chose to give it a "re-listen"!

A magazine, a popular book, and a podcast.  End result:  I increased my understanding of the benefits of antioxidants and organic produce, I learned the best way to eat my fruits and veggies (who knew?), and I now have Glassman's terrific cheat sheet for plotting a way to get her recommended 30,000 ORAC points a day--it's an easy method to make sure I get the most bang for my nutritional buck.

Because of my car ride "entertainment"--O, NPR, & the O2 Diet--I've added, subtracted, and rejiggered some of my daily diet routines.  I've added 3 cups of green tea, for one--and I'm following up tough work-outs with an antioxidant-rich smoothie & extra sleep.  Plus, I'm making an effort to include lots of cinnamon, curcumin, and oregano into my cooking.

Lots of info to share--so I'll just cover the "what's new to me" highlights.

What I Learned About Organics and Antioxidants from Nina Planck

NIna Planck is both a food writer, and an advocate of "real food", farmer's markets, and organic produce.  She wrote her article in O in response to a report released last year by the British Food Standards Agency that pronounced organic food to be no more nutritious than the conventional variety.  Organic advocates claimed the report was flawed, incomplete, and biased.

Here's Planck's case for organic produce:

• The French Agency for Food Safety:  organics have more antioxidants, heart-healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids, iron and magnesium than conventionals
• The British Food Standard's Agency:  organics have more magnesium, zinc, antioxidant phytochemicals, like polyphenols & flavonoids than conventionals
• A 5-year 33 university study sponsored by the European Commission--believed to be the largest study of its kind--found organic cabbage & potatoes have more vitamin C--and organic tomatoes have more nutrients overall. 

My eye-opening finding from Planck's article:  How Using No Pesticides Increases the Antioxidant Content of Fruits & Vegetables

"A lack of pesticide exposure is an important reason organic produce has higher levels of beneficial antioxidants like vitamin C--which fight the free radicals implicated in aging, cancer, and heart disease.

Antioxidants are actually part of a plant's own defenses.  In fruits and vegetables, these bitter elements help fend off attacks by bugs and fungi.

Organic crops contain more of these compounds because they have to work harder to protect themselves--with no man-made pesticides to the rescue.

In addition, organic produce is free of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, which can also weaken plants' health.  Nitrogen produces a watery, sugary cell sap that compromises the plant's ability to build its immune system.

Plants that come to rely on the chemical can no longer fend off pests naturally.  Crops that are treated with the synthetic fertilizer also have overly leafy growth and poor flavor, as farmers have long known.  That's because the plants' natural immune system of antioxidants is what makes produce aromatic and savory.

In other words, a healthy plant makes a healthy meal--and a tastier one."

Bottom Line:  Plants do a better job of building up their own immune systems with antioxidants to fight of disease, fungus, and pests when they're grow organically--without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

I don't usually buy organic--but Planck's article is making me rethink that habit.

What I Learned From NPR's  "Your Health" Podcast, "The Nutrient Detectives--How Do They Know?"

1.  The Beta-Carotene Fat Connection:  (Yes--I already mentioned this in the olive oil post) To best absorb antioxidant carotenoids we need a little fat in the form of some nuts, seeds, or olive oil when we eat our fruits & vegetables--according to  Wendy White, a professor Human Nutrition at Iowa State University.

Carotenoids are the pigments responsible for red-, yellow- and orange-colored fruits and vegetables. And carotenoids are also found in dark green vegetables such as spinach. The compounds convert to Vitamin A in the body, and studies have found that carotenoids have antioxidant activity which may help protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Human studies have linked high consumption of fruits and vegetables to reduced risk of cancer.   White's salad study at Iowa State found that volunteers who ate  full-fat dressing absorbed the most beta-carotene.  The reduced-fat dressing eaters had substantially less absorption of beta-carotene.  And the fat-free dressing salad eaters had no absorption of the beta-carotenes. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2004 Aug;80(2):396-403.

2. Chop up your fruits & vegetables into tiny pieces for better antioxidant absorption.  According to Dr. White, the finer you can chop up your vegetables the more you can increase the nutrient absorption-- because it breaks down the plant material, aka cellulose.  

"When we chew a salad, we often don't do an efficient  job of crushing every cell;  about 70-90% of the cells are not broken open.  As a result most of the valuable nutrients contained within those cells never enter our bloodstream and are lost.

An even more efficient way to ensure you receive these needed nutrients is using a blender (think VitaMix) to puree raw, leafy greens.  The blending process aids your body in the work of breaking down and assimilating nutrients.  It guarantees that a higher percentage of nutrients will be absorbed into your bloodstream."

-Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Eat For Health-

3.  Raw Isn't Always Better.  Heat isn't always destructive to antioxidants.  When it comes to absorbing fruits & vegetables with beta-carotene and lycopene--think carrots and tomatoes--cooking actually aids absorption, because it softens the plant material, and releases their nutrients.  It just so happens that lycopene & beta-carotene are very stable antioxidants that aren't harmed by heat.

4.  What's the best cooking method to retain antioxidants?  According to a recent study in the Journal of Food Science click here  microwaving is the winner when it comes to preserving nutrients--because it's mild, quick, and it preserves the water soluble nutrients like vitamin C & B.  Boiling is the worst method--water is definitely not the cook's "best friend".

5.  Measuring the antioxidant content of fruits & vegetables at the USDA Research Center in Beltsville Maryland.  James Harnly is the guy who measures the phytonutrients for the USDA ORAC Index--using a complicated freezing, drying, grinding, liquid chromatography process.   It turns out--and most of us already know this--the fruits and vegetables with the highest antioxidant content are blueberries for their flavonoids; the Brassica family vegetables, like kale, cauliflower, and broccoli; the deep purple vegetables like eggplant for their anthocyanins; and apples for the flavonols in their skin. 

According to Harnly, when it comes to most fruits--the flavonoids are mostly in their skins--think apple & orange peels.  Whatever you do--don't throw away the peels.   Although researchers know that antioxidants are beneficial, how they work to prevent and neutralize free-radical damage is still an unknown.  Harnly guesses that it will likely turn out to be part of some sophisticated cascading effect going on in the body--that needs antioxidants to get started.

Using Keri Glassman's O2 Diet and Her ORAC Lists to Fine-Tune Your Diet

I just happened upon Glassman's book while browsing the New Book shelf at my local public library.  She's a registered dietitian with a New York City nutrition practice, and she's also a nutrition contributor to the CBS Early Show.

What's the ORAC Index anyway?  The ORAC Index was developed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture with the help of the top nutrition scientists in the country.  It ranks 277 foods by antioxidant content--their ability to either destroy or neutralize disease-causing free radicals.  Since oxidative stress caused by free radicals is likely to be one of the factors which plays an important role in the development of chronic and degenerative diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and neuronal degeneration--the ORAC Index is definitely a number to pay attention to when choosing your foods.  Click here for the USDA ORAC Index Fact Sheet

But if you took a look at the USDA's ORAC Index of foods you would scratch your head and wonder, "OK, so now what am I supposed to do with this?"  It definitely ranks the foods--but all the foods are ranked using a quantity of 100 grams--a meaningless measurement--nothing close to normal people portions.  It doesn't give us a clue about how to compare blueberries to apples to spinach in terms of portion size.  But Glassman spells it all out.

Keri Glassman made the ORAC Index usable because she took the USDA numbers and converted them into ounces and then converted them into normal people portions.  Thank you, Keri Glassman!

I love her game plan of using the ORAC Index points to shoot for 30,000 points a day to make sure you're eating a variety of "high-achieving" fruits, vegetables, legumes, carbohydrates, beverages, and spices everyday.

Why 30,000 Points a Day, You Ask?  Here's What Glassman Has to Say:

"Researchers have just begun to scratch the surface of antioxidant research; there are now literally hundreds of studies linking antioxidant-rich foods to better health, including everything from reduced heart disease to a decreased likelihood of cancer.

And while taking too many antioxidant supplements in pill form may be harmful, there's absolutely no downside to consuming more nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables.  Although the current recommendations are that we eat between 3,000 and 5,000 ORAC points a day for optimum health, why not get all you can?

Eating 30,000 ORAC points will boost the antioxidant power of your blood at least 10 to 25% percent according to some of the original ORAC research.  Click here

Don't forget that you still need to eat a balanced diet.  Sure you could get to 30,000 easily on nothing but artichokes, blueberries, and hot cocoa.  But that's not a balanced diet, and you'd be cheating yourself out of the wide variety of nutrients out there."

Easiest way to reach 30,000 points a day?

• Drink a Green Smoothie!  I calculated that my daily smoothie made with 1/2 an apple, 1/2 a grapefruit, 3 cups of kale, 1/2 cup of blueberries, 1/2 of a kiwi, 1/4 cup of pomegranate juice, and 2 carrots, comes to about 17,710 points!  Who knew?

• Add 3 cups of green tea a day for 9,000 more points.  I've never been a tea drinker until now & the scientific research on the benefits of green tea is extensive.

• Add a cup a black beans for 15,600 additional points.  Kidney beans, pinto beans, & lentils--they're all outrageously high in ORAC points.

Great tips from the O2 Diet

• Intense exercise actually weakens your immune system, putting you at risk for getting sick for a full 72 hours  after each workout--so, to counteract the effect of an intense workout-- Glassman recommends increasing your antioxidant intake to 50,000 points and getting an extra half hour of sleep.  Sounds like a plan.

• Oatmeal is brain food.  This complex carbohydrate helps to produce the feel-good chemical serotonin which has antioxidant properties, and helps ease that "stress-out" feeling.  Studies show that kids who eat oatmeal (with 600 ORAC points) for breakfast stay sharper throughout the morning.  No wonder I love my morning crockpot steel cut oats--made with dried fruit that kick up the ORAC points another notch!  Click here for the recipe

• Turmeric/Curcumin, the spice that gives curry its yellow color is a well-known antioxidant--which not only helps in the prevention of Alzheimers, it's recently been shown to reverse impaired cognition and neuronal plasticity caused by stress.  Click here  Turmeric clocks in at 3,500 ORAC points per teaspoon.  I've been taking a 500 mg capsule of curcumin daily, ever since a Columbia University neurologist specializing in Alzheimers told me he takes a teaspoon of turmeric a day.

A Sampling of the O2 Diet's ORAC Index Points

Glassman's book has a full list of the ORAC points of common foods by serving size, and she generously makes these lists available on her website.  Click here for the ORAC point guide.   Click here for the ORAC calculator

Top Foods in the ORAC Index

Fruit/ Serving/ ORAC Value

Blueberries 1 c= 9,700
Cranberries (raw) 1 c= 9,600
Red Delicious apple 1= 7,800
Blackberries 1 c= 7,700
Granny Smith apple 1= 7,100
Raspberries 1 c= 6,000
Strawberries 1 c= 5,400
Gala apple 1= 5,200
Pear 1= 5,200
Fuji apple 1= 4,700
Dried Fruit/ Serving/ ORAC Value
Cranberries, dried 2 Tbsp= 2,100
Prunes 3= 1,900
Currants 2 Tbsp= 1,100
Raisins 2 Tbsp= 600

Starch/ Cereal Serving/ ORAC Value

Oat bran flakes 3⁄4 c= 800
Popcorn, air-popped 5 c= 700
Instant oatmeal 1 packet= 600
Wheat germ 3 Tbsp= —

Bread/Crackers

Pumpernickel bread 1 slice= 500
Oat nut bread 1 slice= 400
Whole grain/seven-grain bread 1 slice= 400

Starchy Vegetable

Sweet potato with skin 1 medium= 2,400
Red potato with skin 1 small= 1,800
White potato with skin 1⁄2 medium= 1,600
Russet potato with skin 1⁄2 medium= 1,500
Corn 3⁄4 c= 700
Butternut squash 1 c= 600
Pumpkin 1 c= 600
Peas 3⁄4 c= 400

Legumes

Black beans 1⁄2 c= 7,800
Kidney beans 1⁄2 c= 7,800
Lentils 1⁄2 c= 7,500
Pinto beans 1⁄2 c= 7,000
Black-eyed peas 1⁄2 c= 3,600
Chickpeas 1⁄2 c= 800
Split peas 1⁄2 c= 500

Vegetable/ Serving/ORAC Value

Artichoke hearts 1⁄2 c= 7,900
Broccoli rabe 1 bunch= 6,800
Red cabbage (cooked) 1⁄2 c= 2,400
Radish (raw) 1 c= 2,000
Broccoli (cooked) 1⁄2 c= 1,900
Kale (raw) 1 c= 1,770
Onion (raw) 1 c= 1,600
Red cabbage (raw) 1 c= 1,600
Asparagus (cooked) 1⁄2 c= 1,500
Green bell peppers (raw) 1 c= 1,400
Salsa 1⁄2 c= 1,300
Spinach (cooked) 1⁄2 c= 1,300
Broccoli (raw) 1 c= 1,200
Red bell peppers (raw) 1 c= 1,200
Brussels sprouts (cooked) 1⁄2 c= 980
Carrots (raw) 1 c= 900
Tomato sauce 1/2 c= 900

Vegetarian Options

Black beans (or black bean soup) 1 c= 15,600
Kidney beans 1 c= 15,600
Pinto beans 1 c= 15,000
Lentils 1 c= 14,000
Black-eyed peas 1 c= 7,300
Edamame (soybeans) 3⁄4 c= 5,400
Chickpeas 1 c= 1,700
Split peas 1 c= 1,000
Hummus 4 Tbsp= 400

Fat/Serving/ORAC Value

Pecans 8 halves= 2,500
Walnuts 7 halves= 1,900
Hazelnuts 8= 1,000
Pistachios 18= 1,000
Avocado 1⁄4= 700
Guacamole 2 Tbsp= 700
Almonds 10= 500
Almond butter 2 tsp= 500
Peanuts 15= 500
Peanut butter 2 tsp= 500
Cashews 8= 200

Beverage/Serving/ORAC Value

Wine (Incorporate alcohol as a conscious indulgence.)
Sangria (See recipe on page 98 of the O2 Diet) 4 oz= 11,900
Cabernet 5 oz= 7,400
Red 5 oz= 5,700
Rosé 5 oz= 1,500
White 5 oz= 600
Tea (Drink up—no calories here!)
Green tea 1 c= 3,000
Black tea 1 c= 2,700
Other herbal teas 1 c= —
Juice (to be consumed in lieu of whole fruit)
Blueberry juice 1⁄2 c= 3,600
Pomegranate juice 1⁄2 c= 2,900
Concord grape juice 1⁄2 c= 2,900
Prune juice 1⁄2 c= 2,600
Red grape juice 1⁄2 c= 2,300
Cranberry–Concord grape juice 1⁄2 c= 1,800
White grapefruit juice 1⁄2 c= 1,500
Cranberry juice 1⁄2 c= 1,100
White grape juice 1⁄2 c= 1,000
Orange juice 1⁄2 c= 900

Herb/Spice/Serving/ORAC Value

Cinnamon, ground 1 tsp= 7,000
Cloves, ground 1 tsp= 6,600
Oregano, dried 1 tsp= 3,600
Turmeric, ground 1 tsp= 3,500
Cumin seed 1 tsp= 1,600
Curry powder 1 tsp= 1,000
Mustard seed, yellow 1 tsp= 1,000
Chili powder 1 tsp= 600
Pepper, black 1 tsp= 600
Basil, dried 1 tsp= 500
Ginger, ground 1 tsp= 500