Wednesday Wonders: Mercury in Fish

Q: I try to keep a high protein diet, but don’t like to eat very much poultry or red meat. I am not a vegetarian and rely heavily on fish as a main source of protein. I am concerned that I ingest too much mercury. What kinds of fish do you suggest I buy that is low in mercury and easy to find at my local Whole Foods? — Martha, NYC

A: Hi Martha!

This is an excellent question. Fish is a great option for a high quality protein source that is low in saturated fat and can give you the added bonus of omega-3 fatty acids, which benefit your heart and can help lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol.

The USDA recognizes that fish is part of a healthy diet; therefore, in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines they recommend at least 8 ounces of fish per week, which is two standard size servings. The fact that you already love fish puts you ahead of the game! It is important to  be cautious about the mercury content in fish, but it really is only a significant health concern for young children and women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. If you do not fall into these categories, then the nutritional benefits of eating fish outweigh the risks.

It is important, however, to understand the mercury content and other environmental contaminants in the fish you eat. In general, larger, predatory fish that have lived longer have higher mercury contents because they have had more time to accumulate the toxin. Some examples of predatory fish with high mercury content are swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and shark, so if you are concerned about mercury, avoid these fish. We always hear about tuna’s high mercury content, but canned chunk light tuna is actually low in mercury, so choose that instead of the higher mercury albacore tuna. Also, bottom feeders are much lower in mercury than the larger fish, so think of them when you are choosing your cuts of fish at Whole Foods.

Here are some common low mercury choices you will be able to find during your grocery shopping: anchovies, calamari, catfish, crab, haddock, flounder, cod, sole, salmon, tilapia, oysters, sardines, and freshwater trout.

If you have a Wednesday Wonder you’d like answered, email me at jessica@nutritioulicious.com!

Wednesday Wonders: Using and Storing Fresh Ginger

Wednesday Wonders are back! Your burning nutrition, food, and cooking questions are answered here every Wednesday. Ask your questions in the comments section of any blog post, post your question on the Nutritioulicious facebook page, tweet it to me, or email me directly!

Q: Hi Nutritioulicious!
I’m trying a new recipe tonight for a lower-fat sweet & sour stirfry chicken. The recipe calls for fresh ginger and I bought way more than what I needed. How can I store the ginger that I don’t use and how long will it keep for? Do you have any ideas of what to do with the leftovers? Thanks for your help! — Caren in Atlanta

A: Hi Caren!

Thanks for this great question. Good for you for trying something new! (And the low-fat sweet and sour chicken sounds great too!) Many people don’t know what to do with fresh ginger, so they use ginger powder or they skip the ingredient altogether. Ginger is an excellent spice that has great medicinal properties, such as helping relieve nausea and reduce inflammation, especially in people who have arthritis, so it would be a shame not to cook with it.

Fresh Ginger Root

I often use ginger in marinades, sauces, and vinaigrette dressings, but it can also be added directly to a dish to add flavor. For example, you can add julienned ginger to roasted or sautéed vegetables (I really like it on broccoli), make ginger cookies, or steep ginger in water for a nice homemade ginger tea. Ginger is also great paired with fish, like in these Black-Sesame Salmon Balls.

One thing to note is that fresh ginger and ground ginger have very different flavors, and cannot always be used interchangeably. However, if a recipe calls for ground ginger, you can use fresh ginger in its place, but remember that the amounts of fresh and dried herbs and spices are not equal. Generally, 1 teaspoon ground ginger = 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (remember 1 tablespoon=3 teaspoons), but be sure to taste often as you cook to see if you need more of the spice!  Here are some recipes that use ground ginger, but can be made with fresh minced ginger: Tomato Jam, Sweet Potato and Tofu Thai Curry, and Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup.

You can store ginger unpeeled in the crisper in the fridge in a plastic bag for up to 3 weeks or you can freeze it, unpeeled, for up to 3 months (put a date on it so you remember). If you freeze it, when you go to use it you can cut off what you need to use and then put the rest back in the freezer. Another thing you can do is peel it, grate it onto plastic wrap, roll up the plastic wrap into a log, and then when you want some, cut off the amount you want and wrap up the rest. You can then either let the frozen grated log defrost or grate it again.

Readers, please share with Caren how you use fresh ginger in your cooking! And if you have a Wednesday Wonder you’d like answered, email me at jessica@nutritioulicious.com!

Wednesday Wonders: What’s Matzo?

This week is Passover, one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays. If you’re not familiar, the Passover holiday celebrates the escape of the Jewish people from enslavement in Egypt. Matzo is a mainstay of the Passover holiday, and it is eaten in place of chametz, the collective name for leavened products containing wheat, barley, oats, rye, or spelt.

What is matzo and why do we eat it?

Matzo is unleavened bread, and looks like a cracker. It is made by combining flour and water and baking it before it has time to rise, which is why it turns into a flat, crunchy cracker. Matzo is eaten over the course of Passover (which lasts 8 days) because it is what the Jews ate when they escaped from Egypt. In the rush to leave, the Jews did not have time to bake bread; instead, they mixed together flour and water and quickly baked it, without waiting for it to rise. It was the only food they took on their journey to freedom.

Where does matzo stack up nutritionally?

Most people think matzo is low calorie because it’s just made with flour and water and is so light. However, a whole piece of matzo (1 whole square) contains 125 calories, 28 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein, 0 g fat. Nutritionally it doesn’t provide too many benefits, and I can’t say it’s the most delicious food, but it can become nutritioulicious™ when you use it as a base for sandwiches or use it to make matzo pizza (my favorite)!

These days there are other varieties of matzo:

• Egg matzo is made with flour, fruit juice, and eggs and contains 130 calories, 28 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein, 0.5 g fat per serving (1 piece)
• Whole wheat matzo is made with whole wheat flour (nutritious!) and water, and contains 100 calories, 23 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein, 0 g fat per serving (1 piece)

Matzo is known to be a bit difficult to digest and can lead to constipation, so it’s very important to eat enough fruit and vegetables over the holiday to prevent digestive problems.

Do you eat matzo? What’s your favorite way to enjoy it?

Wednesday Wonder: Cheese Please!

Q: Dear nutritioulicious™,

I love cheese, but it’s so high in fat and calories and fat-free and lower-fat versions have so much less flavor that they don’t satisfy my cheese cravings. Is it okay to eat regular cheese? It’s so delicious, I can’t go without it! — NY Cheese Lover

A: Dear NY Cheese Lover,

I love cheese too, so I hear you about the fat-free and low-fat varieties not always giving you the same flavor you get from full-fat cheese. However, not all low-fat cheeses are alike — some have more flavor than others. I recently tried BeemsterLite, a gourmet Dutch Gouda cheese that is full of flavor and has 33% less fat than classic Gouda cheese (not to mention less sodium too!). Even Andy loved it — he didn’t even know it was a low-fat cheese until I told him! Here’s a nutritional comparison of Beemster Classic and BeemsterLite (per ounce):

Beemster Classic: 138 calories, 11 g fat, 8 g sat fat, 8 g protein, 35 mg cholesterol, 313 mg sodium, 280 mg calcium
BeemsterLite: 90 calories, 6 g fat, 4.5 g sat fat, 9 g protein, 15 mg cholesterol, 210 mg sodium, 300 mg calcium

Generally speaking, cheese is a nutritious and delicious source of protein and calcium, but it is also high in saturated fat, which can increase risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, not to mention lead to weight gain. I recommend that my clients stick to small portions of cheese, but enjoy the kind they like — otherwise it’s a waste of calories.

If you can’t find a low-fat cheese you like, then keep enjoying the full-fat ones, but be more mindful when eating them and limit yourself to 1-1 1/2 ounces at a time (that’s at most the size of 3 small playing dice). And when it comes to cooking, skip the fat-free stuff — it doesn’t melt well.

Looking for more ways to enjoy cheese? Find recipes using Beemster Gouda cheese and two of my other favorites,  Coach Farm goat cheese (look for the reduced-fat log) and Jarlsberg Swiss cheese (look for the Lite).

*I was not paid to write about any of the products in the above post.

Wednesday Wonders: National Nutrition Month®

This week I have a Wednesday Wonder for you!

Q: Do you know what March is in the nutrition world?

A: It’s National Nutrition Month^®! (Yes, I know, the answer was in the headline!) Every March the American Dietetic Association sponsors National Nutrition Month^®(NNM), a nutrition education and information campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to educate the public about the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits. It’s also about promoting and reminding the media and the public that  registered dietitians are the nutrition experts and the most credible source of timely, scientifically based food and nutrition information.

This year’s theme for NNM^® is Nutrition From the Ground Up, the basic premise of which is that healthy eating doesn’t have to be difficult. A healthy eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy and includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, and nuts. A healthy eating plan is also low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars. (Sounds a little like my nutritioulicious™ beliefs!) The ADA has some great resources for NNM^®, including recipes, handouts, and information about what an RD can do for you.

Happy Nutrition Month!!!

Do you have a Wednesday Wonder you’d like answered? If so, email me at jessica@nutritioulicious.com!

Wednesday Wonders: Freezing Fruit

Q: Hi! I’m a berry lover and buy strawberries even during the pricey winter months because I enjoy having them each morning for breakfast.  I am getting ready to go away for a few days and have some left over.  Can I cut them up and freeze them for when I return? Thanks! — Berry Lover

A: Hi Berry Lover!

Great question. The answer is yes — you can definitely freeze them.  I’ve previously talked about frozen produce and what a great way it is to save money when fresh produce is out of season. However, if you have access to out of season produce or just really like to have the fresh stuff all year round, you definitely don’t want it to go to waste — especially if you’ve spent a lot on it. Here’s how you can freeze fresh berries for them to keep well:

1. Wash the berries and let them drain very well. You want to be extra careful with strawberries to make sure there is no moisture left. Strawberries are like sponges, they soak up water, which can leave them mushy.
2. Spread the berries on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze them for a few hours or overnight.
3. Once frozen, place the berries in a resealable bag, remove all the air, and store in the freezer.

Your frozen berries should be good for a few months, and can easily be defrosted to top your morning bowl of cereal, add to yogurt, or make into a smoothie. Keep in mind that you can also buy berries during the summer when the prices are cheaper and freeze them for winter use.

Do you have a Wednesday Wonder? Keep on sending your nutritioulicious™ questions to me at  jessica@nutritioulicious.com!

Wednesday Wonders: Health Benefits of Herbal Teas

Q: I drink herbal tea every morning and in the evening before bed. Am I getting all of the antioxidant and heart health benefits that I’ve heard so much about? — Tea Lover

A: Hi Tea Lover! That’s an excellent question. Unfortunately, herbal tea does not contain the antioxidants and heart health benefits that you find in green, black, white, and oolong teas (you can read about those in my earlier post Warm up at Teatime). Herbal tea, also known as tisane, is not actually tea at all. It is an infusion made with herbs, flowers, roots, and seeds — basically any part of a plant other than real tea leaves.

To add to the confusion, flavored teas are real tea. They are prepared by adding other plants to black, green, oolong, or white tea. For example, the popular Earl Grey tea is black tea with bergamot (a citrus fruit) added for flavor.

Before you start thinking your tea drinking is a waste, let me tell you about the benefits of herbal tea. While it may not give you an antioxidant boost, herbal teas have been found to help in other areas, such as:

• Digestion (peppermint tea)
• Sleep (chamomile tea)
• Nausea (ginger tea)
• Headaches (rosemary tea)

Plus, don’t forget that unsweetened herbal tea (hot or cold) is a great calorie-free bevarage and is caffeine-free! So keep on drinking your tea, and if you want add in a cup or two of the real stuff once in a while!

Do you have a Wednesday Wonder you’d like answered? If so, email me at jessica@nutritioulicious.com!

Wednesday Wonders: Vitamin Water

Q: Dear Nutritioulicious,

I know that I don’t drink enough water, so I’ve been trying to drink more. In addition to plain water, I’ve been drinking bottles of vitaminwater10, which is sweetened with Truvia instead of sugar. Are these as hydrating as regular water? And what do you think of the added vitamins — are they beneficial? — Molly

A: Dear Molly,

I think it’s great that you’re starting to drink more water — it is, after all, one of the 6 essential nutrients that your body needs to survive! Plain tap water or bottled water without minerals added are your best sources of water. Some bottled waters add minerals, such as calcium and sodium, so read the labels and be careful not to choose the ones with added sodium.

As for those vitamin waters, well, let’s just say I’m not a fan. Let’s take a closer look at the vitamin water to see why:

• Calories: Yes, vitaminwater10 does contain fewer calories than other vitamin waters, but it still contains 10 calories per 8 ounce serving, and when a whole bottle has 2.5 servings (20 ounces) that means you’re getting 25 calories from water — that’s 25 calories more than you would get if you drank plain water.
• Sugar: While vitaminwater10 has less sugar than the original vitaminwater (3 g vs. 13 g per 8-ounce serving), it is certainly not sugar-free like plain water is. Most people take in a lot more sugar from other sources, but getting extra sugar from water just seems, well, unnatural.
• Ingredients: In plain water the only ingredient you will find is pure, simple H2O — water. The ingredient list of vitaminwater10 is way too long to reprint here (sign #1 that something’s not right), but if we take a look at the first 10 ingredients in the vitaminwater10 low cal xxx (açai-blueberry-pomegranate) flavor this is what you’ll see:
  • Reverse Osmosis Water, Crystalline Fructose, Erythritol, Natural Flavor, Citric Acid, Vegetable Juice (Color), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Berry And Fruit Extracts (Acai, Blueberry, Pomegranate And Apple), Magnesium Lactate (Electrolyte), Rebiana (Stevia Extract)

  Do you recognize these ingredients? Some of them I have never heard of, but I can tell you that “crystalline fructose” is a form of sugar and “erythritol” is a sugar alcohol — not so natural.

  The antioxidants in the water come from the “berry and fruit extracts” — not really a great source when you can get more antioxidant benefits from eating the fruit itself.

  Rebiana, the stevia extract, is a natural sweetener that finally got FDA approval and is fine as long as you can tolerate the bitter taste.

  The minimal benefit of the added vitamins from the water are not worth the calories when you can get plenty of vitamins from food itself.

  And as for all those electrolytes, unless you’re an athlete or are running marathons, chances are you don’t need to replace them.

The bottom line: As I always say, get your nutrients from food first. If you need some help getting more water in, try adding your own fruit to tap water. For example, add sliced orange, lemon, or lime for a citrus twist, or add cucumber for a cool, refreshing change of pace. Don’t rely on vitamin waters to get your nutrients — you’ll get plenty from a well-balanced diet alone.

Wednesday Wonders: Healthy Holiday Cookie Swap

Q: Help! I am invited to an annual holiday cookie swap and need to bring enough treats for each guest. This event has gotten so big that the amount of junk & treats is overbearing. I would love to find a recipe that is delicious yet secretly nutritious so that I don’t feel as guilty! Do you have any suggestions? — Cookie Lover

A: Hi Cookie Lover,

Mmm…a cookie swap sounds delicious! But it’s definitely not the most nutritious way to celebrate the holidays. Everything in moderation is certainly the key here — you should definitely enjoy some of those cookies you’ll be getting, but you’re best bet is to put some away (try freezing them) for another day…or holiday.

As for making a nutritioulicious™ cookie, here are some tips to help you out:

• Cut the fat. You can reduce the source of fat (butter, sour cream, oil) by half and still bake a great cookie. But you must replace the fat with another moist ingredient. I recommend low-fat Greek or plain yogurt, natural, unsweetened applesauce or other fruit purees, light cream cheese, or low-fat sour cream.
• Swap in whole-wheat flour. Replace half the white flour with whole-wheat pastry flour. You’ll increase the fiber content without changing much of the taste.
• Reduce the sugar. Use 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sugar the recipe calls for or substitute a no-calorie sweetener (like Splenda) for half the sugar. Most cookies are sweeter than they need to be, so this reduction shouldn’t make too much of a taste difference.
• Use dark chocolate. If the recipe calls for cocoa powder, chocolate chips, or chocolate squares, use dark chocolate varieties. You won’t need as much (a little bit goes a long way here) and you’ll get the antioxidant benefits.
• Make egg substitutes. One whole egg can be replaced with 1/4 cup of an egg substitute, or you can cut the number of whole eggs in half and use egg whites only in place. Just be sure the volume of egg whites equals that of the whole eggs.
• Decrease the portion size. If a recipe calls for a dozen cookies, make two dozen using the same amount of batter. Each cookie will be smaller, but you won’t feel deprived with so many cookies going around this holiday season!
• Use all natural ingredients. If you’re making a peanut butter based cookie, use natural peanut butter to avoid having trans fats in your cookies. If fruit is called for, don’t skimp on the real thing or use unsweetened dried fruit.

A few things to keep in mind: Be sure to do a test-run ahead of time to make sure the cookies come out to your liking. Don’t try all the modifications at once — try a few and see how you like them; no one will ever know! Most of all, enjoy the cookies and the holidays!

Wednesday Wonders: BLT vs. Bagel with Cream Cheese

Q: Dear Jessica,

I enjoy your blog! I am writing because I often find myself with limited choices when I am “on the run,” so my eating habits come down to “which is the better of the two.” Case in point, for lunch today, I ate a “kosher BLT” — some kosher sliced bacon-type meat (beef, not pig), with mayo, lettuce, and tomato on whole wheat bread. There were 10 grams of fat per 3 slices and I had 7 slices (they are small once they are fried up in olive oil). The other choice was a whole wheat bagel with cream cheese. Did I make the right choice? I think I did because I had protein, but my wife doesn’t think so (although my stomach says I did!!) — On the Run

A: Dear On the Run,

Thanks for your question and for reading the blog! Eating on the run is always tough, as it’s hard to find the best choices when you’re not at home. I commend you for looking for the better of two choices — it’s great that it’s on your radar! The choices you present here are not the most nutritious, but sometimes that happens. I’ve analyzed the two options and here is the breakdown:

	Beef Bacon on Whole Wheat Bread with Mayonnaise (1 tbsp)	Whole Wheat Bagel with Cream Cheese (2 Tbsp)
Calories	523	525
Total Fat (g)	30	12
Saturated Fat (g)	12	6
Cholesterol (mg)	74	32
Sodium (mg)	1415	842
Carbohydrates (g)	44	97
Fiber (g)	6	5
Protein (g)	22	16

As you can see, your two options come out almost the same calorically, and pretty close on the protein side (bagels have a fair amount of protein in them). The main difference is in the fat, cholesterol, sodium, and carbohydrate content. Too much fat, cholesterol, and sodium can all lead to cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. Excess carbohydrates are also not ideal, as they can turn into fat if not burned off. However, you have more leeway with the amount of carbs you can have in a day than in the amount of fat (generally I recommend a calorie breakdown of 50% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 20% fat).

I’m sorry to say, your wife was right!

Do you have a Wednesday Wonder you’d like answered? If so, email me at jessica@nutritioulicious.com!