Weekly Wellness
Issue 226
Featured Article
Checking Your Child for Celiac
Fitness Tip
Capsaicin
Capsaicin is the heat-inducing chemical in the chile peppers found in most hot sauces. The more capsaicin, the hotter the pepper. Some researchers believe that eating hot peppers releases endorphins, the naturally occurring proteins that produce a so-called runner's high. Even if you do not get "high" off the peppers in hot sauce, you will get a little nutritional kick in the form of beta-carotene and vitamins A and C. But if you overdo it with the hot sauce, quell the heat with a sip of milk or a spoonful of yogurt. The casein in dairy products helps break down capsaicin.
Nutrition Tip
Sweet Substitutions
Sugar adds sweetness, tenderness and color to foods. But if you are watching your sugar intake, you do have other options. Keep these general guidelines in mind:
- Take advantage of the natural sweetness in fruit. Try using fruit juice, frozen juice concentrate and reduced-sugar jams and spreads in place of sugar in recipes.
- You may be able to reduce the sugar by a third in some recipes for baked goods without significantly changing the taste and texture. Do a little experimenting and see if your family can tell the difference.
- To enhance flavor, use spices like cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg and mace. Also consider extracts, such as vanilla and almond, to add more flavors.
See also: Quickly Prepare Frozen Concentrate
Herb of the Week
Yellow Dock Root
Yellow Dock Root has a long history of use as an alterative - a detoxifying herb. It is used to treat skin conditions and to cleanse the liver. For those purposes, it is often combined with dandelion. A mild laxative, it contains anthraquinone glycosides, these active ingredients are also found in senna leaf. A rich source of iron, it has been traditionally taken to add iron to the diet.
Quick Recipe
Solar S'mores
Four graham crackers
16 mini marshmallows
2 plain chocolate candy bars
A 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish (or similar size)
A clear glass lid to cover the baking dish
Place four graham crackers side by side in the bottom of the glass baking dish. Place a chocolate bar on two of the graham crackers. Place eight mini-marshmallows on top of the other two graham crackers. Cover the pan with the clear glass lid, and place it outside where it will be in direct sunlight. Wait for the marshmallows and chocolate to melt. Put one chocolate and one marshmallow cracker together and enjoy! This activity works best when outdoor temperature is 85 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Recipe makes two S'mores.
Tidbit(s)
Finding Whole-Grains Getting Easier
While you're counting whole grain servings -- the government suggests the equivalent of three ounces daily -- it might help to be able to recognize a whole-grain product when you see it at the store. Great Harvest Bread Company aims to make that easier with its Whole Grain Stamps, which will help consumers identify whole grain sources. The Great Harvest Stamps will identify whole grain sources. The Great Harvest Stamps will identify products that are a "good" source, a "better" source and a "best" source of whole grains. According to the new dietary guidelines, Americans should roughly triple their consumption of whole grains.
Food Fixes
Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.
When a recipe calls for sharp cheddar cheese and you haven't any on hand, a dash of black pepper and ground mustard and Worcestershire sauce added to a mild cheese will give it a sharp flavor.
Can't get that lid to come off the jar? Hold the jar upside down and pour warm vinegar around the neck at the joint between the glass and the top. Then give the lid another try. In addition, if you do not have one of those rubber jar openers on hand, just substitute the widest rubber band you can find. Fit it around the jar lid and it will give you a better grip.
Add a dash of garlic powder to any mayonnaise based potato salad for a great pick-me-up.