Scott Power’s five principles to Thrive

Scott Power, a senior brand strategist at Kaiser Permanente, describes his work as "helping the organization with its branding and marketing efforts." As down-to-earth as that sounds, he's no average desk jockey.

In 2008, Power earned the title of Ironman when he completed the grueling Ironman Triathlon. He shares with us his five guiding principles that help him stay focused and motivated to live every day to the fullest.

Take responsibility for your own health and happiness.Stay chronically curious—it keeps the mind active.Push the limits of your comfort zone.Help others, and be generous every day of the week.Do something awesome and fun. Life is for living, not existing.

Discover how Scott Power became an Ironman.

filed in: Exercise & Fitness
subjects: fitness, optimism

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Climber takes fitness to a new level

In this technological age, many of us spend our workdays sitting in front of a computer screen. And that's certainly the case for Mike Kosel, an IT professional with Kaiser Permanente in Colorado.

But Kosel balances the deskbound nature of his job in a big way. When he has time off from the office, he heads for the mountains—to climb some of the tallest peaks in the world.

"I didn't start from nothing and just decide I wanted to climb these peaks," says Kosel. "I started by setting realistic goals in the short term, then reached higher as I met each one."

14,000 feet and rising

The Rocky Mountain native discovered his passion for heights by way of bicycle. In 1995 he rode to the summit of Colorado's Mount Evans on the highest paved road in North America at 14,264 feet.

Kosel was hooked. He wanted to master more mountains over 14,000 feet, known among climbers as fourteeners. And with the vast majority of them unreachable by bike, he swapped his wheels for a pair of boots.

This new ambition kept Kosel busy for a while. He worked his way from shorter climbs to longer climbs and through increasingly challenging conditions, adding 60 pounds of mountaineering gear to his pack load.

By 2008, Kosel had climbed all 54 fourteeners in the state of Colorado. And he'd already set a new goal for himself—this time, a bit farther from home.

The Seven Summits

Kosel had decided to take on the Seven Summits—a mountaineering challenge that involves climbing the tallest peak on each of the seven continents of the world.

Since then he's climbed three: Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa, 19,340 feet), Mount Elbrus (Europe, 18,510 feet), and Aconcagua (South America, 22,841 feet). He plans to climb North America's Denali at 20,320 feet in May 2010.

To Kosel, each peak represents a new challenge, either in altitude, climate, or terrain. He's projected his seven climbs—considering the costs for each expedition—through 2020.

It's the journey that counts

Reaching the summit isn't Kosel's only motivation. The self-described outdoors addict finds real pleasure in the journey itself—being in the wilderness, navigating different conditions, challenging his body and mind.

"We all have things we're drawn to, and for me that's being in the mountains," he says. "Whether I reach the summit or get turned back within minutes, I can’t imagine a better way to have fun."

Kosel even savors the return home. Back on level ground, he feels a sense of accomplishment. And if he didn't reach the top of the mountain he set out to climb, he still takes satisfaction in knowing he gave it all he had.

Whatever your pleasure

However you choose to challenge yourself—whether by mountain climbing, cycling, fishing, or simply walking—Kosel feels that having fun is the most important thing. It's what keeps you going back for more.

"If you don't love what you're doing, then find something you do love," he says. "I've climbed all the 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado—many of them several times—and I've enjoyed each and every experience."

filed in: Exercise & Fitness
subjects: exercise, fitness, outdoor recreation

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Becoming an Ironman

Energetic and outgoing, it's easy to assume that Scott Power, a senior brand strategist at Kaiser Permanente, has always led an active lifestyle. But in reality, it took inspiration from friends and family for him to get healthier and push his limits—all the way to the Ironman Triathlon.

Power admits that he didn't take his health seriously until his late 20s. Once he did, he met like-minded people who shared this positive outlook.

Some of those friends were marathon runners who were passionate about the sport. They explained to him that, with proper training and preparation, anyone could run a marathon.

With their encouragement, Power set out to accomplish his very first fitness goal—to complete the Chicago Marathon. He crossed that finish line in 2004, bringing home a medal and an appreciation for what people can accomplish through will, dedication, and a positive frame of mind.

With the Chicago Marathon behind him, Power moved to Los Angeles. There he began volunteering at local running events. Through these circles, including friends of his wife, he learned about the Ironman Triathlon.

One of the most grueling fitness challenges in the world, the Ironman is made up of three events: a 2.4-mile ocean swim; a 112-mile bike ride; and a 26.2-mile run. It's an awe-inspiring feat of endurance that most would never consider. But Power saw it differently.

"The people who crossed the finish line looked just like me," he says, remembering the competition he watched on television. "They weren't textbook examples of fitness. They came in all shapes and sizes.

"That humanized it for me," Power adds. "I thought to myself, 'I think I can do this.'"

Once he made the commitment, Power learned all he could about preparing for the Ironman. He set his sights on the Ironman Coeur d'Alene in Idaho and began his training six months prior to the event.

"Over 26 weeks, I estimate I swam, biked, and ran more than 250 hours," Power says. "The training is an epic adventure in itself."

Beyond the rigorous mix of running, cycling, and swimming, a healthy diet helped Power maintain energy and build up his endurance. "The quality of the fuel you put in your body makes a difference," he advises.

Power also managed his energy by eating small meals throughout the day, grazing on fruit, nuts, and other healthy snacks at his desk. "Your energy is like a campfire. You add fuel while it's still burning. You don't want to wait until your body is tired to add fuel."

Another key part of training that people often overlook, Power shares, is rest.

"Rest is vital to avoiding burnout and injury," he says. "You have to give your body a chance to recover and get ready for the next test. Sometimes the best thing for your body is to take a day off—and that doesn't mean you stay up all night partying."

An important tip that Power learned from his research and from his friends is to show up on race day in a good mood and injury free. That's exactly how he arrived early in the morning on June 22, 2008.

Throughout the triathlon Power held on to one clear vision: to cross the finish line and drape the Ironman medal around his father's neck. Fourteen hours and 39 minutes later, that's just what he did.

Visit Scott Power's blog for more on his Ironman Coeur d'Alene experience.

filed in: Exercise & Fitness
subjects: exercise, fitness, healthy-habits

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Move your workout indoors

When the weather outside is frightful, your exercise routine doesn't have to suffer. Indoor activities can help you get through the winter in good shape—so let it snow!

With the proper clothing and other precautions, it's possible to enjoy your favorite outdoor activities in all sorts of weather. But if the temperature really drops, you can always get your daily dose of exercise indoors.

Keith Bachman, MD, a weight management specialist at Kaiser Permanente's Care Management Institute Weight Management Initiative in Portland, Oregon, says extreme weather isn't the only good reason to move your workout inside.

"Indoor activities are a great opportunity to vary your workout and involve different muscle groups," he says.

Mixing up your exercise routine is also known as cross-training, and it comes with a number of benefits. By working different parts of your body in different ways, you can improve your coordination, better avoid injuries, and increase your overall fitness level.

Another advantage to cross-training is that it can keep you from getting bored with your regular routine. Avoid an exercise rut by trying something totally new this winter—like indoor rock climbing or martial arts.

"Anything that gets your body moving and improves your coordination and balance is a step in the right direction," says Dr. Bachman.

The key to total fitness is having an exercise plan that includes muscle strengthening activities, aerobic activities, and flexibility exercises.

For strengthening, Dr. Bachman suggests resistance training or weight training with low weights and frequent repetitions. Dancing is a good aerobic workout, and yoga is great for flexibility.

But the most important thing, Dr. Bachman advises, is to do something that you find enjoyable.

Children need to stay active during the winter months, too. Look for fun activities the whole family can do together, like bowling or roller skating. For organized sports and other activities for kids, check out your community recreation center.

If you're homebound, Dr. Bachman suggests popping in a fitness video game that will get kids off the couch and keep them interested. (It just may turn out to be one of your favorite ways to exercise, too!)

Find out what you can do to burn off extra calories with our fitness calculator widget. For tips on how to brave the elements and keep your workout going all winter long, read "Winterize your workout."

filed in: Exercise & Fitness
subjects: calorie counter, exercise, fitness

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Barley

Whether you like it roasted and blended with yak butter—like Tibetans, who name it as one of their favorite staples—or in beer like the ancient Egyptians (and, for that matter, people today), barley is a venerable grain that boasts plentiful amounts of both flavor and nutrition.

Barley has a robust, nutty flavor and maintains its chewy texture well after cooking. In drinks, it often has a toasty flavor with a slight bitterness.

The words “barley” and “barn,” which originally meant barley-house, are both rooted in the Old English bære. They have been part of the English language for more than 1000 years.

Barley is a member of the grass family and, until recently, was thought to include several different species with different scientific names. Now, wild barley, two-rowed barley, and six-rowed barley are all classified as a single species, H. vulgare L.

Barley’s beginnings are hotly disputed by grainiacs all over the world. The point of contention centers on whether the original wild forms were indigenous to eastern Asia, namely Tibet, or to the Near East or eastern Mediterranean, or both. What researchers do agree on is that, in a crop so long cultivated, this question may never be answered with certainty.

What is known is that this hardy, adaptable grain was likely a major food crop—as prominent as wheat—until about the time of the Roman Empire. Grains found in Egyptian pits and pyramids show that barley was cultivated there more than 5000 years ago. The most ancient glyph or pictograph found for barley hails from 3000 B.C.E. And many references to barley and beer are found in early Egyptian and Sumerian writings.

Since then, however, barley has fallen from prominence. In fact, throughout the 19th century, it was regarded as “peasant” food and was used primarily for animal feed and beer brewing, with food use a distant third. Even so, barley is still the fourth most important grain crop in the United States. To give you an idea of what that means, in 2008, 3,767,000 acres of barley were harvested in the U.S. alone. That’s a lot of whole grains! It plays a vital role in world agriculture as well: As the fourth most important cereal crop in the world after wheat, maize, and rice, it is grown in dozens of challenging agricultural regions, and is often the only rain-fed crop people are able to grow in an intemperate area.

For pure, heart-friendly nutrition, it’s hard not to wish that barley had become the dominant grain instead of wheat. For one, barley is superior to wheat in fiber, and even better at managing blood sugar levels than our friend the oat. Too, hardy barley is more tolerant of harsh physical conditions than any other cereal crop. It grows in arctic and alpine latitudes, as well as very dry places like Yemen and parts of North Africa.

Barley adds a nutty goodness and heartiness to foods like pilaf, cookies, and cereals, and we use several varieties of barley in our foods. We source ours from such barley-growing hubs as Saskatchewan, Canada and North Dakota. In some of our foods, like Kashi® Honey Puffs and GOLEAN Crunch!® cereal, we use a variety called hulless waxy barley, sourced from growers in Montana. Although all types of barley possess strong nutritional qualities, hulless types don’t require milling to remove the hull. This leaves the full bran layer intact, contributing to high fiber content. Yay, fiber!

The “waxy” quality of hulless is caused by having a lot of the complex amylopectin starch that helps us feel satisfied. It also has a lower glycemic index than other whole grains, so it’s good as part of a diet to keep blood sugar stable.

Most of the barley grown in North America comes from the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and the northern U.S. states of North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Minnesota (although it is produced in 27 U.S. states!). Since its peak in the mid 1980s, barley lands have decreased five-fold, mainly because of the movement to reclaim land for perennial grass and shrubs, the challenges of achieving malt-grade quality on rain-fed acreage, and low prices. Still, as a short-season, early-maturing crop that thrives in both irrigated and dry environments, it’s a perennial favorite of growers across North America.

Hulless barley is a staple in Tibet, where it is the predominant grain grown at high elevation. Barley is part of Tibetans’ dietary staple tsampa (or zampa), a blend of roasted barley and yak butter that comes in various flavors.

In places such as Tibet, Nepal, Ethiopia, the Andean countries, North Africa, Afghanistan, India, and Russia, people eat barley mixed with wheat in breads, or in local recipes.

Two-row barley, with its lower protein content and thus more fermentable sugar content, is traditionally used in English-ale type beers. Six-row barley is common in some American lagers, and two-row malted summer barley is the foundation of most German beers.

Roasted barley tea is popular in Japan (mugicha) and Korea (boricha). It is preferred as a cooling summer beverage in Japan and served year-round in Korea (hot in winter and cold in summer).

Learn more about our 7 whole grains with these Grainipedia entries:

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Taking a Bite out of Climate Change: 5 Easy Steps

Unseasonably hot days feel different lately. They don’t just make me warm; they make me worried, too. I get to thinking about whether the sweltering is a bellwether of our future. I worry like this especially on days like today, with temperatures here in New York City surging past a record-breaking 100.

Climate scientists tell us we can’t extrapolate from anecdotal experiences like my weather worries, but we now have the data to confirm that spikes in temperature worldwide are indicating an irrefutable fact: The age of climate chaos has begun.

Being aware of the scale of the climate crisis makes me simultaneously want to do something and feel overwhelmed that we can’t possibly do anything to reverse this disaster at all. This latter feeling has certainly been reinforced by the limits of the action messages we’ve been hearing. After all, I don’t own a car and don’t plan to buy one; I don’t need any new appliances; and I’ve already changed every bulb in the house.

Thankfully, there’s a lot more we can do — from big-picture tough stuff like taking a stand for forward-looking local and federal environmental policies to the simplest act of all: making climate-friendly choices when it comes to the food on our plate.

The food system, from seed to plate, is responsible for as much as one-third of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions. The production of livestock for human consumption alone is responsible for nearly one-fifth of the world’s total emissions — that’s more than every gas-guzzling SUV, jet plane or tanker combined*.

So what can we do to support a climate-friendly diet? Thankfully, we’ve got many options at the end of our fork. Here are a few to inspire you. Who knows, you might already have been making these choices without realizing you were helping the planet with every bite you were taking!

1. Choose real food: Supermarket shelves are lined with products full of trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup and multisyllabic additives. Each of these elements takes enormous energy to create. Choosing real food — fresh, whole foods with minimal packaging — is choosing energy-efficient food that’s good for your body and the planet.

2. Don’t panic — go organic: Organic farms are not only good for the birds and the bees; they’re good for the climate, too. By building healthy soil, organic farms emit half the carbon dioxide as chemical farms. And since they don’t use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, organic farms also use much less fossil fuel energy than their conventional counterparts.

3. Enjoy meatless Mondays … or Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays: Livestock production is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, so try cutting meat and dairy out of your diet, or just trim back: Choose one day a week to go meat-free and you’ll be helping to decrease the carbon “foodprint” of your diet.

4. Live la vida loca(l): Decrease your food mileage by choosing food from your locally stocked supermarket or your nearest farmers market. And help keep those local farmers on the land and thriving by becoming a shareholder of a community farm near you through community-supported agriculture.

5. Skip the straw: With more and more of us eating on the run, food packaging has become a bigger and bigger problem, filling our landfills and adding to the overall climate toll of our food system. So try, when you can, to choose less packaged products, travel with reusable mugs and turn to the tap instead of bottled water.

Anna Lappé is the author, with her mother, Frances Moore Lappé, of the national bestseller Hope’s Edge, which chronicles the pair’s journey from the foothills of the Himalayas to the plains of Brazil to meet courageous change-makers, two of whom have won the Nobel Peace Prize since the book’s publication. In 2006, she teamed up with chef Bryant Terry to write Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen. Anna is currently at work on her third book, Eat the Sky, about the connection between food, farming and global warming. For more information visitwww.takeabite.cc.

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Buckwheat

Here’s the first surprise: Buckwheat isn’t a grain at all—it’s a fruit. Although buckwheat has many grain-like traits, it belongs to a different botanical family entirely. That’s one reason why people who have a gluten allergy can usually handle buckwheat. In fact, it’s sometimes referred to as a “pseudocereal” to show that it bears no relation to wheat whatsoever.

Not for the timid, buckwheat’s flavor has variously been called “distinctive,” “robust,” and “strong.” Buckwheat’s powerful taste makes it a great partner for other flours, though, adding a zippy bite to pancake batter, breads, and other grain-based foods. Buckwheat flowers are very fragrant; bees adore them and their relationship produces a unique, dark honey.

Buckwheat—or “beech wheat,” as it is sometimes called—refers to the plant’s triangular seeds, which resemble the larger seeds of the (unrelated) beechnut tree, plus a nod to the fact that it is used like wheat The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon words boc (beech) and whoet (wheat). The Dutch adopted the word as boecweite when they brought it to America during colonial times. Biologically, buckwheat actually comprises two plants: the Eurasian Fagopyrum and the North American Eriogonum. Common buckwheat, the crop plant that ends up in our cereals and pancakes, is known as Fagopyrum esculentum.

The plant is thought to have originated in central Asia, in the swath between Siberia’s Lake Baikal and Manchuria. Most recently, food scientists are pointing to southwest China and the Himalayas as the center of the breadbasket for buckwheat cultivation. Farmers have grown buckwheat in North America since colonial times, especially in the northeastern and north-central United States. The leading buckwheat-growing states are New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota, though our northern neighbor Canada has even more buckwheat acreage than the U.S.

What’s buckwheat’s nutritional secret? In a word, protein. Buckwheat protein is especially rich in the essential amino acid lysine, which wheat and corn are low in. In fact, de-hulled buckwheat’s protein content is about 12%, with just 2% fat. Yay, buckwheat! Just as exciting, buckwheat contains all essential amino acids—eight protein building blocks that the body cannot manufacture by itself—in decent amounts, making it more comparable to “complete” proteins than any other plant protein, including soybeans. Plus, it’s packed with B vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and calcium.

You’ll find buckwheat in almost all Kashi foods. You can even see it in Kashi® 7 Whole Grain Pilaf—just look for the distinctive pyramid shape of these little gems. Most of our buckwheat comes from three buckwheat-producing states: North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

Buckwheat flourishes in a variety of soil conditions, wherever the climate is moist and cool. Because its growing period is somewhat short—10 to 12 weeks only—it can be cultivated fairly far north and at higher altitudes than regular grains. It covers ground quickly, blocks out weeds, and also allows for crop rotation with other grains. Still, the crop is vulnerable to bad weather and can be destroyed by freezing temperatures, so growers tend carefully to this grainy impostor. From buckwheat noodles (a staple in Japan) to old-fashioned American pancakes to gluten-free breads, buckwheat remains a popular ingredient around the world.

Learn more about our 7 whole grains with these Grainipedia entries:

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Protein & Weight Loss

We all know the time-honored weight loss pillars include eating a balanced diet, engaging in frequent exercise, and cutting overall caloric intake. What may surprise you, though, is that studies and experts have indicated that for many people, upping the amount of protein in the diet may help promote weight loss and improve body composition. There are several factors at work and we've outlined them below for you.

When we consume protein-rich foods, say lean poultry or low-fat yogurt, we tend to feel fuller than when we consume other types of nutrients. When you eat protein, it’s easier to consume fewer overall calories, which is one of the keys to losing weight. So consider adding a grilled chicken breast to your salad or low-fat cottage cheese to your breakfast. You may find you’re less likely to overeat later in the day.

The staying power of protein can help keep blood sugar levels from spiking too high or dipping too low. With less frequent blood sugar spikes, dieters are better able to control their appetites, and control what they put in their mouths. Most of us make better choices when we’re feeling steady.

Combining the higher protein diet with exercise creates more of an effect than exercise alone and can improve body composition during weight loss. It also helped reduce triacylglycerol levels and increased concentrations of HDL (good) cholesterol.

A protein intake of 18% compared with 15% resulted in improved weight maintenance in overweight subjects after weight loss in a 2005 study. A second study in 2009 examined changes in weight and body composition after dieting, and found that a diet higher in protein more effectively reduced fat mass and improved body composition, and that these changes were sustained over time.

When looking to lose weight, the best course of action is to seek a balanced regimen you’ll be able to sustain. This means not excluding key nutrients like healthy fats, complex carbs, or fiber-rich foods from your diet. It also means exercising more, and eating less. Upping protein intake isn’t appropriate for everyone (particularly those with kidney problems), so you may want to consult your doctor. Protein is simply one piece of a larger puzzle that may help you reach your weight and fitness goals.

Learn more about Protein Basics, Protein Sources and Protein for Weight Loss & Athletic Performance.

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Triticale

If rye and wheat met and had a baby, it would be triticale. In real life, however, triticale exists solely because of human intervention; it did not sprout up in nature. Typically referred to as a hybrid cross, triticale shares some qualities with its parents, but has some gifts that belong solely to this largely unsung grain. Like many products of natural plant breeding, triticale had some rough early years before showing its true (and impressive!) colors. What makes triticale truly special is its level of success given its short history: Although it was commercialized less than 100 years ago, triticale is now grown on millions of acres worldwide and contributes millions of metric tons per year to global cereal production. Triticale has a bright future and we’ll surely be hearing more about this yummy grain.

Triticale the cereal grain is not only a blend of wheat and rye, so is its name. Take half of wheat’s scientific name (Triticum) and half of rye’s (Secale) and—voila!—you get “triticale” (pronounced try-ta-CAY-lee).

With more than a little of wheat’s nuttiness, a smidgen of rye’s chewiness, and a dash of rye’s unique bitterness, triticale is well-suited for use in flours as well as eaten in flake or grain berry form.

Scotland can claim the first triticales, which were bred in the 1870s. The first hybridization attempts produced sterile plants, but later efforts in Germany produced seed-bearing triticales in 1888. But it’s the Canadians who have really distinguished themselves as triticale proponents. Initiated in the 1950s, Canada’s development of triticales includes the first commercial spring variety and strains that possessed desired qualities—namely, the hardiness of wheat and the adaptability of rye. What drove Canada’s efforts? Among other factors, there was a desire to create a drought-tolerant grain that could be harvested in spring and had higher yields. Success!

Triticale boasts impressive protein content for a grain. It has about the same amount of the essential amino acid lysine as wheat and, like its parent, can be stored safely for long periods.

Whether triticale can live up to its parents’ reputations comes down to, in a word, fluffiness. For despite its many admirable qualities, triticale flour just doesn’t produce the tall, plump loaf that wheat flour does by itself. (It’s a gluten thing—triticale has less of it.) Consequently, it hasn’t taken off among commercial bakers. Still, because its overall nutritional profile is higher than wheat’s, it grows better in dry areas where wheat generally requires additional fertilizer, and it’s a great co-star in mixed grain blends, we may have yet to experience triticale’s full potential. Who knows what the future holds for this adaptable grain?

As one of the grains in our signature Seven Whole Grain blend, our triticale is grown in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Triticale is a strong producer even under adverse conditions, so it’s popular among growers on many continents. Currently, the leading producers of triticale are Poland, Germany, France, Australia, China, and Belarus. In 2005, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 13.5 million tons were harvested in 28 countries across the world, quite a feat for a grain still in its infancy!

Grains, flours, and prepared foods made with triticale are available in health food and commercial stores, albeit on a more limited basis than some of the other cereal grains. Triticale is found in mixed-grain hot and cold cereals, muffins, bread, and crackers.

Learn more about our 7 whole grains with these Grainipedia entries:

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Healthy Snacks for Every Craving

Whether it’s mid-morning and breakfast has worn off, or the afternoon is dragging, our hungriest moments make us susceptible to less-than-wholesome snacks. Yet many classic healthy alternatives—think plain rice cakes—may be low in calories but are also lackluster in flavor. Here are some better ideas for what to reach for when cravings strike.

Suddenly you’re dying for potato chips. A handful of baked tortilla chips (whole grain!) to scoop up salsa (veggies!) is a great, if obvious, option. Ready to branch out? We have a few more fresh and tasty ideas:

Jicama with chiles and lime. In Mexico, this crisp and juicy snack is sold roadside as a hot-weather refresher. Jicama, a bulbous root vegetable, is available in most supermarket produce sections. Peel, then julienne and sprinkle with cayenne or ground New Mexico chiles and drizzle with fresh lime juice; snack keeps refrigerated for up to 1 day. Toasted nori. Many brands of Japanese or Korean roasted nori strips—dried seaweed in crispy sheets that are lightly seasoned—are low in fat and sodium and have beneficial nutrients and minerals, as well as umami, the Japanese fifth flavor that satisfies savory cravings. Roasted plantain chips. Lightly salted, these crisps are a satisfying alternative to greasy potato chips and not as sweet as banana chips (plus they are roasted rather than fried).

If you feel like you just have to have some salty pretzels or cheese puffs, maybe it’s simply intense flavor you’re after. Try these lower sodium, flavor-packed options instead.

Tamari almonds. Dry-roasted with tamari, a deeply flavored Japanese soy sauce, these nuts are addictive in a good way. They have much less salt than potato chips and the added benefit of lots of protein. Tangerine or grapefruit segments wake up you and your palate. Wedges of ripe watermelon or cantaloupe sprinkled every-so-lightly with salt. A few grains of salt will intensify the flavor of the melon without too much sodium.Cut an avocado in half and drizzle lightly with soy sauce. Eat with a spoon.

When you just need to munch, you can always pull out baby carrots and hummus, but that can get old fast.

Popcorn with nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a source of protein and amino acids, and popcorn is a whole grain. The yeast provides a flavor similar to popcorn tossed with butter and Parmesan, without the heavy dairy products. Just combine nutritional yeast with salt to season popcorn; about 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast is enough for a family-size bowl of popcorn.Wasabi peas. A little bit of these super-spicy Japanese snacks goes a long way, and a 1/3 cup serving has less than one third the fat of a 1-ounce serving of potato chips.

It’s hard to resist the bowl of candies on your co-worker’s desk. You could take a cue from mom and bring apple slices and peanut butter to work, or try these alternatives.

Dried fruit. Keep a bag of dried blueberries, cranberries, mangoes or apricots in your workout bag. When paired with nuts, even unsalted ones, these fruit snacks are even more satisfying and can fill in for a pastry with coffee.Two squares of dark chocolate. Even a small serving of dark chocolate has enough flavor and silky texture to fulfill cravings for desserts, and has been shown to have health benefits. Mango coconut smoothie. Combine 1/2 cup frozen mangoes with 1/2 of a peeled banana, 1 tablespoon shredded coconut and 1/2 cup coconut milk in the bowl of a blender. Add ice and process until smooth. If needed, sweeten with honey or agave syrup.

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Alternative Healing 101

Many people find that natural modalities, which have evolved over thousands years and are utilized by people around the world, are sufficient on their own to heal certain conditions, while others find they provide the perfect complement to conventional Western medicine.

Learn the difference between various alternative therapies below—and maybe even find a match for what ails you!

Aromatherapy uses concentrated essential oils extracted from plants, to stimulate the brain and its vast healing potential. Additionally, some essential oils are imbued with distinct medicinal qualities. Only real essential oils with carry any therapeutic effect, however, so be sure your practitioner utilizes only the highest quality of oils, and has been trained to use them safely.

Ayurveda is rooted in ancient Vedic culture of India and based on the concept that each person embodies their own interconnectedness, the body’s constitution and life forces. The Ayurvedic practitioner can help heal or restore balance by adjusting these tendencies through the use of food, herbs, massage and the physical practice of yoga. Ayurveda is not a licensed practice in the United States, so be sure to ask practitioners about their education and experience, including any study abroad. For more information, visit the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the body&squo;s structure—mainly the spine—and how it is functioning. Chiropractors are licensed physicians who utilize a wide variety of different types of manipulations of the spine and adjoining skeletal and muscular structures to correct misalignments, and restore the body’s own ability to move and function properly.

Herbalism is part of nearly every traditional healing system throughout the world. Herbalists can learn to use wild plants by watching family members who are still familiar with native flora, studying with mentors who themselves have learned by apprenticing, or attending formal programs with widely varying curricula. Herbalism is not a licensed practice in the United States.

Homeopathy embraces the concept that something capable of causing certain symptoms in a healthy body might be able to cure similar symptoms in a body suffering from illness. The medicines employed are prepared from minute dilutions of thousands of substances which can, in turn, stimulate the body's own ability to heal itself. Many naturopaths, nurses and other medical providers utilize homeopathy; however, there is limited research on the safety of homeopathic treatments. Learn more homeopathy.

Hydrotherapy uses water in all of its forms—steam, ice, bathing, hot and cold local application, saunas and hot immersion therapy, as well as simply drinking it—to heal acute and chronic complaints. Hydrotherapy is often used along with specific physical therapies for its safe and simple methods of reducing pain, inflammation and circulatory insufficiency.

Massage/Bodywork is used for many ailments, including whiplash, chronic sports injuries, back pain, headache, TMJ, and stress-induced insomnia. Every state has its own licensing requirements. Referrals from practitioners of other forms of medicine can be helpful in finding the best type of bodywork for your needs.

Naturopathy seeks to use the body’s inherent ability to maintain and restore health. It helps the body naturally heal itself by creating the proper environment of whole foods, nutritional supplementation, herbal and botanical medicine, physical manipulation, homeopathy, flower essences, exercise, hydrotherapy, attention to one’s spiritual and emotional state, and even some conventional medical practices. Fifteen states in the United States and five provinces in Canada offer legal medical licensure to doctors of naturopathic medicine (see a list of these states and provinces).

Osteopathy seeks to help patients take more responsibility for their well-being and to change unhealthy patterns in their life that impact long-term health outcomes. Different from a MD, the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) brings an extra dimension to healthcare by recognizing the body’s ability to heal itself through preventative medicine, eating properly and keeping fit. DO’s are licensed physicians with the ability to prescribe drugs, perform surgery and practice anywhere in the United States.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on the idea that vital energy, or “Qi,” flows through our bodies along specific pathways known as meridians. Changing the flow of that vital energy—through a number of therapies removes blockages that can lead to pain and illness. Some therapies include acupuncture, in which small needles are inserted into points along the pathways, Shiatsu massage, or acupressure, which use pressure rather than needles on the specific energy points. TCM can also include herbs, dietary prescriptions or movement practices such as Qi Gong, which is a gentle but highly effective practice that helps keep Qi flowing throughout the body while increasing strength, balance and flexibility. Learn more about TCM.

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Wheat

There’s a reason the famous anthem “America the Beautiful” pays homage to wheat, lovingly calling it “amber waves of grain.” When it comes to whole grains, wheat is king, at least in quantity; more foods are made with wheat than any other cereal grain. But what, exactly, is “wheat”? Turns out, it’s a class of grain that contains many different varieties. What they have in common is the wheat berry at their core; wheats, or “cereal” grains, are essentially grasses whose seeds are used for food.

There are as many wheat species as there are applications for this versatile grain. Within species, farmers classify wheat further by growing season, gluten content, hardness, uses, and grain color.

The ancient Romans grew several wheat species, calling the one they used for bread triticum, the name celebrated taxonomist Linnaeus borrowed when he classified the wheats as genus Triticum. Ancient forms of wheat like einkorn (T. monococcum), emmer (T. dicoccum), and spelt (T. spelta) still exist, but have been largely replaced by winter and spring wheats. The most common wheats in the United States are:

Durum—hard, translucent, used for semolina flour and pastaHard red spring—hard, brownish, high-protein, used in firm breads and baked goodsHard red winter—firm, brownish, mellow, ideal in breads and as a pastry crust protein boosterSoft red winter—softer, suited for pastriesHard white—usually in bread and beerSoft white—used in pastry flour

Wheat’s flavor ranges from the earthy nuttiness of spelt to the classic, mildly sweet toastiness of our favorite variety, hard red wheat.

Wheat was first grown in the Tigris and Euphrates River Valley, sometime between 10,000 and 8,000 BCE. The Chinese also have records of wheat dating back to 2,700 BCE. Historians believe the annual wheat plant we know today was probably derived from a perennial, and was likely first gathered as small seeds from relatively unproductive grasses and only later cultivated on a larger scale. These ancient wild grasses are called Triticeae and form the basis of wheat’s current scientific classification. Einkorn was the first wheat cultivated in the Fertile Crescent. Its offshoot, emmer, came later but enjoyed wider use; Egyptians used it to make bread and it has also been traced to early Neolithic tribes in Europe, Great Britain, and Ireland.

In its natural, unrefined state, wheat has a bunch of vital nutrients, including B vitamins, calcium, iron, and fiber. Hard red wheat berries have the highest protein content of any wheat, up to 15%—pretty awesome, from a nutrition perspective. However, before you dive into a delicious whole-wheat snack, a word of warning: Sometimes wheat ingredients on food labels are described in such a way that they appear to have the benefits of whole grains when, in fact, they don’t. Watch out for words like “multi-grain,” “100% wheat,” “seven-grain” and “bran”; if it doesn’t say “whole,” it’s probably not a whole-grain product.

Hard red wheats, the kind we use in our foods, have medium to high protein levels. Hard red wheat is grown primarily in Minnesota, the Great Plains between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, and from Texas to the Dakotas and Montana. Wow—that’s 23 million acres of wheaty goodness!

Hard red wheat has lots of fiber and excellent milling and baking qualities. You’ll find tasty organic whole wheat baked into crispy biscuits in our Autumn Wheat®, Cinnamon Harvest®, and Island Vanilla® cereals.

Much of our organic wheat is grown by our core group of growers who include: Mark and Marcy Jones of Oshkosh, Nebraska; Allan Benson of Sterling, Colorado; Trudi Glassburn of Sidney, Nebraska; Kenneth Disney of Lodgepole, Nebraska; Michael Wiest of Lodgepole, Nebraska, who has been an organic grower for 16 years; Joel Cross of Harrisburg, Nebraska; Dale Sandberg of Burns, Wyoming; Richard Carter of Loop, Texas; Cal Cowen of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada; Brady and Ron Taggart of Winner, South Dakota; and Mike and Darla Assman of Mission, South Dakota, who just installed new grain bins to store Kashi wheat. (Thanks, guys!) We’re also excited to share that Baker Farms, operated by Terry and Dennis Baker, in Chugwater, Missouri, was recently named Ag Business of the Year by the Platte County Chamber of Commerce, so we’re celebrating along with them!

Today, wheat is grown in nearly every country in the world. It’s a popular staple enjoyed all over, in everything from pastas and cereals to breads and crackers. Durum wheat from the U.S., for instance, is exported to North Africa, where it is used to create North African couscous. Wheat is the foundation of pitas, found in Mediterranean and Arabian cuisines, tortillas, a Mexican must, and Polish pierogi.

To give you an idea of just how widespread wheat use is, consider that just fifteen crop plants provide 90% of the world’s food, and three—rice, maize, and wheat—comprise up to two-thirds of this figure. So, in a way, wheat really does help feed the world.

Learn more about our 7 whole grains with these Grainipedia entries:

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Root Vegetable Buyer's Guide

This article provided by our friends at EatingWell, where good taste meets good health.

Root vegetables can be found pretty easily in large supermarkets and farmers markets. Roots keep best when stored in humid environments at near-freezing temperatures. Root vegetables will keep you well nourished through the winter: they are nutritious carbohydrate choices because they’re rich in fiber and protective antioxidants, such as vitamin C (rutabagas and turnips) and vitamin A (carrots). And they’re all good sources of folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that’s needed to form healthy new cells.

Beets, carrots and parsnips are easily peeled with a vegetable peeler, but for tougher-skinned roots like celeriac, rutabaga and turnips, removing the peel with a knife can be easier. Cut off one end of the root to create a flat surface to keep it steady on the cutting board. Follow the contour of the vegetable with your knife. If you use a vegetable peeler on the tougher roots, peel around each vegetable at least three times to ensure all the fibrous skin has been removed.

Beets, turnips and carrots are sometimes sold with their greens still attached. They’re all edible, so don’t throw those greens away. Trim and store them in a plastic bag separately from the roots. If left attached, the greens will continue to draw moisture from the roots and dry them out. Try the greens in recipes calling for dark leafy greens, such as kale, spinach or collards.

While refrigerating roots is okay for a short amount of time (see above), to keep them for an extended period they need to be stored in a cool, humid environment. A great resource is Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits &?Vegetables (Storey Publishing, 1991).

Beets

The most common beets are dark red, but other types, such as golden and ‘Chioggia’—an heirloom variety with concentric rings of red and white flesh—are also available and have a similar sweet, earthy flavor. Beets should be firm and are sold with or without their greens attached. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Carrots

One of the few roots commonly eaten raw, carrots come in a range of colors from orange to mauve, yellow, red and even black. Look for firm, unblemished carrots. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 3 weeks.

Celeriac

The gnarled celeriac, also known as celery root, has a subtle celery-like flavor. Look for firm bulbs free of soft spots. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 weeks.

Parsnips

Parsnips look like large, off-white carrots and have a slightly sweet, anise-like flavor with a nutty aftertaste. Look for sturdy, firm parsnips, free of soft spots. Remove the fibrous, woody core before using: quarter parsnip lengthwise and cut out the core with a paring knife. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 3 weeks.

Rutabaga

The pale golden-fleshed rutabaga has purple-yellowish skin that’s often thinly coated with wax to prolong storage. They have an earthy, buttery flavor. Look for firm, unblemished bulbs. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 weeks or refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Turnips

Turnips have purple-white skin similar to that of rutabagas and their white flesh has a grassy, mellow flavor. Look for smaller turnips with firm skin. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

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Apple Buyer’s Guide

This article provided by our friends at EatingWell, where good taste meets good health.

Sweet, tangy, juicy and flavorful, the apple is nature’s perfect treat, especially when you’re lucky enough to pick them straight off the tree in the late summer and fall. Plus, you can feel good about eating them—apples are low in calories and are a good source of soluble fiber, potassium and folic acid. Apples are great for snacking, but they are also versatile in the kitchen.

When cooking with apples, texture is just as important as flavor. Some apples cook down to mush, while others hold their shape after baking. For most baked good recipes we like to use a combination of apples for the best texture. For example, the best apple pie filling combines “saucy” apples (varieties such as McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, Mutsu (Crispin), Paula Red or Empire) and “shapely“ apples (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonathon, Jonagold, Northern Spy or Ida Red).

Shopping Tip: Choose unbruised apples that feel firm and heavy in your hand. Look for richly colored fruits with smooth skin and no signs of russeting—tan or brown streaky, protruding marks that can be near the stem or base of the apple, caused by excessive wetness or fungus.

Storage Tip: Store apples in the refrigerator. In general, firmer apples like Gala and Fuji last longer (sometimes more than 3 months) than softer-textured cultivars like Macintosh or Golden Delicious (which hold for about 3 weeks).

See our apple descriptions below to help you find the perfect apple.

Braeburn

Braeburns have muted greenish-gold to red skin and pale yellow flesh. Fragrant and smooth, these medium-to-large fruits have a well-balanced flavor—sweet with just a hint of tartness.

Cortland

If you want to include fresh apples in a dish but don’t have time to assemble it á la minute, Cortlands are the best bet—they don’t turn brown as quickly as other varieties and the bright red skin and snow-white flesh look striking against a contrasting backdrop. Juicy and mildly tart, this apple softens nicely when cooked, making it as well suited for baking as it is for salad.

Empire

The delightful child of the McIntosh and Red Delicious varieties retains the sweet-tart flavor of the Mac with a crisper bite and creamier flesh. This shiny red apple with a hint of green is perfect for baking and freezing, but can be eaten out-of-hand just as well. Smaller fruits are perfect for packing in lunchboxes.

Fuji

A relative newcomer to the American public, these baseball-sized beauties have become hugely popular due to their sweet flavor and incredibly crispy texture.

Gala (or Royal Gala)

One of the earliest available varieties, the Gala (or Royal Gala) apple takes its sweet, succulent nature from two Delicious cultivars (Golden and Kidd’s Orange Red). Its thin skin and tender, pale yellow flesh makes it a great out-of-hand eating apple or sauce ingredient.

Golden Delicious

This golden orb has creamy, firm yellow flesh and lightly speckled skin. The flavor is absolutely sweet and mellow, making it a versatile cooking apple. It holds its shape well when baked, but take care when storing and handling—the skin bruises easily.

Granny Smith

Lime-green speckled skin that resists bruising and very firm, crisp flesh characterize this popular apple. Its sharp, tart flavor holds up well in recipes with spicy notes, and the flesh is firm enough to retain its shape when cooked.

Honeycrisp

What’s in a name? This one says it all. This apple has exceptionally crisp, juicy, sweet-as-honey flesh with just a hint of tartness that makes it a tasty treat any time of the day. You can also use this apple for baking (if you can resist eating them all!). Pale yellow flesh is surrounded by mottled red-and-gold skin. (Photo courtesy Melissa's.)

Idared

This rosy, brightly colored apple is a cross between two New York cultivars, Jonathan and Wagener. The firm, tart flesh ranges from yellowish-green to faintly pink, and holds its shape well during baking. With its well-developed aromatics, this fruit contributes a strong apple flavor. Cook with the skin on and then strain to make a beautiful pink applesauce.

Jonagold

A cross between Jonathan and Golden Delicious, this bumpy, stripy fruit isn’t super fragrant but tends to rank very high in taste tests. The skin is gold with orange-blush stripes, surrounding a creamy, pale yellow flesh with a juicy, crisp texture that shares the shape-holding characteristics of its parents. This fruit is sweet with a nice balance of tart.

Jonathan

Sporting a bright, sweetly tart flavor, this red-striped greenish-yellow fruit boasts a smooth, tough skin and firm flesh that retains its shape well during cooking. This New York native apple doesn’t store as well as other varieties, so use it within a few weeks of purchasing.

Macoun

A crossbreed of the McIntosh and Jersey Black cultivars, the Macoun apple is regarded as one of the best all-purpose cooking apples around. This dark red fruit with creamy white flesh is soft, tender and perfect for sauce. It has a sweet, rich apple flavor with hints of berry. (Photo courtesy Melissa's.)

McIntosh

This apple has been loved since John McIntosh discovered seedlings in Ontario in 1811. The tender white flesh is crisp when freshly harvested, but soon adopts a softer consistency, making it perfect for cooking into pies or sauce. Macs are sweet and juicy with a pleasant tanginess.

Mutsu

The Mutsu apple, also called Crispin, is a large, yellowish-green fruit with an orange blush and juicy, tender-crisp, coarse-grained flesh. This cross between Golden Delicious and the Japanese Indo has a complex, spicy-sweet flavor reminiscent of anise and is great for eating or baking. (Photo courtesy Melissa's.)

Northern Spy

This red-, gold- and green-striped apple has a limited availability in the U.S.—while growing, the fruit is fragile and susceptible to several common afflictions. A Northern Spy tree may take up to 14 years to bear fruit, so it is frequently grafted onto other apple trees to encourage growth. It’s worth the wait, though—this apple is tart and juicy-crisp, with finely textured flesh that holds its shape well, perfect for pie and other baking uses. (Photo courtesy Melissa's.)

Paula Red

This early-ripening variation of the McIntosh is soft and nicely balanced between sweet and tart, cooking down perfectly into sauces. Its dusty red skin with gold and tan spots yields to tender, slightly mealy white flesh with a flavor evocative of strawberries. (Photo courtesy Melissa's.)

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Why Breakfast Is So Important

It’s amazing: Breakfast can improve your memory, help you concentrate, and help you to maintain a healthy weight — and it tastes good, too!

Breakfast replenishes the fuel that your body uses up while you sleep — it is, as its name betrays, a break from an overnight fast.

Your brain doesn’t have a storage place for fuel, so it’s particularly affected by a lack of food. If glucose, your brain’s fuel source, isn’t refilled after a night’s sleep, your brain can’t function at an optimal level. It’s like running a car on empty.

It’s not just a theory. According to one study, people who didn’t eat breakfast had a decreased ability to remember items from a word list or a story compared with people who ate breakfast. While these may seem like minor tasks, the ability to remember is key to performing well at home, work, or school. Other important brain functions, such as the ability to pay attention and to concentrate, have also been shown to improve with eating breakfast.

Research has taught us that people who eat breakfast have a higher-quality diet and are better able to control their weight than people who skip the meal. In fact, 78% of the people listed in the National Weight Control Registry, a database of individuals who successfully lost at least 10% of their body weight and kept it off for at least one year, report eating breakfast every day. In addition, studies show that breakfast eaters are less likely to be obese than their meal-skipping counterparts.

Find ways to make breakfast a habit and get great breakfast ideas.

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Squash Buyer’s Guide

This article provided by our friends at EatingWell®, where good taste meets good health.

Although available all year, winter squash is best enjoyed during harvest season—late summer through early winter. Choose very hard squash: press firmly all over to make sure the rind isn’t soft (a sign of immaturity or improper storage.) During harvest season, look for vivid colors—the skin color should not look washed out.

Later in the year, after the squash has been stored, the skin color may fade as the flesh becomes sweeter. Regardless of the season, the skin should not look shiny—a sign that it’s either under-ripe or that it’s waxed, possibly masking bad quality.

Choose squash with a remnant of the dried-out stem still attached, like a small knob at one end. A missing stem can be a sign of mold and bacteria growth inside. Store in a cool spot with good air circulation (not the refrigerator, but a cool pantry or cellar) for up to a month.

If you buy pre-cubed squash at your market, make sure the pieces are dry, firm and vivid in color. Avoid those that look wet or desiccated with sunken striations in the flesh.

Acorn

A moderately sized variety almost always available in supermarket bins even in the summer. The flesh can be watery; prolonged cooking concentrates the flavor.

Buttercup

An old-fashioned squash with a characteristic little cap at the stem; full of natural sugars and fiber, a delectable treat in midwinter.

Butternut

Perhaps the most versatile winter squash, sweet and light when cooked but also substantial—thus able to stand up to both long cooking and quick sautés.

Hubbard

Available in blue or gold varieties with somewhat warty skins. Ranges in size from 5 to 40 pounds; perfect cubed and roasted or for purees.

Kabocha

Actually a name for a set of squash varietals from Japan with consistently deep, honey-scented flavors.

Red Kuri

Now sometimes called “red curry,” a relative of the kabocha with many seeds, less meat and with a deep, pear-scented taste.

Spaghetti

Oblong and mild in flavor, when cooked its flesh yields myriad threads, sort of like little spaghetti strands, best removed with a fork.

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Vegetable Roasting Guide

This article provided by our friends at EatingWell®, where good taste meets good health.

Our handy guide includes prep instructions and complete nutritional analyses for our favorite vegetables for roasting.

Beets & Turnips

Amount for 4 Servings: 1 1/2 pounds

Prep: Trim ends, remove any greens and peel; cut into 1-inch pieces or wedges.

Roasting Time at 450 F: 20 to 25 minutes

Serving Size: 2/3 cup

Calories Per Serving:
Nutrition Information per Serving with Oil, Salt and Pepper:
Beets: 116 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 5 g fiber; 423 mg sodium; 552.88 mg potassium.
Turnips: 90 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 3 g fiber; 405 mg sodium; 325 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus and Carbohydrate Serving Information:
Beets: Folate (46% daily value), Potassium (16% dv). 1 Carbohydrate Serving.
Turnips: Vitamin C (60% daily value). 1 Carbohydrate Serving.

Broccoli & Cauliflower

Amount for 4 Servings: 1 pound

Prep: Cut florets into 1-inch pieces

Roasting Time at 450 F: 15 to 20 minutes

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Calories Per Serving:

Nutrition Information per Serving with Oil, Salt and Pepper:
Broccoli: 74 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 0 g fiber; 321 mg sodium; 369 mg potassium.
Cauliflower: 78 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 3 g fiber; 325 mg sodium; 344 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus and Carbohydrate Serving Information::
Broccoli: Vitamin C (177% daily value), Vitamin A (68% dv), Folate (20% dv). 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving.
Cauliflower: Vitamin C (88% daily value), Folate (16% dv). 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving.

Brussels Sprouts

Amount for 4 Servings: 1 pound

Prep: Remove outer leaves, trim stem; quarter larger ones, halve smaller ones.

Roasting Time at 450 F: 15 to 20 minutes

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Calories Per Serving:
Nutrition Information per Serving with Oil, Salt and Pepper:
91 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 320 mg sodium; 441 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus and Carbohydrate Serving Information:
Vitamin C (160% daily value), Folate & Vitamin A (17% dv). 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving.

Butternut Squash

Amount for 4 Servings: 2 pounds

Prep: Peel and seed; cut into 1-inch pieces.

Roasting Time at 450 F: 25 to 35 minutes

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Calories Per Serving:
Nutrition Information per Serving with Oil, Salt and Pepper:
120 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 20g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 6 g fiber; 299 mg sodium; 548 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus and Carbohydrate Serving Information:
Vitamin A (430% daily value), Vitamin C (48% dv), Potassium (16% dv). 1 Carbohydrate Serving.

Carrots & Parsnips

Amount for 4 Servings: 1 1/2 pounds

Prep: Peel or scrub; remove woody core from parsnips; cut into 1/4-inch slices.

Roasting Time at 450 F: 20 to 25 minutes

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Calories Per Serving:
Nutrition Information per Serving with Oil, Salt and Pepper:
Carrots: 105 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 4 g fiber; 395 mg sodium; 485 mg potassium.
Parsnips: 138 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 5 g fiber; 304 mg sodium; 492 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus and Carbohydrate Serving Information:
Carrots: Vitamin A (506% daily value), Vitamin C (15% dv). 1 Carbohydrate Serving.
Parsnips: Vitamin C (28% daily value), Folate (20% dv). 1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings.

Fennel

Amount for 4 Servings: 2 large bulbs

Prep: Trim stalks and fronds from the bulb, core the bulb and cut into 1-inch wedges.

Roasting Time at 450 F: 25 to 30 minutes

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Calories Per Serving:
Nutrition Information per Serving with Oil, Salt and Pepper:
79 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 4 g fiber; 352 mg sodium; 484 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus and Carbohydrate Serving Information:
Vitamin C (23% daily value). 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving.

Green Beans

Amount for 4 Servings: 1 pound

Prep: Trim stem ends.

Roasting Time at 450 F: 15 to 20 minutes

Serving Size: 2/3 cup

Calories Per Serving:
Nutrition Information per Serving with Oil, Salt and Pepper:
78 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 4 g fiber; 298 mg sodium; 237 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus and Carbohydrate Serving Information:
Vitamin C (30% daily value), Vitamin A (16% dv). 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving.

Potatoes, Red or Yukon Gold

Amount for 4 Servings: 1 1/2 pounds

Prep: Scrub (peel if desired); cut into 1-inch pieces or wedges.

Roasting Time at 450 F: 25 to 35 minutes

Serving Size: 1 cup

Calories Per Serving:
Nutrition Information per Serving with Oil, Salt and Pepper:
Red Potatoes: 194 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber; 311 mg sodium; 927 mg potassium.
Yukon Gold Potatoes: 180 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 2 g fiber; 291 mg sodium; 931 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus and Carbohydrate Serving Information:
Red Potatoes: Vitamin C (35% daily value), Potassium (26% dv). 2 Carbohydrate Servings.
Yukon Gold Potatoes: Vitamin C (60% daily value), Potassium (27% dv). 2 Carbohydrate Servings.

Sweet Potatoes

Amount for 4 Servings: 1 1/2 pounds

Prep: Scrub (peel if desired); cut into 1-inch pieces or wedges.

Roasting Time at 450 F: 20 to 25 minutes

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Calories Per Serving:
Nutrition Information per Serving with Oil, Salt and Pepper:
196 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 6 g fiber; 352 mg sodium; 808 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus and Carbohydrate Serving Information:
Vitamin A (654% daily value), Vitamin C (55% dv), Potassium (23% dv). 2 Carbohydrate Servings.

This article provided by our friends at EatingWell®, where good taste meets good health.

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How to Make Breakfast a Habit

We all know how important it is to eat a good breakfast. Yet busy schedules and even a lack of appetite can get in the way of eating a healthy breakfast every morning.

These tips can help you make the most important meal of the day something you eat everyday:

Stock up. Be sure that you always have plenty of breakfast foods in the house.Plan ahead. Prepare your breakfast the night before to save time in the morning. Whisk the eggs, chop the veggies, and grate the cheese for an omelet, for example.Take it to go. Prepare commuter-friendly meals that you can grab on your way out the door. Sandwiches make great, portable breakfasts.Don't force it. Don’t make yourself eat foods you don’t like. Try out different foods until you find something you enjoy.Try something new. Sick of the same-old same-old every morning? Try one of these great breakfast ideas to get out of your rut and find a new breakfast habit.

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Natural Dentistry

Do more for your smile than the daily rituals of preventative care—twice daily brushing and daily flossing to prevent the build-up of plaque. See how good nutrition promotes healthy smiles and learn how essential oils and herbal products can augment your dental routine.

Professionals agree that good nutrition is essential for dental health. Choose foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits and whole grains.

Sugary foods are often cited as the arch-enemy of tooth enamel, but even some otherwise healthy foods can exacerbate the problem of erosion. Hard, crunchy foods can wear on tooth enamel, and foods high in acid, such as lemons, vinegar and sugar-free soda also contribute to enamel erosion. Chronic exposure to acid can also cause gingivitis, a mild form of more serious periodontal disease, which is characterized by swollen, tender or bleeding gums.

Herbs can be helpful allies in the effort to balance bacteria, reduce inflammation and heal the delicate tissue of the mouth and gums. Look for some of these in mouth rinses and other natural products formulated for oral care.

Calendula, with its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, is well known for its ability to soothe inflammation and heal wounds. Herbalists also use Calendula for fungal infections and recommend it in cases of thrush. Clove essential oil has historically been used as a mild local anesthetic for tooth pain. Use the concentrated oil cautiously, applying it directly to the affected area with a cotton swab. Dilute the essential oil in a carrier oil, such as olive, if you are unfamiliar with using it at full strength. Discontinue use if there is any discomfort or irritation after applying. Never ingest essential oils.Echinacea is prized for its ability to assist the body in fighting off infections, Herbalists turn to echinacea to address mild infections and inflammation of the mouth and gums. Myrrh is a favorite for reducing harmful bacteria and reducing inflammation of the gums. It’s historical partner, frankincense, has similar properties, and its essential oil has been used, diluted, as an oral rinse after mouth surgery.Red raspberry leaves can be made into an infusion that offers astringent properties that may help reduce inflammation, swelling and bleeding of the gums, heal mouth ulcers and soothe canker sores.Sage is another garden favorite that can be used against gingivitis, mouth ulcers and inflammation of the mouth and throat. Salt is not recommended for everyday use (nor is baking soda, which can erode tooth enamel), but salt is useful as a rinse for reducing cankar sores and for preventing complications after some types of oral surgery and tooth extraction. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt in 8 ounces of lukewarm water. Rinse or gargle for relief of mild throat or mouth pain.Tea tree oil toothpicks get into areas that brushing cannot. Herbalists hail tea tree oil’s powerful antimicrobial properties, but scientific studies have found little evidence to support it and warn against ingesting tea tree oil orally (toothpicks and toothpaste are okay) because of reports of toxicity. Thyme is anti-microbial, antibacterial and antifungal. It is one of the most potent natural infection-fighters available to us. It has been proven to work against a wide variety of harmful bacteria, and can be used in tea or extract form as a mouth rinse, or as an essential oil (in minute amounts) to medicate toothpicks.Witch hazel is widely known as an astringent. This native North American plant makes a refreshing antiseptic mouthwash too.Yarrow is a styptic (helps to stop bleeding), a wide-spectrum anti-bacterial and an excellent wound healing herb. It is an effective, all purpose remedy for dental care. A gargle or mouthwash prepared by infusing the dried herb with hot water can be useful for bleeding gums, mouth ulcers and as a general dental rinse.

No matter how diligent you are about your daily home dental care, you still need to go to the dentist regularly. Dentists check for other things besides just cavities. “We look for things that your regular doctor will not usually see,” says Dr. Carol Loe, D.D.S. “The mouth and the tongue are the gateway to the rest of the body, and signs of disease will often appear orally before they are diagnosable anywhere else.”

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Protein Sources

Want to know how much protein you’re getting every day? Interested in upping your protein intake? Find the grams of protein for standard serving sizes of common protein sources below—some of them may surprise you.

Kashi® GOLEAN® Crunch! Honey Almond FlaxKashi® GOLEAN® Crisp!™ Toasted Berry Crumble

11.5 grams per 1/2-cup serving11.3 grams per 1/2-cup servingHard Red Winter Wheat (uncooked)12.1 grams per 1/2-cup serving13.2 grams per 1/2-cup serving12.5 grams per 1/2-cup serving

Beans (Including Soy Products)


4 grams per 1-tablespoon serving
Beef Sirloin, trimmed of fat (raw)
2.4 grams per 1-tablespoon serving6 grams per ounce (about 23 almonds)

Source:
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18 (2005)

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Protein: Weight Loss & Athletic Performance

Atkins. Zone. South Beach. These reduced-carb diet plans and their spin-off bestsellers have occupied an almost mythical niche in weight loss lore for years. With all their focus on reducing carbohydrate intake, there has been a corollary assumption that sky-high quantities of protein are necessary to partially fill in the caloric gap. Yet protein is not simply a carb-substitute. It’s an essential macronutrient in its own right, and paying attention to its source and amount is crucial for those seeking balanced nutrition, weight loss, and optimal athletic performance. How much protein is really necessary? What role does it play in the body? Are there risks associated with too much protein? We’ve talked with two experts to get some answers. One explains the importance of adequate protein intake for weight loss, the other maps the role protein plays for athletes. Both agree that sufficient protein, from lean animal and/or plant sources, is crucial for overall good health.

According to Dr. Marjorie Freedman

A lot of people mistakenly called low-carb diets “high-protein diets.” This is because the most well-known low-carb diet, the Atkins diet, allowed people to eat only a very small amount–less than 10 grams–of carbs each day. Consequently, people on the Atkins diet consumed a disproportionate amount of protein and fat as a percent of total daily calories.

Someone who’s not on a diet is probably consuming about 60 to 70 grams of protein per day, or more, depending on what they eat. When they go on a low-carb diet, they cut their total daily calorie intake significantly, while at the same time they increase their protein intake to between 70 and 100 grams per day. So it’s a higher protein load, but it’s still not an enormous amount of protein, and probably wouldn’t qualify as a “high-protein diet.” People on low-carb diets lose weight, but it’s because they’re consuming fewer calories overall. On these low-carb diets, even though the books tell you that you can eat as much fat or protein as you want, almost every published study showed that most people decreased their caloric intake. One theory is that the body goes into ketosis (which means burning fat rather than carbs), which may have an appetite-suppressing effect.

Protein is considered the most satisfying of the three macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat). There is some evidence that people are better able to adhere to low-calorie diets when they consume about 20% of total calories from protein, rather than 15%. But Christopher Gardner, who conducted the A to Z Weight Loss Study (which stands for Atkins to Zone), for example, reported that people lost a little more weight on the Atkins diet, in particular, because they were better able to adhere to their diet. In other words, it matters little which diet you’re on so long as you stick to it and reduce your overall daily caloric intake.

One of the biggest problems with so-called high-protein diets is that people think that all protein food is the same. Many animal sources of protein (such as meat and cheese) have high levels of saturated fat, and everyone should be sure that their diet is low in this type of fat. Everyone should focus on lean protein sources, such as low-fat dairy, poultry without skin, and fish, for example, instead of higher-fat protein sources, like steak and cheese.

Others who need to watch their protein intake include those with kidney problems. Anyone with poor kidney function, which often includes diabetics who have not managed their blood sugar levels well over time, and have consequent kidney problems, are often told to decrease their protein intake. In other words, a diabetic who wants to lose weight probably shouldn’t follow a high-protein diet.

One last group –pregnant women—is worth mentioning. Pregnant women should never be on a weight loss diet, and they should be absolutely sure to consume a high carbohydrate diet—at least 50-60% of total calories—to get the nutritional balance they need.

Healthy individuals looking to lose weight should aim for around 20 percent of their calories from protein, or 55 to 66 grams of protein per day (in a person who weighs about 150 pounds) from lean sources like fish, lean meats, tofu, beans, and grains.

Dr. Marjorie Freedman, assistant professor in the department of Nutrition and Food Science at San Jose State University, supports a moderate amount of protein beyond the current recommended daily allowance (RDA) and explains the role of protein in weight loss diets.Opposing ViewpointProtein and Athletes

When it comes to protein, the average American obtains the recommended daily allowance, which is 0.8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight or 3-4 grams per 10 pounds. For athletes, though, these recommendations are higher.

For “endurance athletes”—those whose sport is running or cycling, for example—the typical recommendation is 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilo of body weight. This number is even higher for “power athletes” like weight lifters, or linemen on a football team. They can be advised to get from 1.6 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilo.

A 2008 review paper found that 1.6 was the top end of the body’s ability to utilize protein, and, granted, 2.0 is really atypical. There’s not a specific organization that sets these recommendations.

The best protein sources for athletes are lean meats, as well as cottage cheese, egg whites or egg substitutes (to minimize cholesterol intake), and soy products, such as tofu. Greek yogurt, which is strained and thicker than regular yogurt, has a higher protein content per serving than regular yogurt, so that’s good, and protein powders can be pretty convenient as well. Other foods with a good amount of protein include whole grains and whole grain breads and pastas. Nut and nut butters offer protein, too, but the calories can really add up, so those interested in weight loss need to be careful.

Protein’s relationship to muscle is straightforward: muscle is made of protein. There are 20 amino acids, and 9 of them are essential to meet our protein needs. When muscles are used during exercise they break down, and they need to be rebuilt post-exercise. The body needs protein to do this. This means the athlete needs to consume enough protein to match—or even exceed—the muscle break—down related to exercise.

Athletes also need to make sure they stay in positive nitrogen balance. Protein is the only source of nitrogen in the diet, and while you need nitrogen, too much isn’t good for you. Anyone increasing their protein intake needs to drink plenty of fluids so any excess nitrogen can be flushed out.

Protein also plays a significant role in recovery for athletes. Along with carbs, protein supports the resynthesis of glycogen along with the rebuilding and repair of damaged muscle tissue.

As with people trying to lose weight, athletes also benefits from the fact that protein is satiating and makes you feel full longer. That helps anyone stick to a specific diet.

Even athletes can overdo it on the protein front, though. Someone whose intake is in the range of 35 to 40 percent, for example, might also be consuming too much fat and cholesterol, as well as squeezing out other important nutrients in favor of protein. Plus, since muscle is built by tearing muscle fibers during exercise and then rebuilding them during recovery, eating more protein than is used in that process is superfluous.

In general, so long as the person has good kidney function and their fluid intake is high (so they can flush out excess nitrogen), there would be nothing negative about a protein intake at 20-25%; beyond 30% is not well studied.

Dr. Marlia Braun, an outpatient dietitian and sports nutritionist within the UC Davis Health System explains why a higher protein intake for athletes—especially competitive ones—is necessary. Opposing ViewpointProtein and Weight Loss

  Other ways to learn more about protein  

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The Solution To Living Healthy

Lots of people are all facing different types of health problems today. Many people feel they need to go on a diet and just cut back on carbs. Others feel they have to both cut back and exercise daily. The solution lies in the foods you eat and the ways you go about your diet that help you out. Many medicines exist out there but which one is the right one for you? Not all doctors will tell you the truth because they want you to buy that off the counter medicine. Most of these antibiotics have different side effects depending on the person. The key to a healthy living is balance of diet, exercise, and the right medicines there are out there.