Healthy Recipes: Keep Anemia at Bay with Iron-rich Foods

May 19th, 2008 Health Articles Posted in anemia, health articles, healthy cooking, healthy recipes, iron, nutrition, vitamin C, vitamins, vitamins and minerals No Comments »

Iron-rich foods that help keep anemia under control can taste good too! The Beetroot-Fruit Cocktail and Ham and Beans recipes below prove it.

Commercials for a famous tonic that addressed “iron-poor blood” started appearing in the mid-twentieth century. That tonic, Geritol, still exists today, which tells you that a lot of people must be having problems with anemia — a blood disorder attributed to the deficiency of iron, folic acid and vitamin B12.

No wonder people search out a tonic if they have anemia: The disease causes dizziness and fatigue, even during non-strenuous activities. Iron-deficient anemia is the most common type, and occurs when your body doesn’t have the required iron content to produce hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen to all parts of your body and provides energy for you to carry out your daily activities.

Iron is of two types – heme which is easily absorbed by the human body and non-heme which is not. While non-vegetarian foods like red meat and eggs are rich sources of the heme form, vegetarians have to augment their intake of iron from foods like beets (also known as beetroots), blackstrap molasses and green leafy vegetables. It’s important to also include foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, because they help in the absorption of non-heme iron.

Here are two recipes – one vegetarian and the other non-vegetarian – for dishes that are rich in iron and can help keep anemia at bay:

Beetroot-Fruit Cocktail
Serves 2

  • 1 medium-sized beet
  • 2 ripe pears
  • 1 small lime
  • ½ red bell pepper
  • 1 handful of basil leaves
  1. Wash the beet and the pears.
  2. Peel them and then chop them into small pieces, and place them in a blender.
  3. Squeeze the juice from the lime into the blender.
  4. Wash, de-seed and chop the bell pepper, and place the pieces in the blender.
  5. Wash and use a course chop on the basil leaves, and place them in the blender.
  6. Run the blender until you get the consistency juice of juice you want. You can also use the same ingredients in a juicer.

The juice has to be consumed within an hour or so after preparation to ensure you get all the nutrients. It’s a good recipe for those prone to anemia because beet juice is rich in both iron and folic acid, and lime is rich in vitamin C, which is the catalyst that helps the body absorb iron from non-heme sources.

Ham and Beans
Serves 6

  • 3 lbs smoked ham
  • 2 lbs dried Great Northern beans
  • 2 dried peppers
  • 2 onions
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ½ cup blackstrap molasses
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup mustard
  1. Rinse and dry the beans.
  2. Fill a Dutch oven with the amount of water indicated on the package directions for the beans, and then add the beans. Cover and cook at the temperature indicated in the directions.
  3. Add the ham and remaining ingredients when the beans are cooked half-way, based on the time in the package directions.
  4. Cook for the remaining indicated time.

This dish contains both red meat (ham) and blackstrap molasses, both of which are rich in iron and help enrich the hemoglobin content in your blood.

And here are some quick concoctions that can also help prevent anemia or address it if you already have it:

  • Twice a day: eat a ripe banana dipped in 1 tbs. honey.
  • Once a day: drink a mixture of beet juice, apple juice and one tbs. honey.
  • Once a day: drink a mixture of apple juice and tomato juice.
  • Soak currants overnight, de-seed and eat in the morning.

This article is contributed by Sarah Scrafford, who regularly writes on the topic of
Care Plans. She invites your questions at her personal e-mail address:
sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com.

Beets image by Quadell

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Healthy Recipes: Blueberry Recipes Packed with Antioxidants

April 26th, 2008 Health Articles Posted in antioxidants, blueberries, free radicals, healthy cooking, healthy recipes, nutrition, vitamins, vitamins and minerals 2 Comments »

Berry clusterImage via WikipediaGetting your antioxidants doesn’t have to be boring! Our Blueberry Crumble and Berry Treasure recipes prove it.

Blueberries are a good source of fiber and vitamin C, but this little blue fruit’s main claim to fame is its antioxidant activity. Why is this important? Because antioxidants neutralize “free radicals” — those unstable oxygen molecules that attack your body and place you at risk for cancer, heart disease and premature aging. Blueberries are actually ranked No. 1 among common fruits and vegetables in antioxidant power. Acai and Goji berries are the only other fruits that rank higher, but they’re more exotic — and more expensive.

Try these quick and easy blueberry dessert recipes. They’re great ways to get your antioxidants.

Blueberry Crumble
Makes 4 to 6 servings

  • 4 cups fresh blueberries
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup flour (preferably whole wheat, or try one of the gluten-free varieties)
  • 3/4 cup uncooked oats
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  1. Spread blueberries in a 2-quart baking dish.
  2. Combine the remaining ingredients and sprinkle over blueberries.
  3. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Berry Treasure
Makes 4 servings

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 (6 oz.) can frozen grape juice concentrate, undiluted
  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  1. Combine grape juice concentrate, water and tapioca in a saucepan and let them stand in for 5 minutes.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
  3. Simmer slowly, stirring often, until tapioca is clear and juice is thickened.
  4. Remove from heat; add lemon juice and stir. Incorporate the blueberries once the mixture has cooled a little.

You can also add other fruit, such as bananas and raspberries, which can either be stirred in or layered.

Photo by Chrissi Nerantzi

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Healthy Recipes: Coleslaw That Helps Your Vision

March 4th, 2008 Health Articles Posted in B vitamins, eyes, health articles, healthy cooking, healthy recipes, nutrition, tomatoes, vision, vitamin A, vitamins, vitamins and minerals 5 Comments »

Our eyesight is one of our most precious commodities. The vitamins in this Coleslaw Recipe and our EyeBright Salad might be just what you need to protect your vision and avoid eye problems.

We all know that consuming junk foods can hurt us in the long run. But now there’s a new reason to control how much you eat of these highly processed foods: They may cause eye problems. According to a study by Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, fatty snack foods may lead to macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision impairment for seniors.

The key to eliminating these foods from your diet is to replace them with healthy alternatives. The good news is that plenty of healthy foods contain vitamins that actually promote eye health. Carrots, beef, chicken, cantaloupe, mangos and sweet potatoes all contain beta-carotene (vitamin A), which has been proven to positively affect both night vision and day-to-day eyesight. It also aids in cataract and macular degeneration prevention. Pork, liver, whole-grain cereals and breads, wheat germ, potatoes and legumes contain thiamine (vitamin B1), which prevents lens deterioration. Vegetable oils, egg yolks, milk fat, green leafy vegetables and nuts contain vitamin E, which also aids in lens deterioration prevention. And tomatoes, citrus fruit, strawberries, cabbage, green leafy vegetables and sweet bell peppers contain vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps prevent glaucoma.

There also are other nutrients that support vision health. The National Eye Institute states there may be evidence that lutein — a carotenoid antioxidant available in spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, amaranth, spirulina and red paprika — could reduce eye problems. The Institute states definitively that zinc, found in shellfish, eggs, legumes, herring, liver and milk reduces the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration and associated vision loss. Additionally, fish, such as salmon and sardines, contains omega-3 fatty acids that are known to promote healthy retinas.

It’s easy to incorporate more eye-healthy foods into your diet. Carrot sticks, citrus fruit, mangoes, and even sweet peppers and tomatoes make great portable snacks. Fresh carrot juice packs a concentrated dose of vitamin A in every glass and is easy to make if you have a juicer. Or you can try one of our easy recipes below, which are designed to taste good while giving your eyes a boost:

EyeBright Salad
Makes 8 servings

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce
  • 2 C. carrots, shredded *
  • 2 C. sweet bell peppers, diced
  • 2 C. tomatoes, diced
  • 2 C. seedless cucumber, diced
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1-1/2 T. fresh lime juice
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional: Add 2 C. chopped cooked chicken for a non-vegetarian version with enhanced vitamin A content. To up the omega-3 fatty acid content, add 2 C. fresh-cooked salmon.

1. Cut the tough ribs out of the Romaine leaves and remove the dark green tops of the larger leaves. Chop the remaining leaves into small pieces and place them in a large bowl.

2. Wash and chop the sweet bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber and scallions, and shred the carrots. Place them in the salad bowl.

3. Remove the pits from the avocados and cut them into 1/4-inch cubes. Place the cubes into a small bowl and add lime juice to prevent discoloration. Toss well until coated with lime juice and add the avocados to the salad bowl.

4. Toss the salad well and add a dressing of your choice. Season with salt and pepper.

For another light dish that’s heavy on nutrients good for preventing eye problems, try this fast and simple coleslaw recipe:

Coleslaw with Visionary Power
Makes 8 servings

  • 2 6-oz. containers of low- or non-fat pineapple yogurt
  • 2 T. low-fat mayonnaise
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 4 carrots, shredded *
  • 1 small sweet bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped

1. Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise and salt together in a large bowl.

2. Chop cabbage, sweet bell pepper and onion; shred carrots. Add to the bowl with the yogurt mixture and toss well. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate.

* It’s best to scrub carrots instead of peeling them. Some of the vitamins and minerals lie near the surface and can be whisked away with the peels.

Coleslaw can help your vision, as can a trip to the optometrist! For medical questions or to find a doctor near you, check out this Web site.

We hope you enjoy making these healthy recipes that are good for your vision.

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