Nutrition Nuggets  -  Page 2

_       This is a collection of tidbits of information about nutrition which have appeared in the Alaska Vegetarian Society newsletters.  We have provided links to those articles to help you get the information you need to be a healthy vegan.   The information may surprise you, excite you or maybe even easy your mind a little.   We hope that these articles will assist you in eating a well planned low-fat, whole foods, plant-based diet, which we know can have a dramatic effect on a person's health and well-being.  Enjoy!

  (When you click on the text link for the article it will take you to the Alaska Vegetarian Society (AVS) website.  Just click in the previous window or tab in your web browser to come back here or you can explore the AVS website.)

(Click on the blue text links to read the article)
The Magic of Micronutrients  by Delisa Renideo
    We have all heard (or asked), “Where do you get your protein?”    In addition to Americans’ misguided fear of protein deficiency, many are afraid of carbs, and others debate how much fat is appropriate for a healthy diet.    But as important as these issues may be, they miss the MOST IMPORTANT nutritional point.
Favoring Fiber  Excerpt from The Cancer Survivor's Guide, Chapter 2
    “Fiber” is another word for plant roughage-- the part of beans, grains, vegetables and fruits that resists digestion.    Fiber helps to keep us regular by moving the intestinal contents along. It also helps us rid ourselves of all manner of chemicals--including hormones--that our bodies are anxious to eliminate.
Organic Meats Are Not Health Foods  by Delisa Renideo
    Some people believe that by choosing organic meats, especially wild meat, they avoid the risks associated with consuming factory- farmed meat. Let’s see how true this is.
_Olive Oil is NOT Health Food   by Delisa Renideo
    When I teach nutrition and cooking classes, one of the main principles is to eat a low-fat diet of whole plant foods. This includes using no added oils. Invariably, there is a shocked reaction. What? ? ? Not even olive oil? ? ? But that is a GOOD fat!
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_Soy and Health   (Excerpted from article at PCRM.org)
    Soy foods have recently enjoyed increasing popularity. Soy foods include soybeans (also called edamame) and any other foods made from soybeans, including soymilk, tofu, tempeh, miso, and vegetarian meat and dairy substitutes, like soy meats and soy cheeses. Like most    other plant foods, the most healthful choices in soy foods are those that are minimally processed so they retain all of their original nutrients.
Iron  by Delisa Renideo
    I remember hearing TV advertising about “iron-poor blood” as a young child, and indeed, iron-deficiency anemia is a problem among many people around the world. But it is a problem that is widely misunderstood. (Anemia also has other causes besides dietary iron deficiency.)
Nutritional Yeast   by Delisa Renideo
    How do vegans satisfy their taste for cheese? With nutritional yeast flakes, of course! But what is this stuff that looks yellow and flakey and tastes sort of nutty and cheesy?
_The Magic of Mushrooms   by Delisa Renideo
    We’ve often heard that we should eat brightly colored foods because they are more nutritious, right? Well, that IS right -- but as with most guidelines, there are some exceptions.    In this case, the exception is mushrooms.

_Greens! The Superfood for Superpowers!   by Delisa Renideo
    As a preschooler, I used to sing along with Popeye while watching him squeeze a whole can of spinach into his mouth on our old black-and-white TV. Immediately, his skinny arm would pop up into a big muscle. Wow! Powerful stuff, that spinach!

_Stevia - Is It Safe?   by Delisa Renideo
    Artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and saccharine, are not safe and should be avoided. But what about stevia? It’s a natural sweetener that comes from the stevia plant. Until this year, research has said it is safe. Yippee!