Ever Heard of Ethylene Gas?

A good teacher once told me to give the "take aways" upfront. I've got two for you today:

• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Learn some simple chemistry to save yourself some money.

Most fruit and vegetables give off a gas called ethylene. It's what softens peaches or turns tomatoes red when you store them in paper bags. The gas brings about the natural degradation process in fruits and vegetables. The trick is getting the raspberries to your mouth before they soften and mold, a process that can happen on the drive home from the grocery store. Here are two strategies for maximizing your produce enjoyment.

Know your culprits
Peaches, apples, bananas and watermelon all give off a fair amount of ethylene sending everything else in your crisper drawer into a downward tailspin. Separate these fruits from other produce.

Use an ExtraLife Produce Saver
Those who read this blog know I don't often endorse products, but I think this one is nifty. These little green disks transform the ethylene gas in your crisper drawer into water vapor. This means you can actually have a chance to eat the spinach you bought this weekend and didn't have time to cook. One of my clients gave me a disk last week. I put it in a drawer with some apples, pears and green peppers. All produces seems to be in a state of suspended time. So far so good.  Each disk says it lasts 3 months. If it can save me one carton of blackberries it will have paid for itself.

I've included a link below where you can buy 3 disks for $11.

Mark Thiesmeyer, MS, MPH, RD
734-747-0123

http://www.amazon.com/ExtraLife-Produce-Preserver-Disks-Set/dp/B000MQ8SS8

November Fruits and Vegetables

I often tell people to eat more fruits and vegetables and to buy what is in season. That led me to wonder, what fruits and vegetables are in season in November? I did some research and here is the list:

Fruit

Apples

Bananas

Figs

Grapefruit

Quince

Tangerines

Vegetables

Artichokes

Bok choy

Winter squash

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Kale

Parsnips

Turnips

Fruit is easy to consume, though please comment on the blog if you know what to do with a quince. Winter vegetables, on the other hand, sometimes intimidate people. Don’t overlook them though. Turnips and parsnips are chalked full of natural vitamin C and folate and they are low-fat and high in fiber. The recipe below has been a hit at my last two Thanksgivings where people told me they loved the vegetables even though they had no idea what they were eating. (That's what you get when you dine at the house of a dietitian!)

Better Living’s Roasted Root Vegetables

Peel and chop:

2 sweet potatoes

1 red onion

2 turnips

3 parsnips

1 cup baby carrots

Toss with 3-6 tablespoons canola or olive oil and spread in a single layer on baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, fresh rosemary and thyme (use dried in a pinch). Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes until soft inside and crusty on the outside, stirring occasionally.

Sources:

http://localfoods.about.com/od/searchbyregion/a/MidwestSeasons.htm

http://chestofbooks.com/food/recipes/The-Myrtle-Reed-Cookbook/Fruits-In-Season.html

Keep your lean muscles of youth with the right diet!

Preliminary research suggests eating vegetables and fruits may be our best dietary fountain of youth. As we age, we experience a gradual muscle wasting called sarcopenia. If you look at body fat percentages for a 20 yr old versus a 65 year old, you see vastly more muscle in the younger and more body fat in the older person.

A 2008 Tufts University study suggests this muscle wasting could be a result of our high-protein, wheat, corn and rice diets. These foods create an acidic residual in our bodies. To maintain a neutral pH, our bodies may sacrifice muscle. To prevent this, we should eat more potassium-rich foods. Try these potassium powerhouses to keep your muscle tone. Contrary to common sense, acidic foods such as tomatoes still create a non-acidic/alkaline residual:

Tomoto sauce
Beet greens
Dates
Grapefruit
Lima beans
Plantains
Spinach
Plums
Peas
Prunes
All fruits and vegetables are a good bet!


**************************************************
Do you want more messages on this subject? Leave your feedback at www.betterlivingnewsbites.blogspot.com.
**************************************************
Dawson-Hughs, B, Harris, S, & Ceglia, L, Alkaline Diets favor lean tissue mass in older adults, Am J Clin Nutr, 2008;87:662-5