E. Coli Strikes Again
Two people have died and many others have been sickened by the latest E. Coli outbreak. The possible culprit: ground beef. Investigators think the tainted beef came from a western New York manufacturer, who voluntarily recalled 545,699 pounds of it this past weekend. The recalled beef and beef patties were made between September 14 and 16 and are stamped “EST 492.” Check your fridge and freezer to make sure you don’t have any of the tainted meat. If you do, just return the product to the store for a full refund.

The Highly Stressed Turn to Fatty Foods
Do you eat when you’re under pressure? Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco set out to see if there’s a relationship between chronic stress and eating behaviors. They interviewed more than 600 overweight or obese women to see what they ate and what stressed them out. Results showed that folks who are chronically stressed tend to choose more high-fat foods and ate because they were upset rather than hungry. Learning how to listen to your hunger cues and restrain yourself is not an easy thing, but it’s important in order to live a healthy lifestyle.

Major Study of BPA in the Works
We told you about BPA concerns in baby bottles, and our readers expressed their fears. Now canned goods are under scrutiny, and the concern about the dangers of ingesting BPA (bisphenol A), even in small amounts, is growing. The National Institute of Health is investing $30 million dollars to study the effects of BPA on our health, which will focus on low-dose exposure. Animal studies have linked BPA with weight gain, early onset puberty, cancer and diabetes. The FDA plans to release a statement in late November. Stay tuned for an update on what they have to say.

Kids Inundated with Junk Food Ads
Every time my son sees a commercial for a junk food on TV, he immediately asks me to buy it — talk about the influence of advertising! It’s well documented that too many junk food commercials are not beneficial for a child’s health. A new study found that nearly 33% of commercials on kid-targeted networks were for food, whereas other general channels only featured food-focused ads 20% of the time. Even worse, 70% of those kid-targeted advertisements are for foods packed with sugar or fat. How do you feel about all these unhealthy commercials popping up while your kids are watching?

More Than a Chef at the White House
White House chef Sam Kass has taken on a dual role: chef to the first family and advocate for fighting childhood obesity. A locavore, Chef Kass has been helping the first lady with her White House garden. He’s baked Swiss chard frittatas for students that visited and sticks to organic gardening practices, such as you using crab meal and ladybugs as natural fertilizer.

Tea Drinkers Beware
If you’re a tea lover like me, you may want to read up on the findings from this new study. Although rich in antioxidants and lower in caffeine than coffee, tea contains compounds that block your body from absorbing iron — definitely not good news since iron is the most common nutrient deficiency in the U.S. No need to ditch tea altogether, but it’s probably best to stick to 1 to 2 cups a day max.

Another Chain Goes Eco-Friendly
You won’t hear me complain when major food corporations become more eco-friendly (in May we told you about McDonald’s steps towards using cage-free eggs). Now, Starbucks plans to make establishment’s more energy efficient and to prioritize recycling. No word on whether these greener practices will reduce their coffee prices. Would this make you more likely to shell out $4 for a cup of Joe?

Top Recalls of the Week
This week there is possible E.Coli in beef and salmonella in Dunkin Donut’s Dunkaccino and hot chocolate drinks. A Colorado meat company recalled 380,000 pounds of steak and roasts — don’t forget to check your freezer for the possibly tainted products. As for Dunkin’ Donuts, they stopped selling two of their popular drinks after a supplier’s equipment tested positive for salmonella. And maybe it’s a little off-color, but I read one of the funniest headlines about this story while researching: “America Gets the Runs on Dunkin.” Ha!

Help for Beginner Home Cooks
The Canned Food Alliance recently launched Mealtime.org, a site aimed at helping us prep dinner faster and easier so we have more time to spend with loved ones at the table. The site gives step-by-step guidelines on how to makeover your kitchen — from perking up the pantry to increasing counter space to smart shopping.

Make Your Own Baby Food & Save
I loved making baby food for each of my three kids; they all couldn’t get enough of my veal stew (pureed, of course). These moms in Pennsylvania have figured out the secret — that creating your own baby food is cheaper, more nutritious and gives the child more meal options than the jarred stuff. Have you ever made your own?

Teenage Weight Loss Surgery for Kids?
Where I live, children under 16 aren’t allowed to seek weight loss surgery, but that doesn’t stop moms from coming to my office with young teenagers close to 400 pounds and demanding bariatric surgery. I’m not a fan of promoting children’s weight loss surgery. It seems that some parents just throw their hands up in defeat (”it’s too tough!”) without ever trying to teach their kids traditional healthy eating and exercise techniques. Do you feel that teens should be getting weight loss surgery?

Eat Your Weeds
As a kid, I remember pulling pesky weeds from the garden with my dad. Nowadays, folks are paying a pretty penny to buy weeds — like dandelion greens — from their local produce stand or grocery store chains like Wegman’s. Folks are picking their own, too. That doesn’t mean you should run out to the backyard or nearby park for tonight’s dinner. Read up on what’s safe and what’s not first.

Food Safety Tips from the White House
I’ve taught and written about food safety for 10 years now, and I’m thrilled to see some higher powers are shedding light on the importance of food safety in the home and in our supply chain. The Obama administrations just launched a new food safety website that’s definitely worth browsing. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Most-Grilled Foods
I’m sad to report that veggies are low on the list of favorite grilled foods. In a ranking by a marketing firm, hot dogs, pork chops and, of course, hamburgers (number 1!) beat out humble fresh produce. Try grilling some corn or bell peppers this weekend. If we all band together, we can at least take down pork chops next year.

Another Recall – This Time It’s Beef
In last week’s round up, I told you about several nut recalls. I had feeling more were coming — and, unfortunately, I was right. Late last week, officials recalled almost 96,000 pounds of beef in Illinois due to possible contamination with the deadly strain of the E. Coli 0157:H7 bacteria. If you’re in the affected area, check out this government list of products you need to return to the store.

Pregnant? Don’t Start Eating for Two
When pregnant, women often have the randomest cravings (mine was always for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in the middle of the night). But I always tell my pregnant clients that you are not really eating for two and even cravings should be controlled. If you’re pregnant, you only need 300 extra calories per day on average — eating more than that can lead to excessive weight gain and complications for both mom and baby, according to new research.

McDonald’s Makes An Egg-cellent Decision
I’m no fast-food fan, but it’s nice to see McDonald’s is taking steps towards using cage-free eggs. The mega-chain is working with its largest egg distributor, Cargill, to make the switch by 2011. Would you dine at McDonald’s (more) if they offered cage-free eggs?

Leaner Cuts
First off, here are the cuts you should be looking for:

• Poultry: Skinless, white meat chicken or turkey; ground turkey breast
• Beef: Flank steak, top loin, sirloin, porterhouse, T-bone steak and tenderloin; 90% lean ground beef
• Veal: Any trimmed cut
• Pork: Pork chops or tenderloin
• Lamb: Look for the word “loin”
• Game: Rabbit and buffalo
• Game birds: pheasant, quail and ostrich

The American Heart Association certifies many cuts of beef and pork as low in fat and saturated fat. When browsing the meat aisle, check packaging for their symbol. Also, fish is a lean protein. While not technically “meat,” you might try salmon, tuna, mahi mahi, halibut or tilapia — all sturdy enough for grilling.

The Calories and Fat
Think about it — you choose a lower fat cut, but eat 10 or 12 ounces of it. That sabotages your healthy efforts. Aim for 3 to 4 ounces per serving — that’s about the size of your palm or your smartphone.

You may see “lean” or “extra lean” on some meats. According to guidelines, meats marked “lean” must contain less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3.5 ounces. Meats labeled “extra lean” contain less than 5 grams of total fat, 2 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol. But be careful when grilling up anything that’s “extra lean” — they may turn out rubbery or dried out. Here’s a colorful chart comparing 26 cuts of lean beef; remember, not all cuts are great for grilling.

More Tips
When shopping, look for meats that have the least amount of visible fat. If the cut is marbled, that means it’s streaked with fat. For burgers, remember that ground turkey or chicken can have as much fat as ground beef because they often have a mix of dark meat and skin. Make sure you pick ground breast meat — or look for low-fat ground chicken or turkey.

Other Benefits
Not only are lean meats better for you, but they’re better for your grill, too. Fatty meats drip more and can cause more flare-ups, which can, in turn, burn your foods. Grease dripping on your grill also wears out the grill’s metal parts faster.

Cost Controls
Not sure what cuts are in your price range? Fresh direct, an online food delivery service, has a great chart that gives ballpark figures on your favorite beef, lamb and pork cuts.

Recipes to try:
• Wild West Steak (for bison or beef)
• Flank Steak with Coffee Peppercorn Marinade
• Grilled Chicken Breast with Spicy Peach Glaze
]]> http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/05/18/lean-meats-for-the-grill/feed/ 1 http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/04/08/spotlight-recipe-lettuce-cups-with-tofu-and-beef/ http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/04/08/spotlight-recipe-lettuce-cups-with-tofu-and-beef/#comments Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:00:28 +0000 Dana Angelo White http://blog.healthyeats.com/?p=4042

These lettuce cups are easy to make and fun to eat. I serve mine family-style on a large platter and let everyone make their own. The tofu mixed with beef is a delicious combo that might make a tofu-lover out of your family’s biggest carnivore.

Get the recipe »

]]> http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/04/08/spotlight-recipe-lettuce-cups-with-tofu-and-beef/feed/ 1 http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/03/24/red-meat-good-or-bad/ http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/03/24/red-meat-good-or-bad/#comments Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:55:34 +0000 Toby Amidor http://blog.healthyeats.com/?p=1954

The media loves telling us how bad red meat is (have you heard about the new study claiming red meat may cause an early death?). Meanwhile, dietitians say it can be part of a healthy diet. So what’s the real deal?

All That Cancer Talk
You can’t miss the negative buzz swirling around red meat. This week, the Washington Post had an interesting piece on how eating beef or pork increases your chances of dying early. This Los Angeles Times article from last year claimed “the news for red meat is getting worse and worse” when a December 2007 study linked red meat to an increased risk of various types of cancer.

In 2006, another study of more than 90,000 women tied breast cancer to eating the red stuff. In 2005, the American Cancer Society said eating red meat increased your chances for colon cancer — but they also said that there is a greater risk of getting cancer from being obese (and being a coach potato) than eating red meat.

Some scary stuff to say the least.

Other Noted Risks
Processed meats such as sausage, deli meat and hot dogs contain nitrites, which help preserve and prevent stuff like E. Coli from growing (did you think hot dogs were naturally that red?). These chemicals have also been linked to cancer risks. Good news is there are nitrite-free meats available.

Let’s not forget the possible problems from cooking at high temperatures, especially grilling over charcoal — that’s also linked to increased cancer chances. And you’re probably wondering if those “grass-fed” labels make a difference. Conventionally raised cattle tend to have a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, which research indicates can increase the risk for heart disease. Many folks are opting for grass-fed meats that have a more balanced ratio of the fats.

So What’s a Carnivore To Do?
By now, you’ll probably want to ban red meat from your shopping cart or tear your hair out! Not so fast. Do you see every meat eater in town running around with various types of cancers? I don’t. Yes, there is loads of evidence against eating red meat, but pinpointing the exact cause of the cancers is difficult and unknown at this time — and there are many factors to consider (especially what’s added to the meat or how the animal was raised).

If you want to eat meat, your best bet is to go lean and eat it in moderation. And beef isn’t the only red meat — don’t forget about lamb, veal and bison. Lean cuts of beef include tenderloin, top and eye rounds, sirloin and flank. Look for lamb shanks, sirloin or rack of lamb. If you rely on ground beef a lot, look for packages labeled 90% lean or higher. And be mindful of portions: no more than 4 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards.

It’s just as important to prepare — and pair — your meat with low-fat, wholesome ingredients.

Here are some delicious recipes that do just that:
• Steak Tacos
• Mint-Pesto Rubbed Leg of Lamb
• Beef Stir-Fry
• Veal Scaloppine
• Roast Beef Sandwich
• Beef Tenderloin
  ]]> http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/03/24/red-meat-good-or-bad/feed/ 30 http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/01/07/spotlight-recipe-sloppy-joes/ http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/01/07/spotlight-recipe-sloppy-joes/#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:00:09 +0000 Toby Amidor http://blog.healthyeats.com/?p=326

  This family-friendly comfort food brings back those warm childhood memories. For the filler, Ellie Krieger uses extra-lean ground beef to cut the fat and pinto beans to add in fiber. Have them for a simple mid-week dinner and save some for lunch the next day.

  Get the recipe>>

  ]]> http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2009/01/07/spotlight-recipe-sloppy-joes/feed/ 0