The Nutrient Factors

Often times we would like to find out the nutritional information of a specific food or perhaps analyze a recipe. Nutritiondata.self.com has an extensive database with thousands of foods allowing you a unique opportunity to select a food and query as to it's nutritional values.  By clicking on the food summary, you will see the ever familiar nutritional fact label, breaking down per serving calories and percentage of daily nutritional needs. There are colorful diagrams for Fullness & Nutrition Factors along with a Caloric Ratio. Included in the analysis is a Glycemic Index load and an Inflammation Factor for the food. The final two diagrams offer the visual impact of the percentage of essential nutrients in the form of proteins, fats, and vitamins  and the quality of the essential amino acids. Because this is such a colorful visual presentation, it is very impressive. Click on this link to view the nutritional value of an avocado: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1844/2

Another unique feature of Nutritiondata.self.com is the ability to enter a recipe and find out it's nutritional value. This helps to analyze the breakdown of calories, fats and carbohydrates. After entering your ingredients and the amounts, you can save and analyze the recipe. If you wish to make substitutions at this time you can go back and change ingredients, making healthier substitutions and then view the nutritional changes. Click here to see my (anti-inflammatory) recipe for Chicken Chile: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/recipe/2039662/2

A final enjoyable feature of the website is the "Topics" menu offering current articles on: Dieting & Weight Loss, Heart Health, Diabetes, Better Choices Diet, Glycemic Index, Fullness Factor, Fatty Acids, Food Additives, Effects of Processing Foods, Recipes and Nutrition News.

The Nutrition Data website is centered around making wise choices for eating healthier foods. You can choose to track your daily food journal and at the end the day view the complete analysis (as listed above) and see if the foods you are eating are a source of inflammation in your body. You can learn to explore new foods by selecting one of the epicurious recipes and immediately know whether it fits into your food plan or not, by the list of nutrients given with the recipe. You can make food planning fun again by visiting this website and clicking on the various buttons. Enjoy your day by treating yourself to this new tool.

The Green Facts

Today we are hearing more and more about being GREEN.  We are asked to consider making our carbon footprint less by walking, biking, taking mass transit or purchasing vehicles which are GREEN. We are suppose to bring our own bags to the grocery store and not use plastic ones, to keep our earth more GREEN.

I'd like to expand upon eating GREEN, dark leafy greens, that is. Why? Because they are a great source of nutrients our bodies desperately need. There are 3 basic groups of leafy greens.

Salad greens - these are normally eaten raw. The darker the color, the more nutrients in them. When using salad dressings, choose one that is high in Omega 3's - like an olive oil base, or make your own. Put dressing ingredients directly onto the greens and toss. Start with a vinaigrette, (rice vinegar, balsamic, or lemon juice), add a little olive oil and fresh herbs, a little sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Quick cooking greens - these greens can be eaten raw or lightly cooked. Spinach is a familiar vegetable in this group, but others include multiple varieties of chard, beet greens, and members of the broccoli/cabbage/cauliflower family. Some of these greens shrink drastically when cooked. 6 cups of fresh spinach become 1 cup cooked. This can pack a lot of nutrients into your body very quickly!

Hearty greens - like kale and collard greens require more cooking time, mainly because they are more fibrous. These greens are not eaten raw because of their toughness. However by cutting the stems from the leaves, you can reduce cooking time by more than half.

The nutritional value of greens is HUGE. They are flavorful and contain a high percentage of Vitamin A, C, E and K, Calcium, Iron, Folate, Omega 3 fatty acids, anti-carcinogens, and are super high in protein per calorie.  These nutrients assist with mental functions, help to prevent osteoporosis, macticular degeneration, premature aging and cancer, as well as they help to flush out toxins in the digestive system and reduce the risks of coronary heart disease.  If you want to feel good and put a lot of nutrients in your body ~ choose GREENS!

Balance Your Omega 3 & Omega 6 Fatty Acids

Welcome to this blog! Today I'd like to explore Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. They are an essential source of energy for our metabolic system, however because we are increasingly eating more fast foods with our busier lifestyles, we are putting our lives in jeopardy. Fast foods are predominantly saturated with Omega 6 vegetable oils. Too many Omega 6 fats cause inflammation in our body. This reaction produces high cholesterol, high triglycerides, diabetes and many other serious heart and health risks. 


The good news is that we can balance our diet by adding a few Omega 3 fats, and eliminating some of the Omega 6 fats. By planning ahead and putting a few walnuts in a snack ziplock to take with you, you can stretch out your eating times with a healthy snack. By adding a little tuna to a salad, you will find yourself adding in Omega 3 rich foods to your diet quite easily. 


Diabetes.about.com has a list of primary foods to substitute for fast foods.  Here are some ideas to help you make healthier food choices.


Omega 3 - use these items more often

• Salmon, sardines, herring, tuna and other cold water fish
• Walnuts, ground flaxseed
• Canola Oil, Olive Oil
• Dark green leafy vegetables
• Eggs from free range chickens
• Daily supplements

Omega 6 - limit these items daily

• Nuts and seeds
• Vegetable Oils (soybean, corn, cottonseed,sunflower, and safflower oils)

Last fall my husband and I went over to Astoria, Oregon to buy some fresh tuna off the fishing boats in the marina. They cleaned it for us and put it on ice for the trip home. Upon returning home we cut up the tuna into small chunks and put them into sterilized jars for canning. We added a few spices and sealed them for processing in a pressure canner. It has been a god-send having this fish on hand. Once the jars are opened, the tuna tastes just like fresh cooked fish. It's awesome. 

Be Aware of Glycemic Index Carbohydrates

Glycemic Index (GI) defines the differences in carbohydrates according to their effect on blood sugar levels within the body. Foods HIGH on the GI value chart increase blood sugar levels quickly. Foods LOW on the GI value chart keep blood sugar levels relatively steady as they offer the body a chance to digest and absorb nutrients in the foods.  


There are several websites showing Glycemic Index information.  At glycemicindex.com there is an exclusive international database covering a variety a foods and their GI values and carbohydrate content in grams.  NutritionData.com also has a food list ranking the GI value of common foods. These websites offer much more information about food choices.


Although the GI factor clearly impacts diabetic health, some research studies show significant impact on other chronic diseases including insulin resistance syndrome (metabolic syndrome), coronary heart disease in women and the risk of gallbladder diseases. By understanding GI values, you may be able to better manage or perhaps even prevent further complications of chronic diseases. By investigating this factor, you become more proactive in your health care.