What's New in Natural Foods

In This Issue:

Hi Everyone,

I hope you’ve had a chance to visit your local Farmer’s Market this summer, enjoyed fresh greens from your favorite Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, or grown your own produce – even if it’s just a small pot of basil on the balcony. I’m happy to report that my deck pots of tomatoes, herbs and nasturtiums are all thriving. The strawberries haven’t produced much in their pot, but my daughter has loved watching them flower and picking the few berries we’ve gotten. If you’re participating in any of this, you know how good it feels to know where your food is coming from. That’s eating local. Challenge yourself to find ways to do that more often. In this newsletter issue, learn why summer’s fresh produce is an excellent way to prevent disease; and for you moms and dads, I’ll introduce you to a publication that can make you feel good about parenting. So read ahead and enjoy the rest of your summer.

Focus on Phytochemicals

Not to worry, learning about phytochemicals isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Since they have been shown to help prevent disease, the subject of phytochemicals is an important piece of nutrition education. Simply put, phytochemicals are non-nutritive substances found in plants, meaning they are not required for human health in the way that vitamins and minerals are. Instead, they contain disease-preventing properties. So where does one find these health supportive phytochemicals? Fresh produce. Yes, in addition to all the vitamins, minerals and fiber fresh produce contains, it’s a good source of phytochemicals. You may have heard of lycopene, found in tomatoes, which helps prevent prostate cancer, or resveratrol, the chemical in red wine that supports heart health. These are among the most well known phytochemicals, but there are over a thousand more that have been studied for their health benefits.

Some phytochemicals have antioxidant properties that protect our cells from oxidative damage and destroy harmful free radicals. Diets high in antioxidants can help us stay healthy longer. A few of the most common antioxidant groups include: carotenoids, flavonoids and polyphenols. Carotenoids have been shown to have anti-carcinogenic benefits and are found in yellow, orange and red vegetables and fruits such as corn, tomatoes, peaches, carrots and yams.Purple and blue foods such as purple cabbage, berries, eggplant, black beans contain flavonoids, which help prevent neuro-degeneration and memory loss. Foods such as grapes, apples and celery contain the polyphenols that help prevent heart disease.

Phytochemicals without antioxidant properties promote health in other ways. For example, sulforaphane, found in the brassica family vegetables (broccoli cabbage, kale), increases the production of detoxifying enzymes in the liver and prevents the proliferation of cancer cells. Allicin, found in the alllium family (garlic, onions, leeks) has antibacterial properties. Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which protects DNA from carcinogens. Proanthocyanidins in cranberries keep pathogens from adhering to cell walls and prevent urinary tract infections. Did you know that so many foods are on the front lines of disease prevention?

My Healthy Beginning

I have some exciting news: I’ve been invited to write a regular food column for My Healthy Beginning (MHB), a Twin Cities-based bi-monthly magazine that focuses on raising young families naturally.

I’m an avid reader of the magazine because I appreciate that the writers emphasize the more practical aspects of parenting and skip the holier-than-thou attitude that often accompanies “natural” mothering lit. When you pick up a copy, look for my column “Home Grown Health,” beginning in the “Buy Local” issue that’s coming out at the end of the month.

Each issue of MHB includes topics for growing families that want to integrate a more natural approach to their lives: “Eating Right for your Allergy,” “Parenting a Child with Autism,” “Buying Local,” “All About Baby,” and “Family Fitness.” With convenient distribution sites throughout the Twin Cities, you can pick up the latest complimentary copy. But hurry, they go quickly! And if you’re not in the Twin Cites, there are subscription options. And looking ahead: MHB is going national in 2010.

I also enjoy the Contemporary Earth Mama blog by MHB publisher Nichole Kuechle. I had the pleasure of meeting with Nichi earlier this summer and have been hooked on the blog ever since – it’s as smart and fun and as down to earth as she is

Summer Meal Ideas

And speaking of healthier options…  Dinner with Jennette will help you provide nourishing meals for yourself and your family. They taste great and feature seasonal ingredients to help you make the most of summer’s phytochemical rich fare.

Have special dietary needs? DWJ meals all happen to be gluten-free (easy to make and very tasty). About half of the meals are dairy free, and for those that aren’t, you can download a page with suggestions for how to make them dairy free (often this is as easy as “omit cheese from salad”).

Dinner with Jennette’s August meals include “Chicken with Cherry Wine Sauce,” “Creamy Fresh Tomato and Basil Soup” and “Lamb Kebobs with Mint Pesto and Peas.”  The recipes are uncomplicated and don’t take too much time to prepare. You’re invited to subscribe now.

If you have learned something of value by reading this newsletter, I encourage you to share it! Use the forwarding button to send it along to others.  

Thank you,
Jennette