It's important to have variety in your diet, so don't just eat bananas and strawberries at breakfast. Try grapefruit with banana, blueberries with kiwi, or clementine with raspberries—the more colors the better because that means you're getting more anti-oxidants!
Nutrition Highlight: Plain Yogurt
Yogurt is great for your colon! The probiotics (good bacteria) within yogurt keep the colon healthy and colon cancer at bay. Probiotics break down insoluble fiber and allow for speedy removal of waste, thus minimizing the time that your colon is exposed to toxic compounds. When probiotics digest insoluble fiber, the pH of your colon becomes more acidic and prevents toxic deoxycholate from forming.
We all know yogurt is high in calcium, which is good for our bones. But calcium is also important for the colon. It reduces growth of polyps, which are cell clumps that can become cancerous. Plus, calcium binds bile acids, cancer-causing irritants of the colon's lining.
The most common yogurt cultures and their various titles:
Lactobaccilus & Streptococcus work in the upper intestine, while Bifidobacteria work in the lower intestinal tract.
We all know yogurt is high in calcium, which is good for our bones. But calcium is also important for the colon. It reduces growth of polyps, which are cell clumps that can become cancerous. Plus, calcium binds bile acids, cancer-causing irritants of the colon's lining.
Probiotics (Good Bacteria)
One of my friends was wondering if stomach acid destroys the probiotics in yogurt before they can reach the colon. The cultures used in yogurt are acid resistant because they are gram-positive and in turn have very thick cell walls compared to gram-negative bacteria. The most common yogurt cultures and their various titles:
- Lactoboaccilus: L. acidophilus
- best at treating diarrhea caused by viruses & meds; treats yeast infections
- Bifidobacterium: B. bifidum, Bifidus, or B. breve
- prevents intestinal infections & diarrhea caused by antibiotics
- Streptococcus: S. thermophilus
- prevents lactose intolerance; prevents GI disorders
Lactobaccilus & Streptococcus work in the upper intestine, while Bifidobacteria work in the lower intestinal tract.
Cooking Tip
1/2 a large banana, sliced + 1/4 c other fruit = perfect fruit to yogurt ratio
Half a large banana is equivalent to 1/2 c of fruit. 1/4 c fruit is like 2 smallish strawberries or one medium strawberry, 1 cutie, 1/8th of a grapefruit, or 1 non-Costco kiwi. (The kiwis at Costco are usually closer to 1/2 c in size, while the ones at TJ's are 1/4 c.) The kiwi shown in the pic looks larger than the cutie, but once you peel it and slice off the ends, it will be 1/4 c.
NOTE: if you buy organic kiwis, you can eat the peel, which is rich in anti-inflammatory flavonoids and insoluble fiber . I specify organic, because fuzzy kiwi skins are a great trap for pesticides.
Yogurt & Fruit with Chai Spice
Printable Recipe
This is my go-to method for preparing a quick & nutritious breakfast. The High Fiber cereal lends a subtle crunch, the ground flaxseed provides some omega-3s and fiber, and the chai spice perks things up.
1. Measure 3/4 c European Style Plain Yogurt (my favorite) into a bowl.
2. Sprinkle some High Fiber cereal (from Trader Joe's) on top to cover the yogurt.
3. Sprinkle on about 1/4 tsp Chai Spice, recipe follows (or a few shakes if you have a shaker lid on your jar).
4. Sprinkle on 1 tsp of ground flaxseed.
5. Slice 1/2 a medium banana in concentric circles.
6. Slice 2 small strawberries in a scattered fashion on top of the bananas.
Chai Spice
1 T cinnamon
1 T ground ginger
1/2 T turmeric
1/2 T coriander
1/2 T fennel seed, opt.
1 tsp cardamom
Blend everything in a small bowl and transfer via funnel to a spice jar with a shaker lid. Makes about 1/4 cup.
Great information, Steph! Good thing yogurt really is as good as they say, because it's YUMMY. :)
ReplyDeleteGood tip on buying organic kiwis, too. There are other things that I recommend buying only organic, specifically root vegetables. There are a lot of things that can contaminate ground water, including pesticides. Potatoes and carrots will soak these things up like a sponge and store it in their roots.
For things that have smooth skins or are easier to wash, I recommend buying a fruit and vegetable wash. I bought this brand from Trader Joe's: http://www.amazon.com/Environne-Fruit-Vegetable-16-Ounce-Bottles/dp/B002DZZGRW
I think TJ's sells a different brand now.
Thanks for sharing that info. I hadn't heard about fruit and vegetable washes before. I was curious to see if there has been any research saying the washes can replace buying organic produce. These 2 links might be interesting to read. One of them points out that the USDA measures pesticide levels of produce post-washing. So I think it would still be safest to choose organic when it comes to the top pesticide offenders (aka "The Dirty Dozen").
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ewg.org/foodnews/faq/
This link mentions there have been studies showing that water is as effective as commercial washes at getting rid of bacteria.
http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-deal-with-fruit-and-118406
Hope you've read "Cooked"! I loved the chapter about the benefits of fermented foods. Check out this conversation between Pollan and Reichl in the Smithsonian:
ReplyDeleteMichael Pollan and Ruth Reichl Hash out the Food Revolution
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ideas-innovations/Michael-Pollan-and-Ruth-Reichl-Hash-out-the-Food-Revolution-208357921.html
-AM