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August 15, 2022

Is There a Solid Scientific Basis for Recommending You Eat Two Servings of Fatty Fish a Week? — The Skeptical Cardiologist

The skeptical cardiologist has previously agreed with widespread dietary guideline recommendations that encourage most adults to consume a variety of fish, preferably oily types (eg, salmon, sardines, tuna, and mackerel), at least twice a week for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Much of my faith in fish and fish oil, however, was based on observational…
Is There a Solid Scientific Basis for Recommending You Eat Two Servings of Fatty Fish a Week? — The Skeptical Cardiologist

Thank you Dr. Pearson.

August 10, 2022August 10, 2022

Mimi’s Kind of Secret Cookie Recipe

This recipe is the actual inside of a lid from a famous brand of oats. Mimi’s cookie recipe is kind of a secret because of her omissions, substitutions, and changes to the recipe after all these years.

Sometimes she adds nuts. Other times, no raisins at all. Usually more cinnamon. Or most times chocolate chips are tossed into the mix.

The exact substitutions and deletions, types of nuts and/or chocolate remain a secret. She won’t tell me.

Tiny Taste Tester Approved.

August 9, 2022

Start-up of the month: non-HFSS cereals (Brave) — The Food Science Addict

Are you looking for a better understanding of non-HFSS foods? Do you want to know which brand is thriving? Brave is a UK plant-based snack brand. They have recently developed a grain-free, sugar-free breakfast cereal product made from chickpeas and peas. This product is known as Super Hoops (available in Original and Cinnamon flavours) and,…
Start-up of the month: non-HFSS cereals (Brave) — The Food Science Addict

HFSS = (High in Fat, Sugar, and Salt).

A small step in the right direction. But you still have to get consumers to buy, try, and buy again. Changing habits can be very hard to do.

August 3, 2022

Does Eating High-Fat Dairy Cause Heart Disease or Obesity? Has the Science Changed In The Last Decade? — The Skeptical Cardiologist

As promised, the skeptical cardiologist has reviewed, refurbished, republished and revised his first ever post (first published 12/27/2012) which challenged the advice presented by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the American Heart Association, and every mainstream nutritional guideline published since 1985. I’ve added some links to subsequent posts which support my statements, improved the formatting,…
Does Eating High-Fat Dairy Cause Heart Disease or Obesity? Has the Science Changed In The Last Decade? — The Skeptical Cardiologist

Thank you Dr. Pearson.

August 3, 2022

Make Homemade Veggie Burgers

Krista Navin has been a vegetarian since she was a teen, and says these imitation meats have been creeping onto more menus. It really hit home when Burger King replaced its veggie patty — made by vegetarian stalwart brand Morningstar Farms — with the Impossible Whopper. “I find those types of burgers uniquely off-putting,” Navin says. “I think they have actually done a really good job making them like the real thing and that is exactly the thing I don’t want.”
It’s Time to Put Actual Veggies Back Into Veggie Burgers — https://www.eater.com/23274496/veggie-burger-vegetarian-should-be-made-from-vegetables
Results from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), which included participants aged 35 and older, showed that higher intake of UPF was significantly associated with a faster rate of decline in both executive and global cognitive function.”Based on these findings, doctors might counsel patients to prefer cooking at home [and] choosing fresher ingredients instead of buying ready-made meals and snacks,” co-investigator Natalia Goncalves, PhD, University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil, told Medscape Medical News.“Participants who reported consumption of more than 20% of daily calories from ultraprocessed foods had a 28% faster rate of global cognitive decline and a 25% faster decrease of the executive function compared to those who reported eating less than 20% of daily calories from ultraprocessed foods,
More Evidence Ultraprocessed Foods Detrimental for the Brain – Medscape – Aug 01, 2022. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/978365?src=rss

UPF consumption was associated with worse performance in Animal Fluency among older people without pre-existing diseases. Decreasing UPF consumption may be a way to improve impaired cognition among older adults.
Association between ultra-processed food consumption and cognitive performance in US older adults: a cross-sectional analysis of the NHANES 2011–2014 — https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-022-02911-1

“You used to eat those commercially prepared veggie burgers.”

“I don’t eat them anymore. It’s better to make your own.”

Faithful followers know what happened during the inferno summer of 2022 because of my earlier post on Spinach, Mushrooms and Onion. I’m still working feverishly to reduce the number of packages of frozen vegetables to make room for other items. The other day I used up a package of frozen spinach and about a cup and a half of cooked chickpeas to make Chickpea and Spinach Burgers.

Yup, that’s right. No recipe. The Boss said,

“Go ahead and toss all of the spinach in the mix.”

So I did. Instead of Chickpea and Spinach Burgers I ended up making Spinach Burgers with a Small Spattering of Chickpeas Somewhere in the Mix.

I promise to post if and when I’m totally happy with the results.

August 1, 2022

Eat Eggs

Eggs are a rich source of dietary cholesterol, but they also contain a variety of essential nutrients. There is conflicting evidence as to whether egg consumption is beneficial or harmful to heart health. A 2018 study published in the journal Heart, which included approximately half a million adults in China, found that those who ate eggs daily (about one egg per day) had a substantially lower risk of heart disease and stroke than those who ate eggs less frequently*. Now, to better understand this relationship, the authors of this work have carried out a population-based study exploring how egg consumption affects markers of cardiovascular health in the blood.
eLife. “How eating eggs can boost heart health.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/05/220524124839.htm (accessed May 25, 2022).

Results – Egg consumption was associated with 24 out of 225 markers, including positive associations for apolipoprotein A1, acetate, mean HDL diameter, and lipid profiles of very large and large HDL, and inverse associations for total cholesterol and cholesterol esters in small VLDL. Among these 24 markers, 14 were associated with CVD risk. In general, the associations of egg consumption with metabolic markers and of these markers with CVD risk showed opposite patterns.
Conclusions – In the Chinese population, egg consumption is associated with several metabolic markers, which may partially explain the protective effect of moderate egg consumption on CVD.
Pan et al. investigated associations of self-reported egg consumption with plasma metabolic markers and these plasma metabolic markers with the risk of cardiovascular diseases. In general, there was some impact on metabolic markers which could protect against CVD. The paper will interest scientists in the field of nutritional epidemiology.
Association of egg consumption, metabolic markers, and risk of cardiovascular diseases: A nested case-control study — https://elifesciences.org/articles/72909

To review the study shortcomings hop over to the full study and read the editorial decision letter.

July 10, 2022

Pups

The pups back in July.

As I brushed away brown winter leaves from the base of a hydrangea, I noticed that a mature branch had touched the ground. Roots had emerged and grabbed hold, and now a green stem and leaves rose from the contact point.
So That’s Where Baby Hydrangeas Come From – https://nittygrittydirtman.com/2013/05/08/so-thats-where-baby-hydrangeas-come-from/

Picture credit (above) Nitty Gritty Dirtman

The pups after replanting and spending numerous days in 100+ degree heat.

This summer’s Brown Thumb Project (with a little luck) may survive.

July 9, 2022July 9, 2022

Stanford Center on Longevity – Diet Research Update

There are a growing number of diet choices that promote healthier eating. Common among several of the most-well known diets (e.g., paleo, Mediterranean, vegan), is an emphasis on the consumption of plant-based foods (sometimes alongside animal protein, sometimes without), and the avoidance of added sugar, refined grains, and ultra-processed foods. There is increasing evidence that consuming more plant-based foods is beneficial to our overall health, especially our immune system health. There are also data indicating that consuming more plant protein than animal protein is healthy for both ourselves and the environment.
Diet — https://longevity.stanford.edu/research-update-on-diet/

Reality check below –

We have a lot of work to do.

Do your part by reading the entire research update and sharing the love.

July 7, 2022July 7, 2022

WHAT? Another Website Devoted to Beans?

Yes there is. https://beaninstitute.com/

Here is another post in my world famous Beans for Breakfast AND Electronic Sticky Note series. Honestly, I’m just surfing the Internet looking for bean recipes to make when the temperature outside will be 106 degrees F and I don’t want HOT beans. Note for new visitors to this blog:

I do eat beans for breakfast on occasion and
An electronic sticky note is a Memo to Self with links to websites for recipes to try as I expand my bean recipe repertoire.

WOO HOO!

The other day I discovered 30 Recipes with a Can of Chickpeas at https://feelgoodfoodie.net/chickpeas-recipes/

I also found 15 Nutritious Vegan White Bean Recipes at https://www.thefullhelping.com/15-nutritious-vegan-white-bean-recipes/

Double WOO HOO!

My bean obsession began many years ago during my vegetarian years. I still have this cookbook as proof.

In blue zones areas, we found that the longest-lived people eat a full cup of beans every day.
The World’s #1 Longevity Food — https://www.bluezones.com/2016/06/10-things-about-beans/#

Always remember what you don’t eat is as important if not more important to health and longevity than what you eat.

July 6, 2022

Global Supplies of Chickpeas Could Dip 20% This Year

Tight supplies have helped push U.S. retail prices higher. Chickpeas on U.S. grocery shelves jumped 12% from last year, nearly 17% higher than prior to the pandemic, according to the most recent NielsenIQ data. Hummus prices have increased 6.9% since 2019.
Fewer chickpeas means cheap protein and hummus could be harder to find — https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/focus-fewer-chickpeas-means-cheap-protein-and-hummus-could-be-harder-to-find

I immediately checked the pantry. I have just two 16 ounce tins of chickpeas and approximately half a pound dried. Time to restock!