Study-Red Meat and Processed Meat Increases Death Risk: Really?

I thought this was already well-established, but for for the skeptics out there, this is one of the largest and most comprehensive studies to date on meat consumption and mortality (death rate) from disease. The study, "Meat Intake and Mortality: A Prospective Study of Over Half a Million People," was published in the esteemed journal Archives of Internal Medicine this month. Click here for the full abstract.

UPDATE 5/5/09: Jane Brody published a really well-written story on this in the New York Times -- take a look.

Investigators studied a half a million people aged 50 to 71 (at the outset), looking at their diets and their ultimate causes of death. They specifically were looking for a connection between intakes of different types of meat (red, white, and processed) and risk of cause-specific mortality (meaning, which diseases did they get that led to their deaths?).

Over ten years, deaths and their causes were recorded. The main finding was that the higher the red meat and processed meat intake, the greater the risk of dying from cancer, heart disease, and just dying in general.

Interestingly, white meat consumption was not shown to have any association with these risks, but that certainly does not mean that the fountain of youth is hidden in your McNuggets. Certainly red and processed meats contain more saturated and trans fat than white, and that can explain at least part of these results. I am skeptical that white meat is in any way protective -- I have noticed in general that people who eat a lot of poultry also eat lots of salads and vegetables, so this may account for the lack of association. Whatever the explanation, no study has ever shown an increased risk of death or disease from including more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans, so vegans still have the best competitive edge.

Vegan Nachos Supreme

My family's tummies are very happy tonight after this special Sunday treat: vegan nachos. There's absolutely nothing missing from this indulgence except the usual suspects in the typical version: cholesterol, saturated and trans fat, and other junk. This vegan version is made with organic, natural ingredients and is just as delicious and satisfying as it looks. And it's really easy to make -- we took the convenience short cuts (pre-made guacamole, packaged sour cream, canned beans, etc.) It's a fantastic family delight, and kinda fun to share with your S.O. with a couple o' beers.

Dina's Nachos Supreme

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1 package of Smart Ground Mexican Style
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 tbsp chili powder
  
• shredded Follow Your Heart Nacho Style "cheese"
• natural tortilla chips of your choice
• shredded lettuce
• chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1 can jalapeno black beans or plain black beans
  
• 1 can organic "refried" pinto beans
• salsa of your choice
• guacamole
• Sour Supreme tofutti no hydrogenated oil sour "cream"

Chop up the onion and saute it in the olive oil for a few minutes. Add the veggie Ground, salsa, chili powder, and saute until it's hot. Heat up the black beans (if unseasoned, add a whole lot of cumin and other seasonings of your choice) and refried beans on the stove or in the microwave. That's it! Now just assemble the remaining ingredients. Either put it all together like they do at the pub, or, put everything in little bowls and have folks take what they want, how they want it. You can substitute taco shells for the chips and make tacos instead.

Calories in this meal can add up quickly, so if you're watching it, go easy on the chips, cheese, and sour cream, be liberal with the veggies and beans, and moderate with the guac and ground. You can also stretch it to save calories, by including additional chopped raw veggies like bell peppers, cucumbers, and shredded carrots.

MTV serves up a Side of Truth

Compassion Over Killing is doing a great job making restaurants rethink their offerings. This commercial, which is being aired nationally by MTV, is making an impact.

This article from QSR (Quick Service Restaurant magazine), entitled "Will a MTV Commercial Negatively Affect Your Sales?", shows the commercial and explains the reasons Compassion Over Killing gives for creating these commercials. The article is interesting in that it is geared towards quick-serve restaurant owners (like fast foods and fast-casual), and it's informative without a lean (positive or negative).

Hopefully, this commercial, as well as other efforts such as consumer demand, will result in more vegan items appearing on menus. As that happens, more and more people will opt for these choices, and there will be less meat consumed overall. It's a win-win-win: for the restaurants, for the consumer's health, and for the animals.

A big apple

No, this time I'm not talking about New York City; I'm talking about a ginormous mutant apple that we recently found at Whole Foods. (This picture was not doctored up other than blurring my little guy.) Believe it or not, it was really crispy and sweet; the three of us dipped slices in almond butter and we were good for several hours.

Apples, even though best in season (the fall), are available all year round. Local ones are usually best, not only because we're all trying to decrease our carbon footprint, but also because they've been exposed to the least abuse via transport and temperature changes. I prefer organic to conventional, because those pesticide residues not only hide out on the skin (especially the dimpled parts), but those toxins land on the whole tree and seep into the ground, becoming part of our ecosystem: in the soil where the trees grow (making the INSIDE of the apples affected with the pesticides, not just the skin), in the groundwater, and on the foods eaten by birds, deer, and small mammals.

Does an apple a day keep the doctor away? No one is really sure (but I do enjoy following this blog -- written by a woman who eats an apple every day). But it certainly can't hurt to follow this advice. Apples are chock full of both types of fiber, but is a particularly good source of soluble fiber, the kind that helps lower your cholesterol. This fiber, called pectin, also provides bulk and digests slowly, helping us feel fuller longer. Apples also have antioxidants called flavonoids, which protect the heart even further and may help decrease inflammation.

Here are my 5 favorite ways to eat apples (other than simply "out of hand"):

1. Slice it up and dip into almond or peanut butter.
2. Chop into small pieces, grab a couple of spoonfuls of raisins or currants, and cook along with whole breakfast grains like oats and barley. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and eat.
3. (This one is great for apples that are past their prime but not "bad.") Dice into cubes and place in small pot. Add a bit of water, cinnamon, and some agave nectar and simmer for 8-10 minutes. While apple cooks, soak a handful of raisins in hot water. When apple is done, drain raisins and toss with cornstarch. Add raisins to apple mixture and boil for a few seconds, until thickened. Use as a topping for whole-grain waffles or pancakes, or as a whole grain crepe filling.
4. Slice thin, sprinkle on cinnamon, and dry in a desiccator.
5. Throw apple slices into a vita-mix with 1/2 frozen banana, 1 cup frozen berries, and 1 cup hemp milk.

Recipe: Collard Greens with Beans and Barley

This week my grocery store is having a sale on collard greens, and they looked really fresh, so I bought an enormous bunch of them, about 2 pounds. This afternoon, trying to figure out how to prepare them, it was getting late so I decided to make a one-pot meal with whole grains and beans.

I love white beans with greens, so I fetched a can of cannellini beans. Next I had to choose a grain. I was not in the mood for rice, and kamut takes too long. I had about 2 cups of barley left, so I decided to make that. It takes about 50 minutes to cook (and the grain/water ratio is about 1:3). Once I had the barley simmering, I went to work cleaning the greens, which is, to me, the least fun part of cooking greens but a necessary evil. After they were rinsed, I chopped them and dropped them into boiling water to blanch them and reduce them to a reasonable volume. I gathered the rest of the ingredients and, in less than an hour, dinner was on the table.

The beauty of this dish is that you can substitute the collards for any green, the white beans for any bean, and the barley for any grain.

Of course, this is an extremely nutritious meal, absolutely packed with both kinds of fiber, protein, calcium, iron, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Omega 3's from the greens are a welcome component, and you can boost the content by sprinkling on a little flax oil or ground flax seeds just before serving.

It's also a very economical meal; barley is just pennies a serving, and the greens (which were pre-trimmed and in good shape) had no waste and were on sale for 79 cents a pound. The whole dinner (which made enough for 4 adults) cost around $5 (if you make your own veggie broth, you can do it for less than $4).

Dina's Collard Greens with Beans and Barley

• 1 big bunch collard greens, rinsed and chopped
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tbsp crushed jarred)
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4-5 cups cooked barley (start with about 1 1/2 cups dry)
  

Cook barley in salted water using a ratio of 3:1 water to grain for about 50 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. (It's nice to cook extra so you can have a nice hot cereal the next morning.)

Bring a few cups of water to a boil. Add the collard greens and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they're cooked down and starting to darken in color. Drain.

In a large pot, saute onion and garlic in heated olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Whisk the flour and broth and add the mixture to the pot. Bring to a boil. Add beans, salt, and pepper and simmer, stirring around for a minute.

Add the blanched greens and cooked barley. Simmer, stirring frequently, until flavors are melded and much of the liquid is absorbed.

Serve with vegan parmesan, if desired, or any seasonings you like. I spiced mine up with a bit of red pepper flakes and Fakin' Bacon bits.

Getting kids to eat vegetables and other healthy foods

People tell me that I'm lucky that my 3-year-old son eats vegetables. (Well, not all veggies, but most.) I think it's more than luck; I use a few techniques that I think work really well. Here are my top ten success secrets.

1. Make it fun. See this photo? Ben loves letters and numbers, and he was thoroughly delighted with the 10 carrots and the "10" written in vegan Ranch. And don't do this ONLY for the picky ones -- Ben would have eaten these carrots regardless, but making it fun reinforces positive associations with healthy foods. Some other ideas: a smiley face on oatmeal with raisins and nuts; sandwiches cut with a cookie cutter; anything that contains their name (ever try to write your child's name with string beans?), a flower out of apple slices... really the possibilities are endless. Once I sliced a banana into coins and arranged them around a plate with a big strawberry in the middle. It didn't represent anything but it was fun to eat!

2. Try not to engage in a power struggle. I have never, ever forced Ben to eat anything. But he knows I love it when he tries new things and enjoys his food. So every once in a while he's in a surly mood and declares, "I'm NOT going to eat this" in attempt to get a rise out of me, and I say, "OK!" with a big smile. Nine times out of ten, he eats it a few minutes later, because he realizes I really don't care if he eats or not (well, I DO, but he does not know that!). Because I am a dietitian, parents are often surprised to see how I handle mealtime issues. For example, when Ben takes one bite and tells me he is no longer hungry, I excuse him and that's that. The kid knows he's full; who am I to force him to overeat? Children are born with an acute sense of satiety. We need to nurture that instinct, not destroy it by forcing them to eat "three more bites" when they're not hungry. (Obviously, this goes for healthy children of normal weight; children with growth or weight or serious food issues need special care.) Every now and then, 10 minutes after the meal is over, there will be a request for food, and the answer is NO -- mealtime is over. After 2 or 3 of these episodes, children learn that you mean business. And if they go hungry for an hour or two before the next meal or snack, it's ok; they won't whittle away to nothing. Because of this approach, there is no stress or anxiety associated with our mealtimes, and they are usually quite peaceful.

3. Resist the temptation to reinforce the notion that vegetables taste bad but they have to be eaten. As hard as it is, try to treat all food relatively the same (except of course for special occasional treats like candy). That way, if you put all healthy foods in front of your child, they will pick and choose based on color, flavor, texture, and desire for variety -- not what is "good" or "bad."

4. Never use food as a reward. There are books written about this, but I'll try to sum it up with three points: one, using food as a reward ties behavior in with foods, which might lead kids to all sorts of parental manipulation using food. Two, if reward foods are a special kind of food, then non-reward food might feel like a punishment. Three, if reward foods are associated with parental pride and acceptance, then those foods might be later abused as a way for the child to feel accepted and loved.

5. If your child declares s/he does not like something, do not make a big deal out of it. For example, when I first gave Ben almond butter, he turned his nose up at it. I said, "Thank you for trying it." About 3 months later, he saw me eating almond butter on a cracker, and he asked to taste it. I gave it to him and he LOVED it! I didn't remind him that he didn't like it before, and now almond butter is a regular part of his diet (which thrills me, since he's allergic to most nuts). Another example: Ben used to love raw peppers, then for a while refused to touch them, and the other day he put away almost an entire red pepper cut into strips. I never said a word about it. I think if you "call" kids on their former likes or dislikes, they feel threatened or embarrassed or have hurt pride, and will continue to refuse food. Once we recongize that kids' food preferences change like the weather, we accept their "pickiness" as normal.

6. Once you find a veggie your child likes, go out of your way to prepare it. I discovered Ben's affinity for raw cabbage when he tried a piece of pickled cabbage at Veggie Heaven, our local vegetarian Chinese restaurant. So the next week I made him vegan cole slaw (I call it "cabbage salad") and he is addicted to the stuff. I use different dressing combinations, and I vary the veggies (I have mixed shredded cabbage with broccoli slaw, carrot slaw, and other shredded veggies, even very finely shredded raw kale.) You would not believe the portions of cabbage this kid puts away.

7. From as early as possible, make mixed dishes. Ben fully expects pasta, rice, tofu dishes, soups, stir fries, and even sandwiches to contain bits of vegetables. We don't usually have a blob of vegetables as a side dish; they're often incorporated into the main dish. I think this shapes the way kids think about food; they don't see vegetables as a pile of evil; they see them as a normal part of the meal at large. In addition, the veggies used in a main dish will be seasoned well, which is welcomed because oftentimes the flavor of plain vegetables is too bitter. I, myself, don't like plain steamed cauliflower, but I'll eat it in a curry. I do the same for my family.

8. Keep healthy snacks visible and accessible. When hunger strikes, Ben knows he can reach into the fruit bowl and always find something fresh, sweet, and delicious. Or he can open the fridge and see, at his eye level, containers of cut up veggies, cut up fruits, soy yogurt, almond butter, etc. What he sees is what he wants. (By the same token, if you don't want your child to ask for junk, then don't have junk in the house. They can't argue with, "We don't have any.")

9. Don't encourage a sweet or salty tooth. There is no reason for toddlers, or older children, to eat surgary cereal, sweetened oatmeal, or salted chips. Salt belongs in savory foods, and sugar belongs in desserts and sweets. Once a child gets used to overly sweet or overly salty foods (which are perfectly acceptable in their natural state), they will begin to reject the plain versions. And of course, it's less than ideal to overindulge in sugar and salt.

10. Relax. I think this is the most important thing. Food is not supposed to be a weapon or threat or reward or punishment. Provide delicious, natural foods to your family every day and they will thank you with big smiles... and optimal health.

Move over, soy ice cream!

There's a new kid in town. In Manhattan town, that is. I know, I know, I keep writing about these fantastic places to eat in NYC, leaving non-New Yorkers cranky. Sorry -- now you have even more reasons to visit the Big Apple.

What am I raving about this time? An all vegan ice cream parlor, that's what. Lula's Sweet Apothecary, located at 516 East 6th Street (at Avenue A), is a scoop of heaven smack dab in the center of Veganville, NY (AKA the East Village). A cute little place that gets crowded quickly, Lula's sells frozen desserts (sundaes, floats, malts, etc. too, of course) with all the toppings (marshmallow, hot fudge, you name it), candy, and other sweets. Did I mention everything is vegan? Fortunately they're open late; check out their hours on their site, but don't plan to go on a Monday, because that is the one day they are closed.

The store's wonderful and charming wife-husband owners, Blythe Boyd and Derek Hachett, thought nothing of our request for one small scoop of each of their NINE flavors because we couldn't decide which ones to try. So my husband and I were presented with dishes of tiny (we're talking melon scoop sized) samples of each and every flavor. (See photo above) Literally, a bite of each flavor for each of us. What a treat, and what a great idea! My favorites were the Cake Batter (yup, it really tastes like the stuff you used to lick off the spoon when you were a kid) and Cinnamon. Dan particularly enjoyed the S'mores and Peanut Butter Chocolate. Truly, the stuff had no soy aftertaste or weirdness that some nut-based ice creams have. The flavors are beautifuly balanced and the texture is just right -- creamy, without coating the tongue, and deliciously sweet without being syrupy. They had some really interesting flavors, most of which rotate (so it's best to visit frequently!). We had a lovely time chatting with Blithe and Derek, and left with a naturally sweetened pomegranate lolly for my 3-year-old (who told us the following day that it was his "favorite candy ever.")

This was the perfect dessert after our light dinner at nearby Pukk, an all-vegetarian Thai restaurant with fabulous prices and gorgeous, wholesome food (subject for another day).

Wondering why a dietitian is writing about ice cream? Because I truly believe that sweets in moderation are OK. They are an indulgence, a celebration, a treat. There's a place in the vegan diet for sweets now and then. And the best sweets are those made with love and care, and that's what you find at Lula's.

If you're going to indulge in ice cream, make it natural, make it dairy-free, make it organic, and make it Lula's. Gone gluten-free? All GF selections are highlighted. Avoiding soy? Try their nut-based frozen delectibles. Into raw? They've got that too. There is truly something for everyone.