Food from the past

So what is the "new" mystery ingredient that these foods have in common, and does it promote good health? The answer is actually something from the past: Probiotics, live bacteria that are similar to beneficial bacteria found in the human digestive tract. They are often referred to as "good" or "friendly bacteria."

The role of these friendly bacteria in the foods we eat is nothing new. Since accent times, bacteria have been responsible for producing many of the traditional foods we eat today including sour-dough bread, cheese, yogurt and sauerkraut. The use of bacteria to make food is known as fermentation.

For hundreds of years cultures around the world have made traditional fermented foods part of their regular diet, providing daily doses of probiotic bacteria. What is "new" are the marketing claims and the scientific research that shows health benefits from these foods.

Health Benefits

The intestines contain billions of bacteria and other organisms that help with digestion. Probiotic bacteria found in foods are similar to those found in the body. When consumed, probiotics reach the digestive tract and function like the bacteria already found there.

Do we need more?

So why would we need more bacteria when our body already contains thousands? Probiotic-containing foods are recommended for people who take antibiotics, are under stress, or are traveling. These factors can alter the amount of good bacteria in the digestive tract, making individuals more likely to get sick. Replenishing the digestive tract with probiotic bacteria helps to restore its normal balance.

Check with your health care provider to determine whether you need probiotic-containing foods or supplements. It is unclear whether healthy individuals will benefit from consuming foods containing probiotics. (However, many probiotic-contacting foods are also good sources of other nutrients important for overall health.)

Don't be fooled

If you're thinking about rushing off to the grocery store to purchase name-brand foods contacting probiotics, think again. Many name brand products have limited research showing healthful effects. In addition most foods are pasteurized and processed. These procedures keep all bacteria from growing, both good and bad. This means foods originally containing probiotic bacteria may no longer contain them. To get yourself some top quality foods high in friendly bacteria, stick to these suggestions.

Yogurt - Look for the words "live" or "active" written on the package or in the ingredient list. This means the probiotic bacteria were added back to the yogurt after pasteurization. Most brands of yogurts contain "live" and "active" bacteria, not just the ones marketed for digestive health. Check labels and ingredient lists to find an affordable yogurt containing probiotics.

Sauerkraut - Homemade sauerkraut requires few ingredients and basic equipment. It also provides more crunch and better flavor. Store-bought sauerkraut has been processed and no longer contains bacteria so it will have no healthful effect on digestion. Check this website to make your own sauerkraut.

Cheese - Aged cheese such as blue, cheddar, and gouda are good sources of probiotic bacteria. Stay away from cheese spreads and soft cheeses, as they are processed and contain no friendly bacteria.

Kefir - Kefir pronounced "ke - feer" is a traditional Middle-Eastern beverage similar to a yogurt drink. It is made from milk, kefir grains, and cultures prepared from grains, all of which have been fermented together. Kefir can be found in some grocery stores near the yogurt section and is popular in health food stores. Learn more about Kefir at this site.

Stay tuned

Although we have known about active cultures in the foods we eat for more than 100 years, scientists still have many questions about the way various species of probiotic bacteria promotes good health. For now, consider foods that naturally contain probiotics healthy for you and keep an eye out for new research in years to come.

Submitted by: Ashley Lazarz, Keene State College Dietetic Intern 2008-2009.

Buying fruit in season should be less expensive and taste better than the same fruit out of season, satisfying your taste buds as well as your wallet. The following tips will help you purchase fruits year-round without breaking your budget.

Summer Tips
Summer fruits include:

• Strawberries

• Blueberries

• Plums

• Peaches

• Cantaloupe

Fresh New England strawberries become available in June; local wild and cultivated blueberries begin arriving in July. Plums and peaches come from southern states and also are ready to eat in the late summer days.

Strawberries and Blueberries- Local berries are going to be slightly firm to the touch and smell sweet. Blueberries and strawberries should be a rich blue or red color with no brown or white stops. Freeze fresh berries http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ftn-d04.htm on a cookie sheet and then bag them up to use in the winter.

Plums and Peaches- are sweet-smelling and slightly soft when squeezed. Flesh should not be bruised or brown. Avoid fruit that with open cuts or lesions. Tree fruits will ripen more quickly if you store them in a brown paper bag until ready to eat.

Cantaloupe- Unlike many other fruits, cantaloupes don't ripen off the vine. Ripe ones will have a nickel-sized depression at the stem end, where the fruit has "slipped" from its stem at harvest. Cantaloupe at its peak of ripeness and flavor should have a firm, full rind with no soft spots. Store melons in the fridge until a couple of hours before eating.

Winter Tips
Fruit in season during December, January and February:

• Apples

• Bananas

• Pears

• Grapefruits

Buying is only half the struggle. Making sure that your fruit is in the best condition will help you save just as much money. Fruit that has to be thrown away before it's eaten isn't going to save you the bucks. But remember, there may be great uses for fruit that is past its prime. You still get the nutrition benefits and cut back on waste.

Apples- Supermarket produce sections often sell several varieties of bagged apples from local orchards at a great price. The bagged apples are often under-sized, slightly off-shape, or have minor cosmetic flaws such as bumps and dimples. None of these features affects the taste or nutritional value of the fruit.

Bananas- For fresh eating, look for bananas without brown spots that are firm to the touch. Stores sometimes sell overripe bananas at a much lower price; use these in breads, pies, puddings and smoothies, or mash them into your morning oatmeal. You can also preserve a bounty of super ripe bananas by peeling them, cutting them into chunks and freezing them to defrost for various uses. Never store unripe bananas in the fridge.

Pears- Pears are tricky. They rot from the inside out so it's hard sometimes to tell if they have gone bad. Choose pears without brown spots that feel firm when gently squeezed.

Grapefruits- Ripe grapefruit should smell like it tastes, sweet and delicious. Ripe grapefruit will be slightly soft when you give it a squeeze.

• Learn more about the health benefits of fruits and vegetables at Produce for Better Health

• MyPyramid tips to help you eat more fruit

• Check out what is in season

• Frozen and canned fruits are good choices when fresh is not available

• Preparation and storage tips for fresh produce

• Find local farmers' markets and pick-your-own orchards

Share your favorite fruit preparation or storage tip in the comment section below.

Submitted by Sarah Agnoli, Keene State College Dietetic Intern

Try these tips from the USDA MyPyramid for Preschoolers:

• Offer your preschooler small, easy-to-eat amounts to make eating easy and more enjoyable.


• Use smaller bowls, plates, and utensils for your child to eat with.


• Ask your child how much they want. Make sure food isn't too hot for children to eat.


• Don't insist that children finish all the food on their plate. Let your child know it's okay to only eat as much as he or she wants at that time.


• As children are able, allow them to serve their own portions of foods that are easy to handle.


• Teach them to take small amounts at first. Tell them they can get more if they are still hungry.


• Even your 3 to 5 year old can practice serving from small bowls that you hold for them. They'll learn new skills and feel "all grown up."

Learn more:

• Early Sprouts nutrition program in Keene NH involves children in gardening and cooking at preschool centers.
• 20 tips to avoid mealtime battles
• Eating family meals promotes healthy choices

True or False?

1. Eating fruits and vegetables everyday as part of a healthy diet can help you fight disease.


2. Most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables for good health.


3. Fruits and vegetables can play a role in weight management.


4. Green vegetables are the most nutritious.


5. Fruits and vegetables are always more expensive than other foods.


6. Fresh, frozen, canned, and dried varieties of fruits and vegetables all count toward your daily recommendation.


7. Preparing fruits and vegetables always takes too much time.

1. Eating fruits and vegetables everyday as part of a healthy diet can help you fight disease.
TRUE: A good source of many vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables are important to promoting good health. Research consistently shows that compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthy diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and perhaps heart disease and high blood pressure.
Back to questions

2. Most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables for good health.
TRUE: Despite the many health benefits, most Americans do not consume enough fruit and vegetables every day. Are you meeting your needs? Everyone is different. Find out how many cups you need each day.
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3. Fruits and vegetables can play a role in weight management.
TRUE: Besides having vitamins and minerals that can help protect your health, many fruits and vegetables are lower in calories and higher in fiber than other foods. Studies have shown that when people eat more low-calorie foods, they naturally eat fewer high-calorie foods. That's because people tend to eat similar amounts of food even when the calories in the food vary. As part of a healthy diet, eating fruits and vegetables instead of high-fat foods may make it easier to control your weight.
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4. Green vegetables are the most nutritious.
FALSE: No one food contains all the nutrients your body needs. To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors, including plenty of dark green vegetables, gives your body a wide range of nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C.
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5. Fruits and vegetables are always more expensive than other foods.
FALSE: The USDA analyzed the prices of 154 different forms of fruits and vegetables and found that more than half cost less than 25 cents per serving. Compared to a candy bar, soda, or snack grab bag, fruits and veggies are a bargain. (Based on 1999 A.C. Nielson Homescan data.)
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6. Fresh, frozen, canned, and dried varieties of fruits and vegetables all count toward your daily needs.
TRUE: No matter what the form - fresh, frozen, canned, dried, juice - all varieties of fruits and vegetables count toward your daily recommendation. Choose fruits without added sugar or syrups and vegetables without added salt, butter, or cream sauces. Choose more whole fruits and vegetables to boost your fiber. Limit 100% fruit and vegetable juices.
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7. Preparing fruits and vegetables always takes too much time.
FALSE: With so many varieties to choose from, it's easier than ever to eat more fruits and vegetables. Look for simple recipes that take only minutes to prepare. Or try whole fruits and vegetables. There are many varieties you can just rinse and eat. In addition to fruits and vegetables, a healthy diet also includes whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk products, lean meats, fish, beans, eggs and nuts, and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars. A healthy diet also means staying within your daily calorie needs.
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Adapted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Almost anyone can grow microgreens indoors at home all winter. They'd make a great way to introduce young children into the wonders of growing food plants.

Light
I grow my microgreens under a cheap fluorescent shop-light fixture (suspended from the ceiling of my living-room alcove by chains and s-hooks) outfitted with two full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs and lowered so it hangs just above the growng plants. I turn on the light when I get up in the morning and shut it off at the end of the work day. I raise the lights as my seedlings grow taller.

Seeds
I planted seeds left over from last summer's garden: a lettuce mix, then another mixture of arugula, red Russian kale, bok choi, Chinese cabbage and spinach. You could also use peas, mustard, alfalfa, spinach, broccoli--just about any edible leafy crop. The lack of outdoor stresses such as wind and rain make the leaves milder in flavor and more tender than their garden-raised counterparts.

Soil and containers
I used recycled polystyrene containers with holes punched in the bottom and set them in recycled plastic trays to catch any runoff. I filled the planters with moistened potting soil, to which I'd added a few tablespoons of a commercial organic fertilizer. (You could also add a small amount of liquid organic or synthetic fertilizer to the water you use to moisten the potting soil. Follow label directions.) I sowed the seed thinly across soil surface, sprinkled with more damp potting soil, and tamped it down with the flat of my hand.Then I watered the whole container well.

Care
In my wood-heated house, the planters require a gentle, thorough watering every two or three days to keep the soil from drying out. Once a week, I add a tablespoon or two of a liquid seaweed/fish-emulsion fertilizer to my irrigation water.

Harvest
I began thinning my greens as soon as they'd developed two or more sets of leaves. I thin by pulling gently and shaking the soil on the roots back into the container, or clip entire plants at soil level with fingernail scissors.

Now that my plants have gotten three or four inches high, I've started harvesting the outer leaves for use, letting the rest of the plant continue to grow.

That's it! Sixty days into my project, I've harvested more than a dozen two-person salads (I supplement the greens with a little grated carrot and cabbage from my root cellar) and several cups of greens for my soup pots.

I added several extra packets of salad/cooking greens to my spring seed order and plan to begin sowing them indoors in early November. I've had such good luck this winter that I may set up a second shop light and a few larger containers so I can grow more next winter.

See a slide show of my microgreens at about 18 days and 30 days old.