Five Healthy Green Foods to Eat on St. Patrick’s Day

When you think about the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day, you think about all things green. However, you don’t necessarily think of green food. Most people want to eat traditional Irish food like corned beef, potatoes, Irish stew and soda bread. These aren’t the healthiest of foods, and when you throw in a few pints of Guinness beer, you definitely have a calorie-packed celebration!

But there are many healthy green foods that you can eat on St. Patrick’s Day that won’t disrupt your diet or cause you to pack on the pounds.

Sinai Hospital Clinical Dietician Kelly Bliss, RD, LDN, says that dark green vegetables are "loaded with important vitamins and minerals that can reduce the risk of chronic disease, protect against development of cancer, decrease bone loss and are linked with healthy levels of blood pressure."

"Over the course of a week men and women should aim to consume three servings of dark green vegetables," Bliss says. "On a daily basis try to incorporate vegetables from all colors of the rainbow.”

Here are five green foods that you can eat to celebrate the luck of the Irish:

1. Asparagus

Did you know that asparagus is from the same vegetable family as onions and garlic? It’s true, and luckily it doesn’t smell as bad. Asparagus is jam-packed with vitamins A, B, C and K and is loaded with calcium and fiber.

Health Benefits: Rids your body of excess water and prevents birth defects in pregnant women.

Recipe: Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

Asparagus with Ginger Video:


2. Broccoli

Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family (and cousin to the cauliflower). It’s a great source of vitamins A and C, as well zinc, calcium and iron.

Health Benefits: Contains phytonutrients that help reduce cancer-related genes.

Recipe: Roasted Garlic Lemon Broccoli

Cream of Broccoli Soup Video:

3. Arugula

Arugula is an easy-to-grow salad green that has a peppery taste. It contains vitamins A and C, as well as folic acid, which helps form genetic material in the body.

Health Benefits: Helps prevent cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and stroke.

Recipe: Pesto with Arugula

Fresh and Easy Arugula Salad Video:

4. Cucumbers

Cucumbers are edible fruit that are composed of 90 percent water. They are a great source of vitamins A and C, potassium and calcium.

Health Benefits: Regulates blood pressure, helps construct connective tissue, promotes hair growth and helps heal sunburns.

Recipe: Japanese Cucumber Salad

Cool as a Cucumber Soup Video:

5. Spinach

Spinach was the No. 1 food of choice for Popeye, and here’s the reason why: It contains vitamins A, B2, B6 and C, as well as iron, zinc, protein, potassium and fiber.

Health Benefits: Promotes a healthy cardiovascular system, lowers blood pressure and protects against eye diseases.

Recipe: Wilted Spinach with Cherries and Goat Cheese

Garlic Sautéed Spinach Video:


You can have fun on St. Patrick’s Day without sacrificing your health, so how about trying one of these green foods to get the party started!

-Trish Smith

New Dietary Guidelines Stress Portion Control, Less Sodium

While the government has issued new dietary guidelines for us to follow, it's worth asking if anyone is listening.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans has been published jointly every 5 years since 1980 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The recommendations form the backbone of federal nutrition policy, education, outreach, and food assistance programs used by consumers, industry, nutrition educators and health professionals

This year, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans advocate portion control and issues specific guidelines for less sodium. But rather than a gentle reminder, both medical experts and government officials take a more direct tone in reminding citizens to cut back on the fat and amp up the fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

“The 2010 Dietary Guidelines are being released at a time when the majority of adults and one in three children is overweight or obese and this is a crisis that we can no longer ignore,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.

It's not just a question of weight, although certainly the rates of obesity are alarming. Nearly 34 of adults and 18 percent of teenagers are obese. But even those at a lower weight should avoid too much sodium, which can cause high blood pressure, particularly in people who have heart disease and certain illnesses such as kidney disease and diabetes. The maximum sodium intake for everyone should be 2,300 mg daily which is approximately a teaspoon of salt. The dietary guidelines, for example, recommend that all African Americans and anyone over age 51 limit their daily sodium intake to 1,500 mg which is a bit more than half a teaspoon.

In addition to urging less sodium intake, the guidelines recommend water over sugary drinks and switching to fat free or low-fat (1 percent or skim) milk.

“The bottom line is that most Americans need to trim our waistlines to reduce the risk of developing diet-related chronic disease. Improving our eating habits is not only good for every individual and family, but also for our country,” Secretary Vilsack said.

-Sandra Crockett

Nutrition During Cancer Treatment

A cancer diagnosis is tough to hear. However, if you or your loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, there are things you can do to minimize the impact. Making nutrition a priority is one way to feel better.

There are many benefits to good nutrition during cancer treatment, says Erin Ross, a LifeBridge Health clinical dietitian. Ross spoke at “Nutrition During Cancer Treatment” at the Alvin and Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute last week in a detailed and informative presentation.

“There are many benefits of good nutrition,” Ross explained. With the right nutrition, a cancer patient can maintain strength and energy, weight and the body’s nutrients, tolerate treatments better and decrease risk of infection among other benefits.

Ross said recommendations from the American Cancer Society include eating a plant-based diet including five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruit daily, choosing whole grains, limiting consumption of red meats, especially those high in fat and processed and eat to maintain a healthy weight.

This includes eating adequate amounts of carbohydrates and fats. Cancer patients should try to get enough protein because that will help in their recovery.

“Protein is very, very important,” Ross advised. “Without adequate protein, it will take longer to heal.”

A cancer patient nutritional needs include eating 25-35 calories per kilogram, 1- 2.5 protein grams per kilogram. The patient may need a multivitamin, but be careful not to overdo the vitamin supplementation.

“It is a problem when patients take mega doses of vitamins without talking to their doctors,” Ross said. “Talk to your doctor to see if you really need it.”

Consult with your physician or nutritionist before embarking on a new eating plan. To learn more about the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute, call 410-601-WELL (9355).

- Sandra Crockett

The Question of Organic Food

By Sandra Crockett

So you want to eat healthy but are confused about all the different guidelines. It’s pretty clear to most people that trans fat is something to limit in your diet or stay away from altogether. The same is true of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), although hard to do since it is in so much processed food products.

Perhaps going organic is the safer way to go. But what exactly makes any produce “organic?” And what if you have the choice of going to a grocery store and buying something labeled “organic” or going to a local farmers market and purchasing fresh produce without the “organic” label? It's clear that the road to good health, healthy eating, and being kind to the environment is not always easy.

A food label “organic” means the producer has been certified organic, says Laure L. Sullivan, resident district manager, Food and Nutrition Services for LifeBridge Health. The producer has to meet certain standards to gain certification, and it is not the same for all countries.
In the United States, a food labeled “organic” usually means only organic ingredients were used. Legally, if a food is 95 percent organic, it can be labeled organic.

That said, buying from a local farmer’s market whenever possible would be your best bet, Sullivan explains.

“Buy local at your local farmer’s market and support the farmers,” Sullivan says. Farmers at local markets can have organic produce without having the organic label. “Farmers’ produce can be chemical free but not all farmers can afford to get the certification,” she says.

“You can get organic strawberries from China. But then you have the whole carbon footprint question.”

LifeBridge Health buys as much seasonal produce from local farmers as possible, Sullivan says.

Like we said, living healthy and being environmentally aware is not always easy. However, if you love yourself and your planet, it is worth it.

If you want to learn more about how sustainable food practices, several hospitals in Maryland and D.C. are being recognized tomorrow night for improving nutrition, maximizing carbon footprint and purchasing sustainable-produced meat through the Balanced Menu Challenge.

The “Balance Meets Taste” event kicks off National Nutrition Month for March 2010. It is being organized by Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment.

If You Go
What: Balance Meets Taste
When: Thursday, March 4
Where: Pier 5 Hotel, Baltimore Inner Harbor, 711 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD
Time: 6:30 - 10 p.m.
Cost: $100 (hors d’oeuvres and cocktail hour, four-course meal including wine. Proceeds donated to Future Harvest – Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture.
For More Information: 410.706.1924 or click here. You can also e-mail Lmitc001 (at) son.umaryland.edu