May 2007 Archives
What do red grapes, white onions, green and black teas and blackeye cowpeas all have in common? In addition to vitamins and minerals, these plant foods are rich in a class of chemical compounds called flavonoids.
The first update of the USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods, Release 2, is now available. The new release provides analytical values for 26 selected flavonoid compounds in 393 foods.
For the update, scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) analyzed the flavonoids in nearly 60 representative fruits, nuts and vegetables taken from a nationwide sampling. In addition, data from nearly 100 new scientific papers on the flavonoid content of various foods were evaluated for inclusion.
The update project was led by nutritionists David Haytowitz and Seema Bhagwat at ARS' Nutrient Data Laboratory (NDL). They collaborated with colleagues at the ARS Food Composition Laboratory, led by chemist James Harnly. Both laboratories are among seven units at ARS' Beltsville (Md.) Human Nutrition Research Center. ARS is the chief scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The new release includes the quantities of the 26 selected flavonoids found in 168 new foods that have been added to the original database. Data for many of the food items included in the first release were also updated.
Research studies have consistently provided evidence suggesting an association between consumption of diets high in flavonoids and reduced risk of cancer and heart disease. Documenting the flavonoid content of foods is essential to researchers who strive to evaluate associations between dietary flavonoid intake and risk factors for various chronic diseases.
Read more: USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods
The human body produces vitamin D when skin is exposed to the sun. About 10-15 minutes of sunscreen-free exposure on the face, hands and arms several days per week is enough to maintain adequate vitamin D levels. However, people who live in the northern U.S. states, those who are not outside often and those with dark skin need to obtain vitamin D from their diets. Fortified milk is the major food source of vitamin D in the United States, along with fatty fish like salmon, tuna and sardines. Other food sources include some fortified yogurts, orange juices and breakfast cereals.
Long recognized for aiding calcium absorption and thus promoting bone health, adequate vitamin D intake helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis. In 2006, studies published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that vitamin D may help reduce the risk of various other diseases and alleviate the symptoms of certain medical conditions as well.
said Lori Hoolihan, Ph.D., R.D., nutrition research specialist at Dairy Council of California.
These studies add to a growing body of research that suggests adequate vitamin D levels convey a broad spectrum of health benefits, from reducing the risk of breast, colon and prostate cancers to playing a preventative role in multiple sclerosis, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis,
Emerging research also suggests that vitamin D may be involved in optimal functioning of the immune system, improving mental activities and reducing the risk of periodontal disease.
Dairy Council of California is urging health professionals to get up to speed on this research, because health conditions linked to vitamin D insufficiency are on the rise. Rickets, a childhood softening of the bones that leads to fractures and deformity, has resurfaced in the United States as a public health concern. Rickets reached almost epidemic levels in the early 1900s before it was virtually eradicated by fortifying milk with vitamin D. A review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicated that rickets is now back on the radar among health professionals, with 166 cases of rickets identified in children between 1986 and 2003. Additionally, researchers suspect many children and adolescents have borderline or undetected deficiencies, which could contribute to the development of osteomalacia - or weak bones - in addition to other health conditions later in life.
What could be causing this reversal? Dietary changes like replacing milk with sodas, juice drinks and beverages such as soy and rice beverages, and lifestyle changes like spending more time indoors and wearing sunscreen have contributed to the decline of vitamin D status in many Americans. Currently, the recommended daily amount of vitamin D for children and adults up to age 50 is 200 International Units (IU). The recommendation for older adults increases to 400 IU up to age 70, and 600 IU for those older than 70. One cup of milk provides about 100 IU. As more is learned about vitamin D's multiple health benefits, many experts believe these recommendations will be increased.
National Osteoporosis Month is a great time for health professionals to focus on vitamin D. Assessing vitamin D status from current food intakes and sun exposure will enable health professionals to make appropriate recommendations regarding additional dietary intake of this important nutrient,said Hoolihan.
Focusing on small steps - and foods they enjoy - will help clients reach their vitamin D intake goals in a realistic fashion.
Read more: Dairy Council of California
National Dairy Council
National Osteoporosis Foundation
Add fruit to your breakfast cereal or oatmeal (not just bananas, try apples, grapes, berries, peaches, or mandarin oranges).
Snack on mini-carrots or dried fruit at work instead of candy.
Add to your take-out dinner with fruits and vegetables from home.
Microwave a vegetable to add to your dinner or eat some fruit for dessert.
Some quick and tasty ways to prepare fruits and vegetables.
Salads and Sides:
Open and rinse cans of kidney beans, wax beans, chickpeas, and green beans, and toss with a low-fat or fat-free vinaigrette for an ultra-fast bean salad.
Try adding fresh herbs to vegetables before you roast, stir-fry, or steam them. For example, tomatoes go well with basil and oregano, and carrots go well with dill.
Broil sliced vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes for just a few minutes until they blacken around the edges. Serve warm with a low-calorie dressing of lemon juice, low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise, and black pepper.
Entrees:
Add 1-2 cups of frozen vegetables to canned soup before heating; serve on top of rice in a shallow bowl.
Use a 12-inch, pre-baked packaged pizza crust to create a 20-minute dinner; add sliced zucchini, fresh spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and low-fat cheese and bake at 400 F until the cheese bubbles.
Add grapes, sliced apples, and pears to a chicken salad made with low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise.
Add tomatoes, radishes, and green bell peppers to a tuna salad made with low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise.
Top broiled lean meat, chicken, or fish with salsa. Each 1/2 cup of salsa counts as a 1/2 cup of you daily vegetable needs.
