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Superfood of the Week: Winter Squash

Dr. Nishant Rao — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Photo by madabandon.

It’s no coincidence that Summer squash and zucchini are watery hydrating foods that are low in calories, while winter squash varieties are more nourishing and dense. Eating seasonally ensures a varied diet and it makes sense: our bodies need different types of nourishment during different seasons. When it comes to nutrition, nature knows best.

Photo by bhamsandwich.

Winter squash come in many sizes and shapes. Look for butternut, acorn, spaghetti, hubbarb, turban, and pumpkin. These hardy gourds are safely encased packages of nutritious, sweet and creamy flesh and are high in beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese.

Beta-cryptoxanthin, a relative of beta-carotene, found in orange and red foods including squash has been found in studies to lower one’s risk for lung cancer.

The carotenoids in winter squash are anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, preventing the oxidation of cholesterol and development of atherosclerosis in the blood vessels.

It is important to note that carotenoids in winter squash are fat-soluble, so here’s your excuse to slather on some butter or olive oil to optimize the absorption of all of the colorful goodies your squash has to offer.

Some of my favorite dishes of the season are sweet butternut squash soup, spaghetti squash as a gluten free pasta dish, and a simple roasted acorn squash accompanying a deliciously crisp, roast chicken.

So preheat your oven and try one of these recipes for dinner this week:

Dr. Nishant Rao is a co-founder of WellWire.com. He is a well-traveled naturopathic doctor and new father, practicing an integrative approach to create wellness in and around Los Angeles. Become a patient or discover his practice.

Superfood of the Week: Almonds

Dr. Nishant Rao — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:53:30 +0000

Photo by jessicafm.

Used as a substitute for conventional flour, almond flour can be a blessing to diabetics and people with celiac disease. There are lots of ways to enjoy almonds: spread some almond butter on a cracker or send your kids off to school with an almond butter and jam sandwich. I love an almond butter sandwich with raw honey and banana slices. If you have a dairy sensitivity you can pour a glass of cold almond milk over your homemade granola in the morning and top it off with some crispy almonds.

Photo provided courtesy of elanaspantry.com.

I discovered the versatility of almonds when a friend recommended a great Website that features gluten and casein-free foods and baked goods. When I went to Elana’s Pantry, I was overjoyed at the simplicity of her recipes. The list of ingredients for gluten free baked goods is usually intimidating, with various types of flour substitutes (often an amalgam of unhealthy simple starches) and all sorts or special ingredients that you don’t normally store in your pantry, but these recipes were realistic and elegant. Check out her new cookbook, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.

Here’s a sample sandwich using almond flour bread and leftover turkey. The key to Elana’s simple recipes is almond flour. Not only does it give your cookies, crackers and pancakes a great flavor, but it makes them much more nutrient dense. Almond flour is packed with protein and healthy fats, which gives these homemade treats a low glycemic load. The glycemic load is a measure of how a meal will affect your blood sugar. Since the high protein content keeps the blood sugar levels from spiking, you’ll avoid energy crashes, subsequent sugar and caffeine cravings, and hyperactivity in children. If you are at risk for diabetes, have a family history of type 2 diabetes or have pre-diabetes, using almond flour as a base for your baked goods is really your best option. Your pancreas will thank you.

If you’re having a carbohydrate dense food like whole wheat bread, bananas, or apples, try to combine it with a healthy source of protein like almonds or almond butter. This will lower the glycemic load of the meal. Having a handful throughout the day to balance your blood sugar is also a great way to shed some extra pounds.

So we know that almonds are a great source of protein, but they also provide your body with; heart healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, magnesium, vitamin E, manganese, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorus.
The monounsaturated fats are great for your cardiovascular system and have been shown to bring LDL cholesterol levels down.
The vitamin E will give you the magic anti-oxidant touch you need to protect your blood vessels and keep your little cells protected against those pesky free radicals that we hear so much about these days.
Magnesium will keep your blood vessels and muscles relaxed, reducing the risk for hypertension.

So go ahead and have a crunchy almond snack to sustain you between meals. And as always, to decrease the chemical load on your body, the soil and our ground water, try to buy organic almonds free of petrochemicals or synthetic fertilizers.

Superfood of the Week: Chestnuts

Dr. Nishant Rao — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:00:15 +0000

Photo by SoapBeard.

Although I have no childhood memories of roasting them over an open fire after a long day of sledding, I still feel quite nostalgic when it comes to chestnuts. In England, I was a big fan of schoolyard conker fights (if you know the game, please leave your best conker hardening tips in the comment section. I used to soak them in vinegar over night, then bake and rub with fine grain salt).

Perhaps our love affair with chestnuts comes from the song, or the fact that this rare nut is high in carbohydrates (which equal comfort food). Chestnuts can be likened to a grain more than a nut due to their relatively low fat content and high complex carbohydrate and fiber content.

As you start hibernating this winter, collecting your firewood, and taking out aunt Gertrude’s holiday sweaters, you can feel good about nibbling on these toasty treats. Chestnuts are an excellent source of vitamin B6, vitamin C and a good source of thiamin, riboflavin, and folate.

Chestnuts are also a good source of minerals including:

Potassium
Manganese
Copper
Phosphorus
Magnesium
Iron

Chestnuts can be a great addition to your winter diet to help boost your immune system with high vitamin C content and can also be a good source of a gluten free carbohydrate in your diet!

Aside from finding the stray chestnut during your walk in the park, here are some buying and storing tips for chestnuts. Surprise your friends and family with a fun snack with this easy recipe for roasting chestnuts (not on an open fire)

Try one of these yummy chestnut stuffing recipes this Thanksgiving!

Superfood of the Week: Leeks

Dr. Nishant Rao — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00:56 +0000

Photo by clayirving.

A hot bowl of leek soup on a chilly autumn day is a great way to warm the belly. Like most of nature’s edible goodies, this week’s superfood is loaded with nutrients that nourish your body including vitamin C, manganese, iron, folate and vitamin B6. Leeks are a good source of fiber, too.

Leeks come from the same family of vegetables as onions and garlic, the Allium family and just like onions and garlic, leeks help prevent heart disease and reduce the risk for certain cancers.

Other amazing qualities of the super leek

Lowers LDL and increases HDL cholesterol reducing atherosclerosis and risk for heart disease.
Lowers high blood pressure reducing the risk for heart attack and stroke.
Reduces the risk of prostate and colon cancer.
Contains a flavonoid called kaempferol which has been shown to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

Some recipes that make the most of this mild and slightly sweet vegetable

Elana’s thyme salmon with leek coulis (gluten free)
Caramelized leek soup (gluten free)
Roast pork loin with shiitake and leek compote (gluten free)

Superfood of the Week: Raspberries

Dr. Nishant Rao — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:00:04 +0000

Photo by sarae.

As soon as I think of raspberries I’m transported to a late summer day lying inside a raspberry patch in my old garden in Portland, Oregon. I think the best berries come from the Pacific Northwest, which makes me a little sad because I can’t eat average raspberries anymore.

If you are fortunate enough to stumble upon a raspberry patch or find some good wild ones at the market, savor them fresh. They’re really good for you.

They’re loaded with vitamin C and manganese. 1 cup will give you about half your daily value of each. Freezing will significantly reduce the vitamin C.
They’re high in anthocyanin flavonoids, giving them an antioxidant punch.
High in ellagic acid (endorsed by the American Cancer Association) which fights cancer and is often found in supplements.

Raspberry leaves, known to herbalists as Rubus idaeus, have their own set of delights

High in magnesium and great for cramps, and sore muscles
Adaptogenic to uterine muscles. Will both relax (due to effects on calcium and magnesium) and contract due to the astringent effect of the tannins.
Tea can helpful in early stages of diarrhea, again because of the tannins.

Enjoy the spoils of the end of summer: raspberries!