Food Spotlight: Berries

If you've eaten fresh berries over the past 9 months, chances are you paid too much and tasted too little. But with the rise in temps comes an end to sky-high prices and lackluster fruit. Berries are the ultimate summer superfood, dense with antioxidants and other powerful nutrients that defend against everything from cancer to memory loss. You've done smoothies, now try a simple compote: combine 2 cups of berries in a sauce pan with a splash of balsamic vinegar, and cook on low for 10 minutes. Serve warm over a scoop of ice cream or in place o syrup with your next batch of flapjacks. (whole grain, right?)

Eat This, Heal... A Pulled Muscle

So you've pulled a hamstring.

Your body needs: protein and potassium for muscle repair; plus anthocyanins (plant compounds) and omega-3 fats to reduce inflammation.

Eat this: Grilled salmon over wild rice, 1-2 cups cooked broccoli. Or plain or vanilla yogurt topped with blueberries.

Eat This, Heal... A Broken Bone

Don't forget, a broken bone doesn't necessarily mean you can't work out at all. Talk with your doctor or physical therapist and see if you can get the green light to continue seeing your trainer.
Your body needs: Calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and phosphorus to help bone rebuild itself.

You should eat: A fruit smoothie made with 1 cup calcium- and vitamin-d- fortified orange juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt, and 1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds.

Eat This, Heal... Muscle Cramps

The most common cause of cramping is dehydration. Muscle twitches often indicate low potassium.

Your body needs: Fluid; plus electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride to maintain a balance in your muscles.

You should eat: Lots of melon. Try a quick salad made with 1 cup of chopped watermelon mixed with 1 cup of chopped cantaloupe.

(Personally, I like to drizzle a little balsamic on my watermelon. Also, I keep bananas handy in case of muscle twitches.)

Healthy Recipe: Vietnamese Chicken Skewers

Serve these as appetizers or on top of a bed of stir fried veggies as a main course.


Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, inner leaves only, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 jalapeno peppers, split, seeds removed
1 cup fish sauce
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
juice of 1 lime
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes

Directions:

Combine the garlic, onion, lemongrass, ginger, peppers, cilantro, fish sauce, sugar, and lime in a saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, then take off the stove and cool. Toss the chicken into the marinate for 1-2 hours. Skewer the chicken cubes and grill them for 3-4 minutes a side until they're firm and lightly charred. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information, per serving: 112 Calories 16 grams protein 11 grams carbohydrates 1 gram fat <1>

Food Spotlight: Red Bell Peppers

Red Bell Peppers taste best during the summer and early fall, so enjoy now!

1 Cup Contains:
39 calories 2 grams protein 9 grams carbs 3 grams fiber 0 grams fat

When you look at the nutritional information, it's clear to see why you need more of this tasty vegetable in your diet. Besides simply snacking on sliced raw peppers, here are some more suggestions: grilled; blended in a food processor with low fat sour cream, salt, and pepper for a tasty sauce or healthy dip; stuffed with low-fat ground beef and rice; on kebabs.

Facts:
Red peppers contain

• nearly 20% of your daily requirement of Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that heads off cell damage by busting free radicals that roam your blood stream.
• more immune-boosting vitamin C than oranges and almost twice the amount as their green cousins.
• beta-carotene which your body uses to manufacture vitamin A, lycopene, which gives the red peppers their hue, has been shown to lower the incidence of certain cancers.

Eat This, Heal... Shin Splints

Rock on, Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D.!

Your body needs: Bromelain (from pineapple), anthlocyanins, and omega-3 fats to fight inflammation.

Your body needs: a tuna sandwich on whole wheat, a bowl of cherries, and 8 ounces of pineapple juice.

Eat This, Heal... A Wound

We've heard it so many times before: food is fuel. But besides calories (energy), what we eat contains other helpful nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and compounds necessary to keep our body up and running efficiently and effectively. The Eat This, Heal That series written by Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D., for Men's Health will help you see the impact your food choices makes on how your body functions. It might make you rethink whether or not junk food is worth it.

So, you've injured yourself and broken skin.

Your body needs: Protein to produce skin cells; vitamin C and zinc for collagen production; iron to oxygenate blood; plus whole grains to calm inflamed tissue.

Eat this: A burger made from 95% lean beef (leaner meat has more protein and iron) on a whole-grain bun, plus a kiwi for dessert.

If possible, get grass fed beef, which contains inflammation-fighting omega-3s.

Eat This, Heal....A Bruise

Bruises and being active go hand-in-hand.

Your body needs: Vitamin C to shore up blood vessels; Vitamin K for blood clotting; plus oleocanthal, a natural substance in olive oil that mimics over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications.

Eat this: Raw spinach and sliced strawberries tossed with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and top off the salad with sunflower seeds or pine nuts.

Another Reason to Avoid Trans Fats

Belt size increasing? It may be the kind of fat you're eating--and not the total amount you consume each day--that contributes to weight gain. Researchers at Wake Forest University in North Carolina found that monkeys that ate trans fats gained four times the weight as monkeys eating the same amount of unsaturated fats.

The Buzz: Omega-3s

Omega-3s have been all over the health media lately. You can't pick up a magazine without reading about this miracle nutrient. Here's what Men's Health (May issue) has to say:

To drastically reduce your risk of future health problems, you need 3.5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids daily, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health. The researchers made this determination when they calculated that 40% of mortality from heart disease and 95% of depression could be attributed to deficiencies in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the omega-3 fatty acids primarily found in seafood. These healthy fats reduce the inflammation associated with heart disease and may also cultivate the production of serotonin and dopamine, "feel good" neurotransmitters that can reliever and prevent depression, say study author Joseph Hibbein, M.D.

The American Council of Exercise notes that the best fish sources are salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies. Other food sources of omega-3s include soybeans and other soy products, canola oil, and flaxseed.

Healthy Recipe: Braised Salmon with Soy and Ginger

Ingredients:
16 ounces salmon fillet
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/4 cup mirin (a Japanese cooking wine found in ethnic stores and most Whole Foods)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vodka
1 tablespoon butter
2 scallions, white parts only, chopped
3-4 sprigs cilantro

Directions:
Cut the salmon into 1" squares. Heat the oil in at 12" nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add the salmon cubes and ginger. Sear together for about 1 minute, then pour the mirin, soy sauce, and vodka over the salmon. Turn the heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes, until the fish turns pale. Add the butter and turn off the heat. Spoon the salmon onto a serving plate and top with the scallion and cilantro.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutritional Information, per serving: 359 calories 24 grams protein 6 grams carbohydrates 22 grams fat 1 gram fiber

Healthy Recipe: Spicy Garlic Shrimp

Shrimp are a great source of protein, and they're easy to cook! Serve with steamed veggies for a light, flavorful meal.


Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon red-pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
16 oz. shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions:

In a small saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat until it starts to simmer, just below smoking temperature; add the pepper flakes, and then the garlic. As you are stirring garlic so it will turn golden brown (but don't let the garlic burn or it will become bitter), season the shrimp with salt and pepper, then place the shrimp in the pan with the garlic, swirling the pan gently. Saute over medium-high heat for 1 minute, then stir in the parsley. Saute for another minute, remove from the heat and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving:
249 calories
23 grams protein
3 grams carbohydrates
16 grams fat
<>