The Truth about Tea

Most Coffee and hot tea drinkers tend to enjoy the beverage no matter how hot and toasty it gets outside.  However, if you are like me and you cannot bear to drink something hot when you are sweating through the summer, then you too might have just started drinking warm drinks again.  I have mentioned the benefits of tea in passing in many blogs, however I have spent a great deal more time learning about the benefits of tea.  No, not just because I decided to research tea, but because I have decided that my love of Diet Coke had to end and what better way to do it than to replace it with something that is really good for me.  I wanted to stop putting so much of all of the DC chemicals into my body, and I was hoping to set a better example for my kids (since I of course do not want them drinking it).  So, for the past months I have been making a pitcher of flavored green tea about every other day and that has made the process much easier.  Now that the weather has finally gotten cooler, I treated myself to a Keurig single-serve coffee machine and I have fallen in love with it. As with any other habit change, it is best to start slowly so that you can actually sustain the change.  I went from 2 or 3 Diet Cokes a day to 1, and now am working to get rid of that one.  If you are trying to get rid of a less than desirable habit like Diet Coke, regular soda, or maybe even a calorie-laden coffee drink, check out these benefits of tea and you might find that it is the motivation you need to kick the habit.

Tea leaves come from the Camellia sinensis plant.  They contain antioxidants that counter free radicals, which can damage cells.  Antioxidants may reduce or help prevent some of the damage.  The difference between the three main varieties of tea (green, black, and oolong) is the process used to make them.  Black tea is exposed to air, or fermented, which darkens the leaves and gives them flavor.  Green tea (my favorite) is made by heating or quickly steaming the leaves.  Oolong tea leaves are partially fermented.

Some studies show that drinking tea may help curb a few heart disease risk factors, including body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol absorption.  However, the FDA denied a petition filed by a green tea maker that wanted to put heart-health claims on its product's label, ruling that there was not credible scientific evidence to support the claims.

There is some evidence that green tea may help control glucose (or blood sugar) levels, however, that has not been widely tested in people.  More research is needed to learn how much green tea would be needed and whether green tea also helps curb body weight and body fat.

Herbal teas are not made from the Camellia sinensis plant and are not really teas at all.  Herbal teas are an infusion of leaves, roots, bark, seeds, or flowers from other types of plants.  Common herbal teas include chamomile and mint.  They are not associated with the potential health benefits of green, black, or oolong tea.

You get the antioxidants from freshly brewed tea; those compounds are reduced in instant tea, decaffeinated tea, and bottled tea.  Researchers have not determined how many cups of freshly brewed green tea are recommended each day, but people in Asia typically drink at least three cups daily.  Fresh brewing is the way to get the most antioxidants from your tea, so knowing how long to steep the tea is an important part of the process.  Three to five minutes is the recommended amount of time for maximizing the benefits.

Ice tea often contains low to negligible amounts of catechins compared with the high concentrations found in a cup of hot tea, because adding water to brewed tea dilutes the concentration.  However, iced tea and hot tea could contain approximately the same level of antioxidants if, when preparing iced tea, you use 50% more tea than when preparing a similar amount of hot tea to allow for dilution.  About 85% of the tea drunk in the U.S. is iced tea.

Blended teas are made from teas of different origins, combined to achieve a certain flavor.  For example, English Breakfast tea traditionally was a blend of China Keemums tea, but the blend now includes Ceylon and India teas as well.

Little is known about the effects of green tea on children because the research on green tea has been done on adults.

Green tea contains caffeine, so pregnant women or those who are breastfeeding should not drink more than one or two servings of green tea per day, according to the American Dietetic Association.  People with irregular heartbeats or anxiety disorders also should be cautious about how much caffeine they get, from green tea or other sources.

A Swiss study found that drinking black tea with a meal reduced iron absorption by 79% to 94% when compared with drinking water.  People with an iron deficiency might consider drinking tea only between meals.

I hope this has peeked your interest to give tea a try.  Go browse the teas in your local market, you will be amazed at all of the different flavors and varieties you can buy.  I am in search of more tea varieties for the Keurig, so if you have any sources please let me know.

Resource:  WebMD

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
Last night we had what felt to me like a very traditional "Sunday dinner".  If was not anything too fancy, but it all felt like what you might have grown up enjoying - but maybe just a little healthier...  We enjoyed a herb roasted chicken, baked sweet potatoes with salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and my favorite part - fresh brussel sprouts roasted in the oven.  I did not realize that I had not made them in such a long time, but my kids and Greg had never tried them.  Here is a very quick and easy way to enjoy this beautiful vegetable on a weeknight or even with your upcoming Thanksgiving feast.  They are in season now, so get them while you can...

Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Servings:  4

1 lb. fresh brussel sprouts, bottom trimmed and cut in half through stem
a good balsamic vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  On a baking sheet, place halved brussel sprouts and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.  Toss brussel sprouts gently and make sure that they are all cut side down.  Place pan in the oven and roast for about 15 minutes, until tender.  Using tongs or a spatula, toss the brussel sprouts at least one time during roasting so they do not get too dark on cut side.  Serve immediately.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!

Habits of the Fit and Healthy

Every day I get asked very specific questions about should I eat this, is this bad for me, is there a better option for this type of food, etc. but usually all those questions are getting at one point - "How do I/my family get fitter and healthier and maintain it?"  Which got me thinking about the habits of fit and healthy people.  Here are some key habits of fit and healthy people - maybe you can print the list and just work toward one or two at a time.  After all, making small changes over a period of time is much more effective in the long-run than trying to make a major change all at once.

Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often

Water should be your drink of choice and what you are consuming the majority of the time, by a large margin.  If you need to perk it up a little so you will drink enough to make it a habit, add a little lemon, lime, cucumber, or fresh berries to give it more flavor without adding significant calories.

Look at exercise as a pleasure and privilege, not a burden or chore
Just by having a positive outlook on exercise and the change that it will produce can turn one more chore into a treat each day.  Rather than obsessing about your next meal, get excited about your next workout!

Eat a well-balanced meal and remember that excess calories, even if they are from foods that are fat-free or high in protein, will turn to excess weight.  No matter what the latest fad diet says, extra calories equal extra weight!

Limit caffeine
Research has shown a little caffeine to be safe and actually boosts your metabolism, however if you over due it your body will really start to feel it.  Too much and you will start to have a difficult time concentrating and you may also find yourself eating extra calories to get rid of that jittery feeling.

Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise

Keep a daily log of what you are actually eating
This includes every time you grab a handful of chips here or eat the crust of your kid's sandwich there,  and ALL of your snacking.  You don't have to keep a log for the rest of your life, but it is good to do it for a while to get a real reading on your consumption.  Mindless eating can creep in over time and this is a great way to realize and eliminate it.

Enjoy the occasional (once a week) "unhealthy" treat, but never an unhealthy week or unhealthy vacation

Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or friend to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who want to feel better and have more energy

Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising, or using things that keep you motivated and inspired, like 5K's for a great cause, adventure races, new shoes, or great music

Invest in the right tools
Buy good shoes that fit really well, a portable MP3 player, fitness equipment, a personal trainer to keep it interesting and keep you challenged, etc.

Make it a goal to do some form of exercise 6 or 7 days a week
If you are eating right, exercise will fuel your energy level!

Don't compare your body to others' - work to be your personal best!

Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity
If you don't know how, find a personal trainer that can teach you.

Create an exercise schedule the day before instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to "find" the time.  Exercise should be on your calendar or to do list and should be just as important as any other meeting on the list.  Remember - it is your treat to yourself!

Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness
Measure success by the way your clothes fit, not just by some number on the scale.

Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely
Remember that no matter how hard you are working out, if you are consuming too many calories, you will never see the muscles that lie beneath the layers of fatty tissue.

Get enough sleep

Beyond the importance of sleep in every function of your body, people that exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.


Limit alcohol intake to special occasions





Resource:  Chalene Johnson, creator of TurboFire


WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
By now you have probably searched the grocery shelves and found one or two fantastic bottled marinara sauces that can help you make a quick and healthy pasta dinner any night of the week.  I like to keep a bottle or two on hand, however I have also found tomato sauce that is very easy to make at home, makes plenty to store in the freezer, and easy to defrost later to use in any type of dish.  This sauce is not specifically Italian, so you can substitute it for the tomato sauce in any dish.  Add fresh herbs to give it more of an Italian flavor if you prefer.  Maybe you can whip this up over the weekend and have plenty of sauce ready over the next couple of months.

Tomato Sauce
Makes 10 cups

3 T olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely diced
8 cloves of garlic, minced
112 oz. fire roasted tomatoes, crushed
1 -2 cups Cabernet

Heat a 5-6 quart dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil and onion.  Cook a couple of minutes until onion is translucent.  Add the garlic and stir constantly until garlic is golden and fragrant.  Pour in the wine and the tomatoes.  Increase the heat to high to bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and reduced by about 1/3.  This should take about 2 hours and 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and let sauce cool completely in the fridge.  Place the sauce in zip-lock bags in one and two cup portions, and place those bags inside of a one to two gallon storage bag and place in freezer.  Remove the appropriate amount of sauce from the freezer and thaw in the fridge over night.  If you need it too thaw more quickly, you can place the frozen bag of sauce in a bowl and run cool water over the bag to thaw.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!