Healthy Eating for Spring Lynn Goldstein, MS, RD, CDN The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health

Nature Provides the Antidote for the Harshness of the Season

Spring Cleaning  Spring is a time for cleansing  Spring is the greening season  For the Spring we focus on cleansing foods: fruits and vegetables  Balanced diet for Spring: 10% fat, 60% carbs, and 30% protein  Spring carbs: salads, sprouts, greens, berries

Greens Glorious Greens  Greens have traditionally been part of a Spring diet in most cultures  They are associated with freshening, cleansing, and building the body  Greens are high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, C, E, K  Greens are great source of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many phytonutrients

Benefits of Dark Green Leafy Vegetables  Reduced risk of cancer  Improved circulation  Strengthened immune system  Healthy intestinal flora  Reduced risk of depression  Improved gallbladder, liver, and kidney function

Chorophyll  Gives greens their green  Resembles hematin - a substance that when combined with protein forms hemoglobin (molecules that carry oxygen in blood)  Helpful in preventing anemia  Helpful in healing wounds, peptic or gastric ulcers, and ulcerated colons

Greens To Try  Kale, collards, watercress, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, dandelion  Spinach, swiss chard, and beet greens are high in oxalic acid which depletes calcium from bones and teeth, so these are best eaten in moderation  Steam, boil, sauté oil garlic and oil and eaten raw in salads  When cooking in water, limit exposure time to water and heat to prevent loss of nutrients

Marinated Kale Salad  1 bunch of curly kale  3-4 portabella mushroom caps  1/2 cup onions (mix red and white)  1 pepper (red, yellow, or orange)  2 avocados  1/4 cup tamari sauce (low sodium)  1/3 cup lemon juice  1/3 cup olive oil

Great Grains  Harvested in the Fall but available all year round  Unrefined grains are loaded with essential fatty acids and protein  Many traditional cultures still get most of their protein from grains  Each culture has a grain: Asian/Indian - rice, African - sorghum, Middle East - pita bread, tabouli, couscous, Europe - corn, millet, wheat, and rice, Scotland - oats, Russia - buckwheat (kasha)

Great Grains  Contains high levels of fiber and B vitamins  Grains are absorbed slowly helping to sustain blood sugar levels and providing long-lasting energy  Good for diabetics to control blood sugar levels

Cooking Grains  Recommend soaking grains in cold water for 1-8 hours, which will soften them and make them more digestible as well as eliminating phytic acid  Phytic acid is a natural plant antioxidant and it has the ability to bind minerals, proteins and starch, and the resulting lower absorption of these elements  Add grains to boiling water with pinch of salt and cook

Quinoa  Highest nutritional profile of all the grains  Contains all 8 essential amino acids - complete protein - higher than any other grain  High in B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, and vitamin E  Gluten free  Stabilize blood sugar

Quinoa Tabouli Salad  1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa  3 cups water  1/4 cup lime juice  1/2 cup olive oil  1 cup parsley  1/2 cup scallion  1/2 cup tomato  Salt/pepper to taste

Fruits  Fruits starting to come available in Spring are cherries, blueberries, strawberries  Dried fruits are a great Spring option  Fruits are loaded with fiber, phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals  The different colors of the fruits are created from chemicals that are powerful antioxidants  Over the past decade researchers have been closely looking at berries for their powerful benefits on health

Benefits of Berries  Berries are high in vitamin C and folic acid  As important, they are rich in phytochemicals called anthocyanins, which are chemicals that cause the red, blue, and purple color in fruits  Reduce the risk of heart disease, degenerative eye disease, cancer, and bladder infections; may help degenerative diseases of the brain; and have anti- inflammatory properties

Benefits of Berries  The darker the berry, the more powerful the benefit  Eating 2/3 cup blueberries will give you as much antioxidant protection as 5 apples  These benefits come from fresh, frozen or dried

Tri-Berry Salad  2 tbsp yogurt  Juice of 1/2 lime (1tbsp)  1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn  4 medium strawberries, stemmed/quartered  1/4 cup raspberries  1/4 cup blueberries

How You Eat Is As Important As What You Eat  Eat only when hungry  Take a moment before eating to relax and breathe  Eat slowly and chew well  Eat only what you need  After eating, relax, then do some light movement like walking to help digest  Do not eat at least 2 hours before bedtime  Eat a balanced diet

The information in this slide presentation is intended for healthy individuals, not for those with digestive or other disorders. Please talk with your doctor or nutritionist about an eating regimen that is right for you.