Five Health Reasons Not to Quit Coffee!

Yes, this is one from the archives, but with today being National Coffee Day, I thought it was worth resurrecting!

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I love coffee! I consider it one of the creature comforts of life, even though I usually limit myself to two cups in the morning. So when I read  this article , I knew I had to blog about it.

I'm going to just hit the high points here...be sure and go to the original article for all the details!

1. It protects your heart: Moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups/day) have lower rates of stroke than noncoffee drinkers, an effect linked to coffee’s antioxidants. Coffee has more antioxidants per serving than blueberries, making it the biggest source of antioxidants in American diets.


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2.It diverts diabetes: Those antioxidants (chlorogenic acid and quinides, specifically) play another role: boosting your cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar.

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3. Your liver loves it: OK, so the research here is limited, but it looks like the more coffee people drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases.

Isn't this the cutest ring??? You can get one here

4. It boosts your brain power: Drinking between 1 and 5 cups a day (admittedly a big range) may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as Parkinson’s disease, studies suggest. T


5. It helps your headaches: And not just the withdrawal headaches caused by skipping your daily dose of caffeine! Studies show that 200 milligrams of caffeine—about the amount in 16 ounces of brewed coffee—provides relief from headaches, including migraines

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Of course, coffee does have its pitfalls, and you can find out about those at the original article as well.

In the meantime, it's good to know that while I'm enjoying my morning cup of joe, I'm doing some good things for my health!

Do you love peanut butter?

Peanut butter cookies...my favorite kind! 

Source: pauladeen.com via Bethany on Pinterest

Today is National Peanut Butter Lovers' Day...and count me in!

I'm a devoted lover of this wondrous food. I always have to have a jar on hand (Skippy's Natural is my fave), and sometimes just a spoonful will satisfy a craving...but I love just about anything that's made with peanut butter, too. And sometimes just a good old PBJ hits the spot like nothing else.

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And as long as you don't overindulge...or mix your PB with a ton of sugar...this is one food crush to feel good about.

Consider this:

It helps you lose weight

Calling peanut butter a diet food, with 180 to 210 calories per serving, may seem counter-intuitive. But it has the enviable combination of fiber (2 g per serving) and protein (8 g per serving) that fills you up and keeps you feeling full longer, so you eat less overall. Plus, there's nothing more indulgent than licking peanut butter off a spoon--and indulgence (in moderation) helps dieters fight cravings and stay on track.

It's packed with nutrition

A serving of peanut butter has 3 mg of the powerful antioxidant vitamin E, 49 mg of bone-building magnesium, 208 mg of muscle-friendly potassium, and 0.17 mg of immunity-boosting vitamin B6. Research shows that eating peanuts can decrease your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions. One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that consuming 1 ounce of nuts or peanut butter (about 2 tablespoons) at least 5 days a week can lower the risk of developing diabetes by almost 30%.

--From Prevention.com

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So thank you very much, ancient Incas, George Washington Carver, and John Kellogg, who share kudos for grinding peanuts up into a wonderful paste!

Peanut butter is a food crush to celebrate!

Do you love peanut butter? Hate it? Got any favorite recipes involving PB? Let me know in my comments section! 

I'm participating today in Company Girl Coffee, hosted by Home Sanctuary:

Delicious, Nutritious Lentil Bean Chili Recipe!

Today is National Chili Day. How appropriate for these chilly February days, and what better way to celebrate than by making a big pot of chili? Today I'm re-posting one of my very favorite chili recipes. (I originally posted this on October 23, 2010.) *************

My friend Staci mentioned the other day that she's tired of making the same old flavor-packet chili, and I told her I have a recipe for a wonderful home-made chili.

This is actually from the Magic Foods for Better Blood Sugar book that my mom got for me right after I learned I have type 2 diabetes. You can read more about the book here.

It became my diabetes bible, with wonderful information about lowering your blood sugar with healthy eating, and a ton of delicious recipes that have become favorites with my family.

You can order this wonderful book on amazon.com.

This chili uses lentil beans (which are fantastic for your blood sugar) and dark red kidney beans. My family members rave about how delicious it is!



You can garnish the chili as you please with diced avocado, grated cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, and sour cream (reduced-fat if you wish.)

The original recipe does NOT call for meat of any kind. I usually add a pound of very lean ground beef or ground turkey breast, just because my husband prefers chili with meat...but if you want to leave it vegetarian, I'm sure it would be just as good.

By the way, I could not find this recipe online, so it shows how much I love all of you that I'm typing it out! :)

I'm giving you the vegetarian version--if you want to add ground beef or ground turkey, brown it separately, drain it, and add it to the pot when you're simmering your onions and carrots.



Lentil and Bean Chili

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 cup diced carrots
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 teaspoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
2 cans (10 ounces each)diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 cans (15 or 19 ounces each) dark red kidney beans
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots (and meat if you're using it). Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the broth and lentils. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.

2. Add the tomotoes, beans, and pepper. Return to a simmer. Cook, covered, over medium low heat until lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes longer. One serving is 1 cup. Left-overs will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Nutritional facts for the chili WITHOUT meat:
199 calories, 12 g protein, 36 g carbohydrates, 12 g fiber, 3 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 691 mg sodium


*photo source
*photo source

Is fast food from the devil?

Quick answer: it doesn't have to be.

Today is National Fast Food Day...and despite the (often deservedly) bad rap that fast food restaurants have garnered, there's still a lot of good things to say about the concept. From the website punchbowl.com:

The concept of ready-cooked food for sale can be attributed to the Ancient Romans. In many cities, street stands or "thermopoliums" (small pub-like shops) offered hot sausages, bread, and wine to patrons on-the-go.

Thousands of years later, in 1867, the first American fast food restaurant opened in New York. It was a hotdog stand on Coney Island!

Today, fast food is an American staple. There are over 300,000 fast food restaurants in the United States alone, making it nearly impossible to drive down the road without going by at least one fast food chain restaurant.

BeefARoo's Summer Berry Salad

Pictured above is the Summer Berry Salad from a local fast food chain (northwestern Illinois) called Beefaroo.

Yep, kind of a goofy name...but would that there were Beefaroo's all over America.  Why?  Because along with all the other stuff that's terrible for you, Beefaroo boasts a varied menu of choices that are both healthy and delicious.  Witness the Summer Berry Salad's nutrition facts:

Nutrition Facts

Beef-A-Roo - Summerberry Salad

1. Servings:  1 salad

Calories	321	Sodium	608 mg
Total Fat	14 g	Potassium	0 mg
Saturated	0 g	Total Carbs	21 g
Polyunsaturated	0 g	Dietary Fiber	5 g
Monounsaturated	0 g	Sugars	0 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	24 g
Cholesterol	15 mg
Vitamin A	0%	Calcium	0%
Vitamin C	0%	Iron	0%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Not too shabby, eh?

But, you say mournfully, I don't have Beefaroo where I live.

I maintain that you can find healthy choices at almost every fast food outlet these days, even McDonald's.

And not just salad. Fast food "joints" (as my dad used to call hamburger places) now offer grilled chicken sandwiches, soups, veggies,yogurt parfaits, even oatmeal.

On most diets, even a small burger is OK if accompanied by a side salad instead of fries.

So...inquiring minds want to know.

Will you be celebrating National Fast Food Day with a visit to your favorite eatery?

Which one is your favorite, and why? What are your favorite fast food meal choices--healthy or not-so-healthy?

Let me know in my comments section!

Miscellany Monday: Things I'm loving right now

Linking up with Miscellany Monday with some things I've been loving lately:

Victorian mysteries: I can't remember just how I stumbled onto Anne Perry's Victorian mysteries, but I keep going to the library to get more!  I started with reading a couple of her Thomas and Charlotte Pitt books.  Then I discovered her William Monk series, and there's been no turning back.  Excellent storytelling, Victorian ambience, and vividly drawn characters.  So far, I'm loving them!

Interestingly enough, the writer herself was convicted of murder in 1954.  Complicated story, but I'm sure it gives a mystery writer a certain edge!

Bel Vita Breakfast Biscuits:  I am so loving these tasty, filling cookies.  They make a great breakfast on the go, or having a couple of them with coffee or tea for a snack.  They're very satisfying and nutritious!  Trouble is, I can't find them everywhere.

Getting together with friends:  Whenever I go for a while without a get-together with friends and/or loved ones, I feel it.  I NEED these times.  On Saturday, my husband and I went with our friends Tom and Kari, and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law Verlyn and Beth, for a late lunch at the wonderful Maggiano's restaurant in Schaumburg.

The food was delicious and the fellowship was wonderful.  Resolved: to make a point to get together with friends more often!

Kari, me, and Beth

Ross Dress for Less:   I had shopped at Ross in Texas, and was happy to see that a store finally opened where I live.

I am so impressed with the selection and the prices!  Recently I bought an awesome Levi denim skirt, which I will wear the heck out of all year long, for $19.99 (the suggested retail price was over 40 dollars.)

And you know how I've been wanting to wear a hat?  (Well, you know now!)  I found the cutest hat, that I'm going to wear for Easter, for $8.99!  Ross is awesome!

So those are just a few of the things I'm enjoying right now.  You can participate in Miscellany Monday too!

5 Health Reasons Not to Quit Coffee

via

I love coffee! I consider it one of the creature comforts of life, even though I usually limit myself to two cups in the morning. So when I heard my radio colleague Scot Bertram on News/Talk 144o WROK talk about this article this morning, I knew I had to blog about it.

I'm going to just hit the high points here...be sure and go to the original article for all the details!

1. It protects your heart: Moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups/day) have lower rates of stroke than noncoffee drinkers, an effect linked to coffee’s antioxidants. Coffee has more antioxidants per serving than blueberries, making it the biggest source of antioxidants in American diets.


via

2.It diverts diabetes: Those antioxidants (chlorogenic acid and quinides, specifically) play another role: boosting your cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar.

via


3. Your liver loves it: OK, so the research here is limited, but it looks like the more coffee people drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases.

Isn't this the cutest ring??? You can get one here

4. It boosts your brain power: Drinking between 1 and 5 cups a day (admittedly a big range) may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as Parkinson’s disease, studies suggest. T

5. It helps your headaches: And not just the withdrawal headaches caused by skipping your daily dose of caffeine! Studies show that 200 milligrams of caffeine—about the amount in 16 ounces of brewed coffee—provides relief from headaches, including migraines

via


Of course, coffee does have its pitfalls, and you can find out about those at the original article as well.

In the meantime, it's good to know that while I'm enjoying my morning cup of joe, I'm doing some good things for my health!

Speaking of coffee....

I have to share the cutest idea I found on Amber's blog, Life...Unscripted. Amber came up with the cutest, craftiest way to use those Starbucks coffee sleeves--make a little coffee recipe book out of them and give it to a coffee-loving friend!

I just had to pass that along!