HEALTHY EATING AND COOKING

Don't let the challenge of losing weight overwhelm you. Use these tips and make the changes needed to establish healthy-eating habits.

Healthy eating doesn't have to be burdensome. Have confidence in your ability to change your habits — doing so is the first step toward lifelong health. That confidence will help you succeed at learning to eat healthier foods. Following these tips can put you on the right path.

Try a new, healthy cooking method

One way to embrace healthy eating is by using healthy cooking techniques. That doesn't mean you have to become a gourmet chef or invest in special cookware. Simply use standard cooking methods to prepare foods in healthy ways. These cooking methods will add little or no fat to the foods you cook:

§                  Baking. Cooking food covered or uncovered in an oven or oven-type appliance.

§                  Braising. Browning first, then simmering in a covered pan with a little liquid.

§                  Broiling. Cooking food by direct heat in the broiler section of an oven or an oven-type appliance.

§                  Grilling. Cooking food by direct heat over coals.

§                  Poaching. Cooking food in liquids such as broth, vinegar or juice — making sure that the food retains its shape while cooking.

§                  Roasting. Cooking food covered or uncovered in an oven or oven-type appliance; like baking, but usually done at a higher temperature.

§                  Sauteing. Cooking food rapidly with a small amount of oil in a hot pan. For some recipes you can use broth, nonstick cooking spray or water in place of oil.

§                  Steaming. Cooking food in a perforated basket over a small amount of boiling water.

§                  Stir-frying. Cooking by stirring small pieces of food in a hot pan (often a wok) with a small amount of oil.

Eat healthy, no matter where you are

You can eat healthy, whether you're at home or at a restaurant. Just remember — don't let large portions, fat-laden foods and tempting desserts discourage you from your goal. Follow these tips to trim the calories, wherever and whenever.

§                  Consider for breakfast fresh fruit, unsweetened fruit juice, cereal with skim or 1 percent milk, fat-free muffins, or pancakes with a small amount of syrup or berries and no butter.

§                  Order smaller portions. For example, a single small hamburger instead of a double, or a small order of fries instead of a large. Also limit high-fat, high-calorie burger toppings and condiments, such as bacon, cheese, mayonnaise, sauces and dressings.

§                  Choose unbreaded poultry items, such as broiled or grilled chicken or sliced turkey sandwiches. Or order a veggie sandwich minus high-fat condiments.

§                  Request sandwiches on whole-wheat bread or pita bread.

§                  Remove breading and use a napkin to absorb extra oil if you can only order a fried item.

§                  Load your plate with fresh fruits and vegetables if the restaurant has a salad bar. Look for low-fat or fat-free dressings. Limit cheese, eggs and croutons.

§                  Order a baked potato topped with vegetables, or order a whole-grain bagel. Ask for the butter, margarine or dressings on the side.

§                  Cut back on ketchup, mustard, sauces and pickles if you need to control sodium. Also, skip salted french fries, chips, ham, sausage, bacon and cheese.

§                  Avoid milkshakes and dessert items such as pies and sundaes. Try fresh fruit or a flavored coffee with skim milk.

§                  Trim all visible fat from lean meats. Then stir-fry or broil, roast or bake on a rack to allow fat to drip away.

§                  Remove skin from poultry before cooking it.

§                  Saute vegetables and meat in wine, water or broth instead of butter.

§                  Poach fish or skinless poultry in broth, vegetable juice, flavored vinegar, dry wine, herbs or spices.

§                  Use oil sparingly. Choose olive, peanut and canola oils, which are lowest in fat.

§                  Use nonstick cookware, which eliminates the need for oil or butter. Or use vegetable cooking sprays.

§                  Steam vegetables. Then dress them up with flavored vinegars, herbs and spices.

Whether you're making a quick dinner at home, checking out a new restaurant or celebrating a special occasion at a favorite bistro, you can have your healthy diet and eat it, too.

Healthy eating with the Seasons !

What are the benefits of Eating Foods in Season?

Every week we celebrate a food that is in season because that is when you get the most flavor and nutritional value and when it is the most affordable. For the greatest freshness look for foods that are locally grown and are in season.

Seasons form the natural backdrop for eating. All of the World's Healthiest Foods are seasonal. Imagine a vegetable garden in the dead of winter.

 Now imagine this same garden on a sunny, summer day. How different things are during these two seasons of the year! For ecologists, seasons are considered a source of natural diversity.

Changes in growing conditions from spring to summer or fall to winter are considered essential for balancing the earth's resources and its life forms. But today it's so easy for us to forget about seasons when we eat!

Modern food processing and worldwide distribution of food make foods available year-round, and grocery stores shelves look much the same in December as they do in July.

Research Supporting Seasonal Eating

In a research study conducted in 1997 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in London, England, significant differences were found in the nutrient content of pasteurized milk in summer versus winter.

Iodine was higher in the winter; beta-carotene was higher in the summer. The Ministry discovered that these differences in milk composition were primarily due to differences in the diets of the cows.

With more salt-preserved foods in winter and more fresh plants in the summer, cows ended up producing nutritionally different milks during the two seasons.

Similarly, researchers in Japan found three-fold differences in the vitamin C content of spinach harvested in summer versus winter.

Guide for Eating Seasonally

What does this mean for you? Eat seasonally! To enjoy the full nourishment of food, you must make your menu a seasonal one.

In different parts of the world, and even in different regions of one country, seasonal menus can vary. But here are some overriding principles you can follow to ensure optimal nourishment in every season:

• In spring, focus on tender, leafy vegetables that represent the fresh new growth of this season. The greening that occurs in springtime should be represented by greens on your plate, including Swiss chard, spinach, Romaine lettuce, fresh parsley, and basil.
• In summer, stick with light, cooling foods in the tradition of traditional Chinese medicine. These foods include fruits like strawberries, apple, pear, and plum; vegetables like summer squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and corn; and spices and seasonings like peppermint and cilantro.
• In fall, turn toward the more warming, autumn harvest foods, including carrot, sweet potato, onions, and garlic. Also emphasize the more warming spices and seasonings including ginger, peppercorns, and mustard seeds.
• In winter, turn even more exclusively toward warming foods. Remember the principle that foods taking longer to grow are generally more warming than foods that grow quickly. All of the animal foods fall into the warming category including fish, chicken, beef, lamb, and venison. So do most of the root vegetables, including carrot, potato, onions and garlic. Eggs also fit in here, as do corn and nuts.

In all seasons, be creative! Let the natural backdrop of spring, summer, fall and winter be your guide.

Welcome to yeast and dairy free, low fat, low toxin cooking!

You have probably never read a cookery web site written by a PhD before.

I would like to briefly tell you how I came to devise my recipes and my unique way of cooking. You will see that none of my recipes contemplate any frying, i.e. any overheating of fat. (By the way, if you happen to be also interested in philsophy click here for details of my work!)

Allergies and intolerances: Like many people I have suffered from several of these so I have dedicated a lot of time and effort in creating food that tastes good but is yeast and dairy free.

I have included some recipes with cheese though - the good thing about eating "allergy free" on a daily basis is that occasionally you can indulge. Also where you come across recipes that contain some cheese, e.g. mozarella, this can either be left out or replaced with a soya alternative.

Dairy milk is easy to replace with soya milk, I find that the apple juice sweetened variety has the best taste.

Finally, and also very important - all of the recipes you will find are easy to follow and are economical: Imagine a full taste, yeast and dairy free, lasagne, prepared in about 30mins, only ~400 cals per portion and for £2 you can feed four!

Everybody should be made aware that heating foods to the very high temperatures involved in frying creates free radicals and harmful toxins which are responsible both for aging and more importantly are involved in the genesis of many types of cancer (see "Diet changes..." and also the latest acrylamide scare).

Let me say straight away that I would have never written a cookery book if it wasn't for the desire to share what I consider a precious knowledge actually passed onto me by my Neapolitan mother as I am going to tell you.

My origins are German and Irish, so I love food which keeps a very definite flavour after cooking and is made from fresh ingredients which are not masked by overwhelming spices or sophisticated cooking processes.

For many years I have been enjoying basic Italian dishes the traditional way: more or less what you find in cookery books on Mediterranean food.

Until one day it dawned on me that this was not the way we used to eat at my family home in Ohio during my childhood years. The various meat, fish and pasta dishes that we used to eat everyday were very tasty but they were also very light and refreshing compared to my cooking.

I suddenly realized that my mother had eliminated from almost all the dishes any frying of fat in the cooking process. This was partly due to the fact that, being a doctor, she was very health conscious and only too aware of the hazard that the overheating of fat at high temperatures poses to our health, and let’s be honest most of the food that we eat every day contemplates this step in its preparation.

After all, she used to say, we are only what we eat and breathe. And how easily we forget this basic fact! Besides, being a very busy woman she found it was much less time consuming, to prepare for example a Bolognese sauce by simply putting all the ingredients together and just let them cook, until the tomatoes have absorbed all the flavour of the vegetables and vice versa, whilst everything kept its taste and freshness intact.

I assure you the end result was as delicious as the traditional way of cooking but with the added bonus of a much lighter and refreshing taste, and, of course, that in the meantime you could be doing something else.

Since the day of this realisation I started adapting and also creating new recipes following this principle, do not overheat fat, but also sticking to two most important requirements: that the food is 100% tasty and also easy to prepare, since I personally could not eat anything that is less than ‘saporito’ (full of flavour).

This kind of preparation only requires a few touches, depending on the type of dish, to make it at least as tasty as the traditional preparation involving frying.

 I believe and I feel quite passionate about it, that people who cook at home everyday should learn this way of cooking as they would benefit greatly from it - anybody would really. Without obviously becoming a fanatic about it as I, more than anybody, would never deprive myself of the pleasure of some chips or a Chinese stir fry when I feel like it.

But then if most dishes can be cooked in a different and healthier way, it is even possible to indulge in these foods more often and without guilt, and espcially without the harm caused by the cumulative effects that these substances have on our bodies.

And, since we are only what we eat and breathe, if we can’t always control the second we should at least be more responsible about the first.

Another important point I would like to make is that though these recipes were not devised for dietary purposes, they tend to be low calorie and low fat, as you will be able to see from the table that I have added to each recipe, but also highly nutritious and so very suitable for those who wish to slim in a healthy way and without giving up the pleasures of eating.

Finally this site is not devised for the browsing, to be picked up whenever you fancy something special and have extra time to prepare it.

It contains recipes for everyday dishes most of which provide a complete meal and it should become a daily companion to healthy, easy and tasty eating. More importantly the real purpose of this book is not to give you these 20-30 recipes that you will follow when you feel like eating italian, but to teach you a method of cooking by giving you examples; a method that when you have tried out some of the recipes and got the hang of it you will feel confident enough to extend to other dishes.

You will discover, like I have done, that most dishes can be cooked in a healthier way without losing their flavour. Buon appetito!

And remember: to care for someones body is the first and foremost form of love.

Cooking low saturated fat, low cholesterol dishes may not take a long time, but best intentions can be lost with the addition of butter or other added fats at the table. It is important to learn how both certain ingredients and preparation methods can add unwanted saturated fat and cholesterol to your dishes. The following list provides examples of lower fat cooking methods and tips on how to serve dishes low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Healthy Food

Eating healthy food doesn’t mean giving up your favourite foods and switching to salads. Healthy cooking is easy. In many cases, your favourite recipes can be modified so they offer a healthier alternative. Non-stick cookware can be used to reduce the need for cooking oil. To keep valuable nutrients, microwave or steam your vegetables instead of boiling them.

 Keep fats to a minimum
It’s a good idea to minimise ‘hidden fats’ by choosing lean meats and reduced fat dairy products. Processed foods can also have lots of hidden fats.

Dietary fats are best when they come from the unrefined natural fats found in nuts, seeds, fish, soy, olives and avocado because this fat is accompanied by other good nutrients. If you add fats when cooking, keep them to a minimum and use monounsaturated oils.

A little added oil can be a good thing. If you add a little oil to vegetable and legume dishes, it will help your body absorb fat soluble vitamins and antioxidant phytochemicals.

At the shop
Low fat cooking begins when you are shopping:

• Choose the low fat version of a food if it exists - for example milk, cheese, yoghurt, salad dressings and gravies.
• Choose leaner meat cuts. If unsure, look for the Heart Foundation tick of approval.

• Choose skinless chicken breasts.

General suggestions
General suggestions on healthy cooking methods include:

• Steam, bake, grill, braise, boil or microwave your foods.
• Modify or eliminate recipes that include butter or ask you to deep fry or saute in animal fat.
• Avoid using oils and butter as lubricants - use non-stick cookware instead.
• Don’t add salt to food as it is cooking.
• Remove chicken skin, which is high in fat. However, to retain the moisture in the chicken meat, remove the skin at the end of cooking.
• Eat more fresh vegetables and legumes.

• Eat more fish, which is high in protein, low in fats and loaded with omega 3 fatty acids.

Low fat cooking
Suggestions include:

• If you need to use oil, try cooking sprays or apply oil with a pastry brush.
• Cook in liquids (such as stock, wine, lemon juice, fruit juice, vinegar or water) instead of oil.
• When a recipe calls for cream as a thickener, use low fat yoghurt, low fat soymilk, evaporated skim milk or cornstarch.
• When browning vegetables, put them in a hot pan then spray with oil, rather than adding the oil first to the pan. This reduces the amount of oil that vegetables (such as mushrooms) can absorb during cooking.

• An alternative to browning vegetables by pan-frying is to cook them first in the microwave, then crisp them under the griller for a minute or two.
• When serving meat and fish, use pesto, salsas, chutneys and vinegars in place of sour creams, butter and creamy sauces.

Retaining the nutrients
Water soluble vitamins are delicate and easily destroyed during preparation and cooking. Suggestions include:

• Scrub vegetables rather than peel them, as many nutrients are found close to the skin.
• Microwave or steam vegetables instead of boiling them.
• If you like to boil vegetables, keep the vitamin-rich water to use as a stock and do not overboil them.
• Include more stir-fry recipes in your diet. Stir-fried vegetables are cooked quickly to retain their crunch (and associated nutrients).

Cutting out salt
Salt is a traditional flavour enhancer, but research suggests that a high salt diet could contribute to a range of disorders including high blood pressure. Suggestions include:

• Don’t automatically salt your food - taste it first.
• Add a splash of olive oil or lemon juice close to the end of cooking time or to cooked vegetables - it can enhance flavours in the same way as salt.
• Choose fresh or frozen vegetables , since canned and pickled vegetables tend to be packaged with salt.

• Limit your consumption of salty processed meats, such as salami, ham, corned beef, bacon, smoked salmon, frankfurters and chicken loaf.
• Choose reduced salt bread and breakfast cereals. Breads and cereals are a major source of salt in the diet.

• Iodised salt is best. A major dietary source of iodine is plant foods; however, there is emerging evidence that Australian soil may be low in iodine and this results in plants that are low in iodine. If you eat fish regularly (at least once a week), the need for iodised salt is reduced.
• Avoid salt-laden processed foods, such as flavoured instant pasta, canned or dehydrated soup mixes, chips and salted nuts.
• Margarine and butter contain a lot of salt but ‘no added salt’ varieties are available.
• Most cheeses are very high in salt so limit your intake or choose lower salt varieties.
• Reduce your use of soy sauce, tomato sauce and processed sauces and condiments (for example mayonnaise and salad dressings) because they contain high levels of salt.
• Use herbs, spices, vinegar or lemon juice to add extra zing to your recipe and reduce the need for salt.

Herbs

Eating healthy food doesn’t mean giving up your favourite foods and switching to salads. Healthy cooking is easy. In many cases, your favourite recipes can be modified so they offer a healthier alternative. Non-stick cookware can be used to reduce the need for cooking oil. To keep valuable nutrients, microwave or steam your vegetables instead of boiling them.

Keep fats to a minimum
It’s a good idea to minimise ‘hidden fats’ by choosing lean meats and reduced fat dairy products. Processed foods can also have lots of hidden fats. Dietary fats are best when they come from the unrefined natural fats found in nuts, seeds, fish, soy, olives and avocado because this fat is accompanied by other good nutrients. If you add fats when cooking, keep them to a minimum and use monounsaturated oils. A little added oil can be a good thing. If you add a little oil to vegetable and legume dishes, it will help your body absorb fat soluble vitamins and antioxidant phytochemicals.

At the shop
Low fat cooking begins when you are shopping:

• Choose the low fat version of a food if it exists - for example milk, cheese, yoghurt, salad dressings and gravies.
• Choose leaner meat cuts. If unsure, look for the Heart Foundation tick of approval.
• Choose skinless chicken breasts.

General suggestions
General suggestions on healthy cooking methods include:

• Steam, bake, grill, braise, boil or microwave your foods.
• Modify or eliminate recipes that include butter or ask you to deep fry or saute in animal fat.
• Avoid using oils and butter as lubricants - use non-stick cookware instead.
• Don’t add salt to food as it is cooking.
• Remove chicken skin, which is high in fat. However, to retain the moisture in the chicken meat, remove the skin at the end of cooking.
• Eat more fresh vegetables and legumes.
• Eat more fish, which is high in protein, low in fats and loaded with omega 3 fatty acids.

Low fat cooking
Suggestions include:

• If you need to use oil, try cooking sprays or apply oil with a pastry brush.
• Cook in liquids (such as stock, wine, lemon juice, fruit juice, vinegar or water) instead of oil.
• When a recipe calls for cream as a thickener, use low fat yoghurt, low fat soymilk, evaporated skim milk or cornstarch.
• When browning vegetables, put them in a hot pan then spray with oil, rather than adding the oil first to the pan. This reduces the amount of oil that vegetables (such as mushrooms) can absorb during cooking.
• An alternative to browning vegetables by pan-frying is to cook them first in the microwave, then crisp them under the griller for a minute or two.
• When serving meat and fish, use pesto, salsas, chutneys and vinegars in place of sour creams, butter and creamy sauces.

Retaining the nutrients
Water soluble vitamins are delicate and easily destroyed during preparation and cooking. Suggestions include:

• Scrub vegetables rather than peel them, as many nutrients are found close to the skin.
• Microwave or steam vegetables instead of boiling them.
• If you like to boil vegetables, keep the vitamin-rich water to use as a stock and do not overboil them.
• Include more stir-fry recipes in your diet. Stir-fried vegetables are cooked quickly to retain their crunch (and associated nutrients).

Cutting out salt
Salt is a traditional flavour enhancer, but research suggests that a high salt diet could contribute to a range of disorders including high blood pressure. Suggestions include:

• Don’t automatically salt your food - taste it first.
• Add a splash of olive oil or lemon juice close to the end of cooking time or to cooked vegetables - it can enhance flavours in the same way as salt.
• Choose fresh or frozen vegetables, since canned and pickled vegetables tend to be packaged with salt.
• Limit your consumption of salty processed meats, such as salami, ham, corned beef, bacon, smoked salmon, frankfurters and chicken loaf.
• Choose reduced salt bread and breakfast cereals. Breads and cereals are a major source of salt in the diet.
• Iodised salt is best. A major dietary source of iodine is plant foods; however, there is emerging evidence that Australian soil may be low in iodine and this results in plants that are low in iodine. If you eat fish regularly (at least once a week), the need for iodised salt is reduced.
• Avoid salt-laden processed foods, such as flavoured instant pasta, canned or dehydrated soup mixes, chips and salted nuts.
• Margarine and butter contain a lot of salt but ‘no added salt’ varieties are available.
• Most cheeses are very high in salt so limit your intake or choose lower salt varieties.
• Reduce your use of soy sauce, tomato sauce and processed sauces and condiments (for example mayonnaise and salad dressings) because they contain high levels of salt.
• Use herbs, spices, vinegar or lemon juice to add extra zing to your recipe and reduce the need for salt.

Herbs
Culinary herbs are leafy plants that add flavour and colour to all types of meals. In many cases, they can replace the flavour of salt and oil. Remember:

• Herbs are delicately flavoured, so add them to your cooking in the last few minutes.
• Dried herbs are more strongly flavoured than fresh. As a general rule, one teaspoon of dried herbs equals four teaspoons of fresh.
• Apart from boosting meat dishes, herbs can be added to soups, breads, mustards, salad dressings, vinegars, desserts and drinks.
• Herbs such as coriander, ginger, garlic, chilli and lemongrass are especially complimentary in vegetable-based stir-fry recipes.

Sandwich suggestions
To make a sandwich even healthier:

• Switch to reduced salt wholemeal or wholegrain bread - for example, some brands of soy linseed bread.
• Don’t butter the bread. You won’t miss butter if your sandwich has a few tasty ingredients already.
• Limit your use of spreads high in saturated fat like butter and cream cheese; replace with scrapings of peanut butter or other nut spreads or low fat cheese spreads or avocado.
• Choose reduced fat ingredients when you can, such as low fat cheese or mayonnaise.

Other tips
Suggestions include:

• Spend a little time on presentation. You are more likely to enjoy a meal if it’s visually appealing as well as tasty.
• Make every meal an occasion. Set the table. Eat with your family. Give yourself the opportunity to enjoy your food without distractions like television.
• Long term deprivation, such as crash dieting, doesn’t work. Allow yourself the occasional guilt-free treat.
• You are less likely to overeat if you eat slowly and savour every mouthful.

Where to get help

• Dietitian
• Your doctor.

Things to remember

• In many cases, favourite recipes can be modified so they offer a lower fat content.
• Choose to steam, bake, grill, braise, boil or microwave your foods, rather than deep fry them.
• Use non-stick cookware.
• Microwave or steam your vegetables instead of boiling them to retain the nutrients.

Simple Techniques for Healthy cooking and Baking!

Make Low-Fat Treats Taste Great!
Next time you make low-fat baked goods like brownies or muffins, be sure you don't overbake them. Since "light" versions have less fat than the originals, you run a greater risk of drying them out if they're in the oven for too long.

Try this:  Set your timer for a few minutes earlier than the recipe indicates, than keep a close eye on the dish until it's done.

Reducing Fat in Graham Crusts
To reduce fat in a graham cracker crust, moisten with 1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter for each cup of crumbs used. Then add just enough corn syrup or honey so that the mixture barely holds together. Press the crust into the pan.

Healthier Baked Bread
Add nutrition to any bread with the Cornell Enrichment Formula. Before measuring flour into measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon each soy flour and nonfat milk powder, and 1-teaspoon wheat germ. Spoon in flour and level off. Repeat for each cup of flour used in the recipe.

Watch the Fat!
Boil, steam, microwave or stir fry vegetables in your diet plan but do not use butter or oil for flavoring because this will add too many calories and fat. Instead, use seasoning and herbs for flavoring.

Do Eat Vegetable Fat
Those who eat an average of 41.7 grams of vegetable fat a day have a 22-percent lower risk of developing diabetes than those who consume animal fats. Think peanut butter, olive oil and avocados for your fat intake.

Finding Commercial Fruit Sweeteners
You can find commercial fruit sweeteners, ordinarily a combination of concentrated peach and pear juices and unsweetened pineapple syrup, in health food stores, gourmet food stores and large grocery outlets. It tastes 1-1/2 to 2 times sweeter than refined sugar.

Make Your Own Fruit Sweetener
If a recipe calls for 1/2-cup fruit sweetener, substitute 1/4-cup concentrated apple juice plus 1/4-cup granulated fructose.

Bouillon Cubes
When combined with water, bouillon cubes are a convenient way to add robust flavor to a variety of recipes that call for beef, chicken or vegetable stock. For a flavor boost, use the broth in place of water when cooking rice or beans. Or add it to stir-fries and reduce the amount of fat needed for cooking and to add flavor.

The Healthy Tomato
There is no need to buy fresh tomatoes to reap the benefits of lycopene, an antioxidant that may help prevent heart disease and certain cancers. Lycopene can withstand the high heat used in processing and cooking, so all canned and bottled tomato products (including tomato paste) offer the health benefits of fresh tomatoes. The body will absorb lycopene better when you eat tomatoes are with a small amount of fat, such as olive oil.

Make Homemade Ice Cream Richer and Lower in Fat
Substitute evaporated skim milk for whipping cream in homemade ice cream to cut the fat and keep the creamy taste.

Reduce Fat in Sauces
Use evaporated skim milk in place of half-and-half. Another bonus to this tip is that evaporated skim milk is not as perishable as half-and-half.

Nutritious Soup Thickener
Breadcrumbs are a quick, nutritious thickener for soup. Try whole-wheat or rye crumbs for hearty meal soups or stews. They can also be used to thicken sauces, or in sauced dishes or casseroles.

Basting Broiled Food
If you're watching calories, baste broiled food with low-calorie salad dressings.

Don't Peel Away the Nutrients
There are great fiber and nutritional advantages and almost no risk of chemical residues in eating unpeeled fruit. The FDA reports that, during annual random produce testing, 99 percent of the produce is either residue-free or well below EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) limits.

Grilling Chicken
If you're watching your weight or cholesterol, you'll want to remove the skin from chicken. But don't do it until after it's grilled--the skin holds in the meat's natural moisture. Chicken grilled sans skin can quickly become dry and tough.

Healthier Hamburgers
Add nutrition and cut down on meat consumption by substituting 1-cup of lightly sauteed, finely grated potato or carrot (or half of each) for a quarter pound of the meat.

A Healthy, Tasty Meatloaf
Choose ground round for making meatloaf--it has less fat (which would be absorbed by bread crumbs) than regular ground beef and more fat than ground sirloin, which would produce a dry meatloaf.

Salad Dressing Substitutes
Cut down on the oil content of any salad dressing by substituting up to a third of the oil with wine, vegetable or defatted chicken broth, vegetable or tomato juice, hot water, etc. Whisk the substituted ingredient into the dressing after the other ingredients are combined.

Pasta
Add a drop of lemon juice to the water you cook pasta in and leave out the salt and oil.

Vinegar or Citrus Juice
Sprinkle vinegar or citrus juice on food to give flavor a wonderful boost, but add them at the last minute of cooking so the flavor stays at its strongest.

Healthier Crusts on Baked Meats
For a healthier crust on baked meats, fish and even fruits or vegetables, grease the pan with vegetable oil and add ground nuts or crumbs.

Casseroles
Pasta, rice, dried beans or peas and lentils are great subsitutes for meat when preparing casseroles, stews or soups. They are excellent protein sources and very economical.

Seeds, Nuts and Spices
Toast seeds, nuts and whole spices to bring out their full flavor. Cook in a dry skillet over moderate heat or on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven, stirring frequently to toast evenly and prevent burning.

Breakfast
For breakfast, subsitute two egg whites to one whole egg in omelets. Eat as many egg whites as you like - they don't contain any cholesterol and are an excellent source of protein. You could also check out the BellyBytes.com Healthy Breakfast Recipes.

Healthy cooking Hints

Use a non-stick frying pan to cook meat – this way you only need to add a tiny hint of oil, if any.

Use olive oil or canola oil spray when pan frying food – you’ll use much less oil that way. Spray directly onto the food rather than into the pan.

Steam or microwave vegetables, rather than boil – water-soluble nutrients may be lost in the cooking water.

Choose to steam, bake, grill, braise, boil or microwave your foods, rather than deep fry them.

Cook vegetables for the shortest time possible in the least amount of water. If boiling, bring the water to the boil first, cut the vegetables and add to the water. Use remaining cooking water for soups and sauces.

Cook vegetables so that they are tender, but retain some crispness. The longer food is cooked, the more nutrients it loses.

Leave the skin on fruit and vegetables where appropriate.

Choose canned food with "no added salt" or in "natural juice".

Look for lean cuts of meat. Trim visible fat from meat and remove visible fat and skin from chicken.

Try herbs and spices or low-salt seasonings such as lemon juice for a flavour boost, rather than extra salt.

Store 'shelf stable' foods at cool temperatures, out of direct sunlight, to slow the rate of nutrient loss. Use fresh fruit and vegetables within a day or two of purchase. Ensure refrigerated (less than 5 deg C) and frozen foods (less than -18 deg C) are stored correctly.

Look for low fat or reduced fat versions of your favourite foods – butter, pastry, mayonnaise, salad dressings, coconut milk, cakes and biscuits.

When stir-frying, use oil spray, stock or juice to ‘moisten’ the pan.

Reduced fat cream cheese makes a great sandwich spread.

Use a rack when grilling or roasting meat so that the fat drips away.

Use low fat, tomato-based sauces instead or creamy or cheesy ones.

Pureed vegetables can be used to thicken sauces.

Read the nutrition panel on packaged foods and compare the fat and sugar contents.

Choose canned vegetables and fish in spring water, rather than oil or brine.

Taste your food before automatically adding extra salt or sugar – it may not need it.

Eat smart to boost your brain

No surprises - the surest way to boost your brain power is to follow a healthy eating plan, exercise regularly & get a good night's sleep. However - there are some foods that just might give you an edge. Include fatty fish such as salmon or tuna for omega-3 essential fatty acids such as DHA; eggs for choline & yogurt for tyrosine - both used to make brain transport chemicals; and berries for anti-oxidants.

Nutrition Tip: Stimulants such as caffeine in coffee will give you a temporary boost but they are less effective the more often you use them. Enjoy in moderation when you really need that pick-me-up.

Did you know: eating breakfast, especially for children, helps maintain concentration levels.

Avocado - isn’t it high in fat?

I’m often asked about avocado - it’s high in fat, so should I avoid eating it? True, avocado is one of the few fruits that do contain a significant amount of fat - 23%. However, the fat is mainly ‘good’ mono-unsaturated fat, the type to choose for heart health as part of a low fat eating plan. Avocado also provides a good source of vitamin C, anti-oxidant vitamin E & some dietary fibre for digestion.

Nutrition Tip: Use avocado as an alternative spread to butter or margarine to reduce calories. Offer avocado to the kids - they like the creamy texture & taste or try guacamole dip + crunchy raw vegetable sticks.

Did you know: Mother Nature gets it right - some fat is crucial to help you absorb fat-soluble vitamin E.

Wanted - Healthy Bones

The risk of breaking a bone increases from middle age as our bones slowly begin to weaken. Weight bearing exercise, such as walking, can help build strong, healthy bones, together with an eating plan high in calcium + vitamin D.

Nutrition Tip: dairy foods and alternatives provide calcium needed for bone health. Aim for at least 2 serves a day where 1 serve = 1 cup of milk/ custard /yogurt or calcium fortified soymilk; 2 slices of cheese; 1 cup of almonds; or ½ cup pink salmon or sardines (fine bones provide calcium).

Did you know: Your body makes Vitamin D from sunlight on your skin but it’s also found in fish, such as tuna or salmon, eggs & margarine.

Go Nuts

Nuts are a nutrition powerhouse - packed with protein for muscles, fibre for digestion, B-vitamins & vitamin E, plus minerals: iron, zinc & magnesium. Nuts also contain a heart healthy mix of antioxidants, the amino acid arginine, and plant sterols. Don’t offer nuts to babies & toddlers due to risk of nut allergy and choking.

Nutrition Tip: Enjoy a small handful of nuts (30-50 grams) 3-5 times/week as a replacement for biscuits, cakes & pastries. Look for no added salt varieties such as the new You’ll Love Coles nut range - coming soon.

Did you know: Peanuts are legumes that grow underground but do have similar nutrition & health benefits to tree nuts. Coconuts are nuts, but high in saturated fat, if you’re concerned about heart health.

Nutrition knowledge is critical to healthy living. Visit these pages for useful information about everyday nutritional issues.

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HEALTHY COOKING

Ten Healthful Cooking Habits

Good nutrition is not just a matter of selecting the "right" foods to eat.

 It is also important to prepare these foods in ways that will maintain their nutritional benefits.

Careful decisions about cooking techniques can have a profound effect on the nutrient content of the foods we prepare. These cooking strategies and ingredient substitution ideas can help retain and, in some cases, improve, the nutritional value of your most popular dishes.

They can also help you meet the American Institute for Cancer Research's recommendations for lower cancer risk and better overall health:

1. Cut the salt in half in your favorite recipes. Most of the time this will not produce a noticeable taste change.

Consider replacing part of the salt with an herb or spice, flavored vinegar, citrus juice or peel. Garlic or onion power (not garlic or onion salt) work well in meats, soups, and sauces. Make your own mix of garlic, onion, paprika, and parsley flakes.

2. Use veggie spray or non-stick pans for grilling or stir-frying.

3. Choose methods of cooking that will retain flavor, color, and nutrients. Steam instead of boiling vegetables. Avoid cooking at high temperatures (except for quick stir-frying) and long cooking times. Both extended heat and liquid can destroy or leach out valuable nutrients.

4. Add vegetables whenever possible to ensure your five-a-day intake. Experiment with more veggie variety in salads, try new vegetable mixes, include some shredded vegetables in casseroles, and add different vegetables to soups and stews.

Use chopped red or yellow peppers to "pep" up the flavor. Try vegetable salsas and fruit chutneys as accompaniments to meat or poultry in place of heavy gravies or sauces.

5. Try some lower-in-fat substitutes such as low fat cheese, salad dressing and evaporated skim milk. Try low cholesterol egg products. Use two egg whites instead of one whole egg to significantly reduce the fat and cholesterol content of some baked goods.

6. When you use oil, select olive or canola oil. Drain off visible fat while cooking, blot pan-fried foods on paper towels to absorb extra grease, and allow soups to chill before reheating and serving so that the fat can be skimmed off the top.

7. Choose roasting, poaching or stir frying as frequent cooking methods.

Keep open-flame grilling of meats to a minimum as this practice produces cancer-promoting compounds. Avoid eating charred food.

Microwave cooking is a healthful way to cook vegetables because the short cooking time reduces nutrient losses and usually no added water or fat is needed.

8. Reduce the fat in home baked goodies by substituting applesauce, pureed prunes, mashed bananas, or yogurt for up to half of the shortening. It works! Obviously prune puree would discolor a yellow cake but does well for chocolate cake and brownies. The end result is moist and fat content is reduced.

9. Substitute some whole grain products for all-purpose flour in your cooking. Try whole wheat flour, oatmeal or flax in bread and muffins, or add some bran or wheat germ to your meatloaf. Try using some soy flour in biscuits and breads.

10. Try more fruit desserts (fresh, stewed, and cobblers) instead of cakes and cookies. Choose frozen yogurt, sherbet and sorbet instead of ice cream. Serve cake with fruit sauce instead of frosting or whipped cream.

Using sensible cooking methods, less fat, and adding more vegetables, fruits and whole grains to recipes are guaranteed winning techniques to set a better nutritional table. These steps can also help lower risk for chronic diseases such as cancer.

Getting Past the Afternoon Slump
It's three o'clock. You can't concentrate and your energy is running low. You may be experiencing an afternoon slump. If you usually resort to candy or coffee to pull you through the rest of your day, you may want to try some of these healthy alternatives to keep you going.

Get Organized

Make sure to schedule your tasks throughout the day so that you can remain productive. If you are full of energy in the mornings, get most of your challenging work done then. Save simple, mechanical tasks for your down times. When you feel an afternoon slump coming on, you may just need a change of pace.

Eat a Power Lunch

Your lunch may not be powerful enough to last through your busy day.

A lunch containing protein and dietary fiber will satisfy hunger longer. Add lean meat, poultry, tuna or other seafood, nuts or beans to a salad. Include whole grains; they are more nutrient-dense and provide more dietary fiber than refined grains, which will keep you satisfied for longer.

Make your sandwich on 100 percent whole grain bread, or roll up your wrap in a whole-wheat tortilla. Replace empty-calorie cookies with a bunch of grapes or raw broccoli and cauliflower florettes. These fruits and vegetables will help keep your energy level up throughout the afternoon.

Take a Break

Don’t automatically reach for food when you start to feel the afternoon slump approaching. A snack may provide a break, but it can also lead to undesirable weight gain. If you are not sure if you are actually hungry, first try to sneak in some exercise.

Take a 10-minute walk around the block. Or do some stretches at your desk.

Sneak in a Snack

If you are truly hungry, have a healthy snack.

True physical hunger is a signal that the body needs more fuel and, if ignored, will only get stronger and more out of control.

Keep healthy snacks within easy reach. Try a piece of fruit, a handful of lowfat trail mix, a small container of yogurt, or some celery and carrot sticks.

Snacking on fruits and vegetables has the added benefit of helping you to reach five or more servings a day - the amount recommended by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) to help prevent cancer.

Breakfast Right!

Breakfast is important. Whether you skip it because you are not hungry or haven't the time, or if you have one that's not nutritious, you will pay a price later in the day - in lack of energy, diminished alertness and the likelihood of overeating.

To make eating a good breakfast a habit, my favorite trick is turning the day's first meal into the last thing people expect - dessert.

Turning breakfast on its head, making it the delicious reward usually reserved for the end of the day, does not require a sugary treat. A breakfast sundae, morning pizza, or sunrise rice pudding can be healthful, and fun too.

All these lean choices include protein, complex carbohydrates and fiber, and are low in fat. They also give you a good start on "Five-A-Day," providing fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains, along with a satisfied smile.

Realistic as well as rebellious, these breakfast concoctions are quick fixes. You can make them "to go" or enjoy them at home as your secret sin.

For the rice pudding, which is best made the night before, simply use brown rice in place of white rice in your favorite recipe, egg whites in place of whole eggs, low-fat milk rather than full-fat, and include a handful of dried fruit like cherries or chopped apricots.

Cool the pudding, cut it into squares and wrap each portion in plastic, then foil. The result is both delicious and portable, ready to eat out of hand in the car, at your desk, or at school.

Easier still is a morning pizza. Start with a slice of whole-grain toast. Top it with low-fat ricotta cheese. For a sweet pizza, add sliced banana and a cut-up strawberry. Or, for a refreshingly savory breakfast, use sliced tomato and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

If the crunch of cereal appeals to you, then this sundae is your perfect breakfast. To make it portable, put the cereal in a snack-size plastic bag and sprinkle it on just before you dig in

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Breakfast Sundae - Makes 1 serving.

• 3/4 cup various fresh fruit, e.g., blueberries, raspberries, halved seedless grapes, sliced banana, etc.
• 3/4 cup (1 6-oz container), low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 cup whole-grain breakfast cereal (like Grapenuts Flakes, Wheaties) or low-fat granola
• 1 large strawberry

Place half of fruit in bottom of footed, glass dessert dish or small bowl. Top with half the yogurt. Arrange remaining fruit over yogurt. Top with remaining yogurt. Sprinkle cereal on top. Set strawberry in center, as with a sundae. Serve immediately.

 The Fruitarian Diet

Fruit is the most beautiful food on the planet.

The variety of fruits on Earth is so massive it boggles the mind. Often people ask fruitarians if they feel limited eating a raw-food/fruitarian diet.

They always respond by telling them 99.9% of all food on Earth is raw plant food! Fruit is our most natural food. It is the food we are attracted to most in its raw natural state. We define a fruit as a food which contains the seed(s) within it for regeneration and propagation of the plant.

A raw-food/fruitarian diet makes you beautiful and pure inside and out. It leads to the clearest use of your mind -- it greatly enhances your mental abilities.

In the book: Nature’s First Law: The Raw-Food Diet the author wrote: "Every fruit has its secret." Once you are completely cleaned out of cooked-food residue and toxicity, you become attuned to special powers available in certain fruits!

The durian fruit has an extreme smoothness and cleanness to it in the way it is metabolized in your body. It makes everything run smoothly and clearly and warms up the body in colder weather. Dates too, may warm you up in cold weather.

Dates are a great food for endurance and long walks. Apples are a "clean-out food," they clear everything out as they go through. Mangos transport you into the ecstatic state of summer fun. Bananas make you feel like a wild primate!

How To Eat Fruit And How Much?

Ideally, it is best to eat just one type of fruit at a time (mono-diet) and to wait 45 minutes until the next type of food goes in.

You might want to eat 5 apples in the morning and nothing else or choose to eat cucumbers only for lunch! When you are eating a mono-diet, your body will give you a clear signal when to stop eating.

Your appetite will turn off or you will suddenly feel you have eaten too much. Typically the fruit will actually change taste on you and won’t taste as good! At that point listen to your body and stop eating! If you combine foods, the signal as to when to stop eating is not as clear, and you must discipline yourself.

If you overeat raw food or fruit or even cooked food remember the reasons why most people overeat: suppressed emotional issues and a lack of deep breathing. If you overeat, go outside and take 10-15 deep breaths! Or breathe deeply at night instead of eating -- if you have problems in that area.

Hybrid Fruit

Unfortunately the quality of fruit available in most commercial supermarkets is less than excellent.

The fruit is biologically weak: it has not picked up the minerals from the soil properly, its sugar are too high, if left to Nature the insects, worms, and bacteria would wipe it out quickly.

Many fruits today have been hybridized: they have been genetically or biologically tampered with. For example, most orange trees are actually two orange trees in one. The roots are of one type and the stem and leaves are of another type.

They are grafted together. This leads to a fruit which is has an improper balance -- it is confused. The fruit may be seedless or the seeds may not be viable.

What to do? Seek out high-quality organic fruit grown from non-hybridized plant strains or better yet grow your own fruit trees from seed or even seek out wild fruits. The best way to determine if a fruit is too hybridized is to examine its seeds.

If the fruit is seedless, do not eat it or at least be very frugal when eating it. Seedless fruit actually should not be eaten -- you will become more and more sensitive to this as you become internally cleaner and cleaner. If the fruit has seeds, try planting them.

If they grow, the fruit, even if hybridized, still has enough natural vitality to be excellent nourishment.

Farmers and biologists have noted that after several generations of hybridization a most interesting event occurs.

The hybrid strain will either die out -- it will have lost its vitality -- or it will revert back into a more primal form -- a seedless strain can suddenly start producing viable seeds! I had the most incredible experience the other day.

I was juicing a pineapple for a friend and I discovered the pineapple contained seeds! This is the first time I had ever seen this. Pineapples are hybrid fruits many of us have eaten, at least occasionally, our whole life. How many times have you discovered seeds in the pineapple?

After many generations of hybridization we see the pineapple reverting back and now seeding!
One final note: hybrid sweet fruit is still better for you than cooked food!

Is Fruit Too Sweet?

Most fruits on Earth are not sweet fruits!

It is important to include in your fruitarian diet a host of non-sweet fruits such as avocados, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, cranberries, lemons, limes, squash, corn, zucchini, okra, etc.

These foods provide heavier minerals and are soft on the body. Ideally, they should constitute at least 50% of your diet.

Tooth Trip

Are fruits bad for your teeth?

The internal condition of the body is the best indicator as to the health of the teeth.

 If teeth are bad, there is an internal disruption in the body, and we need to bring in more calcium in the form of green-leafy salads and green juices, as Dr. Shelton has pointed out in his great book: "The Science And Fine Art Of Nutrition."

There is a great misconception that fruits are bad on the teeth. Why the myth of poor teeth on a fruitarian diet?

The clue I picked up from Johnny Lovewisdom’s book: "Spiritualizing Dietetics: Vitarianism." He attacks nuts and seeds viciously as being the cause of teeth problems in fruitarians, not fruit. I’ve noticed that myself.

Nuts leave an acid ash and are high in phosphorous which must be balanced with calcium (found abundantly and usable in greens). If you eat lots of nuts and seeds, you should also eat plenty of greens.

If they are not balanced the phosphorous will eventually acidify the body and leech calcium from the bones, especially the jaw and teeth -- the body is signaling the mouth to stop taking in food, especially the nuts and seeds.

 Another important point appropriate here is that raw animal foods too leave an acid ash and are high in phosphorous, just like nuts and seeds. If they are not balanced off with greens (calcium) they’ll decalcify the teeth over the long term.

Exercise

Fruit makes you active so that the tree’s or plant’s purpose is furthered: you eat fruit, get active, and run around spreading the seeds far and wide.

The more sedentary (stationary) you are throughout the day, the more vegetables and non-sweet fruits you should eat; the more active you are, the more sweet fruits you should eat.

Get out and have fun in the sun, that is the underlying message of the fruitarian diet. Enjoy life to the max! Achieve your maximum potential by becoming a finely tuned instrument!

A Personal Diet

Generally, all raw-foodists/fruitarians eat out of three classes of foods: fruits, green-leafed vegetables, and fatty foods (avocados, nuts, coconuts, seeds, bananas, durians, dried olives, etc.).

If one goes without one of these classes of foods for a long period of time, problems may arise -- the body will signal you to eat from what is missing through instinctive desire. I have concluded these three classes of foods are the real essentials of the human diet. I too, eat out of these three classes of foods.

The percentages of foods in the diet can be governed totally by instinct. Some days I eat all fruit, some days I munch on mouthfuls of wild greens.

I generally eat about 80 to 90% fruit of all different varieties. I eat nuts and seeds in moderation.

I have gone 3 months on a diet of 100% fruit. I try to eat as much wild food as I can. Wild food contains by far the highest energy and nutritional content.

Healthy Chocolate?

 Chocolate tastes great, but new research shows certain kinds may be heart-healthy, as well.

Chocolate is seemingly everywhere and the temptation to indulge is high. After all, when a craving hits, who can resist that melt-in-your-mouth richness and smooth, creamy texture of a good piece of chocolate?

Whether you need a mood boost, have something to celebrate, or are simply saying, "I love you," a box of chocolates is just right. Now, new studies suggest that the health benefits of chocolate might make it more than just a satisfying treat.

Researchers have isolated powerful disease-fighting substances in chocolate, with some early studies showing that certain kinds of chocolate may help lower blood pressure and stave off heart disease. Before you call chocolate a health food, however, learn more about this research and what it may mean for your sweet tooth.

Sweet Medicine
Chocolate comes from the cacao (or cocoa) bean, and since the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortés penned a letter about the frothy cacao beverages of the New World to the emperor of Spain in 1520, chocolate has had a place in our diet.

It was first used as medicine to treat everything from tuberculosis to gout to low virility, but by the end of the 18th century, the plant dubbed Theobroma cacao, or "food of the gods," began creeping into our culinary vernacular.

Eaten in slabs, sorbets, desserts, and even soups and pastas, chocolate was so common by World War I that it was used as a ration for the troops. Today chocolate is an ingredient in cooking worldwide, from the savory sauces and moles of Mexico to the sweet, smooth French chocolate éclair.

Yet, the pendulum could be swinging back. With some intriguing health news now emerging about chocolate, this tasty treat may once again be elevated to medicinal status. It started when scientists began to wonder about the historical uses of chocolate as medicine.

"It's not so unusual when you consider the beans of the cocoa plant are extremely rich in flavonoids," says Carl Keen, Ph.D., a nutrition professor at the University of California at Davis who has done extensive research on chocolate.

Flavonoids are potent plant antioxidants, and for years scientists have said that antioxidants can exert a positive influence on health by neutralizing damaging free radicals, substances believed to advance aging and promote disease.

Many fruits, vegetables, red wine, and teas also contain flavonoids. Now researchers are zeroing in on flavonoids in chocolate and identifying a different subclass: flavonols. It's these compounds that appear to pack the most health benefits.

One German study, for example, found that eating dark chocolate high in flavonoids may reduce blood pressure. In the same study, however, flavonoid-free white chocolate yielded no change in blood pressure.

As part of the study protocol, 13 volunteers with high blood pressure munched on a custom-made, 3.5-ounce dark chocolate bar for two weeks and then switched to eating the same amount of white chocolate over the next two weeks.

During the dark chocolate phase, systolic blood pressure (the maximum pressure created when the heart muscle contracts) dropped an average of five points. Diastolic pressure, the pressure in the arteries when the heart muscle relaxes between beats, dropped about two points. (A reduction in both is optimal for those with high blood pressure.)

However, there is one stumbling block in the case for the health benefits of chocolate: Not all of them are created equal when it comes to flavonoid content. Most reports, like the German study mentioned above, suggest dark chocolate may harbor the highest amounts of these compounds.

But some experts say that chocolate's flavonoid content has nothing to do with color and everything to do with how it's processed. two rules of thumb when looking for chocolate rich in flavonoids:

First, dark chocolate in general has two to three times the amount of flavonoids found in milk chocolate. If you're looking for the highest amount of flavonoids, it's best to choose a brand that has a high cocoa content, 70 percent or greater.

On that list are gourmet chocolates such as Lindt, El Rey, Scharffen Berger, Lake Champlain, and Ghirardelli. As for other brands of chocolate with lower cocoa contents, it's hard to predict the health benefits they may deliver. And, more importantly, any benefits chocolate may provide need to be weighed against its nutritional downside—mainly, its high fat content.

Fat Facts
If you look strictly at the numbers, a 1.5-ounce bar of chocolate has around 235 calories and between 13 and 14 grams of fat, six to nine grams of it the artery-clogging, saturated kind.

That's a lot of calories and fat for such a small amount of chocolate. Saturated fat raises blood cholesterol levels, and high cholesterol levels can clog arteries.

However, some of the saturated fat in chocolate is in the form of stearic acid, which doesn't raise cholesterol. Stearic acid is in cocoa butter, which is the main fat in chocolate.

The liver converts stearic acid to oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, which isn't damaging to the heart. Some researchers argue, however, that, regardless of stearic acid, chocolate is still a high-fat, high-calorie food.

Small amounts can be worked into a healthy diet, but large quantities aren't a recipe for good health, particularly when you consider how many Americans are overweight, says Penn State University nutritionist Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D. She suggests a leaner way to get that chocolate fix: Opt for cocoa, the powder formed when cocoa beans are ground and stripped of cocoa butter.

Trick or Treat?
As comforting as it is to think your next chocolate fix may be good for you, think twice. The reason is simple: "Eating any food in excess of caloric needs, including chocolate, will cause weight gain," Kris-Etherton says.

In the meantime, Richard Mattes, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at Purdue University, says there's nothing wrong with enjoying the comfort food status of chocolate in moderate amounts.

"It's how often and how much that's the issue," he says. Adds Kris-Etherton: "Instead, incorporate it into an already healthy diet that meets—doesn't exceed—energy needs."

Until there are more controlled clinical trials examining the health benefits of chocolate, and the magnitude of those effects, and until flavonoid-rich chocolates become more common, it may be wise to dip into that bucket of trick-or-treat chocolate with discretion.