Food Profile- Apple
Nutritional Profile
Energy value (calories per serving): Low
Protein: Low
Fat: Low
Saturated fat: Low
Cholesterol: None
Carbohydrates: High
Fiber: High
Sodium: Low (fresh or dried fruit)
High (dried fruit treated with sodium sulfur compounds)
Major vitamin contribution: Vitamin C
Major mineral contribution: Potassium
About the Nutrients in This Food
Apples are a high-fiber fruit with insoluble cellulose and lignin in the peel and soluble pectins in the flesh. Their most important vitamin is vitamin C.
One fresh apple, 2.5 inches in diameter, has 2.4 g dietary fiber and 4.6 mg vitamin C (6 percent of the RDA for a woman, 5 percent of the RDA for a man).
The sour taste of all immature apples (and some varieties, even when ripe) comes from malic acid. As an apple ripens, the amount of malic acid declines and the apple becomes sweeter. Apple seeds contain amygdalin, a naturally occurring cyanide/sugar compound that degrades into hydrogen cyanide. While accidentally swallowing an apple seed once in a while is not a serious hazard for an adult, cases of human poisoning after eating apple seeds have been reported, and
swallowing only a few seeds may be lethal for a child. Continue reading
The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food
Fresh and unpared, to take advantage of the fiber in the peel and preserve the vitamin C, which is destroyed by the heat of cooking.
Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food
Antiflatulence diet (raw apples)
Low-fiber diet
Buying This Food
Look for: Apples that are firm and brightly colored: shiny red Macintosh, Rome, and red Delicious; clear green Granny Smith; golden yellow Delicious. Avoid: Bruised apples. When an apple is damaged the injured cells release polyphenoloxidase, an enzyme that hastens the oxidation of phenols in the apple, producing brownish pigments that darken the fruit. It’s easy to check loose apples; if you buy them packed in a plastic bag, turn the bag upside down and examine the fruit. Storing This Food Store apples in the refrigerator. Cool storage keeps them from losing the natural moisture that makes them crisp. It also keeps them from turning brown inside, near the core, a phenomenon that occurs when apples are stored at warm temperatures. Apples can be stored in a cool, dark cabinet with plenty of circulating air.
Check the apples from time to time. They store well, but the longer the storage, the greater the natural loss of moisture and the more likely the chance that even the crispest
apple will begin to taste mealy.
Preparing This Food
Don’t peel or slice an apple until you are ready to use it. When you cut into the apple, you tear its cells, releasing polyphenoloxidase, an enzyme that darkens the fruit. Acid inactivates polyphenoloxidase, so you can slow the browning (but not stop it completely) by dipping raw sliced and/or peeled apples into a solution of lemon juice and water or vinegar and water or by mixing them with citrus fruits in a fruit salad. Polyphenoloxidase also works more slowly in the cold, but storing peeled apples in the refrigerator is much less effective than immersing them in an acid bath.
What Happens When You Cook This Food
When you cook an unpeeled apple, insoluble cellulose and lignin will hold the peel intact through all normal cooking. The flesh of the apple, though, will fall apart as the pectin in its cell walls dissolves and the water inside its cells swells, rupturing the cell walls and turning the apples into applesauce. Commercial bakers keep the apples in their apple pies firm by treating them with calcium; home bakers have to rely on careful timing. To prevent baked apples from melting into mush, core the apple and fill the center with sugar or raisins to absorb the moisture released as the apple cooks. Cutting away a circle of peel at the top will allow the fruit to swell without splitting the skin. Red apple skins are colored with red anthocyanin pigments. When an apple is cooked, the anthocyanins combine with sugars to form irreversible brownish compounds.
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food
Juice. Apple juice comes in two versions: “cloudy” (unfiltered) and “clear” (filtered). Cloudy apple juice is made simply by chopping or shredding apples and then pressing out and straining the juice. Clear apple juice is cloudy juice filtered to remove solid particles and then treated with enzymes to eliminate starches and the soluble fiber pectin. Since 2000, following several deaths attributed to unpasteurized apple juice contaminated with E. coli O157:
H7, the FDA has required that all juices sold in the United States be pasteurized to inactivate harmful organisms such as bacteria and mold. Note: “Hard cider” is a mildly alcoholic beverage created when natural enzyme action converts the sugars in apple juice to alcohol; “nonalcohol cider” is another name for plain apple juice. Drying. To keep apple slices from turning brown as they dry, apples may be treated with sulfur compounds that may cause serious allergic reactions in people allergic to sulfites.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits
As an antidiarrheal. The pectin in apple is a natural antidiarrheal that helps solidify stool. Shaved raw apple is sometimes used as a folk remedy for diarrhea, and purified pectin is an ingredient in many over-the-counter antidiarrheals. Lower cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber (pectin) may interfere with the absorption of dietary fats, including cholesterol. The exact mechanism by which this occurs is still unknown, but one theory is that the pectins in the apple may form a gel in your stomach that sops up fats and cholesterol, carrying them out of your body as waste.
Potential anticarcinogenic effects. A report in the April 2008 issue of the journal Nutrition from a team of researchers at the University of Kaiserslautern, in Germany, suggests that several natural chemicals in apples, including butyrate (produced naturally when the pectin in apples and apple juice is metabolized) reduce the risk of cancer of the colon by
nourishing and protecting the mucosa (lining) of the colon.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food
Intestinal gas. For some children, drinking excess amounts of apple juice produces intestinal
discomfort (gas or diarrhea) when bacteria living naturally in the stomach ferment the sugars
in the juice. To reduce this problem, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ages one to six consume no more than four to six ounces of fruit juice a day; for children ages seven to 18, the recommended serving is eight to 12 ounces a day. Cyanide poisoning. See About the nutrients in this food. Sulfite allergies (dried apples). See How other kinds of processing affect this food.
Food/Drug Interactions
Digoxin (Lanoxicaps, Lanoxin). Pectins may bind to the heart medication digoxin, so eating
apples at the same time you take the drug may reduce the drug’s effectiveness.
Food Profile – Pineapple
Nutritional Profile
Energy value (calories per serving): Low
Protein: Low
Fat: Low
Saturated fat: Low
Cholesterol: None
Carbohydrates: High
Fiber: High
Sodium: Low (fresh or dried fruit)
High (dried fruit treated with sodium sulfur compounds)
Major vitamin contribution: Vitamin C
Major mineral contribution: Potassium
About the Nutrients in This Food
Pineapples are high in dietary fiber, primarily soluble pectins and gums. Their most important nutrient is vitamin C.
One cup fresh pineapple chunks has 2.3 g dietary fiber and 79 mg vitamin C (slightly more than the RDA for a woman, 88 percent of the RDA for a man).
One-half cup canned unsweetened pineapple juice with added vitamin C has 54.8 mg vitamin C (72 percent of the RDA for a woman, 60 percent of the RDA for a man). The pineapple fruit and the stem of the pineapple plant contain bromelain, a proteolytic (“protein-dissolving”) enzyme, similar to papain (in unripe papayas) and ficin (in fresh figs). Bromelain is a natural meat tenderizer that breaks down the protein molecules in meat when you add the fruit to a stew or baste a roast with the juice.
Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food
None
Buying This Food
Look for: Large pineapples. The leaves in the crown on top should be freshand green, the pineapple should feel heavy for its size (which means it’s juicy), it should have a rich pineapple aroma, and you should hear a solid “thunk” when you tap a finger against the side. While the pineapple’s shell generally loses chlorophyll and turns more golden as the fruit ripens, some varieties of pineapple have more chlorophyll and stay green longer than others, so the color of the shell is not a reliable guide to ripeness.
Storing This Food
Store pineapples either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Neither will have any effect on the sweetness of the fruit. Fruits and vegetables get sweeter after they are picked by converting stored starches to sugars. Since the pineapple has no stored starch and gets its sugar from its leaves, it is as sweet as it ever will be on the day it is picked. It will get softer while stored, though, as its pectic enzymes break down pectins in its cell walls. Continue reading
To sweeten and soften fresh pineapple, peel and slice the fruit (or cut it into chunks), sprinkle it with sugar, and chill it in the refrigerator. The sugar and water on the pineapple’s surface is a denser solution than the liquid inside the pineapple’s cells. As a result liquid flows out of the cells. Without liquid to hold them rigid, the cell walls will collapse inward and the
pineapple will be softer. This physical phenomenon—the flow of liquids across a membrane from a less dense to a more dense environment—is called osmosis. What Happens When You Cook This Food As you cook pineapple, the pectic substances in its cell walls dissolve and the pineapple softens. If you add fresh pineapple to gelatin, the bromelain will digest the proteins in the gelatin and the dish won’t “set.” However, bromelain only works at a temperature between 140°F and 170°F; it is destroyed by boiling. For the maximum effect in stewing, set the heat at simmer. To add fresh pineapple to a gelatin mold, boil the fruit first.
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food
Drying. Drying concentrates the calories and nutrients in pineapple. Fresh pineapple may be treated with a sulfur compound such as sulfur dioxide to protect its vitamin C and keep it from darkening as it dries. In people sensitive to sulfites, these compounds may provoke serious allergic reactions, including potentially fatal anaphylactic shock. Juice. Since 2000, following several deaths attributed to unpasteurized apple juice contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the FDA has required that all juices sold in the United States be pasteurized to inactivate harmful organisms such as bacteria and mold.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits
None
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food
Dermatitis. Bromelain, which breaks down proteins, may cause irritant dermatitis. Pineapples may also cause allergic dermatitis. (Irritant dermatitis may occur in anyone who touches a pineapple; allergic dermatitis occurs only in an individual who is sensitive to a particular substance.) Sulfur allergies. See How other kinds of processing affect this food, above.
Food/Drug Interactions
False-positive test for carcinoid tumors. Carcinoid tumors, which may arise from tissues in the
endocrine or gastrointestinal system, secrete serotonin, a natural chemical that makes blood
vessels expand or contract. Because serotonin is excreted in urine, these tumors are diagnosed
by measuring serotonin levels by products in the urine. Pineapples contain large amounts of
serotonin; eating them in the three days before a test for an endocrine tumor might produce a
false-positive result, suggesting that you have the tumor when in fact you don’t. (Other foods
high in serotonin are avocados, bananas, eggplant, plums, tomatoes, and walnuts.)
Dairy products
A lot of people avoid dairy products, because they are worried about the fat content or have lactose intolerace, and rightfully so. Dairy products do contain fat, and as with meats it’s the saturated type because it’s animal in origin. However, milk products also contain calcium, the bony-white mineral that our bones need to stay hard. As we get older we face the risk of osteoporosis—brittle bone disease—which can be avoided if you have your calcium every day. You can get it from other sources: green vegetables like spinach, collards, or kale; from various beans; or from edible bony fish such as salmon or sardines. You can also get calcium-enriched soy milk, which also has essential vitamins like B12 and D. However, calcium may be harder to get from these foods because they carry less calcium and the body may not absorb them as well. So have some dairy products every day, and know that you don’t need a lot, only two servings (three if you’re under twenty-four, or are pregnant or nursing. But, just to remind you, never attempt a weight loss program when you’re expecting or you’ve just given birth). If you’re worried about fat, have low-fat or fat-free (skim) milk, yogurt, or white low-fat cheese. Continue reading
Some of us (like me) are on the other side of the fence with dairy products. We love them too much! Milk, cheese, and ice cream are all “trigger” foods for me, and for a lot of people I know and work with. I believe that it was my nightly ice cream habit that really caused me to be obese. Dairy products need to be eaten sparingly for those of us who are crazy for them, because large amounts on a regular basis add a lot of fat to your body. Two servings a day are enough. Certainly, if you’re a cheese or ice cream junkie, it would pay for you to ask God to help you avoid them entirely. When I was losing my weight, I was able to enjoy God’s grace and not crave or eat ice cream for a very long time. Even now, I only have it perhaps once or twice a month, and thankfully my compulsion for it has been lifted for over a decade.
(Milk, yogurt, and cheese—This includes lactose-free and lactose-reduced milk products. One cup of soy-based beverage with added calcium is an option for those who prefer a non-dairy source of calcium.)
Have two servings per day during weight loss (up to three when managing). A serving is one of the following.Choose fat-free or reduced-fat dairy products most often.
1 cup milk or yogurt*
11⁄2 ounces natural cheese*
2 ounces processed cheese*
Try, if possible, to choose dairy foods that are free of hormones and pesticides, such as organics or milk from certified hormone-free cows.
About Lactose Intolerance
Some folks do not tolerate milk and dairy products well, and experience nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhea about one-half hour to two hours after eating or drinking food containing lactose (the significant sugar in milk). This is due to lack of an ability to digest the lactose, due to a shortage of the enzyme lactase, produced by cells that line the small intestine. If you are “lactose intolerant” you probably know it already, but if you frequently have these symptoms ask your doctor. There are several simple tests which can help you find out. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House, between thirty to fifty million people have this problem, which is actually quite manageable if you know what to eat. As many as seventy percent of all African- Americans and Native Americans, and ninety percent of Asian-Americans are lactose intolerant. These folks may wish to try calcium-enriched soy milk. The problem is least common among persons of northern European descent. In addition, the University of California Wellness letter makes this recommendation:
Young children with lactase deficiency should not eat any foods containing lactose.Most older children and adults
need not avoid lactose completely, but individuals differ in the amounts of lactose they can handle. For example, one
person may suffer symptoms after drinking a small glass of milk, while another can drink one glass but not two. Others may be able to manage ice cream and aged cheeses, such as cheddar and Swiss but not other dairy products. Dietary control of lactose intolerance depends on each person’s learning through trial and error how much lactose he or she can handle.
For those who react to very small amounts of lactose or have trouble limiting their intake of foods that contain lactose, lactase enzymes are available without a prescription. One form is a liquid for use with milk. A few drops are added to a quart of milk, and after twenty-four hours in the refrigerator, the lactose content is reduced by seventy percent. The process works faster if the milk is heated first, and adding a double amount of lactase liquid produces milk that is ninety percent lactose free. A more recent development is a chewable lactose enzyme tablet that helps people digest solid foods that contain lactose. Three to six tablets are taken just before a meal or snack. Lactose-reduced milk and other products are available at many supermarkets. The milk contains all of the nutrients found in regular milk and remains fresh for about the same length of time or longer if it is super-pasteurized. Even older women at risk for osteoporosis and growing children who must avoid milk and foods made with milk can meet most of their special dietary needs by eating greens, fish, and other calcium-rich foods that are free of lactose. A carefully chosen diet (with calcium supplements if the doctor or dietitian recommends them) is the key to reducing symptoms and protecting future health.
Salmon … the best source of Omega 3 fat
Fish and seafood are among the most contaminated foods in our diet. In general, certain species of fish and seafood are less contaminated than others (although there is also a lot of variation, depending on how polluted the surrounding water is). Although there are many benefits to eating fish and seafood and they taste good, I don’t suggest you eat them for their omega fatty acids. The higher-fat, cold-water fish that are the best sources of omega fatty acids are usually the most contaminated with chemicals. Omega fatty acid supplements, which I’ll tell you about later, are a great alternative. They are capsules of the extracted fish oil that have had the mercury, PCBs, and other chemicals removed.
Wild Salmon
Many chemicals are turning up in areas we used to consider to be pristine, such as the Arctic, where much wild salmon originates. Marla Cone, environmental reporter for the Los Angeles Times, discusses in her book Silent Snow: The Slow Poisoning of the Arctic, how chemicals are carried by water and air to the Arctic. Because there is less soil and vegetation there to absorb these environmental pollutants, they’re more likely to end up in humans, animals, and fish living there. A recent survey of the Arctic found that new chemicals are turning up in humans in increasing levels. The problem is serious enough that it has prompted international action. So, although most wild salmon is less contaminated than Continue reading
salmon, we should still be mindful of how much we are eating. For example, a study published in the journal Science tested for organochlorines in two metric tons of farmed and wild salmon from around the world. The researchers concluded that consumption of wild Alaskan salmon, in order to meet the U.S. Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) cumulative risk assessment, should be limited to four servings a month or less. Now you may be thinking, “Sure, but how can I possibly afford wild salmon?” You can afford it if you buy canned Alaskan salmon. Because this wonderful source of salmon is in a remote area and large amounts of fish are caught in a relatively short time, over 90 percent of Alaskan salmon are canned or frozen. That’s right, canned salmon are typically wild Alaskan salmon. According to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, the two most commonly canned Alaska salmon are sockeye (also known as “red” salmon) and pink salmon. Pink salmon is one of the least contaminated of all wild salmon. It’s also the most abundant and therefore the least expensive, making up more than half of the U.S. commercial wild salmon catch. Here are some of the varieties of wild salmon:
• Pink salmon. The smallest and youngest of the salmon. Therefore, it is the least contaminated and the least expensive. It comes from marine fisheries, not fish farms, and contains less oil than sockeye but more than chum. A three-and-a-half ounce serving of canned salmon will still give you one gram of omega-3s. It is my top pick.
• Sockeye salmon. Also called red salmon. It is found fresh, frozen, and canned and is an excellent choice for fresh salmon.
• Chum. The least contaminated of all wild salmon. More than 85 percent are from Alaska, which has the second largest chum fishery in the world, after Japan. It also has the lowest oil content of wild salmon. I find the taste variable and prefer pink salmon.
• Coho. Also called silver salmon. It accounts for less than 10 percent of the wild salmon caught in the United States. The quality is considered much higher than chum, and it’s less expensive than sockeye or chinook.
Small, Nonpredatory Fish and Seafood
Nonpredatory fish don’t feed on other fish, so they accumulate fewer chemicals. Seafood in this category are anchovy, herring, sardines, and tilapia.
How to Do It: Aim for one to two servings of high-quality, lean protein a day (1 serving = 3 ounces of meat or 4 ounces of fish for women and 4 ounces of meat or 5 ounces of fish for men). Replace unhealthy fish and meat with the healthier options I’ve discussed. Instead of shellfish and farmed salmon, choose wild salmon (especially canned wild Alaskan pink
salmon), anchovies, sardines, and other fish such as tilapia, but eat them no more than once a week.
Try ordering bone-in poultry, or freezing larger orders of poultry and meat, which can cut your grocery bill. Check the resources section in the back of this book for more information on where to find organic meat in your area. If you don’t eat meat, eat more oats, whole eggs, and whey, which naturally have more of the liver-friendly amino acids methionine and cysteine.
Cook with Detoxifying Herbs and Spices
Herbs and spices are an important part of the Inside Out Diet, because of their potent detoxifying, weight-loss, and anti-inflammatory effects. Not only that, they enhance the taste of food. A little pinch goes a long way.
• Cardamom. A spice that originated in India, cardamom is a liver protector that also contains volatile oils that aid digestion and relieve gas. Use it to enhance the flavor of sweet potatoes, chicken, lentils, squash, brown rice, or peas, or try adding 1⁄8 teaspoon to your coffeemaker for a flavor boost.
• Cayenne. Traditionally known as a blood purifier that also helps to eliminate fluids, cayenne has been found to enhance circulation (which helps us detoxify), reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, prevent free radical damage in the liver, and boost metabolism.
• Cilantro (Coriander leaves). Cilantro mobilizes stored mercury, aluminum, tin, and lead so they can be excreted. It goes well with lentils, tomatoes, salsa, chicken, rice, and salads.
• Cumin:(Cumin) is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and liver healer that raises glutathione levels, boosts circulation, and improves the flow of bile. Try it with cabbage, beans, curry, peas, or chicken.
• Dill 
Dill ) is particularly good at protecting us against chemicals such as those in cigarette smoke and barbecued foods. The feathery leaves pair well with beets, yogurt sauces, cucumbers, salmon, and other fish.
• Parsley:(Parsley) is an ideal herb for weight loss. It is high in vitamin C, beta-carotene, chlorophyll, and folic acid, which are all needed for detoxification. Parsley also boosts glutathione, normalizes blood sugar, and protects against liver dysfunction caused by insulin resistance. Chopped parsley can be added to any salad or even made into a pesto. The two popular types are curly parsley and Italian or flat-leaf parsley. Choose Italian parsley, which isn’t as bitter and has a better flavor than curly.
• Peppermint:(Peppermint) dissolves gallstones, relieves digestive spasms to decrease gas, and improves digestion. This clean-tasting herb is best as an herbal tea. The chopped fresh herb can also be added as a garnish for fruit.
• Rosemary:The essential oils in rosemary are known to be energizing. Rosemary helps to improve circulation, relieves stress-related exhaustion, and protects the liver against damage caused by certain medications. It tastes great with beans, sardines, roasted vegetables, anchovies, and chicken.
• Thyme. A member of the mint family and one of the most popular herbs, thyme is a delicious complement to bean, vegetable, fish, and egg dishes. In animal studies, thyme has been found to protect and improve the amount of omega fatty acids in cell membranes.
• Turmeric. Best known as the pigment that makes curry powder yellow, turmeric has been used for thousands of years in ayurvedic medicine to protect the liver. It is also used to relieve digestive problems such as discomfort, bloating, and gas. Turmeric contains curcumin, a bioflavonoid in the pigment that has been found to protect the liver, help the liver clear toxic chemicals, prevent fat deposits in the liver,fight inflammation, scavenge free radicals, and protect DNA. Try adding 1⁄8 teaspoon of turmeric powder to two egg whites for a naturalyellow color, or adding it to soup.
• Other herbs and spices to use. These include basil, caraway, cloves, chile, horseradish, and oregano. Try cooking with these spices, which naturally increase the sweetness of food without the calories: cinnamon, vanilla, allspice, ginger, fenugreek, and nutmeg.
3 Tips For Choosing A Weight Loss Program
Statistics make it very clear that the population, as a whole, is getting heavier and heavier. The problem with this is that it comes with a lot of bad consequences on our health. Perhaps that why so many people are trying to lose weight. One of the most common ways for doing this is to find a weight loss program that sounds interesting. If you are looking for a weight loss program, then you are aware of how many different ones are out there. In fact, Continue reading
1. Research. There is no way around it, this is going to take some time. As mentioned, there are a lot of different programs out there, and they often contradict one another. However, one of the main things you are likely interested in is results. After all, it doesn’t matter how good a program is supposed to be if it doesn’t work for you. The first thing you can do is read how each particular program has worked for those who have tried it. Pay extra attention to any claims of the diet not working, and why it didn’t work for that person. It can still work for you, but you will have more realistic expectations once you begin. Next, look for any endorsements from organizations and professionals. Of course you will give extra importance to people and groups you have already heard of and trust. At the same time, watch out for endorsements from people you have never heard of. Either way, it is up to you to do your due diligence to see if the people are qualified to make an assessment of any weight loss program. Furthermore, part of that research has to include talking to your health care provider. They will be aware of any potential problems you may run into, and they will also be able to add recommendations of their own.
2. Cost. The truth is that we all have different budgets, and that may prevent us from doing certain diet programs. For example, some plans include having ready-made food delivered to your home. While they may work, they also cost a lot of money. If you have the money to spare, and you would like to do such a plan, no problem. However, if you can’t really afford it, but try it anyway, you will start to feel angry if you don’t see immediate results, and that won’t help you to lose weight. Not to worry, though. The effectiveness of a weight loss program isn’t measured by how much it costs. So, keep looking and you will find a plan that fits into your budget
3. Think logically. Sellers of diet programs are experts at getting you worked up emotionally, but don’t fall for that trap. That’s why it’s so important to do the previous steps; they will help you to look at various weight loss programs logically. And, that means you are more likely to choose the one that’s the best for you.
