Nutrition Recipes
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is high in fiber and antioxidants from vegetables, legumes and nuts — far greater than the typical Western diet — and low in saturated fat. Very little red meat is eaten in this region, and milk consumption is limited as well, except for some cheese and yogurt. The base of the pyramid is made up of foods like whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, potatoes and rice. Fruits, legumes, nuts, and vegetables make up another large share of your daily diet, along with smaller amounts of cheese, yogurt and olive oil. Poultry, fish, and eggs are eaten weekly, and red meats are only eaten about once per month. Red wine is limited to once or twice a month .
Replace the fat you use now with olive oil. You probably don’t want to add more calories to you diet so use olive oil in place of butter, margarine and other salad dressing oils. Olive oil is good for cooking too.Eat vegetables — lots of vegetables. This idea just can’t be stressed enough. Every healthy diet includes lots of vegetables. Many people in the Mediterranean eat a pound of vegetables every day. Green and colorful vegetables are low in calories and high in antioxidants. Prepare Greek vegetarian dishes several times each week.Enjoy a little starch. Choose more whole-grains because whole grains are higher in fiber. Eat poultry and fish. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids that are good for your heart and your brain. Plus, fish is low in total fat and calories. Poultry and eggs are also acceptable protein sources. Bake or broil your fish or chicken Limit red meat consumption. Red meat has a lot of saturated fat that’s not good for your heart. Discover legumes and nuts. Legumes have lots of fiber, protein and nutrients and can be used in a main dish. Choose fava beans and other dry beans. Nuts such as almonds, walnuts and cashews make a delicious and healthy snack.
Gluten-Free Diet
Anyone who has had to follow a gluten-free diet has seen a huge change in the availability of these foods. What was once only found in specialty stores and known by very few people has now become a very popular diet trend. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and triticale. A gluten-free diet excludes all of these, along with anything that could have come in contact with them.
Celiac disease
Probably the most well-known disease that requires a gluten-free diet is celiac disease. Celiac disease is also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. The exact cause of celiac disease is not clear, but it known to have a genetic (inherited) component. Celiac disease affects approximately 1% of the population, but this may increase as there has been a rise in the incidence of celiac disease over the past decade.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, where the immune system starts attacking normal tissue, particularly the inner lining tissue of the small intestine, in response to eating gluten. The specific reaction that leads to inflammation is to proteins called prolamins found in certain grains; gliadin found in wheat, secalin found in rye, horedin found in barley, and for some avenin found in oats. Although only some react to the prolamins in oats, everyone who has celiac and lives in North America is instructed to avoid oats. This is due to the cross contamination caused by the crop being rotated and milled with wheat.
A gluten-free diet is not optional for people with celiac disease. It is considered a necessary medical nutrition therapy. When you have celiac disease your body reacts to gluten as if it were toxic. This reaction occurs in the small intestine and ends up damaging the inner lining of the small intestine (mucosal surface). When the mucosal surface is damaged the small intestine is not able to absorb nutrients properly leaving people at risk for nutritional deficiencies including protein, fat, iron, calcium, and fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). It can also result in anemia, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, vomiting, failure to thrive, osteoporosis, and delayed growth. When gluten is removed from the diet there are clinical improvements to the small intestines. Getting diagnosed as early as possible and sticking with a gluten-free diet is key to avoid intestinal damage and long-term consequences of lymphoma.
Vegetarian Diet
Vegetarian diets can meet all the recommendations for nutrients. The key is to consume a variety of foods and the right amount of foods to meet your calorie needs. Follow the food group recommendations for your age, sex, and activity level to get the right amount of food and the variety of foods needed for nutrient adequacy. Nutrients that vegetarians may need to focus on include protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12.
Nutrients to focus on for vegetarians:
Protein has many important functions in the body and is essential for growth and maintenance. Protein needs can easily be met by eating a variety of plant-based foods. Combining different protein sources in the same meal is not necessary. Sources of protein for vegetarians and vegans include beans, nuts, nut butters, peas, and soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers). Milk products and eggs are also good protein sources for lacto-ovo vegetarians.
Iron functions primarily as a carrier of oxygen in the blood. Iron sources for vegetarians and vegans include iron-fortified breakfast cereals, spinach, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, turnip greens, molasses, whole wheat breads, peas, and some dried fruits (dried apricots, prunes, raisins).
Calcium is used for building bones and teeth and in maintaining bone strength. Sources of calcium for vegetarians and vegans include calcium-fortified soymilk, calcium-fortified breakfast cereals and orange juice, tofu made with calcium sulfate, and some dark-green leafy vegetables (collard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, mustard greens). The amount of calcium that can be absorbed from these foods varies. Consuming enough plant foods to meet calcium needs may be unrealistic for many. Milk products are excellent calcium sources for lacto vegetarians. Calcium supplements are another potential source.
Zinc is necessary for many biochemical reactions and also helps the immune system function properly. Sources of zinc for vegetarians and vegans include many types of beans (white beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas), zinc-fortified breakfast cereals, wheat germ, and pumpkin seeds. Milk products are a zinc source for lacto vegetarians.
Vitamin B12 is found in animal products and some fortified foods. Sources of vitamin B12 for vegetarians include milk products, eggs, and foods that have been fortified with vitamin B12. These include breakfast cereals, soymilk, veggie burgers, and nutritional yeast.