Why I Eat Tofu

 by Francine

photo via whitesagelanding.net

Not that you asked, but I'll tell you.

Tofu is easy to digest. The fiber has been removed and there it is--the off-white creamy block of stuff that willingly and easily picks up its surrounding flavors.

Most soy-foods, including tofu, help to reduce cholesterol. How? By helping to maintain the level of good HDL It does this by lowering the levels of bad LDL cholesterol. Tofu even helps to absorb the cholesterol you've ingested from other foods!

Tofu is rich in isoflavones, which reduce the risk of osteoporosis (the B-vitamins in tofu contribute to this too), breast cancer (and for men--prostrate cancer).

And then of course there's the lazy factor. When I get home from work, I can easily mash it, slice and saute it, cube it and throw it into a stir-fry. No big deal. As much as I love to eat and enjoy preparing 'semi' lavish meals, usually when I get home from work--I just want to EAT, sip a glass of wine, and relax. A bit of tofu takes care of the protein element and gives me something to work with--quick and easy. Tofu goes SO well with vegetables of all kinds. And remember you can mix it with other (more expensive proteins). I love to make a stir-fry with shrimp or chicken as well as tofu.

And let's not forget the price tag. Compared to other proteins, tofu is ridiculously inexpensive. And a little bit goes a long way. Meaning that all you need is a small amount to fulfill your protein requirement for a meal.

If you don't use up the package (i.e. if you're cooking just for you), be sure to put the unused portion in a container and cover the tofu with fresh cold water. If you don't use the leftover tofu the next day, replace the water. You can do this a few days. But I recommend not letting tofu (unpacked) sit in your refrigerator for longer than two or three days. After that, the texture starts to change. It can get a bit slimy and the color starts to yellow. And of course the taste starts to change. . .

Resources:

squido.com

What do onions, prebiotics, and HDLs have in common?

by Francine

photo via msnsymbols.com

We keep on hearing about HDLs and LDLs. I used to get them mixed up as to which was good and which was bad. Now I remember easily because I associate the good lipoproteins with the word "high" and the bad ones with "low"--as in feeling high or feeling low.

According to an article on Body Ecology

• HDL (high density lipoprotein) is known as the"good" cholesterol because it can remove cholesterol from your arteries and take it back to your liver to be processed.
• The higher your HDL levels, the lower your risk for heart disease.
• LDL (low density lipoprotein) is commonly called the "bad" cholesterol and is a good indicator of your risk for fatal heart attacks, stroke, and heart disease. Low LDL cholesterol levels are desirable to prevent disease.

Now as you know, doctors are paying more attention to HDL levels these days than they used to. A high count here can compensate for an overall high count of cholesterol.

And interestingly enough, prebiotics play an important role. Prebiotics are indigestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and maintenance of beneficial gut microbiota. 


According to priog.org, here are the top food sources of prebiotics (keep in mind these are percentages found in the item per gram--meaning you'd have to have a ton of some of these to get the desirable amount of daily prebiotics into your system. To put it in perspective--eating over a pound of bananas?? Don't think so. This is why many people choose to take a prebiotic-rich supplement.):

1. Raw Chicory root: 64.6% prebiotic fiber by weight
2. Raw Jerusalem artichoke: 31.5% prebiotics by weight
          (NOTE: Jerusalem artichoke is NOT the common green globe artichoke)
3. Raw Dandelion greens: 24.3% prebiotic fiber by weight
4. Raw Garlic: 17.5% prebiotics by weight
5. Raw Leek: 11.7% prebiotic fiber by weight
6. Raw Onion: 8.6% prebiotics by weight
7. Cooked Onion: 5% prebiotic fiber by weight
8. Raw Asparagus: 5% prebiotics by weight
9. Raw Wheat bran: 5% prebiotic fiber by weight
10. Whole Wheat flour, baked: 4.8% prebiotics by weight
11. Raw Banana: 1% prebiotic fiber by weight.

Prebiotics is just one of many ways to improve your heart health through raising your HDLs. According to the Mayo Clinic, some of the most beneficial foods are:

• Whole grains, such as oatmeal, oat bran and whole-wheat products
• Nuts, such as walnuts, almonds and brazil nuts
• Plant sterols such as beta-sitosterol and -sitostanol (typically found in margarine spreads such as Promise activ or Benecol)
• Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish, fish oil supplements, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil

In addition, the Mayo diet includes the recommendation to eat healthier fats: "Avoid foods that contain saturated and trans fats, which raise LDL cholesterol and damage your blood vessels." 25 - 35% of your total daily calories can come from fat, but only 7% from saturated fat. "Nuts, fish and other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids are other good choices for improving your LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio."

And of course tofu. . . According to http://www.livestrong.com: "Not only are you reducing your intake of saturated fat, which is known to increase LDL and lower HDL, but soy is also rich in heart-healthy fats, including both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. A cup of tofu provides more than 4 g of monounsaturated fat and more than 12 g of polyunsaturated fat."

Sources:
Mark's Daily Apple
Body Ecology
priog.org
Mayo Clinic
livestrong.com