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An OK addiction…..farmer’s market polyphenols!

An OK addiction…..farmer’s market polyphenols!

September 7, 2021
By Mary Lou Block RDN LMNT Have you frequented a farmer’s market this summer? It’s an addiction for me. I love the social, artistic, and intellectual stimulation of it all, but of all the things I love, real food is at the top of the list. I just can’t help myself when it comes to the rainbow of color and nutrient density of “fresh locally grown fare.” From bell peppers to sprouts, it’s addictive! Think polyphenols as you peruse the market tables of amber, crimson, magenta, lavender and green. They are big determiners of the color, flavor and health-promoting properties of the vegetables in...Read more

Move over Iceberg lettuce…make way for arugula!

Move over Iceberg lettuce…make way for arugula!

June 23, 2021
Move over Iceberg lettuce…make way for arugula! By Mary Lou Block RDN LMNT If you have been looking with suspicion at the narrow, jagged leaves of the salad-green labeled arugula, be suspicious no more. You will love the nutty and slightly peppery flavor of this power-packed salad leaf. Besides adding a great flavor to your lunch, it is loaded with health boosting nutrients. It’s not rocket science! Arugula is also known as “Rocket Lettuce” and Italian cress. It a cruciferous vegetable, a member of the brassica family. You know its relatives well: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts...Read more

The Mystery of Coconut Oil

The Mystery of Coconut Oil

May 3, 2021
By Mary Lou Block RDN LMNT More than macaroons Ever notice that coconut oil is everywhere these days? I don’t just mean in macaroons! From health food stores to your local grocer, you will find an abundant selection, not just of shredded coconut, but a sweet and versatile counterpart, coconut oil. For those of you familiar with long lists of saturated fat no, no’s, I am guessing you are scratching your head. You recall that coconut oil was definitely a NO, and now, it is considered a health food! So what changed? SF not bad. Coconut oil is 80-90% saturated fat. It first appeared on the “No”...Read more

Luck of the Irish to your health…..

Luck of the Irish to your health…..

March 2, 2021
Luck of the Irish to your health….. It’s March, and with March, comes St. Patrick’s Day, a true Irish holiday. Since, I am interested in your health, I might say something sassy this month like, “The luck of the Irish to your health!” It’s complimentary right? Maybe not… The expression, assumes the meaning of extreme good fortune , but history tells us a contrary story about this phrase. “Luck of the Irish”, birthed in America during the gold and silver rush days, described the many successful Irish miners. It actually carried an overtone of sarcasm, as if to say, Irish mining fortunes had...Read more

Oysters, Zinc and Coronavirus

Oysters, Zinc and Coronavirus

September 10, 2020
Oysters, Zinc and Corona Virus Boston felt like a long way from Nebraska, and oysters on the ½ shell didn’t make me feel any more at home! “Do people honestly eat them raw?” I queried to my Dietetic Internship roommate many years ago. My sole experience with oysters, up to this point in history, had been oyster soup at Christmas. I couldn’t, for the life of me, understand why someone would care to swallow a rubbery, uncooked version as an appetizer in downtown Boston, but I didn’t know then what I know now about oysters, zinc and corona virus. Oysters are packed with zinc. One of these raw...Read more

Build Your Immune System by Interacting with Microbes of Nature

Build Your Immune System by Interacting with Microbes of Nature

May 26, 2020
Build your immune system by interacting with the microbes of nature! In other words, get outside and play in the dirt. A terrific way to do this is with a garden, especially an immune-boosting-vitamin C-rich-garden. Here are some final Vitamin C garden recommendations. Cauliflower (51 mg/1 cup) : Who would guess that cauliflower is high in Vitamin C? I wouldn’t, but it too, has a decent amount of this vitamin. Think immune protection when you reach for this vegetable. Gardening Tip: It’s a bit late to plant these seeds, bedding plants are still available at Kennedy’s greenhouse. Cabbage ( 32...Read more

Have you planted any Vitamin C Lately?

Have you planted any Vitamin C Lately?

May 15, 2020
Have you planted any Vitamin C Lately? Actually, I am not talking about planting your supplements, I am talking about Vitamin C rich vegetables that you can plant in your garden this summer. In other words, citrus fruits are not the only food source of vitamin C, and the grocery store is not the only place to find it. A number of vegetables boast of great Vitamin C content! If you haven’t thought much about gardening this spring because everything is crazy, think again. Red peppers Peppers are hoarders of Vitamin C. When they are ripe (red) they possess ( 152 mg/medium ) three times the...Read more

Is boosting your immune system on your mind these days? Chances are, you say, “Yes!”

Is boosting your immune system on your mind these days? Chances are, you say, “Yes!”

May 11, 2020
Is boosting your immune system on your mind these days? Chances are, you say, “Yes!” Multiple things boost our immunity, but nutrition tops this list. The most popular of immune boosting nutrients is clearly Vitamin C, and as such, you would assume that we consume adequate amounts. However, research indicates that deficiency of this vitamin is relatively common in the US, being the fourth leading nutrient deficiency. Deficient in Vitamin C? We have very little storage capacity for Vitamin C, so we rely on a small but steady daily supply to meet our needs. To understand our Vitamin C well-...Read more

The Nail that Sticks Out gets Hammered Down

The Nail that Sticks Out gets Hammered Down

May 5, 2020
“The Nail That Sticks Out Gets Hammered Down” ( aka: Duck your head) By Mary Lou Block RDN LMNT “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down” is a Japanese proverb used to describe conformity in the Japanese culture. But in our present Covid Culture, it might be used as a poignant warning. That is, if you want to avoid Covid, now is a good time to duck your head! So I ask you, “Are you ducking your head by staying out of the grocery store these days? Or at least trying to limit the time you are in them?” Besides cooking scrappy , ordering on-line, or getting a curb-side delivery, try an...Read more

Are You Cooking Scrappy Yet?

Are You Cooking Scrappy Yet?

April 22, 2020
Are You Cooking Scrappy Yet? When our isolation experience began, cooking was an adventure, a bit like camping meals. In the beginning, camping meals are planned and delicious, but eventually this changes. Quantities of popular food items dwindle, menus adjust and the chef’s reputation weakens. Being in shut-down mode is not as much fun as camping, but camping ingenuity sets the stage for fun, even under the stress of Covid19. What do I mean? Our supplies may not be 50 miles away, but our experience bears similarities to camping, as the typical grocery store stroll gives way to computer...Read more

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