Sustainable Seafood: Salmon

Last week Target announced that they would no longer be selling farmed salmon in any stores nationwide. Their press release stated:

"All salmon sold under Target owned brands will now be wild-caught Alaskan salmon. Additionally, sushi featuring farm-raised salmon will complete its transition to wild-caught salmon by the end of 2010. In consultation with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Target is taking this important step to ensure that its salmon offerings are sourced in a sustainable way that helps to preserve abundance, species health and doesn’t harm local habitats."

As well as being a more environmentally-friendly move, Target's wild-only policy is also one that will benefit the health of their customers (or at least the ones who purchase salmon).

Farmed salmon bring about several issues starting with what they eat. While he focuses more on cattle and chickens in Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan briefly mentions that on some fish farms, they're trying to teach fish to eat corn because it's cheaper and more accessible feed. Salmon are carnivores. And when fish don't eat their natural diet, their Omega-3 levels (the good fat) are lower.

They also need to be fed antibiotics when farmed, partially due to being in a condensed space with so many other fish where disease can rapidly spread. A 2009 report in the New York Times actually cited that Chile (the largest supplier of farmed salmon to the U.S.) gives hundreds of times more antibiotics to their fish than Norway (the world's leading farmed salmon supplier).

Farmed salmon is dyed to look as pink as their wild kin. Wild salmon get their color from eating krill and tiny shellfish. To top it off several studies have found PCB contaminants in farmed salmon to be up to ten times that of wild salmon. And you could gather, fish penned in a small area don't build up or use much muscle so that affects their flavor as well. They're just fatty (bad fatty).

Salmon (wild) is high in protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D. Omega-3s help reduce inflammation and are heart-healthy.You can read more about what Omega-3s are and what they can do here (World's Healthiest Foods) or here (WebMD).

For a long time I didn't like eating fish. I especially didn't like the way they smelled. I can't remember what finally inspired me to give it a go, but I tried salmon. And it was good. I've found many people who don't like several other types of fish still like salmon. It can be baked or grilled and seasoned many different ways. It shouldn't be too difficult to find a way of preparing it that fits your dietary preferences.

The full Target press can be found here.
The article about Chilean-farmed salmon antibiotic levels can be found here.

Agave Nectar - A Refined Sugar Alternative

I've heard of agave nectar before but I really became familiar with this natural sugar alternative while trying out recipes from BabyCakes: Vegan, (Mostly) Gluten-Free, and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York's Most Talked-About Bakery.

Agave nectar comes from the agave plant. The consistency looks a bit like honey but it isn't as thick and its color ranges from light to dark amber (dependent on natural mineral filtration). The darker the color, the more of a taste it has on its own (which is sort of maple-like when you get to the darkest nectar). Since it's lower on the glycemic index than refined sugar (about 32 where as table sugar is around 64), it can be suitable for diabetics. So in addition to making things taste just as great, it doesn't lead to a huge spike in your blood sugar levels. That means you can avoid the cruddy feeling you're often left with when you crash from the regular sugar rush. And since agave nectar includes simple sugars, it's very easy for your body to break down and use.

It's gluten-free, organic, and not refined. You can bake with it or mix it into a smoothie/cup of tea or just drizzle on top of whatever you want to sweeten. Madhava and other purveyors of this fabulous nectar claim it has 1.4 times the sweetening power of white sugar so you don't have to use as much of it (which can also translate to less calories). I have a couple of large bottles that I ordered off Amazon and I use it whenever I can to replace refined sugar in recipes.

I've had good experiences with Madhava's products. In addition to the light and darker amber nectars they also have flavored ones that include maple, hazelnut, vanilla, and raspberry to name a few - although I don't have any personal experience with the flavored ones. I've also tried Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Blue Agave, which is also good. And while the price tag has kept me away, I've been intrigued by FunFresh's Chocolate Agave Gourmet Dipping Nectar. Should I ever splurge on that one, I'll provide an update.

No matter what brand of agave nectar you try, just make sure there are no added ingredients like corn syrup. If there is no ingredient list on the bottle, that should mean it's a pure food product and so you don't have to worry about additives. Corn syrup is a filler and sort of defeats the point of going with agave.

Of course skipping a sweetener whenever possible is probably a better route but when I do come across a call for sugar I can control, I prefer the agave.

Watching Out for Caffeine

There are several foods (or maybe food-like substances would be more appropriate) that I ate when I was younger that now I find completely unappealing. While I wouldn't quite call the large amounts of caffeine I've consumed gross... well I just prefer not to have so much nowadays. I'm not a huge fan of its effects.

So that's why WebMD's article "Caffeine Shockers: Products Surprisingly High in Caffeine" caught my attention. Of course we know there's caffeine in coffee, coffee-flavored products, and energy drinks. But the author was surprised (as am I) by how many products commonly known to include higher amounts of caffeine don't list how much they contain. It reminded me that caffeine seems to be something we just take as an absolute - it's included in a product or it isn't. We don't tend to think about quantity.

In general, 25-50 milligrams of caffeine is sufficient for most people to report increased alertness and arousal as well as subjectively lower levels of fatigue.1 According to the article, a 6oz cup of coffee usually has 80-150mg and over-the-counter pain relievers usually have 56-120mg. Chocolate and some teas are sources of caffeine as well. But if the caffeine is naturally-occurring, you probably won't see it on the label.

There is such a thing as caffeine intoxication though. Dependent on your size and current tolerance to caffeine, an acute caffeine overdose is around 100-300mg or more. It's recognized by the APA (American Psychiatric Association) who lists symptoms that include: restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, flushing of the face, increased urination, gastrointestinal disturbance, and irritability. 1,000mg plus can lead to twitching and abnormal electrical activity in the heart.

You can also build up a tolerance to caffeine and that means you won't be experiencing what some consider to be the positive effects - such as feeling more awake. And withdrawal can include headaches and irritability.

I think people also tend to think: "decaffeinated/decaf" = "no caffeine". It really means there's a whole lot less than the non-decaf but it's still there. There's also guarana, a herb containing caffeine, that when people see it they think "natural and probably good for you" instead of "another source of caffeine".

So the amount of caffeine consumed per day is something to consider in regards to your well-feeling. And staying away from caffeine, especially the larger sources of it, in the evening can be a help in sleeping better too. Being informed lets you take action.

To see the WebMD article "Caffeine Shockers" list of caffeine-containing drinks, click here.
There's also a list of drink caffeine content here.

1 Rasmussen, JL; Gallino, M (1997). "Effects of caffeine on subjective reports of fatigue and arousal during mentally demanding activities". European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

Vegetable Latkes

I can't remember exactly what prompted it, but several days ago my significant other had a desire to make potato pancakes/latkes from scratch. So we swept through a few favorite recipe websites and landed on the gem that is vegetable latkes over at epicurious.com.

The recipe called for parsnip, potato, and carrot - all shredded. My wonderfully stubborn significant other did that all by hand using a 4-sided grater. In the future, I'd suggest using a mandoline or julienne shredder. Something automated might be faster but I feel like this recipe calls for ripping apart your vegetables with hand-involvement. It's a decent workout. :)

While vegetable latkes up the healthy factor over all-potato ones, we upped the ante a bit further with two substitutions. Instead of any all-purpose flour, we used an unbleached one. And instead of vegetable oil, we used olive oil. Vegans could also use an egg-substitute; it just needs to act as a binder.

The recipe claimed it made 6 latkes. Since we were feeding 4 people, we decided to double the recipe. We ended up with somewhere in the neighborhood of 24. The 6 the recipe claimed to make must have been mega-huge. The good news is the vegetable latkes were delicious, so we didn't mind eating them for days. They can be eaten plain or topped with sugar-free apple sauce.

Next time I make these I'd like to try it with a gluten-free baking flour or rice flour and either a commercial egg replacer, bananas, or sugar-free apple sauce instead of the eggs.

So here's the slightly altered version of the recipe found here that I made:

1 large parsnip, peeled and shredded
2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and shredded
2 large carrots, peeled and shredded
1 onion, chopped
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil

1. In a colander, rinse the parsnip and potatoes under cold water. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels; transfer to a mixing bowl.
2. Add the carrots, onion, flour, baking powder, eggs, salt, and pepper and then attempt to stir.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Drop in large spoonfuls of the batter, flattening each with the back of the spoon. Cook, turning once, until brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Transfer the latkes to a foil–lined baking sheet in a 200°F oven until serving.

A Tale of Two Theories

The public is constantly fed (no pun intended) different ideas about what's healthy for you and what's not. That would be great if it was really that simple but unfortunately, as with everything, there seems to be two sides to every story. For example, see the differences below between the following websites:

gotmilk.com:

Health Benefits - For Help with Strong Bones

- Drinking three glasses of milk a day may significantly reduce your risk of bone disease and fractures. Consuming milk later in life may slow the rate of bone loss and help maintain bone density.

- Do you think drinking calcium-fortified beverages, like soy drinks and orange juice, will meet your bones' requirements? Not really, says research that concluded 75% of calcium added to popular beverages gets left at the bottom of the carton. Milk remains the best way to get your daily bone-building dose of calcium.

notmilk.com:

Bone Disease

- "Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, were associated with an increased risk of hip fractures... metabolism of dietary protein causes increased urinary excretion of calcium." American Journal of Epidemiology 1994;139

- A 1994 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Remer T, Am J Clin Nutr 1994;59:1356-61) found that animal proteins cause calcium to be leached from the bones and excreted in the urine.

Two different websites; two completely different stories. How on earth are people supposed to know which is right?

Personally, I believe a diet consisting mainly of plants with minimal animal protein is the way to go. However, if my body absorbed plant protein properly, then perhaps my answer would eliminate animal protein entirely. But that's the key, isn't it? Everybody's different - every body's different. What's important is doing what feels best with your body. With that being said though, here's a penny for your thoughts.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. -Jiddu Krishnamurti."

Sure, some people can eat a McDonald's breakfast sandwich every morning for breakfast and not have immediate stomach issues though the long-term effects have yet to be seen. But chances are, if you think it's unhealthy, it probably is. Someone once told me that they eat a breakfast sandwich every morning because if they don't, they get hungry earlier in the day whereas the days they eat a McGriddle, they can go past lunchtime before getting hungry. If you're eating something that leaves grease residue on the plate/napkin, I don't care what you're eating, it's not good for you... even if it is fried green beans (though they are Delicious - I can in no way argue that they are healthy).

Two Theories:

1. I don't believe milk or large amounts of animal protein are either good or necessary for healthy living.

2. Others think that since the majority of doctors promote milk and white meat (I doubt many promote red), they can't all be wrong. Not to mention, most doctors/degrees specializing in Vegetarian/Vegan diets are not accredited or backed by the government. ...My question is, if the majority of doctors in America promote this 'correct' diet, then why are the majority of Americans so unhealthy and overweight?

Kay's take: Dairy has never been a good friend to me so I've always been wary of milk. And I've thought about how weird it is that we're the only mammals who drink the milk of another mammal. That stuff is meant for baby cows! Human mothers produce milk for babies and then the production later stops. It seems like there's probably some sort of ecological reason for that. (Further research tells me when we leave the baby stage, humans produce less lactase in their small intestines. Lactase is an enzyme that helps break down the lactose in milk.)


There are alternatives though, like soy and rice. I recommend almond milk although I mainly use mine for cooking and in smoothies. It's vegan and gluten-free, lacks casein and lactose, and has a fair amount of magnesium and potassium.

New Year - New Resolutions

January 6^th... 6 days into my New Year’s resolutions and still going strong – it isn't much, but it’s probably farther than I’ve ever gotten in the past. Let’s recap those resolutions for a moment:

1. 21 Day Minimum Vegan + Grilled Chicken Plan (let's call it VCP)

2. Intensify my workout frequency

As mentioned in my introduction, the past couple months have been a glitch in my usual attempts to eat healthy. After adding meat protein back into my diet after an iron deficiency, I began to add back other food as well. This food, however, was completely unnecessary and served no purpose except gluttony: cheese, desserts, junk food, etc.

Appropriately, all of my poor eating habits culminated on the eve of the New Year and I was violently ill within my first hours of 2010. Yes, there is no doubt, it was in part due to the delicious and plentiful Jell-o shots (and the fact that I don’t eat Jell-o). However, Jell-o was not the only culprit. At the party, there was nothing that I would have eaten between the summer of 06 and the summer of 09. But I had been eating crap since then, so why not stock up now? Long story short, that horrific night made it much easier to begin my healthy eating the morning of January 1^st.

Since then, I have not strayed from the VCP. It hasn't been that difficult but the true test comes with temptation. If you don't buy it, it's not in your house, you won't eat it. Solid Plan. Outside of your house, that's just up to fate and will. I encountered my first true test at work on Monday, 1/4. Some unknown person, let's just call them 'Lucifer', brought homemade cookies into the kitchen and left them on the counter to share. I definitely saw some peanut butter & chocolate as well as the Hershey-kiss-in-the-middle cookies…My favorites. I'm proud to say that I walked along by. My sister, however, snarfed one down gleefully. Then, today at work, catering came and delivered box lunches. I chose the hummus club, which was fantastic. I only eat approximately 4-5 servings of chicken per week so hummus is a great help in getting adequate protein. Not only that, it is also high in iron which is critical to help the oxygen flow in the body. The only problem with the sandwich was that it came with a delectable-looking cookie. It is currently in the garbage (yes, in its entirety). Success.

On Sunday, January 3rd, I returned home after my NYE weekend away. January 4^th jumpstarted my gym plan. If I do not go to the gym in the morning, the concept is lost on me for the rest of the day. Ergo, I wake up at about 5:00 every morning to make it to the gym and still get into work early, just how I like it. Additional bonus – when you get to the gym at 5:00, you’re running with the dedicated (and unpopulated) crowd. It can be very motivating. So far this week goes as follows:

Monday: Spinning: 60 minutes

Tuesday: Elliptical: 40 minutes

Wednesday: Bike: 50 minutes

My focus has remained on cardio but tomorrow, I battle my metabolism-lifting nemesis: Weight Training. It isn't the free weights, machines, or reps that I dislike. It is the unfamiliarity with many of the weight machines and the 'I can curl 100 lbs in my sleep' dudes that take up the free weights area. Thank goodness for headphones and audio books that can distract me from my surroundings. Dan Brown, here I come.

Memo to My Health: What and Why Part II

I constantly find myself fascinated with the human body and how it works/feels when given the proper nutrients and exercise. My continuous amazement and promotion of well-being drive me to read countless books and try different ways to incorporate healthy eating and exercise into my daily life.

Unfortunately, the past couple of months have been a pitfall in my attempted clean-record of health. With the new year beginning and my drive re-inspired, this blog will not only help keep me on track, but also help share my enthusiasm and let it grow.

Today, I start the 21 Day Vegan Kickstart Program (+ grilled chicken as my body needs additional iron). Monday, I hit the gym for the first time since November and I'm ready to get my butt kicked.

Here's to a new year - and ongoing lifestyle - filled with exceptional health and well-being!

Memo to my Health: What and Why

Well-feeling is as important to me as well-being. I'm on a quest for both. So here is where I'll share my attempts at living healthy - lessons learned, recipes tried, and other assorted experiences. My goal is to find what works for me, what leaves me energized and refreshed throughout the day. And hopefully, in sharing, others will see something they can incorporate into their lives too.

I've had a good start and learned quite a few things over the past couple of years. My digestive system's been a little sensitive to some things all my life and some are new developments. And I'm learning what I can to figure out which ingredients can leave me feeling like crud regardless of any digestive sensitivities.


I also know what you eat isn't the only key to well-feeling. Exercise and other green living-type practices can play a role too.


So here we go.

And by we I mean my friend Elle and I. I've asked Elle to join me in this endeavor not only for a different perspective, but because I'm always learning new things from her and I hope you do too.