Nutrition News by Charlyn Fargo

Tired of hearing about what foods you shouldn't be eating? Registered Dietitian David Grotto has a book for you: "The Best Things You Can Eat: For Everything from Aches to Zzzz, the Definitive guide to the Nutrition-Packed Foods that Energize, Heal and Help You Look Great.

Yep, food can really do all that. He offers lists of foods and their benefits, from vital nutrients to the best foods for whatever ails you. He also highlights the most nutritious offerings in each food group.

"The idea for this started when I looked for a list of high potassium foods for a client," said Grotto of Chicago. "I thought no problem, but when I started looking, I found the No. 1 food in potassium was a cup of tomato paste. The second highest was 3/4 cup of frozen orange juice concentrate. That's not typically how we eat."

He took the information and filtered it into consumer friendly portions based on the new My Plate.

"I let the science of food speak for itself," said Grotto.

He found a few surprises: Did you know liver is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat if you are iron deficient and one of the best absorbed?

While the book doesn't offer recipes, it points readers in the right direction with sound reasoning behind good food choices.

Here are a few foods that offer a lot:

1. Guava Fruit: Studies indicate that guava fruit increases apoptosis (programmed cell death) and prevents the spread of malignant cells, sending the message to cancer cells that their days are numbered.

2. Apples or Applesauce: The fiber in apples helps move offending foods through the digestive track and are an excellent source of plant nutrients called polyphonols that help protect the inside lining of the inside of the stomach.

3. Almonds: Almonds are an excellent source of protein, manganese, vitamin E, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus and copper. When a regular part of the diet, almonds have been known to significantly reduce blood pressure.

4. Ginger: Ginger is loaded with powerful antioxidants that are all effective anti-inflammatories. Daily consumption of ginger has been linked to pain relief.

Q and A

Q: Do recommendations to avoid processed meat in order to help prevent cancer refer to ground turkey, chicken and beef?

A: Although grinding meat or poultry is a form of processing, the link between processed meat and colorectal cancer does not refer to fresh meat ground up for burgers or casseroles. The types of processed meat that studies convincingly link to colorectal cancer risk include meat and poultry that is smoked, salted, cured or contains added preservatives (such as nitrites).

Processed meat refers to choices such as bacon, sausage, ham, hot dogs and bologna. In addition to its link to colon cancer, processed meat is often high in sodium, increasing risk of high blood pressure, and it is also linked to risk of Type 2 diabetes. You don't need to be as cautious with fresh ground meat. However, fresh red meat —beef, lamb and pork — whether it is solid (like a steak or roast) or ground (like meatloaf or hamburger) is linked to colorectal cancer risk when consumed in amounts beyond 18 ounces per week. You don't want to exceed that amount, even getting the extra lean version, because red meat's heme iron content is what seems to pose the risk. If you're eating ground meat beyond 18 ounces per week, switch some or all of it to lean (7 percent fat or less) ground turkey or ground chicken.

Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

RECIPE

This recipe for Chicken, Potato, and Leek Potpie is from the Best of Cooking Light 2013. It makes a great, healthy weeknight meal while winter lingers.

Chicken, Potato and Leek Potpie

1 slice smoked bacon, chopped

1 1/2 cups cubed red potato (about 8 ounces)

1 cup chopped carrot

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups sliced leek (about 2 leeks)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

1/2 (14.1 ounce) package refrigerated pie dough

1 tablespoon fat-free milk

1 large egg white

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until almost crisp, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high. Add potato and carrot; saute 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken to pan; saute 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in flour and next 3 ingredients (through pepper); saute 1 minute, stirring frequently. Slowly add broth to pan, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring. Spoon 1 3/4 cups mixture into each of 6 (8-ounce) ramekins. Cut dough into 6 (4-inch) circles (reroll scraps if necessary). Place over ramekins, folding under and pressing down on edges to seal. Combine milk and egg white; brush over dough. Cut small slits in dough to vent. Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes. Serves six.

Per serving: 298 calories, 18 g protein, 31 g carbohydrate, 11.9 g fat, 62 mg cholesterol, 2.2 g fiber, 561 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian from Springfield, Ill. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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