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June 15, 2011
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Weekly Newsletter and Healthy Food Tip and Recipe.
Weekly Newsletter and Healthy Food Tip and Recipe.
healthy food tip and recipe
Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Add a South-of-the-Border variation to your Healthiest Way of Eating. This recipe is an excellent source of health-promoting powerful antioxidants that helps prevent damage to DNA and cellular structures caused by free radicals.
Calabacitas (Mexican-flavored vegetable side dish)
Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
Printer Friendly Version of Calabacitas (Mexican-flavored vegetable side dish)
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Calabacitas (Mexican-flavored vegetable side dish)
Healthy Food Tip
The enamel surface of our teeth is highly mineralized; the key mineral in our tooth enamel is called hydroxyapatite, and it's primarily a calcium- and phosphorus-containing crystal-like substance. The chemistry of citric acid and calcium is such that certain forms of each substance like to join together and form calcium citrate. This electrochemical fit between citric acid and calcium is the reason that fruits high in citric acid can erode the tooth enamel. Most of the studies on this subject have involved orange juice rather than lemon juice. The results with orange juice are sometimes mixed, but orange juice (with a pH between 3 and 4) is not as acidic as lemon juice (with a pH between 2 and 3). Still, for both citrus fruits, the principles behind tooth enamel erosion would be basically the same.
Some healthcare practitioners suggest drinking citrus fruits through a straw to avoid this possible damage to the tooth enamel. I don't have any problem with that suggestion. But what I would like to see (and have not seen) is research showing exactly how much lemon juice it takes to produce this possible erosion of the tooth enamel. I'd guess that a very small amount (for example, one-quarter of a teaspoon) in a full eight-ounce glass of water might not have enough acidity to pose a significant risk. Until I see that kind of research, however, I'd recommend any strong lemon juice consumption be done through a straw and that lemon water be made as dilute as possible, with just enough lemon juice to provide a delicious flavor but not enough to greatly upset the naturally neutral pH of pure water (7.0).
For more iniformation on this topic, see:
References:
Barbour ME, Parker DM, et al. Human Enamel Erosion in Constant Composition Citric Acid Solutions as a Function of Degree of Saturation with Respect to Hydroxyapatite. J. Oral Rehabil. 2005(1):16-21.
Rees J, Loyn T, and Gilmour A. Does Low Acid Orange Juice Equal Low Erosion? Dent Update. 2006;33(4):242-4.
West NX, Hughes JA, et al. Development of Low Lrosive Carbonated Fruit Drinks 2. Evaluation of an Experimental Carbonated Blackcurrant Drink Compared to a Conventional Carbonated Drink. J Dent. 2003;31(5):361-5.
Hunter ML, Hughes JA, Parker DM, et al. Development of Low Erosive Carbonated Fruit Drinks. 1. Evaluation of Two Experimental Orange Drinks in Vitro and in Situ. J Dent. 2003;31(4):253-60.
Oussama A, Touhami M, Mbarki M. In Vitro and in Vivo Study of Effect of Lemon Juice on Urinary Lithogenesis. Arch Esp Urol . 2005;58(10):1087-92.
Seltzer MA, Low RK, McDonald M, et al. Dietary Manipulation With Lemonade to Treat Hypocitraturic Calcium Nephrolithiasis. J Urol. 15 1996;6(3):907-9.
If you have any questions about today's Healthy Food Tip Ask George Your Question
How to Order The World's Healthiest Foods, Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating. See sample pages and find out how to place an order for our new book. The special offer of free shipping is still in effect. We are already getting wonderful feedback which we want to share with you, so we're posting it on the bottom of our home page. Enjoy the book and let us know how you like it. It is a pleasure to support your work by purchasing the World's Healthiest Foods book. I also purchased your pdf on Healthy Weight Loss some time ago. It is so enjoyable! And works! - Solange
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Add a South-of-the-Border variation to your Healthiest Way of Eating. This recipe is an excellent source of health-promoting powerful antioxidants that helps prevent damage to DNA and cellular structures caused by free radicals.
Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced thin
- 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups zucchini , diced into 1/2 -inch cubes
- 2 cups yellow squash, diced in 1-inch cubes
- 15 oz can (BPA free)diced tomatoes, drained
- 4 oz can (BPA free) of diced green chili
- 1 TBS + 3 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 3 TBS fresh chopped fresh oregano (or 1 TBS dried oregano)
- salt and black pepper to taste
- *Optional: drizzle with olive oil before serving
- Slice onion and chop garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
- Prepare all the vegetables.
- Heat 1 TBS broth in 11-12 inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onions in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add zucchini, yellow squash, remaining broth, green chili, and cook for another 3 minutes or so until vegetables are tender, stirring often. Add tomatoes and continue to cook for another couple of minutes.
- Stir in herbs, salt, and pepper.
Printer Friendly Version of Calabacitas (Mexican-flavored vegetable side dish)
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Calabacitas (Mexican-flavored vegetable side dish)
Healthy Food Tip
Does consuming too much lemon juice cause harm to tooth enamel?
Over time, it is definitely possible for regular consumption of lemon juice to erode part of the outside enamel layer of our teeth. Lemon juice is highly acidic, and it's especially high in one acid called citric acid. The enamel surface of our teeth is highly mineralized; the key mineral in our tooth enamel is called hydroxyapatite, and it's primarily a calcium- and phosphorus-containing crystal-like substance. The chemistry of citric acid and calcium is such that certain forms of each substance like to join together and form calcium citrate. This electrochemical fit between citric acid and calcium is the reason that fruits high in citric acid can erode the tooth enamel. Most of the studies on this subject have involved orange juice rather than lemon juice. The results with orange juice are sometimes mixed, but orange juice (with a pH between 3 and 4) is not as acidic as lemon juice (with a pH between 2 and 3). Still, for both citrus fruits, the principles behind tooth enamel erosion would be basically the same.
Some healthcare practitioners suggest drinking citrus fruits through a straw to avoid this possible damage to the tooth enamel. I don't have any problem with that suggestion. But what I would like to see (and have not seen) is research showing exactly how much lemon juice it takes to produce this possible erosion of the tooth enamel. I'd guess that a very small amount (for example, one-quarter of a teaspoon) in a full eight-ounce glass of water might not have enough acidity to pose a significant risk. Until I see that kind of research, however, I'd recommend any strong lemon juice consumption be done through a straw and that lemon water be made as dilute as possible, with just enough lemon juice to provide a delicious flavor but not enough to greatly upset the naturally neutral pH of pure water (7.0).
For more iniformation on this topic, see:
References:
Barbour ME, Parker DM, et al. Human Enamel Erosion in Constant Composition Citric Acid Solutions as a Function of Degree of Saturation with Respect to Hydroxyapatite. J. Oral Rehabil. 2005(1):16-21.
Rees J, Loyn T, and Gilmour A. Does Low Acid Orange Juice Equal Low Erosion? Dent Update. 2006;33(4):242-4.
West NX, Hughes JA, et al. Development of Low Lrosive Carbonated Fruit Drinks 2. Evaluation of an Experimental Carbonated Blackcurrant Drink Compared to a Conventional Carbonated Drink. J Dent. 2003;31(5):361-5.
Hunter ML, Hughes JA, Parker DM, et al. Development of Low Erosive Carbonated Fruit Drinks. 1. Evaluation of Two Experimental Orange Drinks in Vitro and in Situ. J Dent. 2003;31(4):253-60.
Oussama A, Touhami M, Mbarki M. In Vitro and in Vivo Study of Effect of Lemon Juice on Urinary Lithogenesis. Arch Esp Urol . 2005;58(10):1087-92.
Seltzer MA, Low RK, McDonald M, et al. Dietary Manipulation With Lemonade to Treat Hypocitraturic Calcium Nephrolithiasis. J Urol. 15 1996;6(3):907-9.
If you have any questions about today's Healthy Food Tip Ask George Your Question
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Is it ok to drink water in plastic bottles? How to Order The World's Healthiest Foods, Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating. See sample pages and find out how to place an order for our new book. The special offer of free shipping is still in effect. We are already getting wonderful feedback which we want to share with you, so we're posting it on the bottom of our home page. Enjoy the book and let us know how you like it. It is a pleasure to support your work by purchasing the World's Healthiest Foods book. I also purchased your pdf on Healthy Weight Loss some time ago. It is so enjoyable! And works! - Solange Copyright © 2011 The George Mateljan Foundation, All Rights Reserved
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