Fiber is the Future

In the world of nuts, pistachios are largely regarded as being the lowest-fat and calorie option per 1 oz serving. One ounce of pistachios equates to 49 kernels (more than any other 1 oz nut serving) and has 160 calories, 13 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber.

A new study presented this month at the Experimental Biology conference in Washington, DC demonstrated that pistachios might be even lower in fat and calories than previously thought.

In the experiment – conducted by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service – 16 healthy adults were fed pistachios as part of a controlled diet. The amount of energy they excreted during the study timeframe was calculated, and showed that the calories absorbed from a 1-oz (30 gram) serving was actually 5.9% less than previous calculations believed.

What does this mean? It indicates that fat from nuts – and in turn, the calories from that fat in those nuts – may not be so well absorbed in the GI tract, yielding a reduced caloric load.

It also means that you are probably going to see more of a push by the pistachio people to include nuts as part of a well-balanced diet for weight loss and weight management.

To learn more about pistachios, check out the Western Pistachio Association’s website at www.thegreennut.org.

Cassava – also known as manioc, yucca and tapioca, – is a staple feed plant for large swaths of the planet. According to the USDA, cassava ranks fourth among staple crops around the world.

Cassava is grown primarily in three regions:

• West Africa & Congo basin
• South America
• South and Southeast Asia

The root of bitter cassava is poisonous when consumed raw. Cooking destroys the poisonous hydrocyanic glucosides (HCN) in all parts of the plant.

Globally, the root is used for both human consumption and cattle feed. If prepared properly, the leaves can be eaten as well.

From a nutritional standpoint -  like most staple foods – cassava is a poor source of protein, but rich in calories from starch, and has a decent amount of B vitamins. One cup of raw cassava has just under 4 grams of dietary fiber.

While largely unknown to Western populations in developed countries, cassava production tops 160 million tons per year. There are a number of international bodies promoting the use of cassava, including the World Food Programme. Check out their Global Cassava Development strategy by clicking here.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Indonesia is getting on the cassava train as well, attempting to reposition a nation’s dependence on that other, slightly more popular staple grain: rice.

If you know grains – then you know bulgur. This whole grain packs a powerful nutrition punch: 4 grams of fiber in a 75-calorie 1/2 cup cooked serving.

Bulgur wheat (finely ground) is perhaps the easiest whole grain to make – the ratio is 1:1 – pour equal parts boiling water over bulgur, cover and let stand for 45 minutes. Fluff with a fork if you’re feeling feisty.

Once you have some cooked bulgur on hand, try this quick and easy bulgur salad:

• 1 cup cooked bulgur
• 1/4 cup chopped artichoke hearts
• 1/4 cup chopped, canned roasted red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs lime juice
• Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together, chill and serve.

Fact: Makes four 1/2 cup servings.

Opinion: Tastes even better on day 2!

Nutrition experts can never stop saying, “Eat more dark green leafy vegetables”. If you’re struggling to come up with a green beyond spinach, maybe it’s time you tried kale.

According to the CDC, kale was brought to the US in the 1600s by English settlers. It can grow in rather cold temperatures and is a great source of vitamins A and C. Two cups of raw kale – which cooks down to about 1/2 cooked kale – has 3 grams of fiber for just about 50 calories.

What do you do with kale? Use it as you would spinach, or try this quick and easy recipe for kale chips, compliments of cookbook author Marie Simmons:

Kale Chips

• Preheat oven to 400. Rinse kale thoroughly, pat dry and devein by slicing leaves off of the fibrous stem. Discard stems.
• Chop kale and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
• Spray broiler pan with nonstick spray and bake kale for 10-15 minutes – or until crispy.
• Enjoy your flaky kale chips that literally melt in your mouth!