Grape and Arugula Salad - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
This easy-to-prepare salad recipe makes a wonderful accompaniment to almost any meal.

Grape and Arugula Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 cup seedless green grapes
• 4 cups arugula
• 3 oz gorgonzola cheese
• 2 TBS thinly sliced fresh fennel
• Dressing
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash and dry grapes, arugula, and fennel in a salad spinner if you have one. Otherwise dry with paper towels so dressing is not diluted.
2. Arrange on plate with cheese and drizzle with dressing. Finish off with cracked black pepper.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Grape and Arugula Salad
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Grape and Arugula Salad
Healthy Food Tip

What does GMO mean?

"GMO" stands for "Genetically Modified Organisms," and in the case of food, it usually refers to foods that have been genetically engineered for reasons unrelated to health or nourishment. You may also see the term "GE foods" (which stands for "genetically engineered" foods) or terms like "genetically altered" or "genetically modified" or "genetically improved" to describe these foods.
The process of genetically modifying foods is relatively new to the world of agriculture. In 1994, no GE food crops had been planted in the United States. Today, more than 165 million acres are planted each year. The Center for Food Safety, a non-profit public interest and environmental advocacy group headquartered in Washington, D.C., estimates that 70-75% of all grocery store products contain at least one genetically modified ingredient. You have almost certainly already consumed many GE foods, whether you knew it or not.

Uncertain health risks with GE foods

The health risks associated with GE foods have not been clearly identified. Given their meteoric rise within the food supply, little research has been done to determine their potential health risks. Since genes are the blueprint for making proteins, GE foods by definition contain novel proteins that were not present in the food prior to its genetic modification. Since proteins are often the basis for an allergic food reaction (our immune system will sometimes make antibodies to help neutralize proteins that are interpreted as being potentially dangerous to our health), many scientists have speculated that novel proteins in GE foods may cause these foods to trigger allergic reactions more frequently than their non-GE counterparts. Additionally, some scientists believe that the altered genetic and protein composition of GE foods may present problems for various regulatory systems in the body - including the immune and inflammatory system - and may cause disruption in cell si gnaling or in digestive tract function.

GE soybeans, GE corn, and GE sugar beets are of special concern

According to 2010 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, just over 90% of all U.S. soybeans, 90% of U.S. sugar beets, and 85% of U.S. corn crops are genetically modified. (Because many foods contain cottonseed oil, it's also worth noting that 90% of U.S. cotton crops are also genetically engineered.) This very high percentage of genetic engineering in the production of corn, soybeans and sugar beets greatly increases exposure to GE foods among U.S. consumers since processed components from these foods are found in so many processed and prepackaged products.
For corn, of course, the most common processing product is HFCS, or high fructose corn syrup. This product is found in literally thousands of processed foods, including sodas, baked goods, and many other foods. Other processed food ingredients that often come from corn include corn syrup, corn syrup solids, malt, maltodextrin, maltose, maltol, ethyl maltol, malt syrup, mannitol, dextrose, dextrin, and polydextrose. Of course, corn starch, corn flour, and corn oil are also corn-based ingredients. When produced in the U.S., all of the above ingredients are likely to have originated from genetically engineered corn, unless specifically certified as organic. (Genetic engineering is not allowed in the production of certified organic foods or food ingredients.)
As one of the most common GE foods in the U.S., soybeans can be even more difficult than corn to identify in processed and prepackaged foods. The list of processed food ingredients derived from soybeans is a long one and includes: hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), textured vegetable protein (TVP), textured soy protein (TSP), textured soy flour (TSF), lecithin, meat analogs, isolated soy protein, isolated vegetable protein, soy protein concentrate, and structured protein fiber (SPF). Of course, soy bran, soy fiber, soy nuts, soy oil, soy sauce, soy grits, soy meal are also made from soybeans. When produced in the U.S., all of the above ingredients are likely to have originated from genetically engineered soybeans, unless specifically certified as organic. (Genetic engineering is not allowed in the production of certified organic foods or food ingredients.)
While the rise in genetic engineering of soybeans and corn has been relatively steady over the past 10 years, the rise in genetic engineering of sugar beets has been much sharper and more recent. Sugar beets currently supply approximately half of the processed sugar added to prepackaged foods in the U.S., and the vast majority of sugar beet seeds sold in the U.S. are genetically engineered seeds. Beet sugar is found in a wide variety of different processed foods, including cereals, baked goods, beverages, cereals, and candies. Chocolates are also sometimes sweetened with beet sugar. When produced in the U.S., beet sugar that is listed in the ingredients of any product above is likely to have originated from genetically engineered sugar beets, unless specifically certified as organic. (Genetic engineering is not allowed in the production of certified organic foods or food ingredients.)

Organic will help you avoid GE foods

Since the U.S. National Organics Program forbids the use of genetic modification in foods to be certified as organic, purchasing organic is a great way to lower your exposure to GE foods.

"Non-GMO" or ""GMO-free" on food labels

Unfortunately, no mandatory labeling laws for GE foods exist in the United States, even though England, France, Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland, China, Indonesia, and over 25 other countries require labeling of GE foods. (Certain GE food crops are actually banned in some countries, including England, Japan, Brazil, Norway, India, and Thailand). In the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has generally discouraged the use of terms like "GMO-free" or "non-GMO" on food labels and has expressed concern about these terms as being misleading. From the FDA's perspective, any statement that implies superiority of a "GMO-free" food is misleading because they note that there is no scientific evidence to support any increased health risks associated with GE foods. While we agree that scientific studies are sadly lacking in this area, we also believe that GE foods can logically be expected to bring with them added health risks, and we would like to see all GE f oods and non-GE foods clearly labeled for this reason. However, until such labeling is widely adopted, the only practical way to lower GMO risks is to select certified organic foods.

References

Center for Food Safety. (2008). Genetically engineered food. Campaign report available online at: http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/campaign/genetically-engineered-food/crops/
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). (2001). Guidance for Industry: Voluntary Labeling Indicating Whether Foods Have or Have Not Been Developed Using Bioengineering; Draft Guidance. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Silver Spring, MD.
Economic Research Service. (2011). Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S. National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Data Set, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Fernandez-Cornejo J and Caswell M. (2006). The First Decade of Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States. U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, Economic Information Bulletin No. (EIB-11) 36pp. Available online at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB11/.
Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. (2004). Genetically Modified Crops in the United States. Pew Charitable Trusts, Washington, D.C. Available online at: http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=17950

I wanted to share below article with you......

The 5 Worst Items at Fast Food Restaurants – March 2013

MARCH 2013 Dear FitDay Readers, Achieving real permanent weight loss isn't done through starvation or fad diets, it's accomplished by making smart choices. At FitDay, we understand that you may occasionally wander into a restaurant that's better known for fried food than healthy eating. However, the key to sticking with your weight loss goals is to be aware of the menu and order smartly. That's why we've put together a series of articles examining some of America's most popular restaurants, like McDonald's, Taco Bell and Wendy's. Not only do we point out what you shouldn't eat, but what the healthier alternatives are. And if you're struggling to make the right choices, our FitDay Dietitians are here to help. If you sign up now, you can get your first week for free! FEATURED ARTICLES The Five Worst Things on McDonald's Menu You already know that McDonald's has plenty of food you should avoid. But which five items make our list of biggest offenders? Read More The Five Worst Items on Taco Bell's Menu One of the worst items on the menu is 970 calories, 520 of which are from fat. Which one do you think it is? Read More The Five Worst Things You Can Eat at Wendy's If you ever have a craving for Wendy's, read up on these five items. After you see the calorie count, you may just lose your appetite. Read More What Have You Eaten Today? Have you logged food for the day? Log in now and track your daily calories. MORE ARTICLES The 5 Worst Items at Olive Garden The 5 Worst Items at Outback Steakhouse The 5 Worst Items at Applebee's The 5 Worst Items at In-N-Out Burger Tell a Friend Do you think a friend would like this email? You can forward it to them instantly. Special Want an ad-free FitDay experience? Upgrade to FitDay Premium and get a $10 discount. Buy Now You received this email because you signed up at FitDay.com. Click here to unsubscribe from this newsletter. Log In | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Contact FitDay | Affiliate Program Copyright © 2000-2012 Internet Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. FitDay is a registered service mark of Internet Brands, Inc.

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Insight of the Day 3/13/13

"Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."

Og Mandino
1923-1996, Author

Command your subconscious mind - article by Dr Robert Anthony

Life is here to serve you, not put obstacles in your way.
Everything you desire will show up or not show up in response to
your vibration. And if something else shows itself to you that you
prefer, life can give you that too. You're calling your own shots.
The key is to feel good no matter what. Tell the story the way you
want it to be. You truly can command your subconscious mind.
Sometimes we worry because what we want requires so much of our
attention or so much is happening in our lives that it is hard to
hold a stable position - but you can.  Just keep telling yourself,
"I am in charge here. I am in charge of my life. I am in charge of
what comes. And more importantly, I am in charge of how I FEEL."

When it comes to money, the reason most people want a lot of it
is because of fear (which dams up the stream). There is nothing
wrong with having money, but the big mistake is asking for the
security that comes from promises of others.  You want your
security to come through your awareness of knowing how the laws of
the universe work. You know how to focus on what you desire and you
know how this focus will always bring you the good things in life,
including money. Remember, you can command your subconscious mind.

Don't try to see so far down the road. Don't demand that promises
be made by others to give you the security you need. This is the
thing that makes the difference between someone who can
stand in an attitude of belief and trust and someone who cannot.

You have a lot of evidence in your life that supports the power of
your focus.  Don't try to figure it all out at once.  Just feel
more appreciation for what you have already and more will come to
you.

Here is one of my favorite affirmations.  Use this every time you
feel you need to know the outcome of any situation.

"I figure it out as I go. I don't need to know, I figure it out as
I go".

With that affirmation, say to yourself, "The universe is
yielding to me. Good things are lined up for me. All good things
come to me. There is not a reason in the world for me to worry.
When I worry it is nothing more than old patterns of thought that
have nothing to do with my ability to create what I desire. I have
nothing to worry about.  Everything comes to me at the right time
in the right way. I figure it out as I go.  I don't need to know,
I figure it out as I go".

Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a manifestation
that you are making progress - IF YOU LOOK FOR IT!  No matter how
large or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal. It will
only take a few moments and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow.

Truly Caring for Your Success!

Dr. Robert Anthony

P.S. "Make it So" will only be available for a few more days
and then it comes down completely - check it out now...
http://www.makeitsosuccess.com

Insight of the Day 3/12/13

"Decide what you love, what excites and inspires, then make that your purpose and watch what transpires."

Doc the Turtle in The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: A Journey Begins,
 by Brooks Olbrys

Insight of the Day March 11, 2013

"There is no such thing as a hopeless situation. Every single circumstance of your life can change!"

Rhonda Byrne
Author of The Secret

Indian-Style Lentils - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ... Combine this tasty lentil dish with rice for a hearty meatless meal to add to your Healthiest Way of Eating. It will provide you with a complete protein as well many other health-promoting nutrients. Indian-Style Lentils Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 1 medium size onion, diced 1 TBS vegetable broth 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup canned diced tomatoes 2 cups or 1 15-oz can (BPA free) lentils 1 cup frozen spinach Directions: Dice onions and mince garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting properties. Healthy sauté onion in 1 TBS broth for 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, salt, tomatoes and lentils. Simmer covered for 5-7 minutes. Add 1 cup frozen spinach and continue simmering for 2 more minutes. Serves 2 Serve over brown rice. Printer Friendly Version of Indian-Style Lentils In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Indian-Style Lentils Healthy Food Tip What do you think of food combining? The term "food combining" can be used in several different ways. Most commonly, it is used to describe the planned consumption of different foods at different times in order to optimize the process of digestion. While it is true that different foods digest in different ways and at different speeds, there's no good research evidence to support the practice of food combining when it is understood in this way. However, many people have found food combining for improved digestion to be essential for their overall health, and many healthcare practitioners continue to support this practice despite the absence of research evidence. Whether or not to combine carbs and proteins Another common use of the term "food combining" involves avoidance of certain macronutrient combinations. For example, you may have heard the food combining statement, "never eat proteins with carbohydrates." This goal is essentially impossible, since most vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and dairy products contain both proteins and carbs. You'd have to eliminate all foods from these foods groups if you wanted to strictly separate your intake of proteins and carbohydrates, and that step would leave you with a very unhealthy way of eating. Avoiding extremes Sometimes the idea of food combining is simply used as a way of reminding people to avoid extremes when it comes to macronutrient intake. Excessive intake of macronutrients can indeed pose problems for our health. For example, large amounts of protein (like the 80+ grams of protein that would be found in a 12-ounce steak) together with large amounts of carbohydrates (like the 40+ grams of sugar found in an 8-ounce glass of grape juice) might indeed be a taxing combination for your digestive tract. The combination of these two foods might be harder on your digestive system than either food alone. In this sense, these two foods (one high-protein and one high-carb) might be better off eaten separately than in combination. However, I see the basic problem here as one of going to extremes (too much protein at once and/or too much sugar at once) rather than food combining. Fruit intake during meals Advocates of food combining also focus upon not including fruit as part of a meal. For example, a common recommendation is to wait at least an hour after consumption of any non-fruit foods before eating a piece of fruit. Once again, I have not seen any research evidence to justify this recommendation. Yet, many people do report better overall digestion when they follow this procedure and a large number of healthcare practitioners advocate fruit consumption separate from meals. There are a number of theories used to support this practice. One is that the fermentation of the fruit might take place at the expense of other digestive events. But once again, I cannot find indexed journal research to support these claims. Separate fruit consumption may be helpful for some individuals, but I also believe that many individuals can comfortably consume reasonable amounts of fruit together with other foods. As you can see from our website and book, we do include fruit as an ingredient in our recipes and find it to be delicious! Eating for your personal needs Our digestive tracts are clearly capable of complicated and interwoven digestive processes. If we are fully healthy, we have the right enzymes, digestive fluids (including bile and pancreatic fluid), intestinal bacteria, and muscle tone to digest not only the World's Healthiest Foods but other foods as well. This marvelous combination of digestive abilities would suggest that we are designed, in principle, to consume many different kinds of foods either separately or in combination. However, our digestive tracts-like the rest of our body systems-are also biochemically individual. We have our own unique approach to digestion, in the same way that we have our own unique fingerprint. From this standpoint of biochemical individuality, it would make sense to me that different individuals might truly benefit from different approaches to food combining-including approaches that may not even have been listed in any of the examples described above.

Insight of the Day 3/7/13

"Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us."

Earl Nightingale
1921-1989, Author of The Strangest Secret

Asian Chicken Salad - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Avoid dry chicken breasts by using our Quick Broil cooking method — it's a great way to retain the moisture and flavor of chicken when you want to include it as part of your Healthiest Way of Eating. Enjoy this tasty recipe and the health benefits that come from it's wealth of health-promoting nutrients.

Asian Chicken Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
• 5 cups Chinese cabbage, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup minced scallion
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 TBS toasted sesame seeds
• Optional: 2 TBS dried hijiki or arame seaweed, soaked in 1 cup warm water and chopped*
• Dressing
• 2 TBS extra olive oil
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 TBS honey
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt & white pepper to taste
• *The safety factors regarding sea vegetables, such as hijiki

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler. Place a stainless steel (be sure the handle is also stainless steel) or cast iron skillet in the broiler, about 7 inches from the heat source, to get it very hot. Season chicken with a little salt and pepper.
2. If you are using hijiki or arame place it in a small bowl of hot water to soften for about 10 minutes.
3. While pan is heating, thinly slice cabbage, and shred carrot. Carrot is easily shredded in food processor with shredding blade. Otherwise you can shred it by hand, or slice it thin. Chop cilantro and scallion cabbage and carrot mixture. Add sliced almonds. Squeeze excess water from hijiki, chop if needed, and add to salad.
4. When pan is hot, about 10 minutes, remove from broiler, and place chicken in pan, skin side up, and return to broiler. Cook for about 15 minutes depending on thickness of chicken. This is our Quick Broil cooking method. When done and cool enough to touch, remove skin, and cut into bite-size pieces.
5. Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss with cabbage mixture and chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. (You can buy sesame seeds that are already toasted.)

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Asian Chicken Salad
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Asian Chicken Salad
Healthy Food Tip

What can you tell me about food cravings in general and more specifically about my cravings for peanuts?

I believe that a person's body is always trying to stay optimally healthy and to heal from injury or illness. Therefore, I believe that your body might be trying to tell you something through your cravings. Exactly what it's trying to tell you, however, is difficult to determine.
In a nutritional sense, cravings can sometimes be related to nutrients that are most needed by the body. Peanuts, for example, are a good source of manganese, niacin, folate, copper, and protein. Peanuts also contain some resveratrol, the phytonutrient that's become so famous in red wine. Peanuts are not unusually rich in this nutrient--an ounce of peanuts contains about 50 micrograms of resveratrol at most, compared to nearly 1,000 micrograms in an ounce of red wine. However, over the course of time, if peanuts are enjoyed on a daily basis, they could be a worthwhile source of this resveratrol.
Cravings can also be related to food allergies, and it is possible for a person to crave a food to which they are most allergic. (Although this may seem contradictory, craving a food to which we are allergic is a fairly common occurrence in nutrition, and one that is documented in scientific research.) In the allergy research literature, peanuts turn out to be a very common allergenic food.
So how can you tell if your personal craving for peanuts is based on the helpful nutrients that peanuts are providing or if it's the result of an unwanted allergic reaction? You may not be able to make this decision without the help of an experienced healthcare practitioner. If you have never worked with a nutritionist or other healthcare provider who is familiar with food allergies and elimination/challenge diets, I would encourage you to consider taking that step.
Of course, meeting your nutrient needs or getting caught up in a potentially adverse food reaction may not be the only reason you might be craving peanuts. Peanuts might be an unusually enjoyable food for you based on your past food habits. Or perhaps, they are a "comfort food" that is reassuring to eat. While pleasure and comfort certainly aren't reasons to avoid peanuts, feeling in control of your Healthiest Way of Eating is always an important aspect of nourishment.

Insight of the Day 3/6/13

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

Nelson Mandela
Civil Rights Leader

Braised Cod with Celery - A Healthly Recipe

March 5, 2013
Check Out What's New On Our Website Find out how to keep your New Year's resolution and lose those extra pounds with our Weight Loss Success-Without Dieting book. Take advantage of our special offer and save $7.00. You pay only $17.00!What's New in 2013 healthy food tip and recipe Today's Recipe   If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ... The combination of ingredients in this recipe offers a delicious flavor while providing you with an excellent source of health-promoting nutrients. And you can enjoy a complete meal in 30 minutes. Braised Cod with Celery Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced thick 6 cloves garlic, sliced 2 cups celery, cut diagonally about 1 inch long 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained 3/4 cup green olives cut in fourths 1 TBS + 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth 1 TBS fresh lemon juice 1-1/2 lbs cod, cut into 2 inch pieces pinch red chili flakes salt and black pepper to taste 2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro Directions: Slice onion and garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to enhance its health-promoting benefits. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-12 inch skillet. Healthy Sauté chopped onion in broth over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic and celery and sauté for another minute. Add drained diced tomatoes, green olives and remaining broth. Stir, cover, and simmer on medium-low for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until celery is tender. Place cod, lemon, salt, pepper, and chili flakes on top of celery and continue to simmer covered for another 5 minutes, or until fish is cooked. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve. Serves 4 Serving Suggestions: Serve with Brown Rice Printer Friendly Version of Braised Cod with Celery In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Braised Cod with Celery Healthy Food Tip The Latest News about Garlic For a small vegetable, garlic (Allium sativum) sure has a big, and well deserved, reputation. And although garlic may not always bring good luck, protect against evil, or ward off vampires, characteristics to which it has been assigned folklorically, it is guaranteed to transform any meal into a bold, aromatic, and healthy culinary experience. Garlic is a member of the Lily family and is a cousin to onions, leeks and chives. What's New and Beneficial About Garlic You can increase the health benefits you receive from garlic by letting it sit after you've chopped it or crushed it. If you give your chopped/crushed garlic time to sit before changing its temperature (through cooking) or its pH (through the addition of an acidic food like lemon juice), it will give the alliinase enzymes in garlic an opportunity to work on behalf of your health. For example, in the absence of chopping or crushing, research has shown that just 60 seconds of immediate microwaving will cause garlic to lose some of its cancer-protective properties. Immediate boiling of whole, intact garlic will also lower these properties, as will immediate addition of a very low-acid ingredient like lemon juice. Some of garlic's unique components are most durable in food (versus processed extract) form. Allicin-one of garlic's most highly valued sulfur compounds-stays intact for only 2-16 hours at room temperature when it is present in purified (extracted) form. But when it's still inside of crushed garlic, allicin will stay viable for 2-1/2 days. Garlic may help improve your iron metabolism. That's because the diallyl sulfides in garlic can help increase production of a protein called ferroportin. (Ferroportin is a protein that runs across the cell membrane, and it forms a passageway that allows stored iron to leave the cells and become available where it is needed.) In addition to being a good source of selenium, garlic may be a more reliable source as well. Garlic is what scientists call a "seleniferous" plant: it can uptake selenium from the soil even when soil concentrations do not favor this uptake. The cardioprotective benefits of garlic may partly rest on the production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas. Our red blood cells can take sulfur-containing molecules in garlic (called polysulfides) and use them to produce H2S. This H2S in turn can help our blood vessels expand and keep our blood pressure in check. Interestingly, some processed garlic extracts cannot be used by our red blood cells in the same way and do not seem to provide the same level of cardioprotection that is provided by garlic in food form. While still in its very early stages, research suggests that garlic consumption may actually help to regulate the number of fat cells that get formed in our body. 1,2-DT (1,2-vinyldithiin) is one of the unique sulfur compounds in garlic that has long been recognized as having anti-inflammatory properties. But only recently have researchers discovered that some of our fibroblastic cells (called "preadipocytes") only evolve into full-fledged fat cells (called "adipocytes") under certain metabolic circumstances involving inflammatory system activity. 1,2-DT may be able to inhibit this conversion process. Since obesity is increasingly viewed by researchers as a chronic state of low-grade inflammation, the inflammation-related benefits of garlic's 1,2-DT may eventually be extended into the clinical area of obesity. WHFoods Recommendations With their unique combination of flavonoids and sulfur-containing nutrients, allium vegetables-such as garlic-belong in your diet on a regular basis. There's research evidence for including at least one serving of an allium vegetable-such as garlic-in your meal plan every day. If you're choosing garlic as your allium family vegetable, try to include at least ½ clove in your individual food portion. If you're preparing a recipe, we recommend at least 1-2 cloves. Garlic is a wonderful seasoning to add aroma, taste, and added nutrition to your dishes. We often recommend using raw chopped or pressed garlic in many of our dishes to take advantage of the benefits derived from garlic. However, if you cannot tolerate raw garlic, you can add chopped garlic to foods while they are cooking. It is best to add it towards the end of the cooking process to retain the maximum amount of flavor and nutrition. Health Benefits Garlic provides numerous health benefits including: Heart health support Anti-inflammatory properties Antibacterial and antiviral benefits Anti-cancer support Supports iron metabolism For more details on garlic's health benefits, see this section of our garlic write-up. Nutritional Profile The sulfur compounds in garlic are perhaps its most unique nutrients. There are literally dozens of well-studied sulfur molecules in garlic, and virtually all of them have been shown to function as antioxidants. In addition, many provide us with anti-inflammatory benefits. The very presence of sulfur in some many different garlic compounds may also play an important role in our nourishment. Additionally, garlic is an excellent source of bone-healthy manganese. It is also a very good source of heart-healthy vitamin B6 and vitamin C. In addition, garlic is a good source of muscle-promoting protein; energy-supporting thiamin (vitamin B1) and phosphorus; inflammation-reducing selenium; and bone-supporting calcium, potassium, and copper. For more on this nutrient-rich food, including references related to this Latest News, see our write-up on garlic.