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 How else can you get that creamy meltiness in a grilled cheese sandwich, or the smooth, velvety texture of macaroni and cheese? Not to mention cheeseburgers. American cheese is so mild as to be almost tasteless, but it is all about texture and mouthfeel. And hey, some people actually like their cheese to be unobtrusively in the background of the other flavours. Many of us keep a supply of American cheese in our fridge. The difficult part is deciding what to buy, and is it really even cheese? If you read the labels you will find a dizzying selection of process cheese, process cheese food, process cheese product, process cheese spread, and even imitation cheese product. Reading the ingredients doesn't always help. I will tell you the rules for American cheese, and what manufacturers need to have in the different products in order to legally give them the names.
Process cheese is a mixture of two or more other cheeses, melted together with emulsifiers added to keep it from separating. The process was first developed in Switzerland in 1911, and in 1916 James Kraft applied for an American patent. This cheese was introduced commercially to the American public in the 1950's when convenience foods began to take off, and this is probably when the name American cheese became popular. Kraft is still one of the biggest sellers of American cheese today. Incidentally, in the United Kingdom processed cheese is known as cheese slice.
Food service companies love American cheese for the same reason many home cooks love it – it melts easily without separating into an oily layer. It also has a longer shelf life than most other cheeses. Because it is made up of scraps and unsellable pieces of other types of cheese that would be thrown away, it is a good way to reduce waste in the industry. Just be careful what kind you buy, because some are 100% cheese, and some can have less than half their weight as actual cheese.
Pasteurized process cheese is mostly real cheese, with some other products allowed as emulsifiers and preservatives. These products are acidifying agents, cream, water, salt, artificial colorings, spices and flavorings. Pasteurized process cheese can not have more than 43% moisture content, and must have at least 47% milk fat. It is often a mixture of cheddar and colby cheeses.
Pasteurized process cheese food only needs to have 51% of its weight in actual cheese. The rest can be made up of things like milk solids, whey and water. They can have up to 44% moisture content, and the milk fat only needs to be 23%.
Pasteurized process cheese spread is a spreadable variation of cheese food, which must meet the 51% cheese rule. It can also contain sweeteners and stabilizers like xanthan gum or carageenan. The moisture content can be as high as 60%, and milk fat must only be 20%. Cheese spread has to be spreadable at 70º F.
Pasteurized process cheese product does not need to have even 51% of its weight in actual cheese. It also doesn't need to meet the requirements for milk fat and moisture. You are going down hill fast with this product. Sometimes water is the main ingredient in pasteurized process cheese product.
Imitation cheese, as the name implies, isn't even cheese at all. It's made from vegetable oil and may be shaped like American cheese, but will have less flavour and not melt as well.
If you are vegan or lactose intolerant, but still can't give up cheese, you can try soy cheese made from soy milk or tofu. It has less calories and fat than traditional cheeses, and the calcium and protein are about the same. Some brands melt better than others, and taste? Well, it's not like eating real cheese, but if real cheese isn't an option, it's an acceptable substitute.
What additives are used in American cheese? It can include mold inhibitors like potassium sorbate, sodium sorbate or sorbic acid, sodium propionate or calcium propionate. A variety of emulsifying agents can be used such as monosodium phosphate, disodium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, trisodium phosphate, sodium metaphosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium tartrate and calcium citrate, among others. Acidifying agents such as vinegar, lactic acid, acetic acid and phosphoric acid can be added. Harmless artificial colorings can be added. This is the FDA definition of harmless, which is very much up for debate. Lecithin can be added to prevent the slices from sticking to each other. Discussing all these additives needs an entire new post, but just look at the amount of sodium in them. American cheese can be very high in sodium. You should be aware that this is a highly processed food, read your labels, and definitely avoid brands that add food dyes, as these are unnecessary and can be harmful.
To wrap it all up, there's no doubt American cheese is best for cooking macaroni and cheese or grilled cheese, but just be aware that it 's a highly processed food with many chemicals added. Save it for those comfort foods, not as part of your everyday cooking. Your best choice is pasteurized process cheese, as this has the highest amount of cheese, the lowest moisture content and the highest milk fat %. If you are getting deli cheese, be sure to ask about it, as they do sell cheese food and cheese product there as well. Next best would be pasteurized process cheese food. It only has to have half the weight in actual cheese, but is better than the cheese product, which really doesn't need to follow any guidelines, and can have water as the main ingredient.
Finally, if you are confused you aren't alone. Even the professionals in the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products, an international committee for deciding milk product standards, are grappling with American cheese.
Chemical and Engineering News talks about all kinds of processed cheese.
FDA Definitions of Cheeses
American Dairy Products Institute
 I subscribed to Gourment magazine for about 20 years, always looking forward to the next delicious issue arriving in my mailbox. I loved the literary articles, by reporters I got to recognize like old friends, the mouthwatering photography, and the wealth of information I needed to turn out gourmet meals. I loved having a seemingly endless supply of fail proof recipes to pick and choose from all month long. When they abruptly shut the magazine down at the end of last year, it was crushing. There really is no substitute for Gourmet, which has been around for over 50 years. We were left with the Thanksgiving issue, lots of turkey dinners to cook and not even a word of goodbye from the editors.
Even though I think the whole shutdown was done in a way very insensitive to their subscribers, some of whom had been with them for decades, I am not going to hold that against Gourmet. Instead, I decided to cook every single recipe in the last issue I received. Of course it had to be November, so I'll be having several full-blown Thanksgiving dinners this year. I started at the beginning, and have been cooking my way through, somewhat in the order they are printed, every delicious and tantalizing dish from the last of Gourmet.
I started with Walnut Date Bread, something I would have normally passed over. It wasn't a decadent bread, but it was still good, and my teenage boys appreciated it.
Next came Pizza Patate. This mild-tasting pizza calls for potatoes sliced very thinly, with a mandoline. Since I didn't have one at the time, I spent about 45 minutes painstakingly slicing them by hand. Then, I had the brilliant idea to ask for a mandoline for Christmas! The pizza was delicious, with subtle flavours of potato and rosemary. The boys weren't crazy about it, as it was too far away from their idea of what pizza should be.
Scarlet Carrot Soup was next on my list. I didn't make the crisp carrot ribbons for the top, but this soup was delicous on its own, and very healthy with the red and orange vegetables.
 Next I tried the Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake. Since I am not a vegan, I did cheat a bit on this recipe. I used real cream cheese instead of soy cream cheese, and real butter. This is lighter than a traditional cheesecake, but still delicious and it comes with a bit less guilt.
The Cranberry-Apple Crumble Pie was next in line. This recipe gets double thumbs up. It was easy to make, decadent and delicious with a tart, sweet flavour. Everyone in our house gobbled it up. The Lemon Custard Pie, next in line, was more of a problem. The graham cracker crust was so crumbly that when I poured in the filling, pieces broke off and started floating around in the filling. Since I followed the directions to a T, I'm not sure why this happened. I guess you have to pour your filling in very carefully. Even though it didn't look that great, the pie was delicious. But you have to love lemon to appreciate this pie, because it is tart.
We needed a break from the constant desserts by now, so I skipped ahead and made Beef and Snow Peas with Pan Fried Noodles for supper one night. These were unexpectedly delicious. I've never pan fried Chinese noodles in a huge cake before. The crispy noodle cake is irresistable.
I decided to make the Vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner piecemeal, and the Shaved Beet and Bitter Greens Salad with Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette was perfect to go with the Christmas dinner I had planned. Especially because I could use my brand new mandoline to shave the beets. Everything went according to plan. I did get the mandoline I was hoping for, and put it to work later in the day on this delicious salad. Refreshing and slightly bitter, I recommend serving it by itself before the rest of the meal, so that your guests can enjoy the crunchy texture and bright colors without being distracted by other foods. I made this salad again on New Years Day.
Then it was back to desserts, and the Spice Cake with Caramelized Pears and Maple Buttercream. This three layer cake, pictured above, is sinfully rich and takes a lot of time to make. Plan on spending several hours in your kitchen. You have to make the cake layers, then the carmelized pear filling, and finally the frosting, which is quite complicated in itself. It's worth it, and it tastes even better the next day, and the day after.
I am still not done with that dessert section, but skipped ahead to make the rest of the Vegetarian dinner. The Vegetarian Shepherds Pie is a long recipe with many ingredients. I made the Rich Vegetable Stock a day or two ahead. Plan on another long cooking day for the Shepherds Pie, as there is a lot of chopping, slicing and preparation to do. I cut down the recipe amounts since I didn't need 8 servings, and to my chagrin I forgot to cut down the amount of cooking water I added to the potato topping, so it was too runny. The dish was still delicious, even with the topping running into the stew. Luckily I had enough stew that wouldn't fit in the pan to remake the dish the next day, with the topping made properly this time. Once again, this dish is worth the long preparation time, if you are looking for a high end vegetarian dish.
 There are two more recipes in the Vegetarian Thanksgiving meal. The first one I was leary about – Sauteed Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts with Chile and Mint. I had a bad batch of brussels sprouts once and haven't made them in years. I bravely bought my sprouts, and prepared the dish. It was amazingly good. In fact, it was great. I will definitely make it again, especially as brussels sprouts are so healthy.
Lastly I made the dessert for the meal, a Grape and Almond Frangipane Tart. I made it in a round tart pan instead of a rectangular one as the recipe called for. It doesn't make a bit of difference. I served the tart to my teens for breakfast – you have to get creative when you make this many desserts – and it was deliciously crunchy, fruity and almond-flavoured with just a hint of sweetness.
That's my progress so far, and I am just getting warmed up and enjoying this trip immensely. My Gourmet copy is already looking like it's about 20 years old, dogeared and covered with spatters of food. It's fulfilling its final purpose as a cookbook. Stay tuned for my next batch of cooking adventures.
 "Eat peas on New Year's Day to have plenty of everything the rest of the year."
In the American South, eating black-eyed peas on New Years Day ensures good luck for the next 12 months. This custom is supposed to date back to the Civil War, when General Sherman burned the fields and stripped the South of their food. Black-eyed peas were considered animal feed, so those fields were left alone, and they became a valuable food source. If you dine on such a humble food on the first day of the year, you can only become more prosperous as the year goes on. The peas are served in Hoppin' John, a spicy rice and bean dish, or with pork, ham or cabbage.
I love to eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day as well, but for me its a day to look back to my Nigerian roots and prepare bean cakes, also known as kosai if you live in the north, or akara in the south. They aren't quite the same coming off your stove as they are fresh from the hot oil in the open air of Kano market, but I do the best I can. This recipe needs to be started at least two days ahead, and if you can let the batter sit for several days and ferment they will be even better.
 
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Bean Cakes
- 1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas
- 2 onions, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
- several fresh hot red peppers, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (1 liter) peanut or palm oil, or a mixture
- Soak black-eyed peas overnight, or about 8 hours.
- Drain peas and remove skins. This takes a while. You can rub the skins off between your hands, or you can hurry it along by giving them a couple quick pulses in the food processor, just to make the skins slip off more easily. You can also mash them a bit with a potato masher to loosen the skins. Fill the bowl with water and let the skins rise to the top, then pour them off. Keep working at it until all the skins are removed.
 Combine peas, onions, peppers, and salt in a food processor or blender. Process until very smooth.- Let the batter sit at least overnight, and possibly for several days. It will become lighter and frothy.
- Heat oil in a large, heavy pot to 360°F (180°C). Drop batter into hot oil in rounded spoonfuls, about 6 at a time. Fry until golden turning half way through, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. They are good hot or at room temperature.
Makes 10 – 15 bean cakes.
 
What food do you traditionally eat on New Years Day?
 With Christmas right around the corner, why am I thinking about …beets? I guess it's all the festive reds and greens that make me think of foods with a vibrant red color. Or it's the cold weather that turns my thoughts to root vegetables of all kinds. Either way, beets are a powerhouse of nutrients and phytonutrients, just what we need during this cold and flu season. They will also add a bright spot of color to your kitchen and table.
Beets are high in folate, the B Vitamin that plays a role in DNA metabolism and is essential for preventing birth defects. They also provide vitamin C, manganese, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, and are a good source of fiber. Like all brightly colored plant foods beets are chock full of phytonutrients. They provide betalains, which are antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and are being studied for their properties of preventing cancer.
If you usually buy canned beets, treat yourself to a bunch of fresh ones next time. They are more versatile when they are raw and haven't been sliced or chopped up – you can grate them into a salad or slice and fry them as in the recipe below. They are a delight to work with as the bright red color makes its mark all over your kitchen. As a bonus, you get a bunch of beet greens, which you should not throw away! These are high in calcium, iron, beta carotene, and a lengthy list of other vitamins and minerals. An easy way to prepare your beet greens is to make Check Rice, a Liberian specialty.
 Check Rice
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound beet greens (about two bunches)
- Wash beet greens, remove thick stems and chop coarsely.
- Combine 3 cups water with salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cover. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Spread greens over top of rice, cover again and cook another 5-10 minutes over low heat, until rice is soft and water is absorbed.
- Fold greens into rice before serving.
This recipe makes 4 servings. You can tinker with the amount of beet greens, using more or less if you wish. They do make the rice a nice faintly pink color. You can also subsitute other greens such as spinach and kale.
 Fried Beets
- As many raw beets as you want to make. Plan on about 2 large ones per person for hearty appetites.
- about 1/4 cup olive oil
- Wash and peel your beets, and cut them into slices.
- Heat oil in a large, flat skillet.
- Add beets in as close to a single layer as you can get. Fry the beets until very soft and starting to turn brown and crispy, turning at least once.
- Salt, pepper and serve.
This dish is absolutely decadent. The high sugar content of the beets carmelizes as they cook, giving them a sweet taste and crispy texture.
Beet and Carrot Soup
 3 or 4 large shallots, sliced (makes about 1 cup)- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or less, if you don't like it hot)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced thickly
- 1 pound beets, leaves trimmed off, peeled and chopped coarsely
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Heat oil in a large, heavy pan and saute the shallots, thyme, bay leaves, red pepper and coriander until shallots are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add sliced carrots, beets, salt and pepper.
- Add 8 cups of water, bring to a boil, and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes until vegetables are very tender.
- IMPORTANT! Remove the bay leaves. If you don't they will puree into sharp pieces that will be impossible to get out.
- Puree soup in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return soup to pot.
- Add vinegar, and additional water if you like it thinner. Heat and serve.
 If Indian, North African or Ethiopian foods are a part of your cooking, you will want to have a supply of clarified butter on hand in your kitchen. Ghee is the Indian name for this golden oil. You can buy it for a pricey price, or you can make your own for the price of a pound of butter. You can make ghee by simmering the butter over very low heat and skimming off all the salts and solids, to leave a clear, golden liquid with a delicious smooth, nutty taste.
Ghee
- 1 pound real unsalted butter
- Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan.
- As it melts, the solids will separate from the butter in a fluffy light foam. Skim this foam off the top with a spoon.
- Continue to barely simmer and skim, until the ghee has stopped foaming, about 30-45 minutes.
- Strain out any black particles which have settled at the bottom of the pan. These are casein particles.
- Cool and store in the fridge, or in a shelf away from heat and sunlight. This will keep for months, or plenty long enough for you to use it all.
  
What can you do with clarified butter or ghee? In Ethiopian cooking, you can use clarified butter to make spiced Niter Kebbeh. The Moroccan delicacy smen is made with clarified butter. Ghee is better than butter if you are frying foods at a high temperature, because it no longer has the whey and casein particles, which tend to burn. Clarified butter makes a superior hollandaise sauce to regular butter. It's a natural to serve with lobster or crab. Ghee is used extensively in Indian cooking, for everything from sautes and sauces to frying your chapatis. Try it on your popcorn. If you are lactose intolerant, you should find it easier to digest since the casein particles are removed.
 My father loved cherry pie – it was his favorite, and since he passed away recently, this cherry pie is in his memory. It isn’t particularly healthy, it’s comfort food. The sour cherry flavour combined with sweetness and a flaky crust is guaranteed to make you feel good, and sometimes that is the most important thing.
To make a really good cherry pie you need to throw some nutrition out the window. Don’t try to make a low fat version of the crust. The fat is what "shortens" the crust, and makes it deliciously flaky. It won’t be the same with a low fat substitute. In fact, some people swear by lard when they make their pie crust. I use vegetable shortening.
Do learn to make a pie crust from scratch. It’s easy to do, quick once you learn how, and worlds away from a store bought crust. It doesn’t even compare. Learn to make it, and then teach your children.
Buy a pastry blender. They are a pretty cheap little kitchen gadget, and you need one if you are going to dedicate yourself to a life of homemade pie crusts. This recipe uses a 9 inch pie pan. Invest in a nice 9 inch glass pie pan – your pie will brown really nicely in glass.
Cherry Pie
For the crust
- 1 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco) plus 2 tablespoons
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 8-12 tablespoons cold water
 This recipe makes two pie crusts, both of which you will need for your cherry pie.
- Combine flour and salt in a large bowl
- Cut the shortening into flour mixture with your pastry blender. To do this you just keep working the shortening and flour through the pastry blender until it is evenly dispersed and the pieces are no bigger than peas.
- Sprinkle water into flour mixture, one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until flour is moistened enough to hold together and form a ball. Do not add any more water than necessary.
- Gather pastry into ball. Divide in half. Place the first half between wax paper and roll flat with rolling pin until it is large enough to fit in and overlap your 9 inch pie pan. Peel off the top layer of paper.
- Invert the crust over the pie pan, peel off the other layer of paper, and press into the pan. Cut off the excess crust about 1 inch over the edge of the pan. Prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork, and set aside.
 Now, roll out your second crust from the remaining dough the same way. Put this crust aside while you mix up the cherry filling.
For the Filling
Preheat your oven to 400° before starting this step.
- 3 cups sour cherries, canned, or pitted if you use fresh
- 1/2 cup cherry juice (from the can)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons tapioca
- 3/4 cup sugar (use 1/4 cup more if your cherries are really sour)
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
 Mix filling ingredients and let stand at least 15 minutes.- Pour filling into pie pan lined with the bottom crust.
- Dot top of pie with 1-2 tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces.
- Place second pie crust over the top of the pie, allowing the edges to overlap with the first. Use a knife to trim the edges evenly with the pie pan. You can press around the edge of the pie pan with a fork to seal the edges, or flute the edges with your fingers.
- Cut slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape.
- Bake at 400° for about 45 minutes, or until top is browned and filling bubbles up through slits.
 What is your favorite comfort food?
 For many of us the daily lunch routine has turned into a boring or guilt-ridden chore. We pack a lunch for convenience, and to avoid spending extra money on food, but it’s so hard to break away from the traditional sandwich model. Far easier to throw together a sandwich with processed lunch meats, and grab one of the many prepackaged, fatty, salty or sugary snacks that are available out there.
But you can pack a healthy lunch, with a variety of flavours and textures that will have you or your kids counting down the minutes to lunchtime. It requires a bit of extra effort to prepare the ingredients, which can then sit in the fridge in separate containers, waiting to be thrown together in the morning in no more time than it takes to make a sandwich. This lunch is layered with all four food groups, and has a combination of sweet, crunchy, tart, and savory flavors that is truly satisfying.
The recipe below contains a layer of grapes, curried chicken salad, raita, which is a minty yogurt sauce, chickpeas and sliced almonds. The combinations you can try are only limited by the number of foods you can imagine. Here are some ideas to use for your different layers:
- Fruits: sliced grapes, dried cranberries, other dried fruits, sliced apples soaked in lemon juice, fresh berries, sliced avocados, sliced cherry tomatoes.
- Proteins: chicken salad with curry, pesto, or your favorite spices, tuna salad, feta cheese, smoked salmon, shrimp, ham salad or chopped baked ham, chopped hard boiled eggs, or fresh mozzarella chunks.
- Sauce: raita (recipe below), plain yogurt, salsa, chopped tomatoes, your favorite salad dressing, hot pepper sauce.
- Carbohydrate layer: chickpeas, blackeyed peas or other types of beans, cooked pasta, orzo, rice, couscous, tortilla chips, potato salad, croutons, polenta cubes, quinoa, bulghur pilaf, any other grains.
- Topping: toasted nuts such as almonds, pecans or walnuts, toasted fresh grated coconut, chopped cherry peppers, or hotter peppers if you like, sunflower seeds, toasted sesame seeds.
Whatever your favorite flavour or seasoning, you can fit it somewhere into this dish, or add an extra layer to accomodate it. Keep a supply of ingredients all made up in the fridge, and throwing together your healthy lunch is easy. This lunch does need to stay cold. If you don’t have access to a fridge, then be sure to pack it in a cold pack.
Curried Chicken Layered Lunch
Chicken Layer
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 rotisserie chicken, boned and meat shredded or chopped
Raita
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint, or 1 tablespoon dried mint
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Other Layers
- 1 cup red grapes, sliced in half
- 1 can cooked chickpeas, drained
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- Make chicken salad: Cook onion, garlic and ginger in oil in a heavy skillet about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, cumin and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add onion mixture and 1 cup yogurt to chicken and mix well.
- Make raita: Stir together 1 cup yogurt, mint, chopped cucumber and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Select 4 16-oz size containers, either plastic with lids for travel, or glasses or bowls to eat at home. Layer ingredients in the containers in the following order: grapes, chicken salad, raita, chickpeas, and then almonds sprinkled on top.
 Ever wonder how a cow can survive, get fat and produce milk on a diet of grass? A cow’s specialized stomach with 4 compartments can digest the cellulose in plants and use those nutrients. Unfortunately, we humans aren’t able to digest cellulose. Cellulose is just sugar molecules linked together, but we cannot break the type of bond in cellulose and therefore can’t break the molecules down small enough to absorb. The parts of plants that we eat but cannot digest are called dietary fiber. Even though we can’t absorb fiber, and it isn’t an essential nutrient, it still plays an important part in the diet. We are finding it is important in preventing or treating several diseases.
Dietary fiber can be classified as soluble or insoluble. Insoluble or non viscous fiber will not dissolve in water. It provides bulk in the intestines which helps to keep things moving along, so we do not get constipated. By moving things along it lessens the time that toxic materials may spend in the intestines. It helps to balance the acidity of the intestines.
Soluble fiber, also called viscous fiber,does dissolve in water. It forms a gel in the intestines. This can actually slow the absorption of glucose into the blood, and bind with fatty acids to prevent them from being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Fermentable fibers are easily fermented by the bacteria that live in the colon, as the name suggests. This fermentation produces short chain fatty acids that can be metabolized for energy. This process also increases the amount of good bacteria living in the colon. Oats, barley, fruits and vegetables are fermentable, while cereal grains such as wheat and cellulose are not.
Functional fiber: The Institute of Medicine defines functional fiber as isolated, nondigestible carbohydrates that have beneficial physiological effects in humans. They may have been isolated from a natural source, or they may have been synthesized. In order to be labeled functional fiber they must have a proven health benefit. Some functional fibers include psylllium, from psyllium husks, chitin, which comes from the exoskeletons of crustaceans, and the synthetic Fructooligosaccharides, Polydextrose and polyols.
Why should you eat fiber?
- Viscous, or soluble fibers such as oats and legumes have been shown to lower serum cholesterol.
- When the carbohydrate content of two meals is equal, the presence of fiber can result in lower blood glucose levels and therefore lower insulin levels. Again this is greatest with soluble fibers.
- Fiber can prevent or treat constipation, provided you also have a good intake of fluids. You should drink 64 ounces of fluids a day.
- Studies show that dietary fiber can significantly lower your risk of coronary heart disease, through a number of different mechanisms. These include lowering blood glucose levels and insulin response, lowering blood pressure, and lowering levels of a biomarker of inflammation (C-reactive protein) that is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease.
- Some studies show that a diet high in fiber can protect against colorectal cancer, but there are lots of conflicting studies and researchers still haven’t sorted out what types or amounts of fiber are protective, or the influence of the rest of the diet on your cancer risk.
- Dietary fiber can protect against diverticulitis, especially non-viscous fibers with cellulose, such as wheat and other whole grains.
- Adults with high fiber intakes are leaner and less likely to be obese. Fiber in a meal can make you feel fuller and stay satisfied for longer.
- Different types of fibers have been used to treat symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
- If you are on a gluten free diet you need to really pay attention to fiber, as you are eliminating a major source of fiber from your diet. Along with fresh fruits and vegetables, make sure you eat plenty of gluten free grains such as rice, corn, millet, teff, amaranth, sorghum and buckwheat (yes, it’s not wheat). This can help lower your cholesterol, which is a problem for many gluten intolerant people.
Good Sources of Fiber
- Soluble or viscous fiber: oat products, legumes, flax seeds, psyllium husk
- Insoluble or non viscous fiber: wheat bran, whole grain
- Mixture of different types of fibers: legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds
- Fermentable fibers: oats, barley, mushrooms and yeast
Fiber should be increased gradually in the diet or it could result in bloating, cramping or gas. You should also make sure to drink plenty of water as your body needs this in order for the fiber to work properly in the intestines. Certain types of fiber such as pectin, psyllium and guar gum can interact with medications, so be sure to check on this before taking fiber supplements.
 Granola
Don’t write off granola as a quirky health food from the ’70’s. It’s the perfect food to load up with fiber rich nuts, berries and grains. It’s also a quick breakfast or a healthy snack. This recipe is easy to make and open to endless variations.
- 3 cups uncooked oats
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup of your favorite nuts
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup whole flax seed
- 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- Combine honey and melted butter in a small bowl and mix well.
- Combine rest of ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the honey mixture and mix well.
- Bake in preheated 350º oven, for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Remove when golden brown, and cool.
A note about ingredients: The only really crucial ingredients in this recipe are the oats, honey and butter. The rest can be mixed and matched according to your taste. Real, fresh coconut is fantastic, if you can take the time to prepare it. You can substitute any type of dried fruit or even pieces of chocolate for the raisins and cranberries. Don’t put chocolate in until after you bake it, unless you want chocolate coated granola. If you are on a gluten free diet make sure you buy the oats and other ingredients from a source that is labeled "gluten free". And for pete’s sake, if you have high blood pressure leave out the salt. Enjoy!
 Nothing embodies the flavour of summer like minty fresh basil. This herb is the star of the garden in warm weather, creating a lush green border, and being a good companion to the other plants as it repels insects with its strong aroma.
The word basil comes from the Greek basileus, meaning king. The ancient Greeks believed only the king should harvest basil, and he should use a golden sickle. It’s much less complicated today. Pinch the leaves off just above a node where two more leaves are forming. This will allow the new leaves to grow and your plant will get nice and bushy. Try to pick off the buds before they go to flower.
In Haiti, basil is associated with Erzulie, the voodoo goddess of love. Italians also associated this herb with love, and girls would place a pot of basil on their balcony to signal that they were looking for a suitor. If a man accepts a gift of basil from a woman, it is said that he will fall in love with her.
On a darker note, Ancient Greeks and Romans believed scorpions bred under basil plants, and they associated the herb with insanity. They believed that you must curse and swear loudly while planting basil seeds or the herb would not grow. Some scholars say basil got its name from the Greek word Basilisk, the mythological king of serpents, who could kill you a glance. Culpepper, the English herbalist, wrote that basil is an herb of Mars and under the Scorpion…it is no marvel if it carry a virulent quality with it.
In fact, basil is as nutritious as any of the leafy green plants, chock full of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and potassium. It has omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, essential fatty acids that can protect against cardiovascular disease. For medicinal purposes, basil is a warming and moistening herb. It is antiseptic and antibacterial. Basil has been used to relieve nausea, headaches and diarrhea, help with sleep and increase lactation in nursing mothers.
The phytochemicals in basil include rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid, polyphenols which are strong antioxidants. There are also several flavonoids, with all the great anti activities: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic. Basil has the volatile oils camphor and cineole with antibacterial properties. This is a powerful medicinal herb, with all the healing powers of summer concentrated in its leaves. Eat lots of basil while you can, to fortify yourself for the long winter months. My favorite way to indulge is with pesto, a fragrant paste of basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic and olive oil. Pesto is delicious tossed with spaghetti or mixed with chicken salad. Spaghetti with pesto can be made as quickly as you can cook a pot of pasta.
 Spaghetti with Pesto
- 3 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- 3 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic, cut in several pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 pound spaghetti
- Cool spaghetti in large pot of boiling water. While this is going on, you can prepare the pesto.
- Grind pine nuts, cheese, garlic and salt in a food processor or blender. You can also grind them up in a mortar and pestle.
- Add basil leaves to processor. While processor is running, pour olive oil into mixture in a thin stream.
- Drain spaghetti and toss with pesto. This is delicious served with slices of fresh tomatoes.
What is your favorite way to eat basil?
 So you’ve just been told the news – your cholesterol is high! Since high cholesterol has no physical symptoms like headache or dizzyness, this may have hit you out of the blue. There are plenty of medications available to treat high cholesterol, but it is best if you can lower it through healthy changes in your lifestyle.
Know your numbers.
This isn’t secret information for your doctor’s eyes only. Ask your doctor to give you a copy of your blood work, and take it home with you. There are a bunch of numbers used to measure cholesterol. Measurements in parentheses are for Canadians, Europeans and other metric types.
- LDL stands for Low Density Lipoproteins. These should be below 100 mg/dL. (2.6 mmol/L)
- HDL stands for High Density Lipoproteins. These are the "good" cholesterol and should be above 60 mg/dL. (1.5 mmol/L)
- Total cholesterol should be below 200 mg/dL. (5.2 mmol/L)
- Triglycerides should be below 150 mg/dL. (1.7 mmol/L)
If you smoke, stop smoking.
Smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels, making it easier for plaque to accumulate. It can also lower your HDL levels, and these are the ones you want to increase. Although it may be a difficult change, it will have immediate benefits. Within 24 hours of quitting your risk of a heart attack decreases. Within one year, your risk of heart attack is half that of a smoker. You will find that you have easier breathing, greater endurance, and look and feel better. Think of the money you will save. For help with quitting see smokefree.gov.
Eat less trans fatty acids.
Trans fatty acids are made through a process that takes unsaturated fats and saturates them with hydrogen atoms. This makes the fat blend more easily with foods, and gives it a longer shelf life. Many fats such as shortening and margarines that are solid at room temperature contain trans fats. Natural fats like butter do not have trans fats.
Trans fats give your cholesterol levels a double whammy, by increasing your bad cholesterol and lowering your good cholesterol. They are widely used in fried and processed foods, especially baked goods. Now labels are required to show trans fats, at least in the United States, so look for brands that contain 0 grams of trans fats.
Eat less saturated fats and fried foods.
Eating a lot of saturated fats raises your level of triglycerides. Saturated fats are found in meats, milk fat and butter. Lower the total fat in your diet by staying away from fried foods such as french fries, anything cooked in oil, and extra cream or butter. Avoid fatty meats like bacon, sausage, ribs and steaks. Good low-fat choices are chicken, turkey, fish, ground beef with less than 10% fat, or lean cuts of beef or pork. Try to eat meatless meals at least two or three times a week. Eat less processed foods, and more foods made from scratch so that you can control the ingredients.
Eat more soluble fiber.
Soluble fiber binds with fatty acids, and can lower your total cholesterol levels. Good sources include oat bran, nuts, barley, flax seeds, pysllium husks, dried beans and peas.
Eat more omega-3 fatty acids.
These are essential fatty acids, meaning your body does not make them and you need to get them in your diet. They can lower triglyceride levels, and are even available in a high dosage prescription form. Foods high in omega-3 include flax seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, salmon, tuna, halibut and other fatty fish. Many people take an over the counter supplement of omega-3, which may be called EPA / DHA, or fish oil. If you aren’t eating a really good source regularly, consider taking a supplement every day. The prescription strength dosage is about 900 mg, while OTC dosage is about 300 mg. Do not dose yourself at prescription levels without checking with your doctor, as this strength has a whole list of side effects and interactions with other drugs.
Eat more sterols and stanols.
These compounds called phytosterols are found in plant and animal cell membranes. They are similar to cholesterol, but don’t act in the same way. In fact they compete with cholesterol for absorption into the body, so they can lower cholesterol levels. Some foods high in sterols and stanols are sesame seeds, olive oil and peanuts. Some commercial products are fortified with sterols or stanols, including certain brands of margarine spreads, orange juice, cottage cheese, yogurt and granola bars. These tend to be expensive, and some are high calorie products, so you would need to incorporate them into your diet in small amounts over a long period of time for them to be effective.
Read more about sterols and stanols from the International Food Information Council. Find a list of fortified foods at Cleveland Clinic.
Break a sweat. Exercise vigorously every day.
Exercise can lower cholesterol by helping you lose weight, or stay at your ideal weight. Exercise stimulates enzymes that help move LDL from the blood to the liver. There it is converted into bile and excreted. Exercise increases the size of the protein particles that carry cholesterol through the blood. This makes it harder for these molecules to squeeze into small places in the heart and blood vessels and create blockages.
How much exercise do you need? Moderate exercise will lower your cholesterol only a moderate amount. If you really want to get the benefits of exercise you need more vigorous exercise. Vigorous exercise raises your heart rate for a prolonged time period. If you aren’t breaking a sweat, it isn’t vigorous exercise.
Exercise vigorously if you are in good enough health to do so. Check with your doctor. You may need to work up to this level, but the American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes per day. This can be fast walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling – anything that raises your heart rate and maintains it for at least 30 minutes.
Lose weight if you are overweight.
Take a look at your diet. Are you snacking in between meals, or at night? Are you eating large portions of food that leave you stuffed? Do you eat out several times a week? Restaurant meals are notoriously high in calories. Are you choosing high calorie foods? Make some changes in your eating habits, combine with exercise, and you should be able to lose weight.
Alternative remedies for high cholesterol
Some of these folk remedies have been used as medicines for hundreds of years. Be sure to do your research on side effects and safe amounts. They are not meant to be a substitute for proper medical care.
- Red Yeast Rice is a yeast product grown on rice, and a common food staple in Asia. It contains substances called monacolins, which can inhibit cholesterol synthesis. One active ingredient is lovastatin, which is used in prescription drugs`in the US for high cholesterol. Lovastatin is regulated by the FDA and companies cannot market preparations with more than a trace of this drug, because of potential serious side effects.
- artichoke extract
- barley extract
- garlic extract
- Guggulipid is the gum resin of the mukul myrrh tree. It has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat obesity, arteriosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, among other disorders.
- Policosanol is produced from sugar cane, and lately from beeswax. The OTC supplement for lowering cholesterol, Cholestin, used to contain red yeast rice, until it was pulled by the FDA. Now it contains policosanol.
- Herbs and spices such as yarrow, holy basil, ginger, fenugreek, turmeric and rosemary are being studied for phytonutrients that may lower cholesterol.
Prescription drugs for high cholesterol
If your cholesterol is very high, you are at a high risk for heart disease, or the changes in your lifestyle aren’t lowering your cholesterol enough, your doctor may put you on medication. There are many different types available now incuding:
- statins, which block an enzyme that produces cholesterol.
- ezetimibe, which decreases how much cholesterol the body can absorb.
- nicotinic acid, a form of a B vitamin which affects the production of fatty acids in the liver.
- resins, which bind with bile, causing your body to make more bile. Your body uses cholesterol to make bile, thus lowering cholesterol levels.
- fibrates, which can lower triglycerides and increase HDL.
Even if you are put on a medication, that’s not an excuse to keep unhealthy habits. Consider these lifestyle changes to lower your cholesterol naturally, and make you look and feel better than ever.
The information on this page is not meant to be used in treatment of medical conditions. Please seek the advice of a physician about any medical condition or symptom. Those with medical conditions should consult a medical professional about the appropriateness of taking dietary supplements, diet therapy, or exercise and how these methods will interact with their medications.
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