The Cranky Yankee April Newsletter
Energy Drink or Liquid Caffeine?
A recent study, published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, analyzed the caffeine and nutritional content of the 10 most popular brands on the energy drink market. Researchers concluded that on average, the most popular energy drinks on the market contain between three and four times the amount of caffeine as a typical carbonated soft drink. While researchers did not single out any one of the energy drink brands, they noted with some alarm that one of the brands in question contained as much as 150 milligrams of caffeine per serving. In many European countries, beverages with such high concentrations of caffeine are required to carry a "high caffeine" warning label to caution those whose health may be affected by the detrimental effects of caffeine.
The authors of the Florida study identified several sub-populations who should be especially wary of the detrimental effects of caffeine, and watch out for "liquid caffeine" beverages such as those marketed as energy drinks. These populations included pregnant women, young children and those with heart disease. Previous studies have shown that the detrimental effects of caffeine may raise the risk of miscarriage among pregnant women, as well as lead to sleep and behavioral problems in children. People with heart disease, or those identified as being at high risk, are urged to avoid high dosages of caffeine due to the known detrimental effects of caffeine on the heart rate.
Another popular ingredient in energy drinks is guarana, a South American herb that has been used for centuries among the indians there. It contains a tiny amount of natural caffeine. I keep the Herbalife n-r-g s (Nature's Raw Guarana) in stock, because it banishes fatigue. I've had times I felt so worn that it hurt; I've taken a couple of n-r-g, and felt the fatigue literally drain out of me. Back when I was working the 11pm-7am shift all the time, that n-r-g was the only thing keeping me going some nights. And when it REALLY got bad, I'd wash down the n-r-g with Herbalife Herbal Concentrate for a little extra lift. (The Herbal Concentrate helps perk up the metabolism and has been nicknamed "drink and shrink.")
Pickles to Help Control Blood Sugar?
There was a report in my local newspaper about a study showing that vinegar slows down the absorption of carbohydrates. It referenced a study in the March 2000 issue of the Journal of Nutrition which reported that acetic acid has the ability to suppress the activity of a specific carbohydrate-digesting enzyme (disaccharidase). Their results suggested that this effect was behind observations that vinegar has the ability to blunt the expected rise in blood sugar after eating carbohydrates.
The phenomenon was affirmed most recently in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. In this study they gave subjects a couple of tablespoons of vinegar in cranberry juice to make it more palatable. This was followed by a meal consisting of orange juice. a bagel, and butter. Those receiving the vinegar drink experienced improvements in their glycemic response to the meal, and those who were pre-diabetic had the best results. As an interesting side effect, the people using the vinegar also lost a couple of pounds during the four-week study.
Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid, and any vinegar appears to work. The study recommended adding 2 tablespoons of vinegar daily, either by using an oil and vinegar salad dressing, or eating pickles. Read the labels and make sure that vinegar is the second or at least the third ingredient listed and that there is no high fructose corn syrup on the list. Mountolive brand has a line of no-sugar-added sweet and bread-and-butter pickles that use Splenda. Vinegar is number 3 on the ingredients label (behind cucumbers and water) and a one ounce serving is ZERO calories.
I've been sipping a mouthful of apple cider vinegar a day, and have seen a huge reduction in heartburn symptoms. Dr.Jonathan V. Wright in his "Nutrition & Healing" newsletter says that most digestive problems he sees are a result of a LACK of stomach acid, not an overabundance. When I start to get heartburn, I now reach for some vinegar or grapefruit juice instead of the antacids. It seems counter-intuitive, but it works.
A basic rule with carbohydrate is: Complex = good; simple/refined = bad. The more there is to it above the sugar, i.e. whole fruit vs. fructose, the more time it takes to turn into sugar in the blood stream.
Warning about artificial sweeteners and weight control: Some research shows that a perception of sweetness is one of the mechanisms the body uses to regulate caloric intake. Calorie-free sweeteners can interfere with this natural regulator, leading to overeating.
Srawberries are in season and abundant here in Florida, so here's a recipe for a fresh strawberry pie that's easy and safe. The recipe was created by a diabetic chef, the grandaughter of a French chef who was well-known in his day, and died of diabetes at the age of 41, before insulin treatment was discovered.
Strawberry Pie
Tools: measuring cups and spoons, paring knife, potato masher or large fork (to mash the berries), 2 medium mixing bowls, nonstick saucepan, wooden or plastic spoon, 1 pie pan, or a frozen piecrust in its own foil pan, prebaked according to package directions.
Ingredients:
7 1/2 cups fresh whole srtawberries
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar substitute
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar substitute
1 prebaked single pie crust, cooled
Directions:
Prepare and bake the crust according to package directions. Set it aside to cool.
In a bowl, cut and mash enough berries to make 1 1/2 cups. Keep large, nicely-shaped berries out to use as the topping. Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar substitute into the mashed berries. Spoon out 1/2 cup of the juice. (It's okay if you get some pulp in with the juice.) Add the cornstarch and mix carefully until smooth--no lumps allowed!
In the nonstick saucepan, combine the mashed strawberries and the juice and cornstarch mixture and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or more, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil until it thickens--it will change from a milky color to clear. Let it cool while you do the next step.
In another bowl, lightly toss the whole strawberries with 1 teaspoon of sugar substitute--just enough to lightly coat the berries.
When the cooked mixture has cooled a little, spoon it into the pie crust and spread it evenly. Push the whole berries into the mixture--make it look nice--be creative. Let it finish cooling and serve with an optional garnish of whipped cream.
Exchanges: 1 bread, .22 fruit, 2.5 fat
Feedback is welcome at: newsletter@crankyyankee.biz
Thanks for subscribing,
Cranky Yankee and Mrs. Cranky
P.S. Blogs available at:
http://crankyyankeesbiz.blogspot.com
http://mrscrankysblog.blogspot.com
http://crankyside.blogspot.com
http://proofreaderscorner.blogspot.com
http://crankyyankeemarketing.blogspot.com
All are RSS Feed enabled with "Add to MY Yahoo" buttons
A recent study, published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, analyzed the caffeine and nutritional content of the 10 most popular brands on the energy drink market. Researchers concluded that on average, the most popular energy drinks on the market contain between three and four times the amount of caffeine as a typical carbonated soft drink. While researchers did not single out any one of the energy drink brands, they noted with some alarm that one of the brands in question contained as much as 150 milligrams of caffeine per serving. In many European countries, beverages with such high concentrations of caffeine are required to carry a "high caffeine" warning label to caution those whose health may be affected by the detrimental effects of caffeine.
The authors of the Florida study identified several sub-populations who should be especially wary of the detrimental effects of caffeine, and watch out for "liquid caffeine" beverages such as those marketed as energy drinks. These populations included pregnant women, young children and those with heart disease. Previous studies have shown that the detrimental effects of caffeine may raise the risk of miscarriage among pregnant women, as well as lead to sleep and behavioral problems in children. People with heart disease, or those identified as being at high risk, are urged to avoid high dosages of caffeine due to the known detrimental effects of caffeine on the heart rate.
Another popular ingredient in energy drinks is guarana, a South American herb that has been used for centuries among the indians there. It contains a tiny amount of natural caffeine. I keep the Herbalife n-r-g s (Nature's Raw Guarana) in stock, because it banishes fatigue. I've had times I felt so worn that it hurt; I've taken a couple of n-r-g, and felt the fatigue literally drain out of me. Back when I was working the 11pm-7am shift all the time, that n-r-g was the only thing keeping me going some nights. And when it REALLY got bad, I'd wash down the n-r-g with Herbalife Herbal Concentrate for a little extra lift. (The Herbal Concentrate helps perk up the metabolism and has been nicknamed "drink and shrink.")
Pickles to Help Control Blood Sugar?
There was a report in my local newspaper about a study showing that vinegar slows down the absorption of carbohydrates. It referenced a study in the March 2000 issue of the Journal of Nutrition which reported that acetic acid has the ability to suppress the activity of a specific carbohydrate-digesting enzyme (disaccharidase). Their results suggested that this effect was behind observations that vinegar has the ability to blunt the expected rise in blood sugar after eating carbohydrates.
The phenomenon was affirmed most recently in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. In this study they gave subjects a couple of tablespoons of vinegar in cranberry juice to make it more palatable. This was followed by a meal consisting of orange juice. a bagel, and butter. Those receiving the vinegar drink experienced improvements in their glycemic response to the meal, and those who were pre-diabetic had the best results. As an interesting side effect, the people using the vinegar also lost a couple of pounds during the four-week study.
Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid, and any vinegar appears to work. The study recommended adding 2 tablespoons of vinegar daily, either by using an oil and vinegar salad dressing, or eating pickles. Read the labels and make sure that vinegar is the second or at least the third ingredient listed and that there is no high fructose corn syrup on the list. Mountolive brand has a line of no-sugar-added sweet and bread-and-butter pickles that use Splenda. Vinegar is number 3 on the ingredients label (behind cucumbers and water) and a one ounce serving is ZERO calories.
I've been sipping a mouthful of apple cider vinegar a day, and have seen a huge reduction in heartburn symptoms. Dr.Jonathan V. Wright in his "Nutrition & Healing" newsletter says that most digestive problems he sees are a result of a LACK of stomach acid, not an overabundance. When I start to get heartburn, I now reach for some vinegar or grapefruit juice instead of the antacids. It seems counter-intuitive, but it works.
A basic rule with carbohydrate is: Complex = good; simple/refined = bad. The more there is to it above the sugar, i.e. whole fruit vs. fructose, the more time it takes to turn into sugar in the blood stream.
Warning about artificial sweeteners and weight control: Some research shows that a perception of sweetness is one of the mechanisms the body uses to regulate caloric intake. Calorie-free sweeteners can interfere with this natural regulator, leading to overeating.
Srawberries are in season and abundant here in Florida, so here's a recipe for a fresh strawberry pie that's easy and safe. The recipe was created by a diabetic chef, the grandaughter of a French chef who was well-known in his day, and died of diabetes at the age of 41, before insulin treatment was discovered.
Strawberry Pie
Tools: measuring cups and spoons, paring knife, potato masher or large fork (to mash the berries), 2 medium mixing bowls, nonstick saucepan, wooden or plastic spoon, 1 pie pan, or a frozen piecrust in its own foil pan, prebaked according to package directions.
Ingredients:
7 1/2 cups fresh whole srtawberries
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar substitute
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar substitute
1 prebaked single pie crust, cooled
Directions:
Prepare and bake the crust according to package directions. Set it aside to cool.
In a bowl, cut and mash enough berries to make 1 1/2 cups. Keep large, nicely-shaped berries out to use as the topping. Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar substitute into the mashed berries. Spoon out 1/2 cup of the juice. (It's okay if you get some pulp in with the juice.) Add the cornstarch and mix carefully until smooth--no lumps allowed!
In the nonstick saucepan, combine the mashed strawberries and the juice and cornstarch mixture and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or more, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil until it thickens--it will change from a milky color to clear. Let it cool while you do the next step.
In another bowl, lightly toss the whole strawberries with 1 teaspoon of sugar substitute--just enough to lightly coat the berries.
When the cooked mixture has cooled a little, spoon it into the pie crust and spread it evenly. Push the whole berries into the mixture--make it look nice--be creative. Let it finish cooling and serve with an optional garnish of whipped cream.
Exchanges: 1 bread, .22 fruit, 2.5 fat
Feedback is welcome at: newsletter@crankyyankee.biz
Thanks for subscribing,
Cranky Yankee and Mrs. Cranky
P.S. Blogs available at:
http://crankyyankeesbiz.blogspot.com
http://mrscrankysblog.blogspot.com
http://crankyside.blogspot.com
http://proofreaderscorner.blogspot.com
http://crankyyankeemarketing.blogspot.com
All are RSS Feed enabled with "Add to MY Yahoo" buttons
posted by Mrs.Cranky Yankee @ 3:02 PM
0 comments
