Growing Bolder Community

Although you don't want to gain weight during the holidays, you still have to eat. So what can you eat that won't pack on pounds? Here's a list of 25 foods you can enjoy guilt free knowing that they are packed with nutrition and light on calories: Asparagus Bok coy Broccoli Broccoli rabe Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Cottage cheese Flounder Green Bell pepper Green...

One of my neighbors, Richard Scammell, is a wonderful cook. Even though Richard does not cook for a living, I consider him a chef. Cooking is Richard's hobby, but when it comes to food preparation, Richard is a highly skilled and well-educated professional. (He's even traveled to Europe to take cooking classes.)Richard and I share a love of creative, healthful cooking. When I asked him for ideas...

As part of our ongoing battle to keep ourselves healthy, we learn about the latest nutritional information and hope to glean insight so we can make appropriate adjustments to our diet. However, the rate at which conflicting advice triggered by research floods the Internet, magazines, television, radio and newspapers creates as much confusion as clarity. Today’s food fact is tomorrow’s food...

From wine to jelly to raisins, grapes can be enjoyed in a number of ways. So it's no wonder that grapes are the second-most popular fruit (they come in a close second to oranges) and that growing and processing grapes is one of the world’s largest food industries.One of the earliest cultivated fruits, grapes were introduced in biblical times, and the consumption of wine is an important motif in...

The amount of information and advice swirling around us on how much and what kind of fat to eat is enough to make a person dizzy. We’re told some fats are bad for us (saturated fats and trans-fats) and others are good for us (monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fats). Some diet experts, such as Dr. Dean Ornish, suggest a low-fat diet. Others, such as the Atkins diet, promote a...

If you’re ready to start a makeover to slim down and give your body the nutritional boost it needs, consider a pantry makeover. The March 2011 Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter provides great ideas. Listed below are ideas for items to add to your pantry or use as replacements for less healthy counterparts: Barley: Good for your heart and for lowering unhealthy cholesterol levels, barley...

If you read the latest reports on the health benefits of eating apples, you’ll find that apples are credited with the following: Reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease Reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke Boosting the immune system Reducing the risk of breast, colon, prostate and lung cancer Preventing tooth decay Aiding hair growth Protecting...

Chickpeas, otherwise known as garbanzo beans, enjoy a huge popularity in kitchens all over the world. In most Middle Eastern countries, chickpeas are included in a variety of different foods, from hummus to falafel, and in some places in India, chickpeas are consumed on a daily basis. Two varieties of chickpeas dominate: desi and kabuli. The darker desi is eaten more frequently in India, Mexico,...

Do you consider yourself average? If so, you may not be consuming enough fiber on a daily basis. Dietitians recommend that adults consume 25 to 38 grams of fiber daily, but most Americans consume about half that amount. If you are missing the mark, you are also missing the impressive health benefits of fiber: a lower risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, diabetes and colon cancer. Fiber...

When Cassius said that “the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves,” he wasn’t referring to causes of life-threatening medical problems, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. But today’s research seems to confirm Cassius’s philosophy. That is, many of the most serious health problems we may face as individuals and as a nation are a function of our daily choices...