Sugar replacers

As the holidays draw nearer, the consumption of sugar seems to increase without us even realizing it. Chocolate, in addition to other holiday treats, is associated with the Christmas time, and for many it is not real Christmas if there are no gingerbread cookies or peppermint candies. As I have mentioned before a couple of times, sugar really is not healthy for you –  processing the sugar we eat and at the same time keeping our systems in balance requires a lot of energy and nutrients (namely B vitamins) (1). It is hard to give up sugar completely, especially at this time of the year, so how is one supposed to decrease the intake of sugar?

One way is to try to replace the sugar with other sweet foods. However, I don’t mean artificial sweeteners, because to me, food is supposed to be natural, not artificial. According to Justin O’Brien, (Ph.D.), “[a]rtificial food products disturb the functioning of your metabolism”(1), which makes sense, as it seems that the body doesn’t know what to do with artificial substances, it doesn’t have enzymes to break them down. Thus instead of aspartame and the like, I recommend stevia as a sugar replacer, as stevia is extracted from a plant and is therefore not artificial and what is more, it may even contain medicinal properties (2).

When baking Christmas treats, instead of white sugar, one can try using raw sugar, maple syrup, molasses, apple sauce, banana and other less processed sugar-like sweeteners. You might get some nice additional flavor to the final product, too! You can find recipes of your old favorites that use alternative sweetening methods, or you can experiment yourself.

Lastly, stock up on fresh and dried fruit. Then, before reaching for the chocolate, you can have a cutie (or an apple or a pear...) to satisfy the sweet craving. The good thing is that the less you eat white sugar, the less you crave it too.

Here is a recipe for a blueberry breakfast cake that uses raw sugar instead of white sugar. It is from the cookbook Everyday Happy Herbivore by Lindsay S. Nixon (3). I used whole spelt flour instead of wheat and only raw sugar instead of raw and brown sugar (I bought mine from Safeway). I also used fresh blueberries, not wild frozen ones and I didn’t sprinkle the cake with additional sugar. It turned out really great!

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

¼ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup raw sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup non-dairy milk

1 cup wild blueberries, frozen 

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175 °C). Grease a 9-inch bread pan or a 9-inch square shaped pan. Mix together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder and baking soda. Add applesauce, sugar, vanilla extract and non-dairy milk, mix lightly. Some extra non-dairy milk can be added if needed. Add blueberries, mixing them in gently. Pour the dough into the pan and sprinkle with some sugar (optional). Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Love,

Anna-Kaisa

References:

     1.      O’Brien, Justin Ph.D. The Wellness Tree. Saint Paul, MN: Yes International Publishers, 2008. Print.

     2.      Goyal SK, Samsher, Goyal RK. “Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) a bio-sweetener: a review”. Pubmed.gov. Feb 2010. Web. 12/16/2013

     3.      Nixon, Lindsay S. Everyday Happy Herbivore. Dallas, TX: BenBella Books Inc. 2011. Print.

Meatless October

Hi all,

happy October!

October is special this year: in Finland the month of October has been dedicated to vegetarianism. The hosts from the TV-show "Docventures" have challenged everyone in Finland to decrease or stop eating meat for this month. This came to be because one of the hosts, who is known to be very fond of meat, was himself challenged to go vegetarian in October by a guest in the show.

A Facebook event was created and I was also invited to join it. I already am a vegetarian, so my joining the event is a bit on the cheating side. As of today, out of the 120,000 people who received an invite almost 30,000 people have said they would join it, which I think is a very nice number for such a strongly meat-eating country. (Facebook page for meatless October https://www.facebook.com/events/516481648435327/)

I am very happy about this. Many people will be eating more healthily than they probably have been so far; however, I find that the open-mindedness people are showing when they agree to try this is even more impressive. Other benefits from trying to go vegetarian for awhile include acquiring a broader palate and finding new and delicious recipes that can be used also in the future.

I predict that there will be an overall increase in the consumption of vegetables, fruit and fiber and a decrease in the intake of cholesterol and saturated fat in Finland. I hope that restaurants there will recognize this as an opportunity to add more variety and creativity to their menus and add a couple of vegetarian options for those that are going vegetarian this month. It would also make it easier for these people to stay vegetarian when going out for lunch or dinner.

My tips for going vegetarian:
- make what you used to but instead of meat, use fake meat (such as meatless meatballs), if available (in California this is not a problem)
- cook with tofu, beans, lentils or cheese
- try out new recipes boldly, the internet has tons and tons of great recipes
- don't worry about getting enough protein: dairy, eggs, soy, beans, lentils, nuts and even grains have plenty of protein, it is very hard to not get enough to cover daily needs
- consult your friends and relatives and share your experiences with others that are trying vegetarianism out too

If you decide to try going vegetarian for any period of time, let me know how it goes. I would love to hear your experiences and if you have found nice recipes, please share them!

Good luck! It is not as hard as it seems!

Wishing you a great fall,

Anna-Kaisa

Here is a link to the Docventures Internet site (unfortunately it is in Finnish only)
http://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2013/10/01/lihaton-lokakuu-alkoi-mita-nyt-syodaan

Fighting cancer before it happens: antiangiogenetic foods

The first time I heard about foods that inhibit the formation of new blood vessels was during an anatomy class when we were discussing cancer. These foods are very beneficial to cancer prevention, because if a tumor forms in the body, it can´t grow and become cancerous without blood supply. 

This is how angiogenesis i.e. the growth of new blood vessels works (in short): a tumor is able to send a message to our bodies so that it starts growing new blood vessels toward the tumor to bring oxygen and nutrients to it. If blood vessels aren´t able to connect the tumor to the blood supply, the tumor won´t be able to develop into a malignant cancer. Also, if there are no blood vessels to connect the tumor to the blood supply, it won´t be able to send cancer cells to other body tissues, either. (1)

Dr. William Li states that it is possible that we develop tiny cancers in our bodies all the time, but because they are unable to grow without blood supply, they rarely become malignant. (1) For this reason eating antiangiogenic foods is important.

 

Lingonberries

There is a long list of foods that have been found to contain substances that inhibit blood vessel growth. These include all kinds of berries, citrus fruit, tomato, olive oil and dark chocolate, to name a few (2). A full list can be found at http://www.standup2cancer.org/article_archive/view/foods_that_fight_cancer. 

Another excellent reason to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables!

More information about angiogenesis is available on The Angiogenesis Foundation’s Internet site at www.angio.org.

 

Thank you for reading!

Anna-Kaisa

References

1. Dr. William Li. "Eat to Defeat Cancer... Every Day". Eat to Defeat Cancer. 4 Nov. 2011. Web.  13 Aug. 2013 <http://www.eattodefeatcancer.org/ >

2. Cat Vasco. "Foods that Fight Cancer". Stand Up To Cancer. Web. 13 Aug. 2013 <http://www.standup2cancer.org/article_archive/view/foods_that_fight_cancer >

Finnish food

Finnish food is known for its mild flavors. Very often only salt and pepper are used to spice the food, because Finnish people like pure flavors and do not wish to change the taste of the ingredients with strong spices. The Finns also appreciate local foods and I am glad to have noticed that the foods in the supermarkets in general are becoming more healthy: there are numerous products that contain less added sugar or salt, more fiber or no additives.

Rye bread

Often the first thing I want to have when I visit Finland is rye bread. The best kind is the organic sourdough rye bread made in a small village near my hometown. The ingredients are simple: organic whole rye flour, water and sea salt. When it is fresh, it is the best thing: it tastes amazing and it is very healthy. I like to eat it with a buttery spread only, but sometimes I add cheese and cucumber. Other breads are very good as well, there are many excellent rye and whole grain breads, white bread is not very popular. Sugar is added less often than in the U.S., which I find important both taste-wise and health-wise.

The variety of dairy products is marvelous. In addition to good milk, buttermilk, yogurt and cheese, there are very nice dairy snacks. I don’t even know what some of them are called in English! They make full fat, low-fat and fat-free anything made from milk. There is also a cheese of which milk fat is mostly replaced by a more healthy kind of oil, such as olive oil. One item that I wish would find its way into the U.S. is a cream that is used in cooking and is not as heavy as heavy cream but has a more creamy texture than half-and-half.  There are also different flavors, such as three-cheese cream. The Finns use all kinds in sauces and soups, my mom for instance uses it to make excellent chantarelle or winter mushroom soup.

The Finns like to eat hot cereals and so there are a good variety of different kinds. In addition to oatmeal, the Finns love also cream of wheat, rye porridge and rice porridge to name a few. There are many kinds of healthy muesli and cold cereal that taste very nice with milk or yogurt.

Even though there are many great food products in Finland, finding nice vegetarian friendly restaurants has been more challenging than in the States or in Bulgaria. Each restaurant does offer one or two vegetarian choices, but they are usually pasta, risotto or pizza. Other than a goat cheese salad, the veggie food is often unimaginative and unhealthy. This is not surprising, however, because traditionally meat has been the most important ingredient in Finnish cooking. Thus, eating out is nice for the meat eaters, but usually not very exciting for the vegetarians. The snacks in the cafés and the like are delicious, especially if the choice is some sweet pastry, but unfortunately these pastries are not very healthy (though this is common everywhere).

Chantarelle mushrooms

The best thing about Finland and its food, however, is what you can find in the forest and what you can pick for free even on someone else’s land. There are guaranteed organic blueberries, lingonberries, wild raspberries and many kinds of mushrooms up for grabs. According to a magazine I read lately, only about 1% of all the mushrooms are picked! What is more, picking berries and mushrooms is nice and relaxing exercise and it also calms the mind effectively. Fishing is also very popular in Finland, there are thousands of lakes after all!

In all, if you visit Finland, try the sweet pastries, dairy products and rye bread and get someone to take you into the forest to pick some berries or mushrooms. If you are an omnivore, there are many traditional and delicious meat and fish dishes as well.

See you next time,

Anna-Kaisa 

Bulgarian favorites

 
As during previous summers, this year I am also lucky to travel to Europe to see my family in Finland and my husband's family in Bulgaria. We spend a good amount of time in both countries and so I have had the opportunity to try many dishes in Bulgaria and learn a good deal about the food culture there. The food in Bulgaria is excellent, I especially like the cheese, the yoghurt and the vegetables.

Bean soup and potatoes

Typically, Bulgarian cuisine includes bean dishes, baked clay pot dishes and different types of salads and meats. It is very easy to be a vegetarian there, as there are many traditional vegetarian dishes that are really delicious. At a restaurant, I often choose a Shopska salad and fried zucchini with garlicky yoghurt sauce or poached eggs (Panagyurishte style) or peppers in tomato sauce. I believe the salads deserve an honorary mention, because any given restaurant easily offers ten or more different kinds. The basic components are tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onion, black olives and cheese. These vegetables are offered in different variations, with additional ingredients added in. The Bulgarians don't usually use dressing, they spice the salads with olive oil, vinegar and salt, which works very well. The vegetables in the salads are of high quality and thus very tasty.

Grandma's Peaches

Even though I have spent numerous summers in a place where they grow potatoes, carrots, onions, strawberries and the like, we could never grow warm-climate fruit in Finland. For this reason, it is exciting for me to be able to pick peaches, figs, cherries and plums straight from the tree and eat them! How much better they taste this way, than when bought from the store! Many people grow their own veggies, no matter how small their yards. Additionally, many people keep chickens and I had the privilege of eating eggs produced  by a neighbor's hens.

Shopska salad

Dairy products in Bulgaria are very good as well. Yoghurt was invented/discovered in Bulgaria and needless to say I've had the tastiest plain yoghurt there. You don't need to add anything to it at all, it is delicious as it is. And what is more, there are no additives in the yoghurt, only milk and bacterial cultures!   A hotel we stayed at in the small village of Koprivshtitsa offered homemade yoghurt, which was very nice. As the milk was also provided by the neighbor, you can't get more local than that. The two main types of cheese are feta cheese "sirene" and yellow cheese "kashkaval". I like them both a lot even if sometimes they might be pretty salty. Both cheeses are eaten as they are, in addition to using them extensively in cooking. For example sirene is used as a stuffing  in stuffed peppers and as a topping on french fries. My favorite salad - Shopska salata (which is probably the most famous of them) - is topped with sirene as well.

Cabbage and carrot salad and Shopski style white cheese (sirene)

Banitza is a pastry made of phyllo dough and sirene. It is a very popular item and it is sold in the numerous breakfast stands as well as made at home. It is very delicious, if only not very healthy. The homemade variety is so good!

Bulgaria also offers a curious addition to ice cream flavors:  violet, or as called locally, violetka. It is surprisingly tasty!

When we are about to travel to Bulgaria, I always think about the feasts we will be having. I only have to be a bit careful so that I don't return home pounds heavier! Luckily there is so much to see and to do so that consuming and expending energy balance each other out.

I hope you enjoyed the post! Take care!

Anna-Kaisa

Low-carb weight loss

In a previous blog post I discussed how  low-carbohydrate diets have negative effects on the Finnish cardiovascular health. I’m bringing the subject of low-carbohydrate diets up again because it seems that these diets have become somewhat trendy and so I believe it is important to take look closer.

One of the reasons that people go on low-carbohydrate diets, such as Atkins' diet, is because they seem to help weight loss and as a matter of fact, studies show that low-carbohydrate diets do promote it. One study concludes that “low-carbohydrate diets are at least as effective as low-fat diets at reducing weight” (1). However, this study focuses on short-term weight loss and is not the only study that admits that long-term studies are needed (1)(2).

Atkins would probably choose something else...

When weight loss results of low-carbohydrate diets were compared to the results of low-fat, calorie-reduced methods of losing weight, after six months low-carbohydrate diets yielded better results and greater weight loss than simple calorie restriction. However, the results of these two types of diets after 12 months were the same (2).  The significance lies in the fact that low-carbohydrate diets do not guarantee better results than other calorie-restricted diets, especially in the long run.

Carbohydrates are an important part of our diets, as for one, our nerve cells and red blood cells can only use glucose as their fuel. Also, if one is looking to increase muscle mass while losing weight, carbohydrates are needed to fuel the building of muscle tissue. If insufficient amount of carbohydrates are consumed, the body will produce glucose from protein instead of using it to build new proteins (3). Since low-carbohydrate diets may also increase cardiovascular disease risk factors if the fat and protein are mostly animal based (4), I don’t see many reasons for going on a low-carbohydrate diet, unless it is for very short term.

The reasons why low-carbohydrate diets work are probably because they are appetite suppressing, they restrict dietary choices and because fat and protein are highly satiating (2). However, I believe that by eating plenty of whole grain, fruit and vegetables alongside protein and unsaturated fat can have similar effects, because fiber can increase the feeling of satiety as well. In the end, it all boils down to avoiding the consumption of sugar, which according to Robert Lustig is why Atkins' diet really works (5).

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any questions about low-carbohydrate diets or anything else.

Anna-Kaisa

References

1. Hu T, Mills KT, Yao L, Demanelis K, Eloustaz M, Yancy WS Jr, Kelly TN, He J, Bazzano LA. “Effects of low-carbohydrate diets versus low-fat diets on metabolic risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials”. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University. PubMed. Web. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23035144 6/29/2013.

2. Astrup A, Meinert Larsen T, Harper A.  “Atkins and other low-carbohydrate diets: hoax or an effective tool for weight loss?” Department of Human Nutrition, Centre of Advanced Food Research, RVA University, Copenhagen. PubMed. Web. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15351198 6/29/2013.

3. Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol. Moe, Gaile. Beshgetoor, Donna. Berning, Jacqueline. Introduction To Human Nutrition. BIOL45 Foothill College Edition. McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. 2013. Print. Pages 163, 243.

4. Lagiou P, Sandin S, Lof M, Trichopoulos D, Adami HO, Weiderpass E. “Low carbohydrate-high protein diet and incidence of cardiovascular diseases in Swedish women: prospective cohort study”. University of Athens Medical School. PubMed. Web. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22735105 6/30/2013.

5. Lustig, Robert. “Fructose: it's ‘alcohol without the buzz’”. Department of Pediatrics and the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California. PubMed. Web. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23493539 6/30/2013.