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.

Green creamy goodness

Avocado is one of my favorite vegetables (even though it really is a fruit) simply because it tastes so good. Avocado is a little bit unusual as it has a large amount of fat compared to other fruit. Because of the relatively high fat content, avocados also contain more calories than fruit usually do. However, the fat found in avocado comprises mostly of the healthy unsaturated kind and in fact, studies have shown that a diet rich in avocados may improve blood lipid levels and therefore decrease the risk of heart disease. Phenolics and phytosterols in avocado may support heart health as well (1). 

Even though avocado contains a lot of fat, studies have shown that avocado can suppress hunger and increase satiation. Also, consuming monounsaturated fats can reduce the accumulation of fat around the stomach area. (1) This is significant, because abdominal fat accumulation compared to fat in say, thighs, is more dangerous to our health.

Avocado contains a small amount of carbohydrates, most of which is dietary fiber. The amount of sugar is unusually low for being a fruit and what is more, the sugar found in avocado doesn’t behave as normal sugar: the sugar in avocado may help regulate healthy blood glucose levels and possibly even support weight management (1). Interesting!

Additionally, avocado contains fat soluble carotenoid antioxidants, whose absorption into the body are conveniently helped by avocado’s own fats (1). In a salad, avocado or avocado oil can increase the absorption of these antioxidants in the other vegetables as well. 

Avocado is packed with other nutrients: carotenoids, vitamins C, B5, B6, C and E, folate, magnesium and potassium. In addition, one cup of peeled and sliced avocado contains a nice 9.8 grams of fiber! (2)

Avocado is great in salads, sandwiches, wraps and – my favorite - sushi! A vegan restaurant that I frequent serves an avocado smoothie, which is just heavenly. Also, avocado works very well in desserts, such as in this avocado-chocolate mousse:

1 large ripe avocado

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup wet sweetener, such as maple syrup

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. water (add additional water 1 tbsp. at a time to get right consistency)

Directions: Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend and add more water if necessary to thin the mousse out. The mousse is very sweet, so it might be a good idea to reduce the amount of sweetener a bit.

If you have a great avocado recipe, please share!

Have a great summer everyone! 

Anna-Kaisa

References:

1.       Dreher, Mark, Davenport, Adrienne. “Hass Avocado Composition and Potential Health Effects”. PubMed database. 05/02/2013. Web. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23638933 cited 6/27/2013

2.       National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties. http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2175 cited 6/27/2013

Photography

Chickpea coconut curry with kale - so delish!

I want to mention that most of the pictures on my blog are taken by my husband, Manol Manolov. He is doing a great job, don't you think!






If you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to let me know :)

Anna-Kaisa

Sugar experiment

Off the menu

Eating too much sugar has been a weakness of mine throughout my life. I've known from the beginning that sugar is not very healthy and I have been able to cut down a lot, but I still find myself craving for sweets very often. I've had the tendency to have something sweet everyday, even though I know I shouldn't. I must say sugar is addictive, it tastes too good!

The reason that I'm writing about sugar again, is that lately I have been exposed to a lot of discussion about sugar. Increasingly I have been hearing that it is in fact very unhealthy. That it puts a lot of stress on the body and causes premature aging, moodiness and has toxic effects. That it is also know as "the white death". (1) Sounds pretty bad!

Since sugar has such a bad reputation, I decided to conduct an experiment on myself: I try to eliminate sugar from my diet as much as possible and see if I start feeling any different. If sugar is added to the food, I will avoid it, but fruits,vegetables and milk are allowed (milk contains lactose that is a type of sugar). Also, other carbohydrates are not off the list.

Observations

• Dr. Robert Lustig mentions that almost all processed food has added sugar and I make the same observation. Even mayonnaise and salad dressing might have added sugar! (2) This makes it more difficult to choose what to eat.
• I find that I don't crave sugar as much as before. However, if I slip, the next day the craving is back!
• I have felt that my energy level is more balanced: my hunger is not as strong or when I've eaten, I don't feel as hyper.
• My skin seems brighter if I managed to keep sugar consumption to the minimum the previous day - I did not expect this one.
• The thought of not having sugar anymore makes me feel like I'm depriving myself of something that in a way belongs to life. Tasting something really good makes us feel good and it seems that when that is gone (which it is not really, since sugar is not the only thing that tastes good!) it feels odd. I'm starting to understand how psychological food and eating really is! 
•  Eating is also strongly habitual: I tend to walk straight to the cupboard that houses the chocolate storage of the house every time I go to the kitchen to have a snack. It is harder to walk away empty handed than not go near the chocolate at all!

Overall, the effects of this experiment so far have been positive - I have been feeling slightly more balanced energetically than I have been. Still, I think a change of rules is appropriate to accommodate social situations or simply wishing to have a little bit of something good every now and then. Being too strict about any diet is risky, because a slip from the rules might end up wrecking the whole diet (happened to me many times) whereas following a more flexible diet allows for some deviation from the rules making the probability of success a bit better. Most importantly, it is good to have a set of standards to follow, but one should not worry too much about eating, especially if your eating habits are more healthy than not: if you decided to have that piece of chocolate cake today, enjoy it to the fullest and don't ruin the experience by feeling bad about it. Easier said than done isn't it.


I encourage you to try cutting down on sugar to find out if you can feel the difference. If you try it, please let me know how it goes! I also encourage you to read the nutrient labels on the foods you eat to see if they contain added sugar. You'll be amazed!

Take care,

Anna-Kaisa

References
1. O'Brien, Justin. The Wellness Tree: the six-step program for creating optimal wellness. St. Paul MN: Yes International Publishers,1990. Print (page 83)
2. Lustig, Robert. "Still believe a 'Calorie is a Calorie'?" The Huffington Post. 2/27/2013. Web. 4/14/2013
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-lustig-md/sugar-toxic_b_2759564.html

Soy protein – a friend or foe?

Being a sporty vegetarian, getting enough high quality protein is important. Most of the plant based protein bars use soy protein as their protein source demanding me to take a closer look on soy and its health benefits/risks. 

Soy is unique as it is the only plant based protein that provides all the essential amino acids that the body needs. It contains no saturated fat or cholesterol, both of which are found in meat. Soy protein is also a good source of minerals, such as manganese, copper, iron and phosphorus (1). Soy protein is also considered to be well digestible (2). On the other hand, soy protein is an allergen and can cause an allergic reaction to some (3). 

Nevertheless, now we come to the tricky part. Soy contains phytoestrogens that some connect to health benefits and some to health dangers. For example, some studies indicate that phytoestrogens can lower the risk of breast cancer and some indicate they can increase the risk. Similarly, phytoestrogens in some studies show to alleviate menopausal symptoms and in some they have no effect or they make the symptoms worse. It is also said that 25 grams of soy protein a day alongside a healthy diet can help decrease the risk of heart disease, but then again, soy contains substances that can block the absorbance of some minerals and inhibit some enzymes to work properly (2)(3).

So what is one supposed to think then? On one hand, soy protein is a complete protein that also offers minerals and fiber, on the other hand, there is a debate whether the substances found in soy are healthy or not. In addition, it is said that most of the soy consumed in the US is genetically modified (3). The negative sides of soy protein don’t stop there, but I’m starting to get the idea.

Intuitively, I would think that the health risks become tangible when one eats a lot of soy. Therefore I tried to find a number or some clear limit to tell me how much is too much. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything that could give me a clear picture, only an article saying soy foods are OK but concentrated soy products are not (4). 

Luckily, soy protein is not my only option: beans, lentils, nuts and dairy all are rich in protein and by mixing and matching I can easily get enough complete protein in my diet. All in all, when it comes to choosing to eat or not to eat soy, I would listen to my biology teacher, who once said: “have everything in moderation, even moderation itself”.

Take care,

Anna-Kaisa

Sources:

(1)    Nutrition Data http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4389/2

(2)    Livestrong.com http://www.livestrong.com/article/499435-soy-protein-and-digestion/

(3)    Baseline of Health Foundation http://www.jonbarron.org/article/benefits-dangers-soy-products

(4)    UTNE Reader http://www.utne.com/2007-07-01/Environment/How-Much-Is-Too-Much.aspx