Skip the sugar… make these Skinny Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Related to my blog post yesterday… I was in the mood for a sweet treat. I looked at what I had in my kitchen, and staring at me were perfectly ripe (…maybe almost toooo ripe) bananas. Meanwhile, I had a few zucchinis out that I was planning to use for dinner. My sweet tooth took over and I decided to make these fabulous Skinny Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins adapted from this recipe.

More than just satisfying my sweet tooth-- these yummy muffins are portion controlled and can freeze well. When you make them… make sure not to eat them all at one time. Leave out a few (they always taste better fresh…) and put the rest away in an air-tight container. (Out of sight) In my case… I gave them to my husband to bring to his office as his mid-afternoon snack (instead of the cookies and cakes normally found in his office pantry).

In my excitement of eating these muffins, I did not photograph them. Imagine that these are what they looked like! Seriously… they were pretty close ;)

Sugars: exposed

Sugar is confusing-- there are so many types and so much marketing for those types. It is naturally found in fruits, dairy, and some vegetables/grains-- which are part of a healthy diet-- but it often gets a bad rap!! 

Types of sugar

The controversy stems from the fact that the majority of the intake in the American diet is not from these natural sugars but from “added sugars.”  These are sugars that are added to foods during processing, preparation, or upon consumption to sweeten the flavor of food and drink. They may be also added to foods to help with preservation, texture, body, and appearance. There are many kinds of added sugars, including white sugar, brown sugar, corn sugar, honey, syrup, and current studies indicate that these typically make up about 15-20% of a person’s total caloric intake! Because of this high intake, recent government guidelines, as well as those from the American Diabetic Association  (ADA), the American Heart Association (AHA), and numerous other agencies, have called to reduce intake of added sugars.

The average American consumes 78 pounds of added sugars per year.

These days, there are many kinds of sugars, and it is important to know the difference between them-- especially because the nutrient label does not distinguish between added sugar and natural sugar (read more: Marion Nestle's Food Politics blog post). 

Here is a simple breakdown of common sugars:

Will you, Dark Chocolate, Be my Valentine?

February, though the shortest month of the year, poses unique challenges to the healthy eater. After the joyousness of the end-of-year holiday season, many take January to recover, get back on track with eating and health goals, and re-motivate themselves to reach goals. However, when February comes, some of those health goals may have fallen wayside to old habits of comfort food or quick fixes—especially when it’s too frigid to go outside to the supermarket or even the gym. Those Valentine’s candy bowls are looking especially tempting. However, fear not—here are some ways to overcome these challenges.

Research shows that clear candy bowls can increase snacking

Challenge #1: The candy bowl.  It’s 3:30 PM and the candy bowl is just calling your name, right? A way to avoid high-sugar binges— that result in the 4:30PM crash and ultimate desire for more sugar— is to re-route your path in the office to avoid walking by the candy or remove the bowl from direct eyesight on your desk. Not seeing the temptation will reduce your unconscious picking— when the “it’s just one” turns into a garbage back full of wrappers.

Out of sight, out of mind not working? Try swapping sugar-rich candy with dark chocolate pieces. Dark chocolate (60% or greater in cocoa content) has been linked with many health benefits such as stress and fatigue reduction, mood improvement, and cardiovascular improvements. Dark chocolate, compared with white or milk chocolate, contains cocoa solids that are loaded with antioxidants called flavonols and polyphenols. Though the mechanism is not completely understood, these antioxidants, as well as the monounsaturated oleic acid from the cocoa butter, can protect your heart by reducing inflammation, decreasing blood pressure, and improving blood vessel health. Studies have also linked dark chocolate intake with increasing insulin sensitivity and a reducedrisk of stroke. Despite these health benefits, do not throw caution to the wind and eat uncontrollably—dark chocolate is still a dessert.

Dark Chocolate

For more information about chocolate, look here for its history and science. 

Challenge #2: Portion control.

Quinoa cakes… so yummy even the haters will snack!

Raw quinoa

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard of quinoa, even tasted it, and probably now how to pronounce it (“keen-wah”). For the last few years, it was all the rage.  In fact—2013 was deemed “The International Year of Quinoa.”

Quinoa is a gluten-free grain that is considered a “pseudo-cereal.” It’s actually from the same family of food as spinach, beets, and swiss chard—that surprised me, too! However, we consume it like a cereal grain; therefore, it is grouped with wheat, oats, barely, etc. It comes in a rainbow of colors, but the taste and nutrient profile is similar between them. (One of the differences that is important to me is that white quinoa has a fluffier feel, and black quinoa has a crunchier feel.) Quinoa can be cooked on its own (think, rice-substitute!), used as flour in recipes, or used as flakes (to replace typical oats).

Quinoa is nutrient rich—at 110 calories per half cup—it is loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients—all of which are very bioavailable (our bodies absorb and reap the benefits). It is high in essential amino acids (the important building blocks of protein). Unlike most grains that lack adequate amounts of amino acids (such as like lysine and isoleucine), quinoa is uniquely rich in these, making it considered a complete protein source (like animal protein). Quinoa is also rich in healthy, monounsaturated fats. Though this does increase its caloric profile, the fat is monounsaturated (healthy)—which is one of the reasons it is linked with reduced inflammation. Other research has linked quinoa with cardiovascular health and diabetes risk reduction.

Whether you eat it because it’s healthy, because you like the taste and texture, or just because someone cooks it for you—keep eating it! If you are looking to try a new recipe—I made these quinoa cakes this past weekend that were fabulous!

Food spotlight: the Pomegranate

Pomegranates, native to the Himalayas, are a somewhat mysterious fruit that has been enjoyed all over the world for centuries. Some scholars suggest that it was the pomegranate, not than the apple, that was the forbidden fruit Even ate in the Garden of Eden.

The fruit itself has red skin with a distinctive “crown” and loaded with clusters of red, sweet, juicy arils (seeds covered in flesh). It is the arils that are eaten whole or pressed for their juices. The seeds have also been pressed to make a rich, red dye. Pomegranate seeds can be added to smoothies, puddings, salads, dressings and marinades, side dishes (like Brussel sprouts!), or even ice cream.

Pomegranates are popular not only for their sweet taste but for their healthy nutrient profile and subsequent health benefits. They are low in calories, have no fat, and are loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, copper, zinc, iron, fiber, antioxidants and polyphenols. Pomegranates may be protective because of their ability to limit oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, a key step in the promotion of cancer and other chronic disease. In a recent review, pomegranates have been positively linked with anti-diabetic activity as a result of these protective mechanisms. Pomegranate consumption has been also linked with cardiovascular health by improving blood flow and decreasing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol formation, and with the slowing of prostate cancer advancement. More research, however, is needed to confirm these protective links.

For dessert or for your special valentine try making this antioxidant loaded Dark Chocolate and Pomegranate Bark from the New York Times.