Tag Archives: olive oil

June 29, 2017 · 12:05 am

Extra-virgin olive oil may prevent Alzheimer’s

New research suggests that extra-virgin olive oil – a key component of the Mediterranean diet – may protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. Mouse experiments revealed changes in both cognitive performance and the appearance of nerve cells.

Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to affect approximately 5 million people in the United States. The neurodegenerative disease is progressive and cannot yet be cured or reversed.

2-brain

But new research moves closer to a prevention – and potentially reversing – strategy, by studying the effects of extra-virgin olive oil on the cognitive performance and brain health of mice.

Extra-virgin olive oil is a key component of the Mediterranean diet, which is a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and nuts.

The new study – published in the journal Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology – was carried out by a team of researchers from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) in Philadelphia, PA.

Lead investigator Dr. Domenico Praticò – a professor in the departments of Pharmacology and Microbiology and the Center for Translational Medicine at LKSOM – explains why several studies have singled out olive oil and hailed it as the main reason why the Mediterranean diet is linked to so many health benefits.

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Mayo Clinic on food fraud – Do you know what you are eating?

Here’s a subject on which I must confess almost total ignorance. The Mayo Clinic blog, however, enumerates a disturbing situation.

Despite of all kinds of regulations and inspections, food fraud exists. Food fraud can defined as the intentional addition of improper or inferior ingredients to a food, often for economic gain.

Not all food frauds are as easy to spot as this one.

Food fraud has been around throughout history. Highly sought after spices were with filled with ground up seeds; milk was been diluted with water and chalk. The medical journal “The Lancet” reported in 1851 that swindlers were selling tea that was made from elm, oak and beech leaves, and contaminated with lead. Continue reading →

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Tagged as food fraud, olive oil, parmesan cheese

May 11, 2016 · 4:45 pm

7 Brain Boosting Foods to Eat More Often

More useful info on keeping our brains intact along with our bodies.

Tony

Our Better Health

Patricia Jurek, RD, MBA May 3, 2016

For decades, scientists have viewed food as fuel, but the latest research suggests what you eat impacts your brain, too. In fact, study after study suggests adding certain foods to your plate can sharpen your mind, build new brain cells and may even help you remember where you left your keys.

With that in mind (pun intended), researchers at Rush University in Chicago developed the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet, which is basically a combination of the DASH diet and Mediterranean diet. The main difference: MIND stresses the importance of brain-boosting power foods, including nuts, berries and fatty fish. And research shows it’s remarkably effective.

According to the study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, seniors who closely followed the MIND diet slashed their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by a whopping 53 percent. Even those who only did a…

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Filed under brain, brain function

Tagged as Alzheimer's Disease, berries, brain, brain food, fish, nuts, olive oil

July 12, 2015 · 4:47 am

11 Super Foods to Add to Your Diet

What I like about this list of super foods is that they look and sound like anything but super. Sometimes in our quest for good nutrition we overlook really good quality for exotic berries and concoctions. Clearly we can do very well by looking right in our own back yard.

My only quibble with this list is that in includes olive oil, but leaves off coconut oil. Please check out my Page – Coconut Oil – Why You Should Include it in Your Diet for more on this superb food.

Tony

Good Fat Vs. Bad Fat – Infographic

I love the conclusion of this one: Nature doesn’t make bad fats. Factories do. Amen.

Regular readers know I am a giant fan of coconut oil. Check out my Page: Coconut Oil – Why You Should Include it in Your Diet.

Tony

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Filed under Fats

Tagged as avocado oil, bad fats, coconut oil, good fats, olive oil, palm oil

March 17, 2014 · 9:58 pm

Foods to Eat for a Leaner Body

Another fine food for thought infographic. Never forget that healthy eating is healthy aging.

The only thing missing is coconut oil. Check out Why Should I Try Coconut Oil? for more details.

Tony

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Filed under leaner body

Tagged as almonds, avocado, blueberries, fine food for thought, healthy aging, healthy eating, kale, lemon, olive oil, parsley, Pinterest, spinach, weight, weight control, weight-loss

May 5, 2013 · 6:36 am

Mr. Lazy Cook Makes Pasta Hawaiian Style

What is Hawaiian style Pasta? In the case of Mr. Lazy Cook it is something he concocted for a friend when she told him she was allergic to olive oil. After all, what goes better with pasta than olive oil?

This is a simple variation on my recipe for shrimp pasta.

I use the Pasta Boat to cook my pasta. I wrote up my purchase of it
a while back. Whatever way you make your pasta, this recipe starts with it in the cooked form.

I wrote up coconut oil less than a month ago and have integrated this very healthful ingredient into my cooking and my life. I know the cliche about saturated fat, but please read my blog post on it before jumping to judgment.

Okay, let’s make some Hawaiian Style Pasta.

Take a serving of the cooked pasta, instead of olive oil, add coconut oil to taste. Mix well.

Cut up some pineapple wheels. I have a store that sells fresh cored pineapple and keep on in my fridge at all times. I probably eat about one to two pineapples a week, just cutting wheels off it and snacking. (A wheel of pineapple amounts to 42 calories. Just out of the fridge I prefer it to ice cream.).

Depending on how many you are cooking for, I suggest about one wheel per serving. Remember a serving size of pasta is around a cup full. Pasta is a high calorie dish so you need to be vigilant about this. (In the bad old days when I was overweight, I naively thought a serving of pasta was a plateful. No wonder I was heavy!)

I cut each wheel into around eight to 10 pieces. Mix these into the serving of pasta and microwave for around a minute, depending on your microwave.

When this comes out of the microwave, I top it with parmesan cheese and serve it up.

I thought it tasted great. Not like any pasta I could remember. The coconut oil also adds a nice flavor element.

One serving of pasta amounts to 200 calories, one wheel of pineapple 42 calories and two teaspoons of coconut oil 87 calories, so one serving of this Hawaiian Style pasta amounts to 329 calories.

Tony