Health for life

Researchers who presented April 4 at the Experimental Biology 2006 conference in San Francisco were the first to document the beneficial effect of cloves on insulin function in humans.

Study Summary*

• Participants - 36 patients with type 2 diabetes
  
• Length - 30 day intervention
  
• Methods - Participants were divided into 4 groups, assigned to take capsules containing 0, 1, 2, or 3 grams cloves per day.
  
• Findings:
  • No significant differences in responses among the 3 levels of cloves used.
    
  • Average blood glucose reduction - from 225 to 150 mg/dL
    
  • Average triglycerides reduction - from 235 to 203 mg/dL
    
  • Average total cholesterol reduction - from 273 to 239 mg/dL
    
  • Average LDL cholesterol reduction - from 175 to 145 mg/dL

If these findings bear scrutiny, taking the equivalent of 1 to 2 cloves a day may prove beneficial for people with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

* The study was part of the scientific program of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), a member of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). Financial support was given by the Higher Educational Commission of Pakistan.

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For the studys abstract (pdf):
Cinnamon, cloves improve insulin function, lower risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular disease

Waffle is a leavened batter or dough cooked between two plates, there are many variations based of the iron used for waffles and the recipe used for. Waffles makes an excellent snacks for kids and mine loves them very much with their favourite spread Nutella, whenever we go around Paris my kids wont come back home without waffles or French crepes, it was a routine for us until i got the waffle iron. Now i make them often at home both as yeasted one or with baking powder similar like American waffles.

Usually waffles dont have any flavour apart from vanilla essence, while making mine this time,i just tried adding cinnamon powder just by curiousity and trust me the addition of cinnamon powder makes the difference. If you like cinnamon in waffles, this is one for you.An excellent snack for school going kids eventhough you can enjoy these aromatic waffles for breakfast with your cup of coffee or tea.Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#31.



2cups All purpose flour
2nos Eggs
1/2cup Oil
1/2cup Sugar
1+1/2cup Warm milk
1tsp Instant yeast
1tbsp Cinnamon powder
1/4tsp Salt

In a bowl, take the all purpose flour,sugar,cinnamon powder,yeast,salt, meanwhile beat the eggs lightly..

Gradually add the milk,oil,beaten eggs to the dry ingredients and stir well with a wooden spoon.

The batter should be bit thick but shouldnt be thin.

Keep in a warm place for 30minutes or until you can the batter starts bubbling.

Preheat the waffle maker, drop gently this sticky batter and bake.

Serve with your favourite syrup,jam or chocolate sauce and nutella with some fruits.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University report in the PLoS ONE journal that the common spice cinnamon found in many kitchen pantries around the world may hold a crucial key to preventing Alzheimer`s disease. Alzheimer`s disease cases are growing at an exponential pace, currently affecting one in eight people over the age of 65.

Its the time of year when cinnamon starts appearing in warmed apple ciders, teas, and baked goods. Thats good news for people trying to control their blood sugar.

A study that appeared in the December 2003 issue of Diabetes Care found that cinnamon could:

• Lower blood glucose by 18 to 29%
  
• Lower triglycerides by 23 to 30%
  
• Lower total cholesterol by 13 to 26%

The study participants received either 1, 3, or 6 grams/day of ground cinnamon (thats about 3/4 tsp, 2 tsp, or 3-3/4 tsp respectively). Benefits in blood glucose were similar regardless of the amount taken. The cinnamon was consumed for 40 days, with the best results seen at the end of that time.

More research needs to be done before a recommendation can be made. But its worth adding 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon to your diet, once or twice a day, and testing your blood glucose to see if it works for you.

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For the study (no registration required):
Cinnamon Improves Glucose and Lipids of People With Type 2 Diabetes

(Note to self: When trying to psyche self up to blog, do not listen to Radioheads OK Computer right before beginning to write. Its a bit like watching the first ten minutes of Up before playing in the Super Bowl.)

(And yes, blogging is just like playing in the Super Bowl. Think of the carbs!)

Hey you guys! So, were trying something new here at CHG, in which we de-emphasize calorie counts a little (as theyre not the decisive measure of a foods healthiness) so as to better focus on the overall nutritional value of any given recipe.

(Did I just make that up just now, so this post would fit into our stated thematic parameters? Yes.)

(Does it have some merit to it? Yes.)

(Did I have a large glass of red wine before beginning this post? I think you know the answer to that.)

Anyway, youll see that todays dish, Apple-Cinnamon Whole Grain Breakfast Strata from The Kitchn via Opera Girl Cooks, is a little higher in calories than our usual recipes. This is okay, though. Because A) its warm and appley and delicious – like non-cloying French toast, B) the fiber and protein counts are super-high, and C) all the ingredients are dang wholesome. Combined, all that makes for a healthy breakfast.

(What also makes for a healthy breakfast: grapefruit, oatmeal, not Lucky Charms, not skipping breakfast, escaping a pack of roaming ninjas to successfully get to work on time.)

I changed very little from OCG/The Kitchn’s original recipe, and the alterations made were mostly for economic reasons. A regular supermarket loaf of bread substituted for a fancier loaf. Dark brown sugar was chosen over organic cane sugar. Honey went in for agave syrup.

(That last ones not just financially motivated. Its just - agave syrup tastes like really thick tequila to me. And if the words "really thick tequila" dont automatically make you a little nauseous, then you may never have had a tequila-induced hangover. In which case, I salute and envy you.)

Theres a bonus to the strata, as well. Step #2 requires you to saw off all the crusts of a loaf of bread. At first, this seems wasteful. BUT WAIT! By toasting said crusts for a few minutes, then crushing them in your mighty grasp, you come up with 1 1/2 cups handy, dandy whole-wheat breadcrumbs! Imagine what you can do with those!

(Coat chicken!)

(Top casseroles!)

(Sprinkle on macaroni and cheese!)

(Use as confetti at a mouses birthday party!)

And thats it.

(Really!)

~~~

If this looks good, you might also quite enjoy:

• Breakfast Couscous with Custard
• English Muffin Strata with Ham and Cheese
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal

~~~

Apple & Cinnamon Whole Grain Breakfast Strata
Serves 6 to 8.
Adapted from The Kitchn.


For the strata:
1 (24-ounce) loaf good supermarket whole wheat or whole grain bread
3 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
8 large eggs
2 cups 1% milk
1/3 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

For the glaze:
3 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1) Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish ever-so-lightly with butter

2) Unpack bread. Place ends aside. Cut crusts off each piece. Set crusts aside.

2.5) IF MAKING BREADCRUMBS : Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread crusts out on baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes, until bread is completely toasty. Remove from oven and let cool. When totally cool, run through a food processor or beat senseless with rolling pin. Store crumbs in an airtight container. Should make 1 1/2 to 2 cups breadcrumbs.

3) Line bottom of baking dish with half the crustless bread. Layer apple slices on top of bread. Layer apples with remaining bread.

4) In a medium bowl, mix eggs, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk thoroughly. Pour over bread. Cover and rigerate a few hours, or overnight.

5) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6) Cover strata with tin foil. Bake for 35 minutes (45 minutes if coming straight from the fridge). Uncover. Bake for additional 15 minutes.

7) Mix cream cheese, honey, milk, and vanilla in a small pot. Heat over medium heat until cheese is melted and glaze is formed, stirring constantly. Pour over warmed strata. Spread glaze with back of a wooden spoon until pretty evenly distributed.

8) Let sit 10 minutes. Serve, with syrup if perred.


Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
Seven servings: 392 calories, 13.8 g fat, 10 g fiber, 16.9 g protein, $0.99

NOTE: Calculations are for Arnold 100% Whole Wheat Triple Health (I don’t know what that means, either) bread, which is what I used. Since there’s no real way to calculate nutrition for crustless bread, I subtracted 30% of the totals. It’s not scientific per se, but that’s why we write “approximate.”

Calculations
1 (24-ounce) supermarket loaf whole wheat or whole grain bread: 1050 calories, 21 g fat, 63 g fiber, 42 g protein, $2.50
3 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, sliced into 1/4-inch wedges: 184 calories, 0.4 g fat, 5 g fiber, 1 g protein, $1.36
8 large eggs: 588 calories, 39.6 g fat, 0 g fiber, 50.3 g protein, $1.00
2 cups + 2 tablespoons 1% milk: 224 calories, 5.2 g fat, 0 g fiber, 18.1 g protein, $0.66
1/3 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar: 229 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.22
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract: 30 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.20
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon: 9 calories, 0.1 g fat, 1.9 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.06
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg: 6 calories, 0.4 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.03
3 ounces cream cheese: 297 calories, 29.7 g fat, 0 g fiber, 6.4 g protein, $0.56
2 tablespoons honey: 128 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.32
TOTAL: 2745 calories, 96.4 g fat, 70.2 g fiber, 118.1 g protein, $6.91
PER SERVING (TOTAL/7): 392 calories, 13.8 g fat, 10 g fiber, 16.9 g protein, $0.99

So Im trying something new here at The Healthy Cow... recipes!  I dont know why I havent though of it before.  Im constantly cooking for myself so why not just document it and share it?  But the recipes I post here will not be the typical recipes youre used to.  Heres the plan...

1. Most of my recipes will be original, created by me.  If I get the inspiration from somewhere, Ill make note of it.  I dont typically follow recipes anyway.
2. The food I make is simple, easy, and delicious.  I dont normally make long, complicated dishes.  I dont have time to be in the kitchen that long, and I doubt you do either.  My recipes will be simple and easy to make.
3. Id like to share some simple cooking techniques.  Ive been a part-time cook for a few years now, in addition to always cooking at home, so I feel like I have some useful knowledge to share.
4. The recipes will be mostly healthy, probably even paleo, but Im not going to limit myself in that way.
5. Overall, Id like to give everyone a glimpse into what I eat in my day to day life, and to show you how easy it is to make healthy food that tastes good.
6. I reserve the right to change any of this at any time, even if I decide to scrap the recipe idea altogether and post videos of myself eating entire pizzas.  Who knows, maybe one day.

So without further ado....  I give you Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes!

Prep time:  5-10 minutes
Cook time:  45 minutes

Ingredients:

• Sweet potatoes:  ~3 lbs
• Virgin Coconut oil:  ~2-3 tbsp
• Cinnamon:  A shit ton.  Seriously.  You cannot have too much cinnamon.  Maybe 2-3 tbsp.
• Salt:  As much as you need.  I probably used about a quarter teaspoon.

I used three different types of sweet potatoes.  The white ones are the best, give them a try!


Your coconut oil needs to be liquid to mix it in with the potatoes, so run some hot water over the jar for a few minutes.  If its summer time, it might be liquid at room temperature!  In fact, if you open the cabinet and find that the coconut oil is liquid, it officially means summer is has arrived.  AND:  Be sure to use virgin coconut oil for a slight coconut taste.  Its very subtle, but it adds a nice flavor.


Cut them up into bite-size chunks, and mix them in a mixing bowl with the coconut oil, cinnamon, and salt.


Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until soft.  I usually stir them around halfway through so they cook more evenly, but you dont have to.


Enjoy!  All of them at once!  Oh, and this recipe was inspired by Matteo, who doesnt have a blog or website for me to link to, so Ive instead linked him to matteo.com.



If there is anything in particular you guys would like me to do with these recipes, please let me know in the comments!!  Im very open to suggestions.  I want to reach as many people as possible, so let me know what I can do to make them better or more accessible!

Many kinds of cinnamon, cinnamon-flavored foods, beverages and food supplements in the United States use a form of the spice that contains high levels of a natural substance that may cause liver damage in some sensitive people, scientists are reporting. Their study, published in ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found similar results as those published in the European Union.

Ikhlas Khan and colleagues explain that cinnamon, which comes from the bark of certain trees, is one of the most important flavoring agents used in foods and beverages. "True," or Ceylon, cinnamon is expensive, so most breads, sticky buns and other products in the United States use dried cassia bark, or cassia cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon contains very little coumarin, a naturally occurring substance that has been linked to liver damage in people sensitive to the substance. However, cassia cinnamon can contain larger amounts. Khans team decided to check on the coumarin content of a wide variety of food products.

"As found in this study, coumarin was present, sometimes in substantial amounts, in cinnamon-based food supplements and cinnamon-flavored foods," they say.

Cinnamon has long been used to add flavor to sweet and savory foods. Now, preliminary research suggests the spice may also help jump-start irregular menstrual cycles in women affected by a common infertility disorder.

A small study by researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York City found that women with polycystic ovary syndrome who took inexpensive daily cinnamon supplements experienced nearly twice the menstrual cycles over a six-month period as women with the syndrome given an inactive placebo. Two of the women in the treated group reported spontaneous pregnancies during the trial.

"There is a lot of interest in homeopathic or natural remedies for this condition," said study author Dr. Daniel Kort, a postdoctoral fellow in reproductive endocrinology at the medical center. "This may be something we can do using a totally natural substance that can help a large group of patients."

The study was scheduled for presentation Wednesday at a meeting of the International Federation of Fertility Societies and American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Boston.

An estimated 5 percent to 10 percent of women of childbearing age have polycystic ovary syndrome, with up to 5 million Americans affected. Polycystic ovary syndrome, which involves many of the bodys systems, is thought to be caused by insensitivity to the hormone insulin. Typical symptoms include menstrual irregularity, infertility, acne, excess hair growth on the face or body, and thinning scalp hair.

Treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome currently includes weight loss, ovulation-inducing drugs such as clomiphene (brand name Clomid) and diabetes medications such as metformin, said Dr. Avner Hershlag, chief of the Center for Human Reproduction at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.

Kort said that its not yet clear exactly why cinnamon may work to regulate menstrual cycles in those with polycystic ovary syndrome, but it may improve the bodys ability to process glucose and insulin. Prior research among diabetic patients suggested the spice can reduce insulin resistance.

Of the 16 patients who completed Korts trial, 11 were given daily 1,500-milligram cinnamon supplements and five were given placebo pills. Diet and activity levels were monitored, and patients completed monthly menstrual calendars.

After six months, women receiving cinnamon had significant improvement in menstrual cycle regularity, having an average of nearly four menstrual periods over that time compared to an average of 2.2 periods among the placebo group. Two women reported spontaneous pregnancies after three months of cinnamon treatment, meaning they became pregnant without additional help.

Polycystic ovary syndrome "is one of the most common causes why women dont have regular menstrual cycles," Kort said. "But the clinical consequences later in life are truly great -- from an increased risk of diabetes and glucose intolerance to endometrial cancer. Many women can go their whole lives without regular menstrual cycles, and it doesnt necessarily bother them until they want to have children."

The 1,500-milligram cinnamon dose was chosen for this trial because it was between the 1,000 to 2,000 mg daily that seemed to have metabolic effects on diabetic patients in earlier research, Kort said. But all doses in that range are cheaply obtained, costing pennies per capsule.

"Compared to most medical therapies these days, the cost is very small," he said.

Although the study suggests a link between cinnamon and improvement of polycystic ovary syndrome, it doesnt establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Still, Hershlag called the study "welcome and interesting" and said he sees no reason women with polycystic ovary syndrome shouldnt use more cinnamon in their food or take cinnamon supplements.

"Any work thats something nutritional in nature and seems to affect the abnormal physiology of polycystic ovaries is welcome," Hershlag said. "If they want to spice up their life and take it, thats fine . . . but I think the best thing to do when you have polycystic ovaries is to be under the control of a physician."

Some women with polycystic ovary syndrome from Korts clinic are already trying cinnamon supplementation at home in the hopes of regulating their own menstrual cycles, he said, although he acknowledged the spice wasnt likely to be a cure-all for the condition.

"Its unlikely to be the sole source of improvement or to change entire (treatment) protocols," he said. "Its not going to regulate every patient who takes it, but a good percentage who take it may experience some benefit, and the side effects are low. Its relatively cheap and well tolerated."

Some day, Kort added, he hopes to organize a larger trial examining the issue.

Data and conclusions presented at scientific conferences are typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.