Q. “My physical therapist suggested I go on an anti-inflammatory diet to help with joint pain. From what I can find on the Internet, this is a diet that limits saturated fat and simple carbohydrates (white flour, sugars) and concentrates on fruits, veggies, fish, olive oil and whole grains. Is there evidence that an anti-inflammatory diet can help with pain?” Continue reading “Can an anti-inflammatory diet ease aches and pains?”
I know this is a week when most of us put our nutritional concerns on the shelf, but if you’re in the market for some tips on how to enjoy the feast without doing yourself too much damage, check out my pre-Turkey Day interview with Tom Hall on WYPR-FM.org.
And when you’re ready to turn your attention back to matters nutritional, this week’s podcast reviews the latest research on soda and bone health. Soda drinkers seem to have thinner bones, but is it something in the soda itself or other lifestyle habits?
While we’re on the topic of soda, find out whether diet soda could be the next arthritis treatment. And while we’re on the topic of dieting, I’ve got some advice on how to lose weight without triggering painful gallstones in the Nutrition Diva newsletter.
I also published an open letter to my health insurance company this week, which triggered a good discussion on the Nutrition Diva Facebook Page. It’s a complicated topic…I’d love to get your views.
Enjoy the holiday weekend!
Q. Do dry herbs and spices have the same nutritional benefits as their fresh counterparts or are they only good for flavor?
A. It depends on which herbs and spices (and which nutritional benefits) you’re talking about!
Clearly, there is still plenty of nutritional benefit to be had from dried spices.
Serves 4
Curry powder adds a sophisticated twist to this fruit and veggie salad, along with an anti-inflammatory boost. Perfect for brown bag lunches and picnics, this salad goes well with grilled or cold chicken.
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
grated lime peel
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 large apple, cored (but not peeled) and diced
1 large carrot, shredded
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup seedless raisins
1. In medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise, lime juice, lime peel, and curry powder.
2. Add apple, carrot, walnuts, and raisins and stir to combine.
Nutrition information (per serving): Calories 168, Carbohydrates 20g, Fiber 3g, Sugar 13g (added sugar <1g), Protein 2g, Fat 10g.
You’ll find lots of articles in the popular press about the value of anti-inflammatory diets. But many of them perpetuate certain myths about food and inflammation–in particular, that red meat is inflammatory and chicken is anti-inflammatory. I think that’s because many people simply assume that all the foods that we’re used to thinking of as “healthy” are anti-inflammatory and foods that we have been trained to view as “unhealthy” are inflammatory. In reality, the research on foods and inflammation challenges some of these assumptions.
A boneless, skinless chicken breast–that Holy Grail of diet food–is low in total fat and saturated fat, it’s true. But that’s not the whole story. Chicken is also relatively high in omega-6 fats, including arachidonic acid, a fatty acid that directly feeds cellular production of inflammatory chemicals. Continue reading “Is Chicken Less Inflammatory Than Beef?”