Health conscious people desire to get the most nutrition for the least amount of money but for many of us, knowing how to do that can be difficult. I have previously written several articles related to recession eating that outline some strategies you can use. Now, there may be a new tool to help.

A new tool called the Affordable Nutrition Index (ANI) evaluated over 300 foods to assess the nutritional profile compared to cost to create a nutrition-value-per-dollar score. The nutrition value score takes into consideration nine essential nutrients that we should be including in our diet. The key nutrients included are protein, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C and E. The score also takes into consideration three key nutrients that are important to limit in our diets, which are saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium. The ANI was introduced to Registered Dietitians at their Food and Nutrition Expo last week.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans were used as a guide for the ANI review and scoring which found that dark colored vegetables provided the best nutrition for the dollar with fruits and vegetable soup following behind as the most affordable nutritious foods. Some other key findings included:

* Carrots, sweet potatoes and broccoli were not only top vegetables but also at the very top of the ANI scale for all foods.

* Oranges and bananas were the top scoring fruits. Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, grapes, nectarines, and apples also rated high as well.

* Peas, string beans, squash and lettuce are other top picks to get the most nutrition for your dollar whether cooked or fresh.

* Surprisingly, twenty-five Campbell's soups were evaluated with the ANI scale. Low sodium condensed vegetable soup varieties that are certified as heart-healthy by the American Heart Association were also top rating, cost-effective sources of nutrition.

It is unclear how this new ANI tool will be used in the future since it was just revealed. With the new updated Dietary Guidelines due in 2010 and a nation that is looking to eat well on a budget during tough times, I'm sure we will see more with this tool in the coming year.

Think fabulous because it feels good

Get these in your everyday life.

I recently saw a list of the 10 Healthiest Foods You've Never Tried. I pride myself on being an adventurous (mostly vegetarian) eater. When I saw the list, I was excited to see how many I'd eaten.

How many have you eaten?


I've eaten all 10. Numbers 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 are regulars in my household.
Here's the list and a quick tip for eating each food!
1. Kiwi (just scoop it straight from the skin!)
2. Broccoli rabe (sauté with olive oil, garlic and lemon)
3. Brazil nuts (munch on a couple)
4. Edamame (steam in the pod and sprinkle with salt)
5. Red lentils (cook lentils, then substitute them for chickpeas in hummus)
6. Quinoa (use instead of brown rice)
7. Canned salmon (throw on salads or in pasta sauces)
8. Prawns (shrimp) (stir fry with vegetables and serve with brown rice)
9. Whole grain and multigrain pastas (swap these for all your white pasta)
10. Pomegranate (toss the seeds on salads or mix them with yogurt)

(For more information on how to cook these foods, and what nutritional benefits they offer, read the full story.)

Have you tried these foods? Will you? How do you eat them?

Think fabulous because it feels good.

Pina Colada Smoothie

This is a fabulous way to energies a day.

Pina Colada Smoothie
5 Tbs. coconut milk
2 1/2 pineapple juice
1/2cup vanilla ice cream
1/2cup frozen banana (chunks)
1 1/2cups frozen pineapple (chunks)

Pour all liquid ingredients into the smoothie maker. Add all frozen ingredients.
Blend at MIX setting for 30 seconds then blend at SMOOTH setting until smooth. While the machine is running, move the stir stick around counter-clockwise to aid mixing. Serve immediately. Makes 3-5 servings.

Think and Eat fabulous
hugs,
Camber

Become More Beautiful and Inteligent With Flaxseed

Begin your day I strongly recommend Flaxseed Meal. You will enjoy the huge benefits, which support you becoming more intelligent and more beautiful. After you open your bag of Bob’s Red Mill Whole Ground Flaxseed Meal, put it into the refrigerator for storing.

Put you Flaxseed meal in cold or hot breakfast meals, suck as cereal or oatmeal. Two teaspoons is just right. In the highlighted links you can learn more.

Get your Eat Fabulous hats or apron today.

Hugs,

Camber

Five Things To Avoid. Five Things To Indulge In.

Five Things To Avoid. Five Things To Indulge In.

The food you eat is killing you or giving you the best day of your life! What have you put into your mouth today?

Allow me to provide some guide lines to determine what your doing.

5 things to Say No to are:


1. High fructose, corn syrup
2. Sugar
3. Enriched Flour, as in white bread.
4. Trans Fats
5. Saturated Fats.

5 Things to Say Yes to are:

1. Antioxidants, such as tomato's, broccoli, Red Kidney beans
2. Omegas such as, fish, flazseed, walnuts, salmon, scallops, soy bean, squash.
3. Fiber, oat meal, beans, peas, rice, bran and even strawberries
4.Olive oil, at least a table spoon a day
5.Exercise, yoga, bike rides, jog, swim, dance, speed walking

Check in with us at Thinkfabulous.com

Breaking news on RED MEAT

The Washington Post put the word out today. This study is the a major lab like study to confirm what great men and women have been wanting all us to know about our diet. So if your fat, sluggish, sick or just old and dieing. You can change your tomorrow as of to day.

Think Fabulous

Washington Post

March 24, 2009


As read in the Los Angeles Times

Washington — Eating red meat increases the chances of dying prematurely, according to a large federal study offering powerful new evidence that a diet that regularly includes steaks, burgers and pork chops is hazardous to your health.

The study of more than 500,000 middle-age and elderly Americans found that those who consumed the equivalent of about a small hamburger every day were more than 30% more likely to die during the 10 years they were followed, mostly from heart disease and cancer. Sausage, cold cuts and other processed meats increased the risk too.

Previous research had found a link between red meat and an increased risk of heart disease and cancer, particularly colorectal cancer, but the new study is the first large examination of the relationship between eating meat and overall mortality.

"The bottom line is, we found an association between red meat and processed meat and an increased risk of mortality," said Rashmi Sinha of the National Cancer Institute, who led the study published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

In contrast, routine consumption of fish, chicken, turkey and other poultry decreased the risk of death by a small amount, the study found.

Although pork often is promoted as "the other white meat," it is believed to increase the risk for cancer because of its iron content, Sinha said. It is often grouped with red meat in nutritional studies.

"This would be the Rolls-Royce of studies on this topic," said Barry Popkin, a professor of global nutrition at the University of North Carolina, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study. "This is a slam-dunk to say that, 'Yes, indeed, if people want to be healthy and live longer, consume less red and processed meat.' "

There are many explanations for how red meat might be unhealthy: Cooking red meat generates cancer-causing compounds; red meat is also high in saturated fat, which has been associated with breast and colorectal cancer; and meat is high in iron, which also is believed to promote cancer.