Dark Chocolate: A Treat for Cardiovascular Health

I eat dark chocolate almost every day. Anyone who knows me well knows that my chocolate of choice is Ghirardelli’s Intense Dark 72% Cacao Twilight Delight – yum!

Thus, you can imagine that I was excited to stumble upon a CBS news article a couple weeks ago titled, “Daily dark chocolate good for the heart, study finds" (you can read the CBS news article here).

But what does that mean?

As a researcher, I was inspired to investigate further. The author cites a recent study (published in the British Medical Journal in May 2012) that examined dark chocolate consumption as a prevention therapy in people at high risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease. In short, these Australian researchers found that daily consumption of dark chocolate can reduce cardiovascular events (read the full study article here).

As I skimmed through the journal article, a few questions came to mind. I searched for answers (consulting other references when needed), summarized below:

1.      What was the study population?

The study population consisted of 2,013 people with high blood pressure who met the criteria for metabolic syndrome, with no history of cardiovascular disease and not receiving antihypertensive therapy. My first thought – this doesn’t apply to me.

2.      What is metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that occur together and increase the risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It is present in individuals meeting 3 or more criteria for blood pressure, fasting blood sugar (glucose), waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, and/or triglycerides.

Read more about metabolic syndromeand diagnostic criteria here.

An RD & CSA: Weeks 8 and 9

Can you believe we're already in August? This summer has flown by ... and I've gone through so many wonderful fruits and vegetables. Here's a look at my stash from weeks 8 and 9! Don't forget to check out the recipe below!

Red onions, watermelon, kale, tomatoes, tomatilla, leeks, potatoes

{ Week 8 Share }

I went on vacation right after picking up week 8's share. I made some delicious salsa and cut up the watermelon for the road trip! But before I left, I tried a recipe for Spicy Kale-Stuffed Shells from PreventionRD.com. They were amazing... and I actually followed the recipe exactly. Amazing, right? Check out her site - she has tons of nutritious and delicious recipes! She also provides the nutrition info for her recipes.

Tomatoes, eggplant, cantaloupe, onions, potatoes, kale, squash, zucchini

{ Week 9 Share }

Week 9 was much like week 8... busy and just trying to cook and eat everything before I went out of town. The first eggplant showed up this week and I am loving it! Have you tried any new eggplant recipes lately?

My RD friend shared some recipes with me for the blog. Here's a fantastic one for your kale and tomatoes (recipe calls for canned but you can always chop up some fresh ones!).

{ Recipe }

Spinach & Kale Lasagna (makes 15 servings)

9 lasagna noodles

1 lb ground beef (92/8%)

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 medium onion, diced

½ medium green pepper, diced

7 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 cups baby spinach

4 ½ cups kale, chopped

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1 cup fat free cottage cheese

2 cups part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

10- 12 leaves fresh basil, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

1/8 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Add spinach and kale to boiling pasta water and cook ~ 30 seconds.  Drain noodles and spinach & kale.

Cook ground beef, when cooked thoroughly, add onions, green peppers, and garlic.  Saute ~ 2 minutes and then add canned tomatoes and tomato paste.  Add  basil, Italian seasoning and pepper.  Cook on medium heat for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat.

Combine ricotta, cottage cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

Begin layering and creating lasagna in a 9x13 pan by starting with a layer of sauce, noodles (3 noodles/ layer), cheese mixture, spinach/ kale mix then sauce again.

Top final layer of noodles with sauce and remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for 45 minutes, remove aluminum foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes.  Cut lasagna into 15 servings.

Nutrition Facts per Serving: 224 Calories, 7 grams Fat, 17 grams Protein

Helpful hint: Serve your lasagna with a great big salad - remember half your plate should be fruits  and/or veggies!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Jen, MS-MPH, RD, LDN

The Scoop on Whole Grains

What is a Whole Grain? A whole grain has three parts:

• The Bran
• The Endosperm
• The Germ

How Does White Compare to Whole Wheat Bread?

• White bread only contains the endosperm.  The bran and germ have been removed during processing.
• Whole wheat bread has additional fiber and B vitamins that are missing from white bread.
• Fiber makes us feel full longer and keeps our bodies running on a regular schedule.
• B vitamins help our bodies use the energy we get from foods more easily and gives us an extra boost.

How Many Servings of Whole Grains Do We Need Each Day?

• At Lest 3- 1 ounce servings of whole grains per day to enjoy the disese preventing benefits
• One slice of whole wheat bread equals 1 serving of whole grains

Interested in Other Good Sources of Whole Grains?

• 3 cups air popped popcorn
• 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal or grits
• 1/2 cup cooked whole wheat pasta
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice or barley

Submitted By:
Jennifer Helvey
UTK Dietetic Intern

Adapted from:
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/UCM152011.pdf