Grace O blog Archives - Page 31 of 37

May 19, 2015

Published by Grace O

8 Great Reasons To Love Cherries

Here in the U.S. when you see fresh cherries in the stores, you know it’s really summer. Growing up in Southeast Asia, even though they are not a fruit native to the tropics, we did eat cherries imported from China, which is the #3 producer of cherries in the world, right ahead of the U.S., which is #4. Of course, cherries taste wonderful and they are a rare treat because their season is short—May through July—and they are very fragile. There are two main types of cherries; the sweet ones grown in the Pacific Northwest that we eat fresh, and […]

April 29, 2015

Published by Grace O

Try These Cancer-Preventing Foods

Cancer is responsible for 1 out of every 4 deaths in the U.S.A. One of the best cancer-prevention tools for health is eating the right foods, but finding the motivation to eat right sometimes alludes us until we, or someone we love, is faced with a deadly disease. Garlic, produces sulfur compounds and allicin. Sulfur compounds detoxify the body and help prevent cancer. Allicin thins the blood and reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer. It’s best to eat garlic after it has been crushed so that these cancer-fighting compounds can form. Dried garlic or roasted garlic doesn’t […]

March 11, 2015

Published by Grace O

The Top 30 Proteins for Longevity

Protein is very important for strong muscles and bones. Lean protein helps achieve weight loss. I love meat—it has riboflavin, vitamin B12, tyrosine, and the FoodTrient zinc—but I enjoy it in moderation, which protects against cardiovascular disease. I also am careful about eating cured meats, which can aggravate joints and promote gout. Whenever possible, I use grass-fed beef over corn-fed beef because cows were created to eat grass, not corn. The meat from animals that graze grass—cows, lambs, or even buffalo—contains more of the good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids and less of the bad-for-you omega-6s. And I make sure I buy […]

December 23, 2014

Published by Grace O

Quinoa Tabbouleh Makes a Perfect Appetizer

With all the entertaining that goes on during the holidays, I like to find dishes that offer more than great taste. I look for ways to pack as many age-defying nutrients into most of the dishes I serve. Quinoa is a versatile and delicious grain that is not only a good source of fiber, but is a nutrient-dense ingredient that acts as a complete protein. Quinoa also has silica for building collagen, which helps keep your skin’s elasticity. The tomatoes provide lycopene, the parsley gives us chlorophyll and antioxidants, and the olive oil helps lower inflammation. My Quinoa Tabbouleh on […]

December 10, 2014

Published by Grace O

Just Desserts for the Holidays

The holidays always call for plenty of desserts. Whether I’m throwing a party, giving gifts of food, or reliving holidays past through sweet treats, desserts are integral to my life this month. I’ll share a few of my favorite recipes with you. Every year I host a Christmas caroling party at my home. Choirs from churches all over the area stop by to sing in my living room. Sometimes a Filipino celebrity or two will perform. My guests just love it. I like to put out a dinner buffet so that the choirs have something to eat before they go […]

December 2, 2014

Published by Grace O

Guava: Tropical Powerhouse

Even though I grew up in Southeast Asia, which is blessed with a wide variety of tropical produce available year-round, I associate guava with being on vacation in Hawaii,

November 30, 2014

Published by Grace O

Cinnamon: A Super Spice You Can Count On

During the holidays nothing puts me in a festive mood more than the aroma of something sweet baking in the oven. For many of my friends, cinnamon is what puts them in a holiday state of mind. Made from the ground bark of a genus of trees called Cinnamomum, the top cinnamon producing countries are Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar. There are two main types: Ceylon cinnamon, produced in Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Brazil, and the Caribbean, and cassia cinnamon, which comes mainly from Indonesia, China and Vietnam. Cinnamon is one of those delicious spices that also has […]

November 18, 2014

Published by Grace O

What Makes Turkey Terrific?

Turkey gets a great deal of attention around the holidays as standard fare in many homes and restaurants. What better time to talk about all the health benefits of eating this nutrient-rich food! I’ve long advocated that we can get wonderful nutrients from our food if we focus on fresh ingredients. Fresh turkey meat tastes great when roasted and it provides our bodies with much-needed lysine, selenium, and vitamin B12. Lysine is an essential amino acid that our bodies use to build muscle, absorb calcium, and produce hormones, enzymes, and antibodies. Because our bodies can’t manufacture it, we can only […]

September 4, 2014

Published by Grace O

Awesome Avocados: One of the Top Superfoods

Here’s a fact that will make your day: Many professional in the fields of medicine and nutrition consider avocados a superfood! This is great news, as avocados are one of my very favorite foods. What could be better? A buttery, rich-tasting, creamy fruit that not only tastes sublime and spreads like a dream but is cholesterol-free, sodium-free, is loaded with healthy vitamins and a good dose of fiber. Avocados have the well-earned reputation for being high in fat calories. However, those calories are nutrient dense and the fat is monounsaturated, so it is readily used by the body as energy […]