Did you know this... about Peruvian potatoes?

 Peruvian Potatoes

Hey guys!! I traveled to Peru a few years ago and what an amazing trip this was!

I learned something about potatoes when I was there that really surprised me and I wanted to share it with you.

Do you know how many different types of potatoes there are??

This is fascinating... you will soon find out😉

The potato is one of the most important food crops in the world. It comes after wheat, rice, corn, and sugarcane on the list of most consumed crops worldwide. Although the tuber was a startling novelty at first and actually frightening to many people, this crop has become a staple for many cultures because of its highly productive harvests. It is much more productive than grains, for example.

Let’s take a look at some interesting facts about this Peruvian food and some popular & delicious dishes made with it.

HISTORY OF THE POTATO

Scientific evidence shows that potatoes were domesticated in the High Andes of south-eastern Peru ad north-western Bolivia as early as 8,000 years ago (soon after people migrated to the area). The oldest archaeological findings were made around Lake Titicaca in the valley of Chulca. 

The potato developed into an important staple food and the main energy source of the early Peruvian cultures. The Spanish sailors who returned from Peru and other countries in the New World brought back potatoes to Spain around 1570. From there the Potato travelled to places like England, and of course, Ireland, which has a history tied to this humble tuber. The dependence on one single type of potato for most of the calorific needs of the Irish in the 1800s proved disastrous as blight attacked the potato variety. Famine ensued and one million people died.

The Inca empire, which was once the largest empire in the world, was fueled by a constant source of high-quality energy in the form of potatoes. A quarter kilo (8 oz) potato contains around 100 calories.

POTATOES IN PERU TODAY

If you read the book or saw the movie “The Martian” starring Matt Damon you’ll remember that a lot of the movie centered around main character Mark Watney’s attempts to grow Potatoes inside an astronaut habitat. Potatoes are hardy plants and NASA does indeed intend on using potatoes for food on Mars one day.

In fact, NASA scientists are currently studying how the crop reacts to a simulated martian environment, in none other than Lima, Peru. They are using soil from the Andes mountains and many different types of potato to try and find the ones that will survive conditions in space best. Potatoes were grown in space all the way back in 1995, and in fact, were the first “vegetable” to be grown successfully outside of planet earth.

Tubers (potatoes, ollucus, yacon) are ideal candidates for “space food” for several reasons. Potatoes are 1. high in carbohydrate and contain some protein (around 10-15%), 2. a highly productive crop compared to other staples, 3. easily prepared with minimal preparation and processing, 4. easy to grow in a small space if properly planned.

The potato is still an important food staple and field crop in Peru. Some estimates put the number of species or types of spud at almost 4000. Most of these are still only grown in Peru. Elsewhere in the world, people tend to favor one or two varieties. If you find yourself in Peru don’t miss the chance to try the Pink, Sweet, Purple, Huayro Black, and Chuño versions or varieties, many of which are not sold outside of the country.

In the United States, a potato museum in the capital, Washington D.C., has a huge collection of exhibits for anyone interested in the history of the potato, especially in the US.

POTATO NUTRITION

The humble tuber often gets a bad rap among health-conscious eaters. But a food that comes directly from the ground, involves no processing in its barest form and only needs to be cooked can’t be all that bad. Studies have attempted to find a link between the potato and cardio vascular but nothing conclusive has been found.

Potato calories are sometimes seen as bad calories and it’s understandable. The food ranks pretty high on the Glycaemic index, an index showing the rate at which certain foods increase blood sugar in the body. White mashed potatoes certainly are not ideal foods for diabetics. Sweet potatoes fare much better than the white potato variety. Unprocessed potatoes with skins left on sit side-by-side on the scale with many common vegetables.

Potatoes contain nutrients such as Carbohydrates, Fiber, Potassium, Magnesium, and Iron. Vitamin B6 is present in high quantities. Potatoes also contain high levels of copper (helps with the formation of collagen) and vitamin C (almost 50% of RDA in one potato)

There is some evidence to suggest that colored spuds, such as the purple variety found in Peru contain important antioxidant-rich nutrients.

Try to buy potatoes with the soil still clinging to the skin. The soil acts as a barrier to disease and infection. When the protective layer is removed from a potato it is easier for damp conditions to produce bacteria directly on the skin. Store potatoes in a dark, dry place and definitely not in the refrigerator.

Peruvian purple potatoes contain high levels of nutrients not found in the perfectly formed, clean, white potato sold in supermarkets in the west. The purple potato, commonly found in Peruvian markets, might not appeal to consumers in the west, but it’s packed with nutrients and cancer-fighting properties. Unfortunately, we choose aesthetics over nutritional value and the single-species, overdeveloped potato wins. We are the losers in the long run as we are depriving ourselves of a nutritional powerhouse food purely because of how it looks.

NIGHTSHADE FAMILY

Potatoes belong to the nightshade family, along with other edible nightshades such as the tomato, peppers, and eggplants. The vast majority of nightshades are poisonous. The fact that every edible nightshade has been cultivated over many years from inedible ancestors to produce fewer toxins leads some people to avoid potatoes and the other foods in this group. Originally potatoes were poisonous to humans and in fact, the leaves are still inedible. The toxins were removed through genetic selection but the potential is still there for adverse effects on humans, especially those with auto-immune diseases. I recommend against eating potatoes with any kind of green spots or green colouration.

There you go!! Did you know there was over 4000 types of potatoes??

Well... now you know😉

Because we care

#teambousehouse

#ocrealestate

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15 Foods You should never eat

 

15 Foods You Should Never Eat. Ever.

1. American Cheese

"The reality is that American Cheese is not 'cheese' at all. Depending on the brand, it's a factory creation of a cheese-like food made from a blend of milk fats, solids, some whey protein, emulsifiers, and food coloring It's high in sodium, and so high in fat that one regular slice more closely resembles high-fat meat than anything considered dairy, Warren adds.

2. Processed Meats Made With Nitrates or Nitrites

Step away from the deli counter processed meats in the U.S. such as ham, salami, hot dogs, and bacon aren't just full of unhealthy fats. They can have up to 400% more sodium and 50% more preservatives than unprocessed red meats. The worst part: Some contain nitrites and nitrates, chemical additives that have been linked to various cancers, but are still used to enhance color, promote taste, and prevent spoilage. These ingredients must be listed on food labels, so look out for them and opt for meats that don't contain them.

3. Margarine

Because margarine is made from vegetable oils and has less cholesterol and saturated fat than butter, it's long been considered the healthier option. But now that the experts say that dietary cholesterol isn't as harmful they thought, margarine, which is high in salt and contains artery-clogging trans fats, isn't looking quite so healthy. Trans fat, like saturated fat, increases blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. Margarines sold in tubs tend to contain less trans fat than margarine sticks — the softer the spread, the better for you — but olive oil (or another source of monosaturated fat) is still a better bet. Real butter is a close second.

4. Regular Soda AND 5. Diet Soda

Everyone knows that soda is Very Bad for your health. In case you missed the backstory: The average can contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar. When you consume that much, your body responds by creating excess insulin, which typically helps the body absorb sugar from the bloodstream and use it for energy. Over time, though, this over-the-top response can increase your risk of developing diabetes and some forms of cancer. If soda's sugar content still doesn't scare you, its other ingredients might: The amount of caramel coloring you'd consume in one can of soda per day was recently linked to a 58 percent greater risk of cancer, according to a new study.

And while there's no straight-up sugar in diet soda, there are artificial sweeteners, and they're not necessarily any better. Not all artificial sweeteners are equally offensive. However, most have a more intense flavor than plain old sugar. Over time, the extra-sweet sweeteners can dull your senses to naturally sweet foods like fruits.  So yes, your Diet Coke could, theoretically, make a perfectly sweet apple taste worse.

Some other problems with drinking diet soda: It's been linked to depression, tooth decay, heightened risk of strokes and heart attacks, pancreatic cancer and premature birth. So, there's that.

6. "Sugar-Free" Candies

Sweets that are specifically advertised as "sugar-free" tend to contain artificial sweeteners too. Also: The digestive system doesn't do a great job at breaking down sugar substitutes and sugar alcohols. When you overdo it (and the threshold is different for everyone) you could incur some serious stomach pains.

7. Conventionally Grown Apples

While a recent study found that conventionally farmed produce isn't nutritionally inferior to the stuff grown on organic farms, there's no question that pesticides used to grow regular produce can damage the brain and nervous system, lead to cancer, disrupt your hormones, and lead to skin, eye, and lung irritation.  And pesticides tend to stick around on some fruits and veggies — even after you wash and peel them.

In an ideal world, you'd splurge on the organic versions of the most contaminated foods: Apples, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, grapes, celery, spinach, sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas, potatoes, hot peppers, kale, and collard greens. But most people don't. If there's one fruit to buy in the organic aisle, make sure it's apples: 99 percent of apples EWG tested contained the residue of at least one kind of pesticide.

That said, there's one exception: When your only food options are a conventional apple or a processed snack like a bag of chips. In this case, the plain old apple is still your best bet.

8. Conventionally Raised Chicken AND 9. Eggs

Some crazy shit goes down on non-organic farms, where chicken feed could include traces of caffeine, Tylenol, Benadryl, banned antibiotics, and arsenic.  Now that McDonalds and Costco are phasing out chicken raised with antibiotics, conventional-chicken suppliers are likely to shift toward safer and more natural practices. Eventually, this could make it easier to find (and afford) the safest poultry and eggs. Until then: Organic eggs and organic chicken (which may be less likely to carry salmonella) really are your safest bets.

10. Bread AND 11. Crackers Made With Potassium Bromate

This chemical is used to help bread and cracker dough rise during the baking process — even though it's been linked to certain cancers in animal studies and it's banned in many other countries. Look for the ingredient on baked good labels or ask about it at the bakery where you buy *fAnCy~* freshly made breads — then choose a potassium-bromate-free option, when you can.

12. Microwave Popcorn

It's not healthy eating out of a bag anymore. Microwave popcorn bags, in particular, are often lined with a chemical called perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), which has been shown to affect fertility, cancer risk, and kidney functioning in animal and some human studies. Because microwave popcorn bags aren't labeled "toxic," it's best to avoid them altogether. Another thing: Some brands of microwave popcorn add unhealthy trans fats to their products, and vaguely list "artificial flavors" or "natural flavors" on their labels — so there's no way to know exactly what's in there. In the worst case scenarios, the recipe could contain MSG, which can cause headaches or nausea, or diacetyl butter flavoring, which may cause respiratory damage when inhaled. (Air popped, anyone?

13. Corn Tortillas AND 14. Muffins Made With Propylparaben

This common cosmetic ingredient is also used to preserve corn tortillas and muffins. (Just check the product's label: If it contains the chemical, it will be listed as an ingredient.) Because the chemical acts like estrogen, it can throw your system out of whack — potentially messing with your fertility and accelerating the growth of breast cancer cells, according to some research. Unfortunately there aren't a ton of studies done on cumulative exposure, so researchers don't know whether your penchant for tacos and propylparaben containing lotions could compound your risk.

15. Any Packaged Food With More Than Two Ingredients You Can't ID.

Like "butylated hydroxyanisole" (BHA) and "butylated hydroxytoluene" (BHT). These ingredients are antioxidants used as preservatives in foods like chips, preserved meats, and cereals. BHA is an endocrine disruptor: High doses can affect the size of your ovaries and their ability to produce certain hormones. BHT is no angel either: Animal studies link the ingredient to motor skill issues and lung and liver tumors. While ingredients can affect animals and humans differently, you might not want to be the guinea pig.  "It's in your best interest to limit these chemicals as much as possible."

We are only asking you to please at least consider all this ...

Because we care...

#teambousehouse

#ocrealestate

#Remax

Focus on you Health, not your weight

 FOCUS ON YOUR HEALTH, NOT YOUR                               WEIGHT

 If you are like so many others you might be asking “if I don’t diet or focus on weight, then what?”

That is a completely warranted and understandable concern given our culture and the world we live in. Diet related thought patterns have become the cultural norm. I think many of us feel like if we aren’t hyper focused on our weight and obsessing about our body size then we are letting ourselves go and giving up on health, but the exact opposite is true.

A big part of the problem with our approach to health and wellness is our all or nothing approach to it. Culture and media are really good at reinforcing this black and white thinking too. We are either on a diet or off (for many over and over and over again), eating “good” foods or “bad” foods, on the exercise bandwagon or not moving at all, eating kale or candy. There isn’t a whole lot of middle ground for many of us when it comes to food and movement, but the middle ground is actually where the sweet spot is.

This all or nothing way of thinking, although very common, is not a realistic or helpful way of thinking about health and food. From a psychological perspective this way of thinking is is known as a cognitive distortion – an unconscious way of thinking that is not based in reality. We may think that approaching health in this way is helpful, but actually in the end it undermines healthy change instead of promoting it. When we set ourselves up with rigid, back-and-white rules we leave no room for error, which is inevitable. By changing our extreme (all or nothing) approach to food and movement, we can actually take better care of ourselves for the long term with positive health markers to show for it.

 If we don’t focus on the scale what do we focus on? RIGHT?  The answer is to focus on habits and behaviors, health, and well-being, not just physical, but mental and emotional too. Encouraging a shift in focus of trying to change or shrink our bodies at all costs to a focus on respecting and taking care of our bodies.

So how do you find wellness without focusing on weight and find the sweet spot – not too extreme, and not feeling like you are giving up? Becoming more acquainted with the principles of Intuitive eating  is a great place to start. It is a process of unlearning and relearning new ways to care for yourself and listening to your body’s innate wisdom, instead of the external cues of dieting and focusing on weight.

Here are some intentions/goals you could make that are in line with this idea of wellness, while not focused on weight.

• Throw out the scale – for many people they say the scale rules their emotions. Giving them an inkling of hope when it cooperates and creating a downward spiral of negative emotions when it doesn’t. If your are someone who is negatively impacted by the scale…stay off of it and if you can’t, get rid of it completely. It can seem strange in the beginning if it’s been a long time habit, but very freeing. That number doesn’t define your worth or well-being.

• Find ways to move that make you happy and make you feel powerful and strong vs. moving to burn calories or because you are “supposed” to. Finding joy in movement is one of the best things you can do to help you incorporate it as a lasting habit.

• Take time to feed yourself regularly, balanced meals throughout the day so that you don’t get to the point of feeling absolutely famished and end up bingeing or overeating at night.

• Make sleep a priority. We know how much better and more capable we feel after a good night’s sleep. On the flip side, not getting good sleep either occasionally or on a regular basis feels horrible and impacts every aspect of our lives. Not only do most of us feel cranky and feel like we are in a fog, sleep is one of the strongest predictors of whether or not we eat well and exercise. Paying attention to our bodies signals for needing rest or sleep and honoring those (instead of just muscling through) and having regular bedtime rituals so that you can sleep better are two ways to get better rest. Sleep isn’t an extra or a luxury, it’s a must.

• Notice how you feel after a meal. Do you feel like you have the energy to continue through the day or do you feel like you need a nap? Does your stomach hurt or do you feel comfortable? Do you still feel hungry (a sign that you might have had more of a snack than a meal)? How we feel after a meal is impacted not only by what we eat but also how we eat, for instance whether we wolf down a meal on the way to a meeting or find an opportunity to eat in a more peaceful and slower way. Noting this post-meal feeling is a way of becoming more intuitive about our eating and figuring out ways to eat that give us energy and allow us to function at our best.

• Find other ways to cope with stress that don’t involve food. We all eat emotionally from time to time and it isn’t all bad, but it can become a negative thing and create even more issues for us when it is our only way of coping. Taking time out of our life to de-stress on a regular basis is really important. Some examples might include: walking the dog and noticing the “little things” like the trees, flowers, etc., read a good book, listen to some soothing music, take a nap (even a quick one), take a few deep breaths or spend just a few minutes a day meditating, do yoga, or come up with your own list of things that help to lower your stress level. What does that look like for you? Again, it isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity and it matters.

• Take a little time on the weekends to plan meals and shop for the week ahead so that you are prepared. I help clients set intentions around meal planning and shopping and creating a system to make the process easier. Not planning and being prepared is one of the most common things I see with clients that brings them stress and sabotages their efforts to eat in a healthier way.

• Turn off the TV and put the phones and devices away during meals. Being fully present at meals and not being distracted can make meals more enjoyable and satisfying.

• Include a vegetable at breakfast 2 times per week.

• Make dinner at home 3 times per week.

10 Things Your Body Will Tell You When You’re Healthy

 Although many of us see the scale as the end all, be all measure of progress and health, it is actually a poor measure of overall health and can lead us away from adopting healthier habits. Here are a few things that your body will share with you when it’s feeling healthy, and when you listen closely:

1. Your mood improves! 
2. Your clothes fit better and they feel good on your skin.
3. You may sleep sounder at night. Imagine waking up refreshed and rejuvenated instead of tired and depressed, or guilty and judgmental.
4. You feel stronger and more confident.
5. You have more energy to do things that bring you joy.
6. Your health markers are better. Your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels are moving in the right direction.
7. There are fewer aches and pains throughout your body. 
8. You are more likely to try new things, take risks. How about trying Pickle Ball? Kayaking?
9. Stress and anxiety levels decrease, because your mood and body are beginning to feel better.
10. You spend less time and energy obsessing over food and weight.
    • Diets don’t work. 95% of dieters regain their weight and maybe even more with 3 years of the diet. Let’s not waste any more time thinking about “the next one” and focus more on what the body is telling us.
    • Diet and restriction lower metabolism, decreases your satiety hormone, increases your hunger hormone and triggers your brain to obsess about what you are not allowed to have.

So, there you go. A good solid list of multiple things you can do that we know can improve our health and that take the focus off pounds lost and onto habits and a few ways your body will let you know you are on track that are far better than the number on the scale.

Ultimately all these things I suggested are about taking better care of ourselves, which is often at the root of dissatisfaction with ourselves and our habits. We have less of an eating or food problem and more of a lack of self care problem in my opinion. Many of our issues and concerns could be improved greatly by simply incorporating more opportunities for basic self care.

How is your self care? Which of these things I suggested could you incorporate into your life? You might pick one to work on each week for the next month to start and just notice how it impacts your overall health and well-being. You are more than worth it. Take it slow... but don't ever feel overwhelmed and not know where to start.

 Always take it one day at the time!!

Because we care...

#teambousehouse

#ocrealestate

#REMAX

 

Amazing Olive Oil Nutrition Facts

 Amazing Olive Oil Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Hey guys!!

I know there are a lot of different oils out there to be used for so many different things, but Olive oil is one of my favorite when cooking so I wanted to share this with you:

Olive oil offers 100grams fat, 884 calories, omega-3 fatty and olive oil provides less saturated fats. Olive oil is gentle on a digestive system by preventing gallstones and soothes ulcers because of mono saturated fats present in olive oil.

Consumption of olive oil increased because of its association with lowering cardiovascular disease including cancer. Olive oil is the core of Mediterranean diet with mono-saturated fats. Food cooked at high temperatures with olive oil provides flavor and good texture. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants.

Olive Oil benefits health in tremendous ways such as fighting the free radicals and toxins. Toxins damage normal body cells through harmful free radicals that are generated in the processes such as exposure to sunlight, smoking and pollution. There are three types of olive oils present – Virgin olive oil, Refined olive oil, and Olive-pomace oil and these three oils are categorized according to their unique processing method, flavors and their food application and characteristics.

Virgin olive oil produced by crushing fresh olive oils through mechanical extraction of oil without using heat.

Refined olive oil produced from olive pulp remained after first pressing of olives. Refined olive Oil made by using refining process, which removes fatty acids present in the olives.

Olive pomace oil produced from the olive pulp and for extraction of remaining oil present in olive pulp, they use solvents and heat. Olive pomace oil considered as lowest quality olive oil.

Olive Oil health benefits are:

Health Heart

The extra virgin oil has high levels of antioxidants preventing the body cells from damage. Natural antioxidants and good cholesterol offered by olive oil helps the heart by reducing stiff and clogged arteries. The olive oil has Trans-fats beneficial for heart health.

Anti-aging

Extra virgin oil is one of well-known measures taken for anti-aging.  With the help of vitamin E present in olive oil can prevent cells from damage and fight free radical and toxins.

Extra virgin olive oil is the only cooking oil in the world contains Oleocanthal, a natural anti-inflammatory compound.

Weight loss

Olive oil is considered as a weight reducing agent because of good cholesterol present in it, which assists to eliminate bad cholesterol from the human body. Olive oil keeps the digestive system full and limits food intake. Thus helping the body in maintaining of diet and manage weight loss effectively.

In conclusion, consumption of extra virgin olive oil daily more than four teaspoons is beneficial for blood pressure flow and weight loss and it serves as an anti-aging compound. Therefore, every individual must add olive oil in his or her diet.

Think Smart always!!

Because we care...

#teambousehouse

#ocrealestate

#Remax