July 2009
Quench Your Body’s Thirst
by Mary Gerlach, R.D.
Registered Dietician
When it comes to key nutrients necessary for health, water is undoubtedly the first-prize winner. A person can live for weeks without food but only for a few days without water. Nearly 60 percent of your body weight is water and 75 percent of your muscles are made up of water. Our bodies get water in three ways—from food, from drinking liquids, and from your metabolism.
Because most food contain a large amount of water, you get about 31/2 cups of water from what you eat over the course of a day. Interestingly, the body’s metabolism itself is another source of water. As your body makes and uses energy, one of the daily by-products of your metabolism is about 1/2 cup of water.
But the body uses water each day, too. Just by breathing, your lungs use about 2 cups, another 2 cups are released through your pores in the form of sweat (even if you don’t see it on your skin and not counting excess water lost through perspiration during exercise), and 6 cups are used by the intestines and kidneys.
So if you add up your production of about 4 cups of water and the daily losses of about 10 cups a day, you come up with a total loss of 6 cups. Therefore, the average person needs to drink 6 to 8 cups of water each and every day just to keep the body functioning well.
Drinking alcoholic beverages actually dehydrates the body which is another good reason to keep alcohol consumption at a reasonable level. If you’re trying to lose weight, drinking a large glass of water before each meal may help suppress your appetite.
Studies have shown a reduction of up to five 5 percent in body water will result in a decline of 20 to 30 percent in work performance. Most people check the oil in their vehicle so take care of your body like you would your vehicle. Don’t let your body run low of the actual amount of water it needs to function at full capacity each day.
Spinach Salad with Grilled Red Onion Rings, Fresh Oranges and Sesame Vinaigrette
The lutein from the spinach, the flavonols from the onion, and the Vitamin C from the oranges bolster the nutrition of this summer salad.
1 large red onion, cut crosswise into 12 (1/4-inch-thick) rings
2 tsp. sesame oil, divided
1 Tb. fresh lemon juice
2 Tb. fresh orange juice
1 Tb. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tb. honey
10 cups baby spinach leaves
2 oranges peeled, divided into segments
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted
Preheat grill to medium heat. Combine onion and 1 teaspoon oil, tossing to coat. Arrange onion on the grill rack; grill 9 minutes or until browned and tender, turning frequently. In small bowl, whisk remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil, juices, soy sauce, and honey.
Place spinach in a large bowl with orange segments; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add grilled onions; drizzle oil mixture over spinach, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes 6 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 75; Carbohydrates 8 gm; Protein 2 gm; Fat 2 gm; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 176 mg.
Grilled Eggplant and Summer Squash
Antioxidants in the eggplant may promote healthy aging and memory.
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices
1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 Tb. brown sugar
1 small zucchini squash
1 small yellow squash
1 large red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise and seeded
1 Tb. olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 Tb. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
Place eggplant slices in a colander. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well. Let stand 10 minutes. Rinse slices thoroughly; dry with paper towels. In small saucepan, combine vinegar, wine and sugar over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Preheat grill. Wash and trim ends from the zucchini and yellow squash; slice each lengthwise into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices. Flatten pepper pieces with hand. Brush eggplant, squash and pepper pieces with oil; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Place pepper pieces, skin side down, eggplant, zucchini, and squash on a grill rack; grill 8 minutes or until tender.
In small bowl, combine goat cheese, basil and oregano. To assemble, place 1 eggplant slice on a plate; top with 1/4 of goat cheese mixture. Lay 1 strip of yellow squash and 1 strip of zucchini side by side on top of eggplant.
Drizzle with 11/2 teaspoons balsamic mixture. Top with 1 pepper piece, another eggplant slice and drizzle with 11/2 teaspoons balsamic mixture. Repeat procedure 3 times with remaining ingredients. Serve at once. Makes 4 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 120; Carbohydrates 16 gm; Protein 5 gm; Fat 5 gm; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 212 mg.
Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel with Walnuts
Juicy and loaded with Vitamin C, strawberries and rhubarb are two of nature’s tastiest and healthiest foods.
Cooking spray
Filling
6 cups sliced rhubarb (about 2 pounds)
2 cups halved strawberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 Tb. cornstarch
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Topping
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup regular oats
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
8 Tb. chilled butter, cut into small pieces, divided
Preheat oven to 375° F. Filling: Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In mixing bowl, combine filling ingredients except walnuts; spoon into prepared pan and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
Topping: In mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt; cut in 6 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle topping over filling; dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake at 375° F. for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes; serve warm or cold. Makes 8 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 303; Carbohydrates 54 gm; Protein 3 gm; Fat 10 gm; Cholesterol 23 mg; Sodium 89 mg.
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