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Nutrition

Can food replace traditional medicine?

March 25, 2021

Although it has been argued for so long that food is medicine, I am sorry to disappoint. (Wait Wait before you shoot!) It is true that dietary habits influence disease risk however diet alone cannot and should not replace traditional medicine in all circumstances. You need to be ware of misleading advertisements of ‘wonder’ foods because although many illnesses are capable of being prevented, treated, or even cured by dietary and lifestyle changes, many others cannot.

Diet and nutrition can be used to promote health and decrease risk of disease or illness and health practitioners from ancient times have used diet as an integral component of their holistic health approach. Many nutrients in food are known to promote health, protect the body from disease, reduce the risk of reoccurrence of a disease or even reverse chronic disease. While certain foods offer strong medicinal and protective qualities, others may trigger chronic health conditions.

How does food influence health

Food has properties called nutrients that are necessary for the proper functioning of the body. From the time food interacts with the body through the mouth, it begins to undergo a number of changes through a process known as digestion. The body being a complex system, it relies on accurate ‘information’ to function as it should. This ‘information’ I am referring to in regards to food or nutrition are the nutrients. If the food eaten lacks this good information, has the wrong information or even provides too much information, there is bound to be a problem and the body will malfunction.

If there are one or two small glitches of misinformation in the system here and there, your body can most likely handle that. However, a constant overload of the body with poor food information is a recipe for disaster and will end up in negative health consequences. On the other hand, if the body is fed with the kind of information that it is designed to digest, absorb, and metabolize, you have the opportunity to prevent, manage, and even treat chronic diseases. 

This “good information” is found in nutrient-dense foods; foods containing a large quantity of nutrients relative to their weight in the right proportions. These disease-fighting foods are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals, fiber, proteins, healthy fats, and water as these nutrients nourish your body, help it function efficiently, and protect against chronic illnesses.

Nutrients in food that influence health

  • Vitamins: these are essential, organic compounds found in a variety of foods that promote metabolic and structural processes. Deficiencies in these vitamins can substantially increase risk of disease for example insufficient intakes of vitamins C, D, and folate may harm your heart, cause immune dysfunction, and also increase risk of certain cancers, respectively
    • Water-soluble vitamins (require water to be properly absorbed and utilized in the body): thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, pyridoxine, folic acid, cobalamin, Vitamin C
    • Fat-soluble vitamins (require fat to be properly absorbed and utilized in the body): Vitamins A, D, E, and K
  • Minerals: these too are essential but inorganic compounds found in foods that as well promote metabolic and structural processes
    • Major minerals include: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, sulfur
    • Trace minerals include: iodine, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, chromium, selenium, fluoride, molybdenum
  • Phytochemicals: these are natural compounds that give plants color and provide health benefits beyond basic nutritional contributions. For example:
    • Lycopene (red pigment) – watermelon, tomatoes, etc. These inhibit cancer cell growth, reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and boost immunity
    • Carotenoids (orange/yellow pigment) – sweet potatoes, mangoes, carrots, etc. These have a similar function like the lycopenes.
    • Lutein (green pigment) – dark leafy greens like nakati, dodo, broccoli, spinach, etc. These promote eye health
    • Anthocyanin and Isothiocyanates (red/purple/blue pigment) – purple cabbage, blueberries, red onion, etc. These lower blood pressure and protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease.
  • Fiber: these are non-digestible complex carbohydrates found in a wide variety of whole foods and their major role is to stabilize blood sugar, regulate bowel movements, benefit healthy gut bacteria, increase satiety, and promote healthy cholesterol.
  • Healthy Fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (specifically omega-3 fatty acids) essential for brain and heart health and absorption of certain vitamins and phytochemicals
  • Protein: create antibodies, maintain blood pH, provide structure, create enzymes, act as hormones, aid cellular growth, balance fluids, transport nutrients, and provide energy
  • Water: the fluid in which all metabolic processes take place; a normal-weight adult is made up of 60% water

How food can be ‘poison’

Remember how we talked about food being a source of harm to the body when it is fed with ‘wrong or not enough information’ thereby leading to the onset of life threatening diseases? The foods that increase the risk of disease that you need to be ware of include;

  • Unhealthy fats and oils; these promote chronic inflammation and are linked to many physical and mental disorders. You need to limit their consumption
  • Fried foods; these foods are high in unhealthy oils and salt as well as carcinogenic compounds hence the need to limit their consumption. They are correlated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases
  • Processed & red meats; these are correlated with increased risk of colorectal cancer, gout as well as cardiovascular diseases. Limit their consumption
  • Refined grains; are low in fiber, vitamins and increase blood sugar thereby diminishing gut function . For these it is advisable to consume less than 50% and consume more of the whole grains.
  • Fast foods; just like the fried foods and processed meats, they contain unhealthy fats, increased levels of salt because it is used alot in preservation and associated with increased disease risk so limit their consumption
  • Refined sugars; these increase insulin levels, fat storage in the body and cause inflammation often associated to increasing the risk of kidney failure and liver malfunction

In conclusion, food can be an vital solution to disease prevention, reoccurrence and even potential cure to some ailments. Research has shown a nutrient-dense diet of whole organic foods to prevent and even treat or reverse many chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases but it is important to keep in mind that you should not rely on food to replace traditional medicine. Diet and traditional medicine compliment each other

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Nutrition

Anaemia

March 16, 2021

Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or their oxygen carrying capacity is insufficient to meet physiological needs, which vary by age, altitude, gender, pregnancy status and smoking status. Severe Anaemia is associated with fatigue, weakness, dizziness and drowsiness. Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable to Anaemia.

Did you know that according to the global nutrition policy review the highest prevalence of anaemia is found among preschool-age children (47.4%), and the lowest prevalence is among men (12.7%). The population group in which the largest number of individuals is affected is non-pregnant women (468.4 million). The African Region has the highest rates of all the regions, with anaemia affecting two out of three preschool-age children (67.6%), and about every second pregnant (57.1%) and non-pregnant (47.5%) woman. (https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/policies/global_nutrition_policyreview.pdf) Therefore it is the duty of you and I to know what we ought to do to get out of this slow chewing ‘cancer’ that often goes unnoticed but significantly impacts health.

Internet image

What causes anaemia

The most common cause of Anaemia globally is iron deficiency, but other causes include deficiencies in folic acid, vitamin B12; chronic inflammation; parasitic infections; and inherited disorders.

Iron deficiency

Anaemia caused by iron deficiency or as normally put, iron deficiency anaemia is the most common type of anaemia, and it occurs when your body doesn’t have enough of the mineral iron. Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin which is a protein found in the red blood cells that carries oxygen in your body and gives blood its red colour. When there isn’t enough iron in your blood stream, the rest of your body can’t get the amount of oxygen it needs. Whilst the condition may be common, many people don’t know they have iron deficiency anaemia as it is possible to experience the symptoms for years without ever knowing the cause. For women of childbearing age, the most common cause of iron deficiency anaemia is a loss of iron in the blood due to heavy menstruation or pregnancy. A poor diet or certain intestinal diseases that affect how the body absorbs iron are also probable causes of iron deficiency anaemia.

Deficiencies in folic acid

Folic acid is probably most common around antenatal units and pregnant women. As soon as a woman is confirmed to be pregnant, she is immediately put on folic acid for the entire pregnancy. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps your body make red blood cells which carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Low levels of folic acid cause megaloblastic anaemia which is a condition where red blood cells are larger than normal and on top of that they are fewer than normal. They are also oval-shaped, not round and sometimes these red blood cells don’t live as long as normal red blood cells. Given the fact that the cells are too large, they may not be able to exit the bone marrow (this is where red blood cells are made) to enter the bloodstream and deliver oxygen.

Deficiencies in Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is another mineral that the body uses to make red blood cells and just like deficiency in folic acid, a deficiency in vitamin B12 causes megaloblastic anaemia as described above.

Chronic inflammation/disease

One can have low levels of red blood cells as a result of autoimmune diseases (diseases in which the body’s immune system attacks joints and/or body organs) or other chronic illnesses. Chronic diseases are those that last longer than 3 months. This type of anaemia is sometimes referred to as anaemia of inflammation and research indicates that it is the second most common type of anemia, after anaemia caused by a deficiency of iron. (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14477-anemia-of-chronic-disease) Chronic diseases may cause changes in red blood cells and these changes can cause red blood cells to die sooner and slow down their production. In this condition, the iron that is normally recycled from old red blood cells to help make new red blood cells is retained within a system of cells called macrophages thereby limiting the amount of iron available to help create new red blood cells.

Parasitic infections

Anaemia can also be as a result of parasites’ in ones body that are causing blood loss. The main parasites that cause blood loss in man and lead to direct iron-deficiency anemia are the common worm infections including hookworm infection, whipworm infection and schistosomiasis. When blood is lost, this reduces the number of red blood cells available to carry oxygen around the body hence anaemia

Inherited disorders

Here is where we have the genetic red blood disorders that cause anaemia. This type of anaemia is also known as hereditary anemia. The most common disorder in this category is sickle cell anaemia however we have other disorders including Thalassemia, Congenital pernicious anemia, Fanconi anemia, Hereditary spherocytosis and Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Many people think of anaemia as something that happens because of only external factors, like a poor diet, but for some people, it is something to do with their genetic make up. They inherit genes that, one way or another, cause problems with the blood. For example in sickle cell anaemia, the people have a gene that causes the blood protein hemoglobin to form abnormally. As a result, red blood cells are produced in a sickle shape causing painful episodes, cause swelling in the hands and feet and also a reduced ability to fight infection. For thalassemia, the body is unable to produce enough hemoglobin, which functions to carry oxygen throughout the body as a result of faulty genes; Fanconi anemia the person has an inherited blood disorder that interferes with the bone marrow’s ability to produce an adequate supply of new blood cells for the body e.t.c 

Symptoms of anaemia

Anaemia signs and symptoms vary depending on the cause. For instance if the anaemia is caused by a chronic disease, the disease can mask them, so the anaemia might be detected by tests for another condition. So depending on the causes of the anaemia, you might have no symptoms or signs and symptoms that include:

  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Pale or yellowish skin
  • Irregular heartbeats
  • Shortness of breath
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Chest pain
  • Cold hands and feet
  • Headaches

How to overcome anaemia

Having understood the causes of anaemia, we can now comfortably suggest some of the solutions that one can apply to prevent or avoid a reoccurrence of anaemia depending on the cause of the anaemia.

Treatment of anaemia can take so many routes and often includes dietary changes and no it is nothing complex other than including foods rich in iron and other vitamins essential to hemoglobin and red blood cell production. It should also include foods that help your body absorb iron better. We have two types of iron in foods; heme iron and nonheme iron. Heme iron is found animal sources such as in meat, poultry, and seafood. Nonheme iron is found in plant foods and foods fortified with iron. The interesting thing is that our bodies are made in such a way that they can absorb both types, but it absorbs heme iron more easily.

Here are foods that you can add to your diet to get more iron and help fight iron deficiency anaemia

Leafy vegetables

Imagine such an inexpensive way to treating anaemia. Leafy greens, especially dark ones, are among the best sources of nonheme iron. They include: spinach, nakati, dodo (amaranths), broccoli, Sukuma wiki. Some vegetables like broccoli, beans, citrus fruits and whole grains are good sources of folate. Remember a diet low in folate will cause folate deficiency anemia as described above. Remember to always accompany it with Vitamin C as it helps your stomach absorb the iron in these plant sources. Eating leafy greens with foods that contain vitamin C such as oranges, red peppers, and strawberries will certainly increase iron absorption.

Meat and poultry

All meat and poultry as mentioned earlier are sources of heme iron. All you want to eat will increase your iron levels although red meats have higher levels than white meats. I have a secret for you, eating meat or poultry with nonheme iron foods, such as leafy greens, along with a vitamin C-rich fruit can increase iron absorption in a whole other level.

Liver

Organ meats are known to be the best sources of iron and liver that biggest of all of them. It is also a great source of vitamin A. The other iron-rich organ meats include the heart, kidney, and beef tongue.

Beans

Beans are such a great source of plant based iron which are inexpensive and versatile. Whatever kind of beans you can get will be a great source for example kidney beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, soybeans, pinto beans, black beans, peas e.t.c

Nuts and seeds

Don’t ignore nuts and seeds, they are a perfect sources of iron. They taste great on their own or sprinkled on salads or yogurt. Some of the nuts and seeds that contain iron include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and groundnuts to mention but a few.

I will close this by telling you that you will not find anywhere in this world a single food to cure anaemia, however eating an overall healthy diet rich in dark, leafy greens, nuts and seeds, seafood, meat, beans, and vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables will go a long way in managing anaemia.

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Nutrition

How to up your water game

January 29, 2021

For a long time we have been told how important it is to take water and for a fact we have been recommended to take about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men and 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women; but no one ever tells us this exercise will not be as easy as it sounds. As matter of fact it is boring, a friend testified. Much as drinking water comes off as a given for me, I know so many people who struggle to even finish a glass of water in a day. I drink a minimum of 3 liters of fluids a day and I can go as far as 5 or more in a day. My friends have accused me of carrying a flask for a water bottle time and again but what many don’t know is that 10 years ago I was not in the category of people who drank water with ease and it is a discipline I had to cultivate until it became a default. I have lived through this struggle myself and I will share with you how to cultivate this discipline yourself because let us face it, we all need the benefits that come with it.

My famous water bottle/flask

Here are some suggestions you could try out.

Invest in a good water bottle

Our eyes are a great source of motivation to do things. Now go out and look out for a water bottle that pleases your eye and have it with you at all times. This will motivate you to take its contents and before you know it, it will become a part of you. I remember some time here in Uganda when it was on trend to carry a water bottle. I wish this hype could bounce back. You could choose to start with one that fits perfectly in your bag before you forget it at your friend’s shop counter when you visit.

Add a twist to your water

If you are one of those people who find water boring, you find the taste so bland to take a second sip, this is for you. Adding things like fruit or chopped cucumber and mint, chia seeds, slices of of fresh lemon, lime, orange or squeezing some of its juice will enhance the taste of your water. If you prefer your water icy cold, freeze the bottle overnight.

Chia seeds added to water

Identify or create your water taking triggers

This is one of the things that you have to consciously decide to do should you need to grow this discipline. For example find triggers that remind you to drink a glass of water whenever you wake up or when you are about to leave the house, and as soon as you get in the door. This could be placing a bottle of water by your bed side and/or in a place where you can easily see it as you leave or get into the house. Once the behavior has become a part of you, you will find yourself naturally doing it.

You can also set a daily reminder on your phone to grab some water as you go about your day. This can be a 3 hour duration.

Explore more fluid options

If your relationship with water always turns sour for some reason however much you try, it is time to get the water indirectly. With this I mean look out for fruits and vegetables with a high water content and take these as often as possible. We have fruits like watermelon, pineapples, vegetables like cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes to mention but a few. You can also up your intake of green tea, peppermint tea or your favorite flavor of tea throughout the day, and stock up on some nice relaxation teas for the evening. Sparkling water will also make you feel like a treat and can be a perfect replacement for regular soft drinks.

Given the immense benefits of taking water including; water lubricates the joints, forms saliva and mucus, prevents kidney damage, delivers oxygen throughout the body, boosts skin health and beauty, cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues, regulates body temperature, it makes minerals and nutrients accessible, the digestive system depends on it, flushes body waste, helps maintain blood pressure, the airways need it, boosts performance during exercise to mention but a few; it is time to up your game in this exercise.

Wishing you all the luck in the world!

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Nutrition, Recipes

6 Healthy habits to ride with in 2021

January 25, 2021

Am I the only one who feels like this has been the shortest January lived so far? Very dramatic yes but too short for a January. Oh and less cruel I must say. For me at least. But regardless we move.

This first month has been packed with lots of activities and it could be the reason I feel it is short that one could forget it is the first month of the year. There is always something about the flip of the calendar, there is always a renewed energy to reinvent and re-strategize certain things in life although this year I have heard so many people say they will go slow about it given the way way 2020 turned out. Being an ambassador for healthy living, let me share 6 habits that I would recommend to ride with in this year.

1. Look out for the seasons

Who has heard the notion that eating healthy is expensive? A friend of mine confessed that he would love to eat fruits everyday as recommended but they are just expensive and he cannot keep up. Well guess what, it is just about time you stopped buying expensive health foods that you cannot keep up with and start buying seasonally. An apple a day keeps the doctor away true but if you know you can afford to spend 1000/= for just one apple daily, how about finding out what fruits are in season that time. Is it bananas, mangoes or pineapples? When things are in season, they tend to be more affordable so you will not feel the strain of eating healthy. If peas are not in season and the prices are not favorable, what alternative legume is in season? Buy that and wait for the peas to bounce back. It usually does not take long. One way of knowing whether a particular food item is in season or not, you will see a difference in the prices on the market to what you expect them to be.

2. Embrace variety in your meals

The habit of eating the same exact thing everyday needs to stop, even when this is a healthy choice. Variety is the key of health. Having the same thing every day, week on week is never going to help you reach peak energy levels. I understand that at times this is what we have most available to us but I also cannot ignore the fact that it could be the most convenient choice in terms of cooking. The way this can be beaten is by planning way in advance. This is something we call meal planning where you sit and brain storm on the meals that you plan to have the whole week for yourself together with your family. Variety can be as simple as having beans on Monday with potatoes and dodo to having beans in groundnut paste with rice and Sukuma on Tuesday. When you plan in advance, it helps you to be well prepared rather than trying to figure out what to cook after a frustrating day at work.

3. Look out for interesting healthy recipes

Making healthy meals does not require complicated recipes. The trick is to make the recipe very easy until it becomes a default. Very many times when you talk about recipes, very many people are quick to say that they do not have an oven so those recipes can not work for them. Well just to help us understand, a recipe is a set of instructions that describes how to prepare or make something, especially a dish of prepared food. So looking out for interesting healthy recipes can be as simple as looking at someone cook a particular dish in a different way than you cook it or even trying to cook something a little different from the way you normally do. Some time back I visited a friend and saw the way she cooked her posho (ugali). She added butter and salt as she cooked it and boom I had discovered a new recipe. A healthy one at that because this person had added value to the ordinary dish that I have eaten for most of my life.

4. Band wagon dieting needs to take a rest

Put up your hand if you are currently on a diet because you have seen it being overly advertised online or because your friend said this is the wonder diet to get rid of your tummy.

Many people have fallen victim of attempting to do diets that are not tailored to their nutritional needs only to be disappointed later when it does not work or even harmful to their own health. There is a lady I know who was recently diagnosed with scurvy ( a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, characterized by swollen bleeding gums and the opening of previously healed wounds ) and this is because this lady was convinced to do the keto diet as it it would be her ‘wonder drug’ for the tummy she had that had refused to go ever since having her twins. Unfortunately this lady decided to take up this diet and even did not consult a professional and ended up doing it wrong hence falling victim of scurvy. If you must subscribe to a diet, at least reach out to a professional to give you an informed guide.

5. Break a sweat doing something you enjoy

The pressure to stay fit and have a ‘perfect’ shape is real and unfortunately very many people begin an unending journey of things they do not exactly enjoy only to fall out in just a matter of weeks. I for one have been a one embarrassingly unfit human but each time I would try to do exercises, I would give up on day two because by this day every part of my body is screaming in pain. After so many failed attempts, a dear friend of mine suggested that I should try to do dance routines since I love to dance. From the very first day I tried, I knew that this relationship would last. My fitness has greatly improved and it is something that I do without even trying so hard. So how about you look for something you enjoy doing and you shoot two birds with one stone.

6. Your body is not their body

Last but not least, the pain of comparison is not worth it. We have seen people want to alter their bodies for the perfect bodies they have seen on Instagram. I am sorry to break it to you that the bodies you see online are not all a result of healthy eating or exercise. Many of them are a product of filters and body shapers. Let the goal here be to adopt healthy eating habits and lifestyle and like they say, the rest will fall in line. Do not forget to have routine medical checkups rather than waiting when the body is falling apart.

May this year be a year of rediscovery in terms of our healthy life styles. We can make healthy fun and enjoyable

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Nutrition

Meal planning

November 12, 2020

Meal planning, in simple terms is planning ahead the foods that will be eaten for the next few days

We are in a world that is fast paced, where mummy and daddy are both busy, our household managers also have a lot to deal with in the home and the choice of meals to prepare can become such a hard paper. Amidst hectic weekday schedules, meal prep or meal planning is a great tool to help keep the family on a healthy eating track. Although any type of meal prep requires planning, there is no one correct method, as it can differ based on food preferences, cooking ability, schedules, and personal/family goals. The most I will give in this is a guide and you can take it on from there.

Ever left work late with a growling stomach but little energy to shop and cook? Or even stomachs waiting on you at home? A busy schedule is one of the top reasons why people choose convenient or quick takeout meals, which are often calorie-laden and a contributor to unhealthy eating.

Now, imagine a different scenario where within a few minutes of walking through the door you have a delicious healthy home-cooked dinner for yourself and or family, and perhaps even lunch packed-up for the next day to take with you to work. Amidst hectic weekday schedules, meal prep as many call it or meal planning is such a great tool to help keep us on a healthy eating track. Although any type of meal prep requires planning, there is no one correct method, as it can differ based on food preferences, cooking ability, schedules, and personal/family goals as earlier mentioned.

The benefit of meal planning are immense but I will point the most obvious;

  • Save money
  • Save time
  • Help with weight control, as you decide the ingredients and portions served
  • Contribute to an overall more nutritionally balanced diet
  • Reduce stress as you avoid last minute decisions about what to eat, or rushed preparation

Beginning to prep the meals here are some of the things to possibly consider

  • Discuss with your family what types of foods and favorite meals they like to eat.
  • Start a monthly calendar (you can do this on a spreadsheet or just a book) to record your meal ideas, favorite recipe sites, and food shopping lists.
  • Collect healthy recipes. Clip recipes from print magazines and newspapers and save in a binder, copy links of recipes onto an online spreadsheet or better yet you can download a recipe app.
  • Consider specific meals or foods for different days of the week. Remember Wednesday as Boiled food Day? Some families enjoy the consistency of knowing what to expect, and it can help to ease your meal planning. Examples are Meatless Mondays, Whole Grain Wednesdays, Stir-Fry Fridays, etc.
  • Start small: Aim to create enough dinners for 2-3 days of the week.
How Meal Planning Saved My Sanity: Lessons (and Recipes) From a Reluctant Meal Planner

Having taken these considerations, let us get started;

  1. Choose a specific day of the week to: 1) plan the menu, whether week by week or for the whole month, and write out your grocery list 2) food shop, 3) do meal prep, or most of your cooking. Some of these days may overlap if you choose, but breaking up these tasks may help keep meal planning manageable.
  2. As you find favorite ‘prep-able’ meals, or your menus become more familiar and consistent, watch for sales and coupons to stock up on frequently used shelf-stable ingredients like pasta, rice, and other whole grains, peas, beans, jarred sauces, healthy oils, and spices.
  3. On your meal prep day, focus first on foods that take the longest to cook: proteins like beans and peas, chicken and fish; whole grains like brown rice, dried beans and legumes; and, roasted vegetables.
  4. Also consider preparing staple foods that everyone in the family enjoys and which you can easily add to a weekday meal or grab for a snack: washed greens for a salad, hardboiled eggs, a bowl of chopped fruit, cooked beans.
  5. If you prefer not to pre-cook proteins, consider marinating poultry, fish, or even beef on your prep day so that you can quickly pop them into the oven or stir-fry later in the week.
  6. Multi-task! While foods are baking or bubbling on the stovetop, chop vegetables and fresh fruit, or wash and dry salad greens for later in the week.
  7. When you cook a recipe, make extra portions for another day or two of meals, or to freeze for a different week. Be sure to date and label what goes in the freezer so you know what you have on hand.
  8. For lunches, get a head-start and use individual meal containers. Divide cooked food into the containers on prep day.

So you may be wondering how to keep produce and precooked food that is to be frozen fresh and tasting as natural as possible? This segment will answer you?

Refrigeration and freezing are an important step to successful meal planning. However, forgotten food such as produce hiding in a drawer or a stew stored on a back shelf in an opaque container for too long can spoil and lead to food waste. The trick is to label all prepped items with a date so that you can track when to use them by. Rotate stored items so that the oldest foods/meals are kept up front. Store highly perishable items like greens, herbs, and chopped fruits front-and-center at eye-level so you remember to use them.

When it comes to freezing, some foods work better than others. Cooked meals tend to freeze well in airtight containers. Foods with high moisture content, such as salad greens, tomatoes, or watermelon, are not recommended as they tend to become mushy when frozen and thawed. Blanching vegetables for a few minutes before freezing can help. However, if the texture of a frozen food becomes undesirable after thawing, they might still be used in cooked recipes such as soups and stews.

The following are the recommended times for various cooked foods that offer the best flavors, maximum nutrients, and food safety.

Refrigeration at 40°F or lower
1-2 days: Cooked ground poultry or ground beef
3-4 days: Cooked whole meats, fish and poultry; soups and stews
5 days: Cooked beans; hummus
1 week: Hard boiled eggs; chopped vegetables if stored in air-tight container
2 weeks: Soft cheese, opened
5-6 weeks: Hard cheese, opened

Freezing at 0°F or lower
2-3 months: Soups and stews; cooked beans
3-6 months: Cooked or ground meat and poultry
6-8 months: Berries and chopped fruit (banana, apples, pears, plums, mango) stored in a freezer bag
8-12 months: Vegetables, if blanched first for about 3-5 minutes (depending on the vegetable)

Meal planning could be an ultimate tool to offset time scarcity and therefore encourage home meal preparation, which has been linked with an improved diet quality and good health status overall.

Are you ready to give it a try?

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