Fall is cranberry season! One of the highlights of last week’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) in Boston was the opportunity to learn more about America’s Original Superfruit™.  This tart and tasty fruit is native to North America, and European settlers learned to use them from Native American populations. They grow on vines in sandy soil.
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Most cranberries are harvested by the “wet” method. The growing areas, called bogs or marshes, are flooded with fresh water and the cranberries float to the top. 

Eating well is a key strategy for injury recovery, as outlined in an earlier post. Tendons and ligaments are made of collagen, and foods that support collagen formation may be beneficial to heal ligament tears or tendon ruptures.

There are several nutrients that support collagen synthesis.
* Proline, hydroxyproline, lysine and hydroxylysine are amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Gelatin contains ample amounts of these particular amino acids.
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.​Good hydration is a key part of every athlete’s training and competition plan. But even something as basic as hydration can get a contemporary tweak! Here are three new ideas I came across this week:
Tracking Teen Water Intake - At Greater Atlanta Christian School in Georgia, the Spartans Strength Progam has developed a metrics program that started out with a focus on hydration. They set a hydration goal for each athlete based on 0.5 ounces of water per pound of body weight plus an additional 18-24 ounces/day for athletes in-season, training more than 2 hours/day, or who are heavy sweaters. This total was then divided into a set number of 16 ounce water bottles. Student athletes charted how many water bottles they consumed each day and compared their intake to the goal. Initial results showed an average of only 3.25 bottles per day. By the third month of the program, the average was up to 7.75 bottles per day, which met or exceeded the recommendation for most athletes. This simple method of measuring by counting the number of water bottles consumed led to improved hydration and the athletes reported feeling better.

If you are out and about in the greater Boston area, check out one of the  b.good restaurant locations. This chain, whose tag line is "real.food.fast", offers burgers and sandwiches, kale and grain bowls, salads, smoothies, and kids' meals. The ingredients are sourced in New England, and the food tastes homemade.

I tried the Beverly location last month, which was my first
experience with b.good. I had the spicy avocado and lime bowl with the super grain mix, which is pictured here. I wish the picture did this dish justice! Each ingredient tasted so fresh and "real." I went back to try additional items, but just wanted this bowl again!

The walls of the restaurant are decorated with pictures of the farmers who provide the ingredients. It is a pleasure to see the fresh produce on display in the prep area. I hope that you will give this eatery a try!

 
Are you one of the many people who enjoy iced tea as a summer refresher?  Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world, but did you know it can also provide some health benefits?  
Tea contains flavonoids – anti-oxidant compounds that are beneficial in protecting cells and tissues from the damage that can lead to chronic disease.  Black tea and green tea are made from the same tea leaves, but for black tea the leaves are fermented. White tea is from the same plant, but is grown and processed slightly differently.  All teas (including decaffeinated types) contain the flavonoids epigallo catechin-3-gallate (EGCG), epigallo catechin (EGC), and epicatechin. ​
 
Iced tea is often enjoyed as a change from soda. Commercially bottle iced tea is widely available. Look for a tea with no added sugar to save calories.  (​Tea itself has no calories.) Sweetened teas often have about the same calorie and sugar content as soda.  Some brands, for example Honest Tea, are more lightly sweetened. Be careful about portion sizes. Bottled/canned iced tea sometimes comes in large containers, so the total calories and sugar content may be more than you expect.  When comparing containers, remember to multiply the calories per serving by the number of servings per container. Everyone loves the "bargain" of a big can of ice tea for 99 cents, but each can contains several servings and as much as 17 teaspoons of sugar!

You can brew your own tea using boiling water and loose tea or tea bags.  This can then be chilled or poured over ice to make iced tea.  You can also make sun tea by leaving a container of water with tea bags sitting in the sun. The FDA does not recommend this popular method, however, because sometimes undesirable bacteria can develop in sun tea. The FDA recommends using the boiling water method or allowing tea to steep in the refrigerator rather than the sun. 

 If you make your own tea you can flavor it with lemon or fresh mint sprigs for a refreshing calorie free drink.  If you prefer a sweetened tea you can add sugar, honey, or an artificial sweetener and sweeten to your taste.
 
There are many powdered iced tea mixes, including those that make single servings. Some are sweetened with sugar and some with artificial sweeteners. They may have various food additives or artificial colors in addition.

You may have heard that caffeine has a dehydrating effect, but studies have not shown this to be a significant issue. So it is OK to use iced tea as part of your summer hydration plan. Sip and enjoy!

​copyright 2016 Kathleen Searles, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN

Earlier this month I had the good fortune to hear a talk by Amby Burfoot, winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon. He was a keynote speaker for the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition Symposium in Portland, Oregon. Mr. Burfoot has run 110,000 lifetime miles, and has run the Manchester (CT) Thanksgiving Day 5 mile run for 53 consecutive years! Here are a few highlights from his delightful reminiscence of his years of running.

"You only have to exercise on the days you eat." That seems to sum things up pretty well! Mr. Burfoot also shared this wisdom from Dr. Walter Bortz, longevity expert. "It is never too late to start and always too soon to stop exercising." 

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Rowers are back on the water, even though we expect snow in the next few days! As a rower, you train hard, and need to support your training with good nutrition and attention to hydration.

Carbohydrates are a key fuel for rowers. One study looked at how carbohydrate intake affected performance.

​Eat healthy carbs. This advice is often given to athletes and couch potatoes alike, but sometimes it is hard to know which carbohydrates to choose. Fall is a great time to enjoy your healthy carbs in the form of roasted vegetables, which are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Popular and nutritious vegetables for roasting include:

• Beets – good source of folate
• Brussels sprouts – good source of vitamins C and K
• Carrots – good source of vitamins A and C
• Onions – contain bioflavonoid anti-oxidants and allicin (anti-tumor compound)
• Parsnips – good source of Vitamins C and K and fiber
• Potatoes (skin on) – good source of vitamins B, C, folate, and niacin and potassium
• Rutabagas – good source of vitamin C
• Sweet potatoes – good source of vitamins A,B6 and C and potassium
• Turnips – contain vitamin C
• Winter squash – good source of vitamin A

Injuries can interrupt training and competition for even the most experienced athletes. When injuries occur, attention to sports nutrition can help get you back in action sooner. It can be tempting to slack off on your usual attention to eating well, but this is definitely not the time to indulge in junk food!
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Three key nutrients for healing are calories, protein, and water. It can be challenging to adjust your calorie intake when injured. You want to promote healing, but avoid unwanted weight gain. You will need to consider how much your training volume has decreased and how aggressive your rehab regimen is. Calories should not be restricted too much, because you need to protect your existing muscle mass as much as possible. When you don’t eat enough calories, muscle may be broken down. There is also a calorie cost to the body’s healing process, and too few calories may slow things down. Focus on eating nutrient dense foods and avoiding highly processed and high sugar foods. Check your weight frequently and adjust your intake up or down based on trends that you notice.

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​In my recipe box is a mimeographed recipe attached with yellowed tape to a file card. It is the first recipe that was “mine,” and it comes from my seventh grade home economics class way back in 1967! When the ripe apples arrive each fall, this Apple Crisp recipe still gets the call to spice up our meals.
 
Apples are a consumer friendly fruit. They are convenient to carry around for snacks and lunches.
In the refrigerator they store and keep well, and they will even stay fresh for a day or so in a fruit bowl at room temperature. A wide variety of preparations are possible from salads to desserts to side dishes.
Two of the ways I like to use apples as a side dish are: