Eating right can protect from cancer
by By Gay Storms
(Posted 11/20/2009 04:22 pm)
lifestyles@grahamleader.com
Christmas cookies and cancer don’t sound like a good combination.
According to Texas Oncology spokesmen, a festive recipe called “Holly Jolly Biscotti” can promote nutrition with pizzazz. The simple recipe highlights the peak-season flavors of Texas citrus and pecans. The Italian-inspired cookie is a delicious and nutritious way to promote a healthy diet throughout the holidays and maybe people on your gift list.
“This is our third year to promote a special healthy recipe during the Christmas season,” said Shannon Jenkins, a Texas Oncology outreach nurse. Holly Jolly Biscotti is a classic holiday treat that is rich in fiber, Vitamin C and proteins. The Christmas treat brings together the decadent flavors of citrus, nuts and chocolate. Texas oranges, which are locally grown in the rich soil of the Rio Grande Valley, offer high quantities of Vitamins A and C, while the Texas pecans provide a nutty dose of healthful protein. The sweet, dark chocolate is made up of more than 60 percent cacao, and along with oranges and pecans, serves as an excellent source of antioxidants. Combined with whole wheat flour, which contains calcium, iron and fiber, and olive oil which is rich in omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids, Holly Jolly Biscotti is a classic Texas holiday treat.
Texas Oncology showcases holiday food because research shows that there is a link between cancer and the type of food we eat. A recent study conducted by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research found that one in three cancers may be preventable.
“A person’s cancer risk is dependent on a variety of factors, but it’s evident that eating better and exercising more to maintain a healthy weight, going for routine screenings and protecting oneself from the sun can lead to fewer cancer diagnoses,” said Dr. Hari Kalla, a medical oncologist at Texas Oncology. “By making simple changes to adopt healthy lifestyle habits, Texans can realize the full range of healthful benefits the season offers.”
Overall, managing weight and eating a well-balanced diet full of powerful nutrients may bolster cancer-fighting and other body defenses against disease.
One of the healthiest ways to reduce calories is to limit the intake of sugars, saturated fats, trans fats and alcohol and to include more healthy foods like nutrient-packed produce.
The following diet recommendations from the American Cancer Society are general guidelines to plan better overall nutrition: substituting whole grains for refined or processed grains; limiting processed and red meats, foods preserved with salt and fat; limiting alcoholic drinks daily to one for women and two for men; eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily; and drinking plenty of water every day.
“Obesity is linked to cancers in the forefront — the ones that occur the most often,” said Jenkins. “Cancers such as colon cancer and breast cancer in women.”
The role of healthy food in fighting against cancer is also important while a patient is undergoing chemotherapy and can affect the treatment’s success, said Jenkins. The ideal is for a patient to eat food every two hours according to the ACS dietary guidelines. Children respond dramatically to a carefully monitored diet.
“It’s important for a patient to not only eat a healthy diet but to maintain enough caloric intake. This helps rebuild tissue and fight infection,” said Jenkins.
(For more information, consult the ACS comprehensive guide on prevention of cancer with healthy food and fitness at www.cancer.org/docroot.)
Whether having the whole family over or celebrating with a few friends and relatives, healthy food can make a difference. Holly Jolly Biscotti makes a great holiday gift or serve it on Christmas Day. Enjoy any day of the year with a hot cup of coffee in the morning or and a mug of cider.
(The Texas Oncology Clinic in Graham, one of five outreach clinics in Wichita Falls, is open the first Tuesday and third Friday of each month at GRMC Specialty Clinic.)
Holly Jolly Biscotti Recipe
Yields: 24 to 26 biscotti
Ingredients
3 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans, coursely chopped
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, olive oil, orange juice, and vanilla until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together both flours, sugar, orange zest, baking powder, and salt. Add dry mix slowly to wet ingredients until mixture forms a ball. Turn out dough mixture onto a well-floured surface and knead a few times. Fold in pecans and chocolate chips in alternating batches until evenly distributed.
Divide dough into two pieces. Form each piece into a log about 9 inches long, then press flat until it is about half an inch tall and 3 inches wide. Transfer logs to baking sheets and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks for 20 minutes.
Using a serrated knife, slice each log on the diagonal into ½ inch pieces. Return to oven and bake on each side for about 10 minutes (approximately. total of 20 minutes). Slices should be golden brown. Remove from oven to cool.
To download a festive, printable Holly Jolly Biscotti holiday recipe card, click here or visit www.TexasOncology.com and click the Holly Jolly Biscotti button.
Eat healthy for the holidays
Enjoy more healthy holiday meals with these quick nutritional tips:
* Substitute butter or lard with healthy oils such as olive, canola, and other vegetable oils.
* Add fiber, crunch, flavor, and “good fats” and a host of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals with chopped nuts such as pecans, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts. “Good fats,” like those found in vegetable oils, can help the body regenerate cells and create hormones.
* Infuse salads with colorful, dark, leafy greens and seasonal fruits and vegetables. Dark, leafy greens are a good source of fiber and folate.
* Serve whole grain bread, which contains fiber, folic acid, and iron, with meals.
* Incorporate seasonal fruits, which are rich in vitamins and best consumed at their peak ripe times, into desserts.
by By Gay Storms
(Posted 11/20/2009 04:22 pm)
lifestyles@grahamleader.com
Christmas cookies and cancer don’t sound like a good combination.
According to Texas Oncology spokesmen, a festive recipe called “Holly Jolly Biscotti” can promote nutrition with pizzazz. The simple recipe highlights the peak-season flavors of Texas citrus and pecans. The Italian-inspired cookie is a delicious and nutritious way to promote a healthy diet throughout the holidays and maybe people on your gift list.
“This is our third year to promote a special healthy recipe during the Christmas season,” said Shannon Jenkins, a Texas Oncology outreach nurse. Holly Jolly Biscotti is a classic holiday treat that is rich in fiber, Vitamin C and proteins. The Christmas treat brings together the decadent flavors of citrus, nuts and chocolate. Texas oranges, which are locally grown in the rich soil of the Rio Grande Valley, offer high quantities of Vitamins A and C, while the Texas pecans provide a nutty dose of healthful protein. The sweet, dark chocolate is made up of more than 60 percent cacao, and along with oranges and pecans, serves as an excellent source of antioxidants. Combined with whole wheat flour, which contains calcium, iron and fiber, and olive oil which is rich in omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids, Holly Jolly Biscotti is a classic Texas holiday treat.
Texas Oncology showcases holiday food because research shows that there is a link between cancer and the type of food we eat. A recent study conducted by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research found that one in three cancers may be preventable.
“A person’s cancer risk is dependent on a variety of factors, but it’s evident that eating better and exercising more to maintain a healthy weight, going for routine screenings and protecting oneself from the sun can lead to fewer cancer diagnoses,” said Dr. Hari Kalla, a medical oncologist at Texas Oncology. “By making simple changes to adopt healthy lifestyle habits, Texans can realize the full range of healthful benefits the season offers.”
Overall, managing weight and eating a well-balanced diet full of powerful nutrients may bolster cancer-fighting and other body defenses against disease.
One of the healthiest ways to reduce calories is to limit the intake of sugars, saturated fats, trans fats and alcohol and to include more healthy foods like nutrient-packed produce.
The following diet recommendations from the American Cancer Society are general guidelines to plan better overall nutrition: substituting whole grains for refined or processed grains; limiting processed and red meats, foods preserved with salt and fat; limiting alcoholic drinks daily to one for women and two for men; eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily; and drinking plenty of water every day.
“Obesity is linked to cancers in the forefront — the ones that occur the most often,” said Jenkins. “Cancers such as colon cancer and breast cancer in women.”
The role of healthy food in fighting against cancer is also important while a patient is undergoing chemotherapy and can affect the treatment’s success, said Jenkins. The ideal is for a patient to eat food every two hours according to the ACS dietary guidelines. Children respond dramatically to a carefully monitored diet.
“It’s important for a patient to not only eat a healthy diet but to maintain enough caloric intake. This helps rebuild tissue and fight infection,” said Jenkins.
(For more information, consult the ACS comprehensive guide on prevention of cancer with healthy food and fitness at www.cancer.org/docroot.)
Whether having the whole family over or celebrating with a few friends and relatives, healthy food can make a difference. Holly Jolly Biscotti makes a great holiday gift or serve it on Christmas Day. Enjoy any day of the year with a hot cup of coffee in the morning or and a mug of cider.
(The Texas Oncology Clinic in Graham, one of five outreach clinics in Wichita Falls, is open the first Tuesday and third Friday of each month at GRMC Specialty Clinic.)
Holly Jolly Biscotti Recipe
Yields: 24 to 26 biscotti
Ingredients
3 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans, coursely chopped
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, olive oil, orange juice, and vanilla until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together both flours, sugar, orange zest, baking powder, and salt. Add dry mix slowly to wet ingredients until mixture forms a ball. Turn out dough mixture onto a well-floured surface and knead a few times. Fold in pecans and chocolate chips in alternating batches until evenly distributed.
Divide dough into two pieces. Form each piece into a log about 9 inches long, then press flat until it is about half an inch tall and 3 inches wide. Transfer logs to baking sheets and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks for 20 minutes.
Using a serrated knife, slice each log on the diagonal into ½ inch pieces. Return to oven and bake on each side for about 10 minutes (approximately. total of 20 minutes). Slices should be golden brown. Remove from oven to cool.
To download a festive, printable Holly Jolly Biscotti holiday recipe card, click here or visit www.TexasOncology.com and click the Holly Jolly Biscotti button.
Eat healthy for the holidays
Enjoy more healthy holiday meals with these quick nutritional tips:
* Substitute butter or lard with healthy oils such as olive, canola, and other vegetable oils.
* Add fiber, crunch, flavor, and “good fats” and a host of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals with chopped nuts such as pecans, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts. “Good fats,” like those found in vegetable oils, can help the body regenerate cells and create hormones.
* Infuse salads with colorful, dark, leafy greens and seasonal fruits and vegetables. Dark, leafy greens are a good source of fiber and folate.
* Serve whole grain bread, which contains fiber, folic acid, and iron, with meals.
* Incorporate seasonal fruits, which are rich in vitamins and best consumed at their peak ripe times, into desserts.
