How Does your Olive Oil Rate?

A week ago June Pagan, one of the Chef’s I work, with alerted me to a class action suit against companies that manufacture extra-virgin olive oil.

Olive oil is high in omega 3 or anti-inflammatory fats and the one that I highly recommend so hearing this news was quite disturbing.

A study at UC Davis Olive Center revealed that 69% of imported olive oil and 10% of California olive oil failed to meet IOC/USDA standards and were either adulterated or had poor quality due to being mixed with cheaper refined oils.

This means that the oil you are using could be mixed with omega 6 or pro-inflammatory oils, negating the health benefits of the olive oil.

The companies named were Bertolli, Filippo Berio, Carapelli, Star, Colavita, Mezzetta, Pompeian, Rachael Ray, Mazolla and Safeway Select.

Ten retailers and supermarkets, including Bristol Farms, Gelson's Markets, Vons/Pavilions, Ralphs, Stater Brothers, Albertson's, Target, Walmart, Kmart and Nob Hill Foods were named is in the lawsuit as well.

Lead counsel Daniel J. Callahan. “These companies placed corporate profiteering over their integrity and the integrity of their product and have been knowingly misleading and defrauding California consumers for years.”

Organic Authority quotes tips from Linda Sikorski, head buyer for Market Hall Foods in Oakland:

1. Check the label. Does it say “extra-virgin” olive oil? Is there a harvest or milling date, in addition to the best-use date? Is the harvest date within 12 months? Extra-virgin oil is “best used” within 18 months. Make sure the oil is purchased well in advance of the best-used date.
2. What about the bottle? Is the bottle’s color dark, which reduces light exposure? Is it on the top shelf, exposed to direct light? Light dramatically shortens shelf life, so look for signs that indicate the bottle has been on the shelf too long (for example, dust).
3.  Look for the COOC seal, which assures the olive oil is extra-virgin, grown in California and from the most recent harvest.
4. Know your retailer. Buy from retailers who know their producers, growers and importers. Ask for a taste. Many specialty retailers are generous with sampling, as they want you to know what you’re buying.
5. Verify when buying online. Check for the harvest date, and always buy from the most recent harvest. Ask before you complete your purchase.

Since hearing the news I visited Whole Foods and found a good quality olive oil named Columela, an extra virgin cold-pressed oil.  Unbeknownst to me it the highest rated extra virgin olive oil by Cooks Illustrated, a service that rates many food items and appliances.  Look in your cabinet and see what you are using.  If it is one of the above companies I suggest you take it back to your store and buy something with the suggestions above.  Your health depends on it.

Travel Food?

One recurring theme with my clients is “what do I eat when I’m traveling or away from home?” Not having a refrigerator filled with food you like at your disposal is challenging.  Whether traveling in a car or on an airplane, a limited variety of healthy food travels well.

Several things I recommend are having varieties of  bags of nuts.  I like mixing cashews, sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and raw peanuts.  I bring several bags with me depending on how long I will be away.  My Healthy Nut Mix (see recipe on http://www.susandopart.com/recipes) is good for about a week without refrigeration.

One type of seed “crackers” which are portable, crunchy and satisfying are Raw Wheat Free Crusts by Mauk Family Farms available at Whole Foods or the Co-op.  They are made from sesame, flax and sunflower seeds.  Lydia’s Organics has several types of seed “crackers” that are tasty, portable and travel well.  Lara bars are one of the only type I recommend since they have only a few ingredients that do not include additives or sweeteners.  The peanut butter and jelly is quite tasty.

If you are in a car and can bring a cooler, foods that travel well include hard-boiled eggs, varieties of turkey/cheese slices, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, fruit and carrot/celery sticks.  Having a few of these items can tie you over till your next destination.

If you are in a hotel room, request a refrigerator.  Buying a few items to keep such as yogurt, cottage cheese or fruit can save you from getting over hungry,  If a business meeting is delayed you have food at your disposal, besides not having to eat out every meal.  While eating away from home may not be ideal, these tips can save you time, calories and energy in trying to find healthy food.

 

Does a Dark Chocolate a Day Reallly Keep the Doctor Away?

Many people think of dark chocolate as something their mothers used to bake with, but it has come a long way since that time in terms of texture and flavor. Many varieties of dark chocolate are on the market, with some tasting better than others. I myself was a big milk chocolate fan and when the research became clear that dark chocolate was the most advantageous I reluctantly transitioned myself over to the dark. However, after going over to “the other side” I am now sold on dark chocolate.

If you only like milk chocolate consider trying Dove Dark Chocolate Promises – they come in a nice bite size and 2 per day is a good serving. Experiment with tasting different ones. Trader Joe’s has Dark Chocolate Wedges that come in a small round tin n regular dark chocolate and spiced with chipotle for a nice kick. My current favorite is Kallari dark cocoa which comes in 70, 75 and 85% at Whole Foods. Kallari has a rich smooth taste that I only experienced with dark chocolate I tasted in Switzerland. Choose ones that are greater than 70% cocoa since a higher cocoa content contains the most nutrients and the least amount of sugar.

Why eat dark over milk chocolate? Dark chocolate contains higher amounts of a type of phytochemcial (a chemical naturally found in foods that prevents disease) called flavanols than milk chocolate. The higher the percent cocoa the more flavanols the chocolate contains. Dark chocolate and cocoa contain several types of flavonoids called catechins and epicatechins which are thought to lower inflammation in the body.

Dark chocolate has been linked with lower inflammatory states in the body due to its high antioxidant activity. A 2008 study done with 5000 people linked a square or two of dark chocolate per day with 33 percent decrease in heart disease among women and a 26 percent decrease in men. The people in the study had lower levels of C - reactive protein, a marker in the blood that signals inflammation in the body.

It is recommended to eat one ounce of dark chocolate per day for health - I’d say a recommendation most of us can live with – and maybe not even a splurge, but a necessity!

Healthy Ice-Cream?

Do you remember the days of the hand cranked old-fashioned homemade ice-cream that had the most wonderful creamy taste? My mouth waters just to think of it and wonder why it is a lost tradition.

 In my opinion ice-cream is a healthier dessert to eat since it contains no flour, gluten, and if made with few ingredients is a worthwhile splurge in moderation. One brand I discovered several years ago is a small family company in Santa Barbara called McConnell’s. Their ice-cream is made with very few and fresh ingredients and is sold at Whole Foods.

 Recently Haagen-Dazs started making a new ice-cream called “Five” that tastes almost homemade and contains just five ingredients. The vanilla bean contains: skim milk, cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla. I tried the vanilla and coffee this past weekend and was surprised at how a satisfying a few bites could be. If you want to have ice-cream skip the ‘lite” fake fluff and enjoy the real deal.

 The other healthy dessert I recommend is dark chocolate but let’s save that one for another day.