FFF Fun & Flexible Friday & ANS

Happy FFF!!
What will you do today that is FUN & FLEXIBLE?

I’m having so much fun in my Test Kitchen creating different recipes.

Maybe you have some suggestions for The Morselist?

I’m FLEXIBLE! :)

And Please remember, October 29th, 12 noon

Mo the Morselist (aka, Maura) will be doing a Healthy Baking Demo

at the GREEN FESTIVAL on the GOOD FOOD STAGE in Los ANGELES!

I would LOVE to see you there!

http://www.greenfestivals.org/la/good-food-stage

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AND yes, it’s ANS AskNutri-Savvy Advice:
Lauren O’Connor, Registered Dietitian is AMAZING

and so are you, MORSELITES!
Please keep your questions coming!

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Q: “I’ve been using spinach in my smoothies every day

and recently read if you consume too much

spinach, it could create problems.

What kinds of problems?”

A: That is a good question. While we can’t argue that spinach is rich in antioxidants and nutrients as are other leafy greens, too much of any good thing may have its problems. True spinach is high in Vitamins K and A, manganese, folate, and magnesium. It is also a source of iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin B2 and calcium. It contains the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important for eye health – thus a group of researchers suggest spinach may be preventative against macular degeneration. While I could go on about the benefits of including this leafy green into your diet amidst a wide variety of others, here are some things to consider:

Spinach contains oxalates that bind: The irony is that while spinach is touted as a great source of iron, the oxalates it contains may block iron absorption.
Spinach may cause kidney stones in predisposed individuals: This is because oxalates can form stones. Although not all kidney stones are oxalate based.
It has been suggested that spinach may interfere with thyroid functioning: Hypothyroid patients need to avoid spinach among cabbage, peaches. soybeans and other foods that can interfere with thyroid hormone production. So this is a concern mainly for those with thyroid disorder.
Spinach has been labeled as a leader of high pesticide-containing foods - In the article The New Dirty Dozen: 12 Foods to Eat Organic for The Daily Green, News Editor Dan Shapley mentions that spinach has nearly 50 different pesticides. According to wikipedia, The most common pesticides found on spinach are permethrin, dimethoate, and DDT.

My suggestion is to enjoy spinach as you do, but because of the pesticide factor, you may consider to buy organic (if you don’t already). Also, mix-it-up and add more variety of leafy greens into your smoothies. Still enjoy the addition of spinach, but allow for exploration of other types of your nutrient-dense leafy greens. Here are some some suggestions for other types greens for your smoothies. (Kale, arugula, and mustard greens may be quite pungent, but Incredible Smoothies’ Tracy Russel has provided pointers and I do know that Mo has a clever way of integrating greens into her smoothies: Check it out!: A Lean, Green Smoothie Recipe).

References:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspicedbid=43

http://www.livestrong.com/article/270687-foods-that-block-iron-absorbption/

http://www.spinachwords.com/faq.shtml

http://www.answers.com/topic/hypothyroidism

http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=SP

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinach

http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/dirty-dozen-foods#ixzz1YjHRHVWl

Lauren O’Connor, MS, RD is a registered dietitian

and owner/nutritional consultant for Nutri-Savvy.

Her approach and motto: “Savor, Taste and Enjoy…Nutrition”.

She focuses on building healthy values and choosing a wide variety of foods,