Numbers Game: Answer

92 to 98 percent of peak bone mass (the period by which all bone formation occurs) is achieved by age 20.

High peak bone density is one factor that helps decrease the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures later in life.

This is precisely why having adequate intakes of calcium -- as well as being physically active -- during childhood and adolescence is crucial.

The more "bone healthy" the diet is during childhood and adolescence (particularly by consuming sufficient amounts of calcium, vitamin K, vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium), the higher peak bone mass levels are.

This is not simply a matter of having your child pop a Flintstones chewable vitamin, though. Whole foods containing these nutrients are far superior sources.

You Ask, I Answer: Pickling

I know most pickles have a high sodium content, but I'm wondering if the vinegar and processing destroys the nutrients in the veggies.

I know cucumbers don't have a whole lot going for them, but pickled green beans are yummy.

Do they have the same nutrients as unpickled green beans?

-- Jennifer Armstrong
Via the blog

This question doesn't have a clear cut answer.

Although storing vegetables in a jar of vinegar results in some nutrient losses, the amount actually lost is dependent on how long the vegetables sit in the pickling solution for.

The first nutrients to go are the water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C and the B complex).

However, unless these green beans are sitting in the solution for months, you are still getting a percentage of those vitamins.

The fat soluble vitamins (in green beans' case, K and A) remain untouched, as do the present minerals (phosphorus, potassium, manganese) and fiber.

You Ask, I Answer: Mushrooms

From a nutrition standpoint, are all varieties of mushrooms pretty much the same?

Sometimes I see portobello mushroom steak as a vegetarian option at restaurants.

Is it higher in protein than other types?

-- Linda Ahern
Santa Ana, CA

All mushrooms are good low-calorie sources of potassium, phosphorus, and two B vitamins (riboflavin and niacin.)

A cup of chopped mushrooms also offers approximately ten percent of the selenium daily value (although oyster mushrooms come up short in this mineral.)

Portobello mushrooms are not higher in protein than other varieties.

A five-ounce serving only delivers 5 grams of protein (that same amount of tofu offers 15 grams; five ounces of seitan contribute 30 grams; half a cup of black beans adds up to 10 grams.)

Portobello mushroom "steak" as a vegetarian option on a restaurant menu strikes me as rather uninspired, particularly when it is the only meat-free choice.

I can't tell you how many times I have been at events where that is the sole vegetarian dish, and it is literally nothing but a huge, grilled portobello mushroom inside a hamburger bun. Snore!

Many chefs love it, though, because it's very easy to prepare.

You Ask, I Answer/Quick & Easy Recipes: Vegan Alfredo Sauce

I became vegan about two months ago.

I don't really miss many things since I find perfectly tasty substitutes, but yesterday night I found myself craving alfredo sauce (maybe it's the cold weather).

Since I have seen some vegan recipes on the blog, I wondered if you had any ideas as to how I can have alfredo sauce without dairy?

-- Shannon Gibson
St. Paul, MN

You've come to the right place, Shannon!

Although I am not vegan, I enjoy vegan cooking -- it is creative, healthy, and always offers a new experience for the tastebuds.

After several experiments, I crafted a vegan alfredo sauce I have been enjoying for approximately two years.

YIELDS: 6 servings (1 serving: 1/2 cup)

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup raw cashews
1 cup water
4 garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place cashews in food processor. Pulse for 20 - 30 seconds.

Add water and pulse until cashews and water are evenly mixed.

Combine rest of ingredients in food processor until blended.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving)

150 calories
1.5 grams saturated fat
380 milligrams sodium
4 grams fiber
8.5 grams protein

Good source of: B vitamins (including B12!), magnesium, copper, phosphorus, manganese, potassium, iron

Quick & Healthy Recipes: Vegan Spinach-Walnut Pesto

Here is a different spin on traditional pesto I often whip up at home.

It omits cheese (you're welcome, vegan and lactose intolerant readers), replaces pinenuts with walnuts for an Omega-3 boost, and adds some spinach for extra nutrition.

YIELDS: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

6 garlic cloves, whole
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup spinach leaves
1/3 cup raw walnuts
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt (preferably coarse sea salt)
Pepper, to taste
1 cup water (from pasta pot)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place whole garlic cloves in food processor. Pulse until diced.
2. Place rest of ingredients (except water) in food processor.
3. Pulse; add water and pulse again.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving)

220 calories
1.5 grams saturated fat
14 grams monounsaturated (heart healthy) fat
190 milligrams sodium
4.5 grams fiber
7 grams protein
350 milligrams ALA Omega-3 fatty acids

Excellent Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin K, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, B vitamins

Good Source of: Vitamin C, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber

Although you can obviously drizzle this over some pasta (preferrably whole wheat; be sure to include roasted red peppers for a wonderful complementary taste), I also recommend using it as a topping for seitan, tofu, or grilled chicken.

You Ask, I Answer: Salba

Do you know anything about Salba?

It seems to be getting quite popular (I accidentally ordered a raspberry salba square at my local coffee shop the other day), and I'm not sure whether it's a fad or not.

Is it actually a whole food or is it processed?

Where does it come from?

Is it as good as the makers of it claim?

-- Meredith (Last name unknown)
Via the blog

The folks at Core Naturals sure are working hard to hype up Salba.

No clue what I’m talking about? Let me break it down.

According to manufacturer Core Naturals, the salba seed is pretty much the greatest food ever created.

Dubbed by the company as “nature’s perfect whole food,” the press release pushes it as a one-stop shop for some of the highest quantities of fiber, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, folate, and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Then there are statements such as this:

“Because of Salba's ability to absorb several times its weight in water, it may also help to curb hunger.”

That’s wonderful, but that’s simply what all soluble fibers do – the same ones found in oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.

Core Naturals even make reference to one nutrition PhD at a Toronto-based university who, after conducting research, confirmed that Salba’s advertised properties truly exist.

You know something is slightly off, though, when the bragging rights about the doctor go something like this: “[He works at] the same university where in 1921, Dr. Frederic Banting discovered insulin and won the Nobel Prize for Medicine.”

Errrr.... okay?

Besides, there is something very suspect about having only one professional analyze your food. If Core Naturals is so sure that what they have is -- for all intents and purposes -- manna, why not send it out to a variety of independent food laboratories to have their goldmine validated?

Anyhow, Salba is just a white chia seed – with the exact same nutritional profile of all other chia seeds (which are usually black).

So, yes, it is an unprocessed whole food, in the same way that fruits, vegetables, nuts, and a plethora of other seeds are.

Don't get me wrong. Chia seeds have a neat nutritional profile – they are a good source of fiber, phosphorus, manganese and Alpha Linolenic Acid – but by no means is Salba a powerfood, nor does it offer the same Omega-3 profile as 28 ounces of salmon (as Core Naturals advertises.)

That is a very easy statement to debunk, by the way. Remember, salmon offers EPA and DHA, two Omega-3 fatty acids not present in seeds.

This situation with Salba and Core Naturals would be paramount to a company patenting Granny Smith Apples, calling them something different and claiming they were nutritionally superior any other apples.

Considering that Salba retails for anywhere from two to three times as much as standard chia seeds, I don’t really see a reason for purchasing it.

File it under "F" for fad. No, make that "FF" for... flimsy fad.

Quick & Healthy Recipes: Light & Crunchy Salad

I made up this recipe last night based on ingredients I came across in my refrigerator and pantry.

The result -- a perfect summer salad chock full of taste and nutrition.

It makes for a great barbecue side dish!

The following recipe serves 4:

SALAD INGREDIENTS

8 cups mesclun mix
1 avocado, sliced
1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas (preferably low-sodium)
½ cup red onions, diced
1 cup red pepper, diced
1 cup green pepper, diced
¼ cilantro, chiffoned

DRESSING (Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette) INGREDIENTS:

4TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1.5 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 TBSP oregano
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix salad ingredients in large bowl.
Pour dressing over salad ingredients.
Toss.
Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFORMATION (PER SERVING)

363 calories
25 grams fat (19 grams monounsaturated, 1.5 grams saturated, 4.5 grams polyunsaturated)
200 milligrams sodium
12 grams fiber
8 grams protein

Excellent Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, iron, fiber, folate vitamin B6, manganese

Good Source of: potassium, phosphorus, magnesium

Perfect Pickings: Nut Butters

Wonderful as spreads on English muffins or dips for Granny Smith apples and celery, nut butters are delicious and pack a good deal of nutrition.

All varieties -- peanut, almond, cashew -- provide 180 - 200 calories and 8 grams of protein per 2 tablespoon serving.

They are also good sources of vitamin E, niacin (Vitamin B3), manganese, and phosphorus.

Reduced fat nut butters are simply marketing gimmicks. On average, they offer a mere ten less calories than their regular counterparts.

How so? The small amount of fat that is taken away is replaced with extra carbohydrates (usually double that of regular nut butter).

The key to finding the healthiest, least processed nut butters is to read the label.

Brands like Jif and Skippy lis the following ingredients:

"Roasted Peanuts, Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Oils, Salt."

In essence, crushed peanuts with sugar and trans fat.

No, thanks.

You can do better than that by reaching for natural nut butters. Their labels tell the tale:

"Peanuts, Salt."

Wow, imagine that!

If you are buying no-salt-added varieties (which I prefer solely from taste perspective; nut butters with salt offer a very decent 140 milligrams per serving, far from a high-sodium food), the sole ingredient is peanuts.

Natural nut butters need to be mixed when you first open them, as the oil separates from the solid nut paste.

After mixing, store in the refrigerator to delay spoilage.

All-Star of the Day: Mushrooms

The term "fungus" does not necessarily make one think of nutrition and wellness, but a healthy eater knows not to judge food by its name.

Not only are mushrooms a dieter's dream food, they could also soon become one of the absolute best sources of the sunshine vitamin!

Although the meaty texture of a grilled portabella mushroom might have you thinking it was a high-fat food, that couldn't be further from the truth.

A four-ounce portabella cap only provides 42 calories and 1 gram of fat, while simultaneously delivering 3 grams of fiber, 31% of our daily selenium needs, and 18% of the potassium and phosphorus we should be getting each day.

Selenium is one mineral -- and antioxidant -- you want to make sure your body is getting, since it works alongside vitamin E to cut down on cell damage caused by free radicals.

If you prefer shiitake mushrooms, consider that one cup of these cooked veggies contains a mere 81 calories and also provides 3 grams of fiber, 13% of our recommended daily intake of zinc, and half a day's worth of selenium.

Coincidentally, it is the white button variety that has become the vegetable world's hot button player.

Recent microcellular research has concluded that if a serving (half a cup) of these unique-shaped mushrooms is exposed to five minutes of ultraviolet light after being harvested, they become vitamin D powerhouses, providing 869 percent of the daily recommended intake!

This is a huge development, considering that recent estimates classify two thirds of adults in the United States as Vitamin D deficient.

That number does strike me as absurdly high, though. If consumed in a consistent basis, such a large amount of vitamin D can cause nausea, kidney failure, and hypertension.

Hopefully, they can find a way to expose this vegetable to UV light for a shorter amount of time and get them to provide a much more reasonable 75 to 100 percent of the sunshine vitamin.

In the meantime, don't fear fungus. Add it to salads, stir fries, or even as a topping on a soy burger (throw in some pesto, grilled onions and grilled peppers on that soy burger, too -- you'll thank me later.)