Support for low-fat high-fiber diet

Rose--This is straight from my basic Nutrition text. I have copied some text that might be of interest to you:



"Iron absorption depends in part on its source. Iron occurs in two forms in foods: as heme iron, which is found only in foods derived from the flesh of animals, such as meats, poultry and fish, and as non-heme iron, which is found in both plant-derived and animal-derived foods, but mainly plant. On average, about 10% of the iron a person consumes in a day comes from heme iron. Even though heme iron accounts for only a small proportion, it is so well absorbed that it contributes significant iron; about 25% of heme iron is absorbed. In contrast, only 10% of non-heme iron is absorbed, depending on other dietary factors...



Meat, fish, and poultry contain not only the well-absorbed heme iron, but also a factor that promotes the absorption of nonheme iron from other foods eaten at the same meal. Vitamin C also enhances nonheme iron absorption from foods eaten in the same meal by capturing the iron and [making it ready for absorption]. Some acids and sugars also enhance nonheme iron absorption.



Some factors that inhibit non-heme absorbtion: the phytates and fibers in soy products, whole grains and nuts, oxylates in spinach, calcium and phosphorus in milk, EDTA (food additive) and the tannic acid in tea, coffee, nuts and some fruits and vegetables.



Of course, bleeding from any site can incur iron losses.



Iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia are not the same: people may be iron deficient without being anemic. The term iron deficiency refers to depleted body iron stores without regard to the degree of depletion or to the presence of anemia. The term iron-deficiency anemia refers to the severe depletion of iron stores that results in a low hemoglobin concentration. ....red blood cells are pale and small. They can't carry oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, so energy metablolism in the cells falters. The result is fatigue, weakness, headaches, apathy, pallor, and poor resistance to cold temperatures."



.....I found this little tidbit to be interesting, seems like high iron is not so great:



"There also appears to be an association between iron and cancer. Explanations for how iron might be involved in causing cancer focus on its free-radical activity, whch can damage DNA. One of the benefits of a high-fiber diet may be that its phytates bind iron, making it less available for such reactions."



So from reading this, it seems that the fiber inhibits the non-heme absorption, meaning the plant based iron sources, like enriched breads or cereal, beans and spinach. The oxalates in spinach also inhibit absorption. Since calcium also inhibits absorption, don't take your calcium supplement right after consuming an iron-rich meal or iron supplement. Same goes for coffee, tea, etc.



The text also says that to maximize nonheme iron absorption, like that found in bread, eat it with a tomato, which has vitamin C. Eat beans with meat (combining non-heme with heme). It also says if you take iron supplements, constipation may occur, so drink plenty of water.



I hope this helps you.

I know broccoli is loaded with iron, but really you are going to have add lean red meat if you want to get well soon. Try filet mignon without the bacon. It is the tenderloin, wish is by definition the most tender and least fattening. Can you tell we raise cattle? A 3 oz portion would help you, just try to bulk up on strong iron rich other foods.

I like to have mixed nuts around. I have to hide them from my husband because he will eat the entire can. They may have good fat but they are high calorie.

Think their saltiness is any part of it?

Sometimes when I get started on sweets (how many gallons of ice cream have I eatten one spoonful at a time?) I can sidetrack myself by eatting something salty.

Boy oh boy I love nuts! I have decided just like sugar that is not a good thing though!

Rose I have forbidden myself from eating Kemp's chocolate ice cream, it is soooo good. I eat a bite at time and before you know it is all gone! 3 ozs is about a 1/2 of a piece of tenderloin, good and tasty!(Can't have that either)

You name anything unhealthy and I crave it! SF FF chocolate pudding is my haven for now!

It's got to be the salt for me. I've got unsalted nuts sitting around in my cuboard, been there for weeks. They never call my name.

Just to show that I"m not immune to the neurotic side of this. I read the calorie count on the box, which says how many nuts are in a 'portion', and then I count out that many or less to eat. For me the 'handfull' thing gets out of hand pretty easily.

My husband asked me last night why now I crave nuts. I told him because I can't have them, I would eat a peice of cardboard spread with Nutella in a heart beat!

Well I can help with lessening the guilt about eating nuts.



7-10 daily..a mix of walnuts, almonds and pecans will lower

LDL cholesterol, (the bad one).



peanuts have the same ingredient that some red wines have which is heart healthy. (I forgot the name of the ingredient).



Men should eat walnuts every day to fight off prostate cancer. I can't think of anything else at the moment.

Actually, macs are pretty healthy for us. If you can find some dipped in dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate then it would be a healthy snack.

http://www.macnut.co.nz/nutrition.htm

I heard that Hershey's will be coming out with a new dark chocolate that will have more flavonoids left in. I'm waiting.

I have finally started eating Wasa instead of crackers or chips. My redneck friends think I have converted to Judism but honestly they are not bad once you start eating them.

Sorta like brown rice after white rice. I would prefer the more fattening taste but after awhile, I can endure it!

Campbells does it canned. My Mom was partial to it so we ate it a lot when I was little. Homemade turns out to be more like a stew, Campbells is longer on the broth. It seems like they put about half as much barley in as this called for.



32 oz. chicken AND beef stock (total of 64oz.)

2 cups water

1 cup pearl barley

1 1/2 lbs lamb (can also do beef)

1 onopn

clelery

4 carrots

2 parsnips

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Rosemary

salt/better



You pretty much throw everything but the carrots, parsnips, rosemary and mustard in a pot and cook for an hour. then add the carrots, parnsips, rosemary, mustard and cook for 15 more minutes.



I cooled it and then skimmed the fat because lamb is bad about that. I did lamb because my husband likes it but beef is good too, just not as distinctive a flavor.



Next weekend I"m going to try the squash/pear soup, which will probably be better fat-wise.

I meant to say low-fat, high fiber (not low protein).

Maybe I need to join your peanut gallery! I know I need lentils, but eeewwww. I will try this recipe if I spice it up I may not taste them!