Swap regular fries for these delicious, and nutritious, potato wedges
These crispy sweet potato wedges come out Cajun spicy and sweet. Don’t tell anyone but they’re also really healthy. They’re loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients and are a great source of beta-carotene. Another plus? As complex carbs, they digest slowly and raise blood sugars gradually — keeping you from a spike and drop-off.
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes, cut into wedges (about 8 wedges per potato)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, oil and Cajun seasoning. Mix well to evenly coat wedges.
Spread the wedges in a single layer on one (or two, if needed) ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 30 minutes or until crispy and brown on one side.
Flip fries over and bake for another 30 minutes or until the wedges are crispy on the outside and tender inside.
Ingredient health benefits
Sweet potatoes: These root veggies are beloved the world over for their flavor and versatility. But did you know there’s more to sweet potatoes than … well, just being sweet? They’re also packed with essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium. These nutrients help support many aspects of your overall health, including your immune system, metabolism, blood pressure and vision. Sweet potatoes also have carbohydrates and fiber to fuel your cells and promote healthy digestion.
Olive oil: This cooking oil is one of those ingredients that’s actually worth the hype. Olive oil is full of unsaturated fats and polyphenols. These compounds support your heart and fight inflammation that can harm your cells. Vitamin E and vitamin K, also known as fat-soluble vitamins, maintain radiant skin and strong bones. Olive oil also elevates your good “HDL” cholesterol while lowering your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol. And powerful antioxidants suppress free radicals, damaging little particles that harm your cells in ways that can lead to cancer. While all olive oil has these benefits, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the highest quality, so don’t hesitate to pick some up if it fits within your budget!
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An eating plan that emphasizes eating A LOT of food, not a little? It isn’t too good to be true — it’s the premise behind volume eating. pic.twitter.com/gMzC25Lsdx
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The Mediterranean Diet can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and many other chronic conditions. It encourages you to eat plenty of some foods (like whole grains and vegetables) while limiting others. If you’re planning a grocery store trip, you might wonder which foods to
Wondering if you need an alcohol detox? Learn how to detox your liver from alcohol use, and how long it could take.
Of all your body’s organs, your liver takes the biggest hit when it comes to alcohol. Even if your relationship with drinking consists of occasional social drinking with friends or occasionally over-indulging in wine and cocktails during the holiday season, alcohol can still leave its mark. And it’s a mark that can be hard to reverse.
That’s why many of us wonder if a month of avoiding drinking is enough to “reset” your liver back to normal. It’s true that taking a break from alcohol for any amount of time will be beneficial overall, with some research showing that liver function begins to improve in as little as two to three weeks. But a full detox is needed for the most benefit, and how much time that takes depends on a variety of personal factors.
“It depends on how much damage has already been done,” explains liver specialist Christina Lindenmeyer, MD. “And if there are any complications related to the damage.”
Dr. Lindenmeyer explains what happens to your liver from prolonged and moderate alcohol use, and what a detox process would look like.
How alcohol impacts your liver
Your liver has enzymes that work like special tools to help metabolize (break down) different toxins that enter your body, such as alcohol.
In the short term, alcohol is processed through your liver in about an hour. Essentially, feeling “drunk” is when your liver becomes too overwhelmed to properly process alcohol, so it overflows temporarily into your bloodstream. This is what causes you to feel light-headed or tipsy after multiple alcoholic drinks.
In the long term, prolonged alcohol use can cause severe damage to your liver. Your liver has a specific pathway that the toxins follow to be broken down, so if over time, this pathway becomes overwhelmed by too many toxins, it can affect the efficiency of your liver’s work. In other words: It can’t keep up.
Certain health concerns and diseases can arise in your liver due to long-term alcohol use, including:
If your liver has taken a hit from prolonged alcohol use, there are ways to give it — and the rest of your body — a break.
You can make the move toward detoxing your liver through these steps:
Stop drinking
The first and most important line of defense? You guessed it: Abstain from drinking. “Abstinence is the most critical intervention and treatment,” notes Dr. Lindenmeyer.
This is sometimes easier said than done, of course. If you’re a heavy drinker, you may need to wean off alcohol to let your body adjust. If you’re experiencing severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, be sure to talk to a healthcare provider.
If you’re more of a moderate to occasional drinker, you may find the hardest part of stopping drinking to be the social pressures. Try replacing your usual cocktail or beer with a nonalcoholic option, including many of the now popular mocktails available so you can still enjoy social time with friends without having alcohol in the mix.
Maintain a healthy diet
Another thing that will help your liver’s journey in recovery is good nutrition. There’s no miracle diet by any means, but the Mediterranean diet, for example, can help fill some of the nutritional gaps you may have due to alcohol use.
“Nutrition optimization is actually the most evidence-based and most important intervention aside from stopping drinking,” points out Dr. Lindenmeyer. This is because, for a lot of people who experience some kind of liver dysfunction, it makes them at risk of not getting enough proteins, calories or vitamins.
There are also certain foods like tea, fish and nuts that can benefit the liver’s function in many ways. Think of it as giving your liver a little boost in the right direction. “Nutrition therapy is very important in terms of feeding the liver and giving it the building blocks it needs to restore itself,” says Dr. Lindenmeyer.
How long until your liver detoxes from alcohol?
Of course, we all want a simple, achievable number for how long we should abstain from alcohol in order for our bodies to fully heal from its effects.
But the truth is,the timeline of your liver detoxing is going to depend on different factors like:
The amount of alcohol you consume.
The frequency of your drinking.
Any other health conditions you may have.
Your age.
Your weight.
“There is no ‘one size fits all’ answer,” states Dr. Lindenmeyer. “It depends on how much damage has already been done and any possible complications.”
There has been some research conducted on how abstaining from alcohol detoxifies your liver over time. A 2021 review of research notes that several studies determined that two to four weeks of abstinence from alcohol by heavy-alcohol users helped reduce inflammation and bring down elevated serum levels in the liver.
In short: A few weeks off will help. But the longer you can abstain from alcohol, the better. And if your liver has experienced long-term effects, your healthcare provider would probably recommend lifelong abstinence from alcohol to allow it to fully detox and recover.
“For patients who are left with cirrhosis after severe injury to the liver from alcohol, even one drink of alcohol is toxic to the liver,” cautions Dr. Lindenmeyer.
Should you take a break?
For many of us, alcohol becomes a casual routine associated with going out and spending time with loved ones. But if you’re drinking alcohol in excess of the recommended guidelines, you may be doing damage to your liver. It can be hard to notice at first if your body is sending you any warning signs that it’s overwhelmed.
Here are some common signs that your liver is taking a serious hit from alcohol:
It can be hard to find (or even know) the balance of how much alcohol your body is able to handle. If you’re not sure if your drinking crosses a certain line or not, try measuring your alcohol intake.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol should be consumed in moderation, which means one drink a day for women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB), and two for men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB) — unless your doctor says otherwise. If you’re keeping up with this average (or less), the damage from alcohol is most likely minimal.
On the other hand, binge drinking is generally defined as four drinks for women and five drinks for men within a two-hour period. And even occasional binge drinking episodes can have profound effects on your liver’s health over time.
Overall, a small break from drinking like a Dry January won’t necessarily fully “detox” your liver, but if you’re prone to overindulging in alcohol, you can see small health boosts such as decreasing inflammation of the liver and increasing your energy levels with such a break.
The bottom line
Just like a broken bone or infection needs time to heal, so does an overworked liver. While this depends on the amount of alcohol you have had over the years, your liver can see partial healing within two to three weeks, but this will depend on your health history.
Depending on the extent of liver damage you have, you may need to completely abstain from alcohol in order to give your liver the best chance for recovery. Talk to a doctor about your personal history and what’s right for you.
The Mediterranean Diet can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and many other chronic conditions. It encourages you to eat plenty of some foods (like whole grains and vegetables) while limiting others. If you’re planning a grocery store trip, you might wonder which foods to
We all want to protect our kids whether it be from falls, bumps and bruises — or avoidable infections and diseases. To help your child avoid illness, it’s important to encourage good habits and take steps to boost their immune system from an early age.
“Most of what makes a child’s immune system strong is common sense,” says pediatrician Adriane Lioudis, MD. If you keep these five tips in mind, you’ll stack the deck in your child’s favor for a healthier life.
1. For newborns, consider breastfeeding
While it’s a very personal decision (that isn’t always possible), if you are able to exclusively breastfeed your child for at least six months, it may have benefits. Some research shows that breastfeeding your child might possibly reduce allergies, Dr. Lioudis says.
2. Promote regular hand washing
Eighty percent of infections are spread by touch. Teach your little one to take the time to wash their hands after sneezing, coughing and going to the bathroom. Washing hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds can remove bacteria and viruses and can reduce the chance of lung infections by up to 45%.
“Get the flu shot for your child yearly, as well,” Dr. Lioudis says. This is particularly important for children with asthma and other chronic health conditions.
Also, if your family will be traveling internationally, it’s important to seek advice from your child’s healthcare provider about any needed vaccinations.
4. Make sleep a priority
To maximize immunity, children must get enough sleep.
Babies between 0 and 3 months need 14 to 17 hours of sleep. Those between 4 and 12 months need 12 to 16 hours of sleep.
Children between the ages of 1 and 2 need between 11 and 14 hours.
Kids between the ages of 3 and 5 should get from10 to 13 hours.
Children ages 6 to 12 should get between 9 and 12 hours.
Teens between the ages of 13 to 18 need 8 to 10 hours.
Not getting enough sleep limits the body’s ability to produce proteins called cytokines that help fight infection and reduce inflammation.
5. Encourage a healthy diet
A healthy diet is also important for your child’s immune system.
Dr. Lioudis recommends encouraging your child to “eat the rainbow” when it comes to fruits and vegetables. A good selection of whole grains should be part of their diet as well. Keep processed foods to a minimum. Proper food choices can help ensure that your child gets enough vitamins — such as vitamin A and E. These vitamins are needed to maintain good health and a strong immune system.
You can’t avoid all illness, but some kids need extra protection
“Even if you follow these tips, your child might still get between seven and 11 colds each year,” says Dr. Lioudis. She adds that you can expect each one to last up to two weeks.
Also, keep in mind that some things billed as common “remedies” aren’t effective in boosting immunity. For example, there’s no definitive proof that large amounts of vitamin C or echinacea help prevent colds or shorten them, she says.
However, if your child has a compromised immune system, work closely with your pediatrician to find ways to improve his or her immunity. Each child needs a personalized approach because their individual immune system varies, Dr. Lioudis says.
“There’s generally a different protocol with immunocompromised children. There are some vaccines we have to add in on top of what most children have, but it’s something that we must determine on a case-by-case basis.
Who doesn’t want a healthy immune system? (Raise your hand. No one?) But did you know the role your diet plays in keeping it in top shape to protect you from toxins and infections? Sadly, too many of us don’t eat enough of the fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods we need to keep ourselves healthy year-round. Healthy foods provide many substances including vitamins and minerals to keep us strong and healthy. You can’t just eat an orange or grapefruit or pop a vitamin pill and expect one quick burst of vitamin C to prevent a cold and to boost your immune system. “A truly healthy immune system depends on a balanced healthy diet over time,” says registered dietitian Maxine Smith. “It’s like training for a battle and preparing your body ahead of time so it can through a good punch when attacked by viruses, bacteria and toxins. Other lifestyle practices such as regular exercise and good sleep will better prepare you for the battle.” With some exceptions, it’s best to get your vitamins and minerals from your food rather than in pill form. Smith shares some tips for some of the top vitamins and minerals your immune system needs to perform:
1. Vitamin C Vitamin C may help prevent infections or shorten their stay. Citrus fruits are a standout, but did you know there are other good sources? It’s true! Smith recommends the following: Spinach. Kale. Bell peppers. Brussels sprouts. Strawberries. Papaya. Fun fact: vitamin C is in so many foods that most people may not need to take supplements unless a doctor advises it. Consult with your doctor before taking any vitamin C supplements
2. Vitamin E Like vitamin C, vitamin E can be a powerful antioxidant that helps your body fight off infection. This important vitamin — part of nearly 200 biochemical reactions in your body — is critical in how your immune system functions. To get your vitamin E, think high-fat plant foods such as: Almonds. Peanuts/peanut butter. Sunflower seeds. Oils such as sunflower, safflower, and soybean oil. Hazelnuts.
3. Vitamin A#
Vitamin A is an infection-fighter and comes in two forms: preformed such as in animal foods such as fish, meat and dairy or from plant carotenoids. Tuna is a great source of preformed vitamin A. When it comes to carotenoids, go colorful: Carrots. Sweet potatoes. Pumpkin. Butternut squash. Cantaloupe. Dark green leafy vegetables.
4. Vitamin D Known as the sunshine vitamin, it’s one of the most important and powerful nutrients for supporting the immune system. Food sources are limited but include: Salmon. Mackerel. Tuna. Sardines. Vitamin D fortified like milk, orange juice and cereals. In general, it’s best to get most of your vitamins from food, but vitamin D may be the exception to that rule. Talk with your doctor to find out if you need a supplement.
5. Folate/folic acid Folate is the natural form and folic acid is the synthetic form, often added to foods because of its health benefits. To get more folate, add more beans and lentils to your plate on a regular basis, as well as leafy green vegetables. Avocado is another tasty source. You can also get folic acid in fortified foods (check the label first). Enriched pasta. Enriched bread. Enriched rice.
6. Iron Iron, which helps your body carry oxygen to cells, plays a part in many of the immune system processes. It comes in different forms. Your body can more easily absorb heme iron (aka iron from animal products), which is abundant in: Red meat (limit to smaller amounts and less often). Chicken. Turkey. Canned sardines. Oysters. Clams. Mussels. Canned light tuna. If you’re a vegetarian, have no fear. You can still find iron in: Beans. Broccoli. Kale. Iron-fortified cereals.
7. Selenium Selenium seems to have a powerful effect on the immune system being important for preventing infections. Animal foods are the best sources, with the exception of Brazil nuts, that offer a whopping greater than 100% daily value in one nut. However, too much can be a problem, so keep to no more than one to two of these in a day. Look for selenium in: Seafood (tuna, halibut, sardines). Meat and liver. Poultry. Cottage cheese.
8. Zinc Zinc is needed for the production of new immune system cells. It’s found primarily in animal foods but can be also found in some vegetarian food like. Oysters. Crab. Lean meats and poultry. Baked beans. Yogurt. Chickpeas. Choose frozen when you can’t get fresh Depending on where you live and what time of year it is, you can’t always get your hands on high-quality fresh produce. Keep in mind that buying frozen is a good option and can be quite convenient in our time-crunched world. Frozen food can still boost your immune system. “Manufacturers freeze frozen fruits and veggies at ‘peak’ ripeness, which means they’ll pack a similar nutritional value as their fresh counterparts,” she says. “Just choose plain frozen foods rather than those with added sugars or sodium.” Facebook Twitter
“When you create a meal centered around vegetables, you’re taking steps to improve and maximize your health,” says Liz Moore, registered dietitian at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Try these three meals today. — #HarvardHealth#Diet#Nutrition
Meatless Mondays, meet summer’s bounty: a wide variety of colorful, fresh summer vegetables now available in grocery stores, backyard gardens, and farmer’s markets. We’re talking sunshiny golden corn on the cob, deep purple eggplant, red beets, peppers of all hues, not to mention tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, cucumbers, and more. With a bit of simple prep, they’re ready to take center stage on your plate, reinforcing the joy of summer.
“Vegetables in our diet provide many benefits. And when you create a meal centered around them, you’re taking steps to improve and maximize your health,” says Liz Moore, the author of a heart-healthy cookbook and a registered dietitian at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Centering healthy vegetables on your plate
Making vegetables the stars of a meal is part of the “veg-centric” movement, which teaches people how to elevate even average vegetables to creative entrées and side dishes. The trend gives vegetables bold flavors by grilling, layering, caramelizing, or roasting them — steps you can take with a backyard grill or stovetop skillet.
Summer veggie meals have lots of important health perks. “Vegetables such as eggplant and beets of all colors are rich in fiber, Moore says. “Eating a high-fiber diet helps lower cholesterol and is linked to heart health, digestive health, and helping to maintain stable blood sugar levels. For those trying to lose weight, vegetables are low in calories and provide volume, which helps keep you full.”
Summer vegetables also have a wide variety of essential vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (beneficial plant chemicals) like flavonoids. “For example, carotenoids in cooked tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which is associated with inhibiting cancer growth and boosting the immune system. And beets are a good source of folate and potassium,” Moore says.
Three easy summer vegetable meals
Wondering what to do with the colorful harvest available to you? Moore suggests keeping it simple by making a meal of vegetables paired with whole grains or legumes (beans or lentils). Here are three meals that fill the bill.
Grilled eggplant steak with cucumber, tomato, onion, chickpea, and feta salad
Slice an eggplant (from root to stem) into three-inch thick “steaks.” On each side, drizzle olive oil and a little black pepper. Grill on both sides until tender.
Dice two tomatoes, one cucumber, and half a red onion. Add a can of rinsed, drained chickpeas. Toss with a dressing of olive oil, a little red wine vinegar, and oregano to taste.
Serve the salad over the eggplant steak. Top with some diced feta cheese, if you like.
Veggie pita pocket with gazpacho
Put a couple of tomatoes, a cucumber, a green pepper, half a red onion, some bread crusts, and a little olive oil into a blender. Blend until chunky or finer, as you prefer. Add salt, pepper, and cumin to taste, blending for a few more seconds. Chill for 30 minutes.
Open a whole-wheat pita and spread a tablespoon of hummus inside. Add slices of zucchini and carrots, and some arugula, salad greens, or other vegetables that appeal to you.
Serve the pita with half a cup of the gazpacho.
Quinoa-stuffed red peppers
Based on a recipe from BIDMC’s CardioVascular Institute’s Hungry Heart Cookbook by Liz Moore, RD, LDN
Cut peppers in half, remove seeds, and lay them open side up on a dish.
Mix cooked quinoa, diced tomatoes, and corn off the cob (you can grill the corn first and cut off the kernels for a special summer flair). Add low-fat grated cheddar cheese, canned (rinsed) black beans, one egg, and some spices to taste, such as a bit of cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Use the mixture to stuff the peppers evenly, and then cook them on the grill in a grilling basket for about 30 minutes. You can also cook them in the oven at 350° F on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan, checking at 30 minutes to see if they are done.
Other ideas include
grilled veggie kebabs with chunks of eggplant, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms. Serve on a bed of lettuce and add a little goat cheese.
whole-wheat pasta with a mix of sautéed vegetables that appeal to you.
salad with green leaf lettuce, raw green beans, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata or black olives, and half a hard-boiled egg. Top with a dressing you enjoy.
Which combinations of summer vegetables you choose can depend on cost, taste preferences, and how much time you want to spend cooking. If you’re in a hurry, go with a salad. If you have more time, try grilling or sautéing vegetables.
Finally, be open to inspiration from the bounty you see at the market. “Focus on getting a variety of colors in the vegetables you choose. The more colors there are on the plate, the more nutrients you’ll be consuming,” Moore says. “And try something new. Explore vegetables you’ve never tried before or new methods of cooking. Think of it as one of summer’s glorious adventures.”
Heidi Godman is the executive editor of the Harvard Health Letter. Before coming to the Health Letter, she was an award-winning television news anchor and medical reporter for 25 years. Heidi was named a journalism fellow … See Full Bio
Try our lighter carrot cake, which the entire family will love. It has just the right texture, like a slightly sweetened, light corn bread. It’s great on its own or with a dollop of frozen whipped topping or nonfat ice cream.
Ingredients
No-stick baking spray with flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup granulated sugar substitute
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup nonfat dry milk
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ cup canola oil
1 large egg
¾ cup egg substitute
1 ½ cups finely grated carrots
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons golden raisins
One 6-ounce can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 10-inch pan with baking spray.
Sift the white and whole wheat flours into a large bowl. Add the sugar substitute, brown sugar, dry milk, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Stir to mix well. Using the medium setting of an electric mixer, beat in the oil, egg and egg substitute until the batter is smooth. Fold in the carrots, walnuts, raisins and pineapple.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan. Remove the outer ring of the pan and sift confectioners’ sugar over the top, if desired. Serve at room temperature.
Dietitian’s Note: Never has carrot cake tasted so good, and been so guiltless! When compared to traditional carrot cake with icing, you save 180 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 4 grams of saturated fat.
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