Health News
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
"Sprouts? (the nutrient dense version of new plant shoots from the seeds of beans, alfalfa, and radishes) go hand in hand with the term "healthy food." But with new cases of food-borne illness linked to sprouts of all kinds, we may all need to revise this connection.
The recent outbreak of toxic E-coli bacteria in Germany was linked to sprouts, killing at least 31 people, and making another 3,000 people sick. This year, at least two American growers have recalled sprouts contaminated with salmonella.
When you realize how these tasty add-ons are "sprouted" from the seeds - in a warm, moist environment - it's not hard to see how vulnerable they are to bacterial contamination. Many companies use a concentrated chlorine solution to soak the sprouts, to kill off bacteria; others use a combination of chlorine and a hot-water process.
Outbreaks in the US have been reported for at least the past decade, despite more rigorous attention to possible contamination. So, what to do? The FDA advises that children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems should not eat raw sprouts. What about for the rest of us? The good news is that cooking does kill bacteria - and that's an option that works for everyone.
I'd think twice before consuming raw sprouts of any kind. They are delicious, and packed with nutrients - but food safety issues are a very real problem. Current technology can limit, but not eliminate bacterial contamination, so proceed with caution!
Are you a sprout-lover? I'd love to hear how you're managing with this problem!
- Top Food Safety Tip: Cook It!
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom You might have heard about the recent recall of raw ground turkey from supermarket shelves. Salmonella (a type of bacteria causing food-borne illness) was found during routine testing, with a quick removal from stores. Food contamination...
- The Best Brussels Sprouts And Human Growth Hormone
If you have read any of Suzanne Somers? books, you already have read about the amazing properties of human growth hormone. She is a huge advocate increasing this hormone and injects it into her body every night. I also believe that we need to increase...
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Vanilla-pecan Butter
6 TBS butter, slightly softened 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp extract) 1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed 3 TBS coconut oil 1 lime, finely zested 1 TBS finely grated orange...
- Bean Sprout Pasta
I read about using bean sprouts as pasta and this was surprisingly good! 2 cups of bean sprouts (optional, tidy them up by removing the roots) 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced 1 link of chicken sausage, sliced A clove of garlic Salt and pepper to taste No-sugar...
- Don't Let "yucky!" Discourage You
Many parents get discouraged when their child exclaims ?Yucky, what are those?? at the sight of brussels sprouts or broccoli. But don?t stop trying to feed your kids healthy vegetables and snacks. The entire world is new to a child, so it can be overwhelming....
Health News
Beware of Sprouts!
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
The recent outbreak of toxic E-coli bacteria in Germany was linked to sprouts, killing at least 31 people, and making another 3,000 people sick. This year, at least two American growers have recalled sprouts contaminated with salmonella.
When you realize how these tasty add-ons are "sprouted" from the seeds - in a warm, moist environment - it's not hard to see how vulnerable they are to bacterial contamination. Many companies use a concentrated chlorine solution to soak the sprouts, to kill off bacteria; others use a combination of chlorine and a hot-water process.
Outbreaks in the US have been reported for at least the past decade, despite more rigorous attention to possible contamination. So, what to do? The FDA advises that children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems should not eat raw sprouts. What about for the rest of us? The good news is that cooking does kill bacteria - and that's an option that works for everyone.
I'd think twice before consuming raw sprouts of any kind. They are delicious, and packed with nutrients - but food safety issues are a very real problem. Current technology can limit, but not eliminate bacterial contamination, so proceed with caution!
Are you a sprout-lover? I'd love to hear how you're managing with this problem!
- Top Food Safety Tip: Cook It!
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom You might have heard about the recent recall of raw ground turkey from supermarket shelves. Salmonella (a type of bacteria causing food-borne illness) was found during routine testing, with a quick removal from stores. Food contamination...
- The Best Brussels Sprouts And Human Growth Hormone
If you have read any of Suzanne Somers? books, you already have read about the amazing properties of human growth hormone. She is a huge advocate increasing this hormone and injects it into her body every night. I also believe that we need to increase...
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Vanilla-pecan Butter
6 TBS butter, slightly softened 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp extract) 1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed 3 TBS coconut oil 1 lime, finely zested 1 TBS finely grated orange...
- Bean Sprout Pasta
I read about using bean sprouts as pasta and this was surprisingly good! 2 cups of bean sprouts (optional, tidy them up by removing the roots) 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced 1 link of chicken sausage, sliced A clove of garlic Salt and pepper to taste No-sugar...
- Don't Let "yucky!" Discourage You
Many parents get discouraged when their child exclaims ?Yucky, what are those?? at the sight of brussels sprouts or broccoli. But don?t stop trying to feed your kids healthy vegetables and snacks. The entire world is new to a child, so it can be overwhelming....