Blue Corn: The Lesser Evil
As I’ve cautioned before in ETR, products made with cornmeal – even organic cornmeal – are hazardous to your health and waistline. They rank high on the glycemic index, elevate blood sugar levels, and encourage your body to store fat.
But when the occasional craving strikes and nothing but the crunch of a corn chip will satisfy, there’s something you can do to make this indulgence less harmful: Choose blue.
A recent study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture evaluated products made with blue corn versus white corn. The researchers found that blue-corn tortillas had less starch and a lower glycemic index than their white-corn counterparts. The blue ones also boasted 20 percent more protein. They partially credit anthocyanins – the blue antioxidant phytonutrients found in blueberries, red wine, and other foods – for the healthful effects.
When it comes to snack foods – even “lesser-evil” snack foods – the best advice is to steer clear and fill up on fresh, organic, whole foods. But for the occasional “cheat,” opt for organic blue corn chips made without genetically modified organisms (GMOs) – Garden of Eatin’ Red Hot and Blues, for example.
[Ed. Note: It’s okay to indulge yourself every once in a while. But for the most part – even when it comes to snacks and desserts – make sure you’re making smart choices. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring makes it easy. She’s developed a nutritious chocolate cake that tastes absolutely sinful. Learn how to get a slice right here.]Kelley Herring
Kelley Herring is the Founder & CEO of Healing Gourmet – a multimedia company that educates on how foods promote health and protect against disease. As a young adult, Kelley battled a debilitating health condition that went misdiagnosed by multiple doctors for more than a year. Finding no help from “modern medicine”, she turned to her own knowledge of biochemistry and her passion for health research. She soon learned that her symptoms were related to nutrition and within weeks, she charted a course back to health with nothing more than simple lifestyle changes and the power of the plate. The lessons she learned spawned the creation of Healing Gourmet. Kelley is a firm believer in vigorous exercise, moderate sun exposure and delicious, healthy, home-cooked meals. She is also the creator of Healing Gourmet’s Personalized Nutrition Software and Editor-in-Chief of the Healing Gourmet book series published by McGraw-Hill including Eat to Fight Cancer, Eat to Beat Diabetes, Eat to Lower Cholesterol and Eat to Boost Fertility.