Microwaving
often preserves nutrition
You�re
busy and every minute counts. That means you have to take advantage of time
savers, but many people feel like they are cutting corners or taking the
easy way out if they prepare food in their microwaves.
Now
that most people can afford and have microwaves � the first model weighed
about 650 pounds, stood about 5 feet tall and cost more than $2,000, the
equivalent of about $20,000 today (www.americanheritage.com) � there�s
no reason you shouldn�t use it for food preparation, rather than just for
reheating.
Rest
easy, meal preparers. The truth is that there are actually nutritional
advantages to preparing many foods in the microwave, according to
Yale-New
Haven
Hospital
�s Nutrition Advisor, which is compiled by registered dietitians and
dietetic interns at the hospital, which serves as Yale University School of
Medicine�s main teaching center (www.ynhh.org). The microwave not only
saves time, but because it requires shorter cooking times, covered cooking
and little to no water, it also retains more vitamins and minerals in the
food than other methods of cooking, such as boiling.
Not
only that, the Yale dietitians say, microwave cooking also enhances the
natural flavors of the food � a benefit since you will be less likely to
add salt and sugar to gussy up your dishes. Microwaves cook foods in their
own moisture, and don�t require added fats, such as butter or oils. But if
you want something to come out crispy, you�re better off baking or
broiling.
Are
you on a caffeine merry-go-round?
Are
you over-imbibing coffee, tea or sodas that are loaded with caffeine? If so
you�re not alone; it�s not called �the world�s most popular drug�
for nothing, after all. According to the National Sleep Foundation (www.sleepfoundation.org),
caffeine in moderation is probably not harmful. Moderation would equal about
250 mg a day, and should be consumed earlier in the day, the foundation
says.
If
you�re using caffeine to stay alert at work, beware. You could be in a
no-win situation that could domino into other problems. For instance, you
have a hard time sleeping at night, so you�re tired during the day, and
therefore you drink caffeine drinks to get through the day, which could make
you end up with an even worse case of sleeplessness � and on and on. Also,
remember that once your caffeine buzz wears off, you�re probably going to
crash and burn. You can also suffer from feelings of anxiety or
irritability, as well as rapid heartbeats from overusing caffeine.
Here
is a list of the caffeine content of some common drinks from the Sleep
Foundation�s Web site:
