Food News Today Transcripts for the week of November 7th, 2011

The latest on sustainably raised fish, pantry super foods and does impatience make us fat? For Today November 9th 2011, This Food News Today.

Good Morning, we are now streaming both on our SupermarketGuru Facebook fan page and on Food News Today -dot- com. Today's show is pre-recorded, so if you have any thoughts or comments on today's show, tweet me -@phillempert- or send me a note on Facebook.  Food News Today is sponsored by ConAgra Foods, who shares with me the desire to provide the most current, interesting and unbiased food news.

Happy National Scrapple Day! What’s scrapple you say? Traditionally it’s a mush of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal, flour, and spices. The mush is then formed into a loaf, and slices are then pan-fried before serving. It’s best known as a rural American food of the Mid-Atlantic states. Do you have any food fun fact you'd like to share? Let me know.  For more interesting and fun food tidbits check out www.foodreference.com.  

>You have definitely heard the saying “patience is a virtue” well this may be truer than ever in our current food environment.  A new study by several economists found that those who were the most impatient also had the highest (BMI) -  shedding light on our go to explanation of Americans ever increasing waistline… the plethora of cheap, unhealthy foods.  The researchers reviewed historical data on BMI as well as indicators of impatience for the same population, factoring in preferences on whether they’d want a small prize now or bigger prize later. All other factors were controlled.  What did they find? Impatient individuals are more likely to be obese than people who are good at waiting.  One of the lead authors and a professor at the University of Louisville commented, “It seems if you genuinely hold all (other variables) constant, the more patient you are, the less you weigh.”  He also adds that, in the 1950s, how good Americans were at waiting — didn’t really matter, because fast food and microwave meals were not yet standard.  People may have been impatient, but there wasn’t really any other option than “slow cooking”  Impatience and our current food environment (where it’s normal to eat your lunch while driving or walking down the street), has changed a lot over the past 50 years – and while a segment of the population is of normal weight (and also displayed more patience), for those who find it hard to deny their impatience- they will ultimately indulge.  Seems it pays to be patient.

>Last week, I was able to interview a team working on lowering the environmental impact as well as raising the health benefits of farm raised fish in Patagonia – two huge concerns of many consumers and something we should all be aware of.  Here’s what Allyson Fish and Scott Nichols at Verlasso had to say…

Thanks Allyson and Scott

>Well we all know how healthy salmon and other fish can be for our diet but did you know that your pantry is stocked (or can be!) with a bunch of great superfoods?  It’s especially great to stock some staples that are shelf stable by nature because as many of us have already experienced snow, colder weather is just around the corner.

First up, oats – oats are a whole grain filled with protein, minerals, vitamins, and a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucans, which has been linked with cholesterol-lowering benefits. Cook up oats for breakfast more often, stir them into meatloaf as a binding agent, and mix oats into cookies, breads and granolas.

Next, onions which are packed with fiber, minerals, vitamins C and B6, and powerful polyphenol and sulfur-containing compounds that have been linked with cancer protection and heart health.

Beans are a no brainer pantry food but often we forget just how healthy they are – they are rich in protein, minerals, vitamins, and fiber. No wonder they have been linked with health benefits like lowering blood cholesterol, body weight, and blood pressure. That's why health experts recommend that you dish up three cups of dried beans weekly.

Garlic not only has a powerful fragrance, it’s also a punch of health-protective nutrients, including manganese, vitamins C and B6, and phytochemicals like allicin, saponin and coumaric acid. These compounds are behind garlic's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may contribute to heart health.

Last (but not least!) canned tomatoes, which are rich in vitamin C, potassium, iron, fiber and the powerful antioxidant lycopene. Tomatoes have been linked with prostate cancer prevention, heart health, bone health and sun protection.   Choose Hunt’s which are picked, packed and processed immediately – meaning you’ll have the tastiest and healthiest canned tomatoes to include in your meals.

Of course there are more pantry superfoods, and for more, visit food nutrition science dot com. Or if you're watching live on our FoodNewsToday site, click on the link to MY left - YOUR right...

And hey! It’s not too late don’t forget the annual SupermarketGuru Halloween costume contest- all you have to do is post your picture of you dressed up as food or a food related costume on ourSupermarketguru Facebook fan page.  I will reveal the winner live NEXT WEEK!

To join this discussion and more check out SupermarketGuru on Facebook

Well that's our show, thanks for watching!  Be sure to tweet me @phillempert or visit our SupermarketGuru Facebook page and post your comments on any of today's segments.  You can also send me an e-mail - phil@supermarketguru.com Have a terrific food week.