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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Food companies introduce over 19,000 new food products each year, but very few are still on the shelf a year later. Why do some products succeed while others fail? Taste, has always been the biggest driver of food acceptance, followed by nutrition, product safety and price. I am always looking for and tasting new food products. Join me to see what’s new at the supermarket?
Only 8% of US adults eat three or more servings of whole grains a day and 42% eat none. A whole grain is made up of the complete grain kernel: bran, germ and endosperm. Bran is the outer protective layer, providing fiber and minerals. The germ can sprout into a new plant and contains vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. The endosperm is rich in protein and starch. It is the warehouse of food the germ would use to sprout and grow if the grain where planted. Eating a whole grain gives you the full benefit of all three parts.
Many people complain that they don’t have the time or the skill to cook whole grains from scratch. Since the average family spends less than 20 minutes preparing dinner, there is little chance many will include whole grains no matter how healthy.
Enter Whole Grain Medleys and Whole Grain Creations from Village Harvest. These are frozen whole grains packaged in 10-ounce pouches that can be microwaved in 90 seconds or heated on the stovetop, without any water or oil, in 3 minutes.
The Whole Grain Medleys are basic grain combinations: Wheatberry & Barley; Farro & Red Rice; Brown, Red & Wild Rice Medley; Red Quinoa & Brown Rice; and Golden Quinoa. These can be used as the base for a dish or added to a stir-fry. I added fried onions and garlic for a side dish. They all had an excellent taste, are very low in sodium, and provide at least 3 grams of fiber in a serving.
Whole Grain Creations come in two varieties: Brown Rice, Wild Rice with Corn & Black Beans, and Wheatberries, Barley, Quinoa with Cranberries & Almonds. These are very low sodium with 0 and 5 milligrams respectively and 4 and 6 grams of fiber per serving.
This brand offers an easy, simple way to add whole grains to your meals. This brand is definitely worth a try.
When you are on a diet the portions in typical frozen diet meals can be unusually meager and leave the person less than satisfied. Weight Watchers recognized this problem and has recently introduced frozen Smart Ones Satisfying Selections dinnertime dishes in a bag. Each entrée has 30% more food than traditional meals. The dinners can be prepared in the microwave or on the stovetop.
These portions will leave a dieter feeling more satisfied:
Sesame Chicken – 360 calories and 9 Weight Watchers points
Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo – 340 calories and 9 Weight Watchers points
Ziti with Meatballs & Cheese – 390 calories and 10 Weight Watchers points
Chicken with Broccoli & Cheese – 340 calories and 9 Weight Watchers points
Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry – 340 calories and 9 Weight Watchers points
For more information go to: www.VillageHarvestRice.com and www.eatyourbest.com/products/satisfying-selections.aspx
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with sales of more than 8.5 million books.
Look for:
The Complete Food Counter, 4th ed., 2012
The Diabetes Counter, 4th Ed., 2011
The Protein Counter, 3rd Ed., 2011
The Calorie Counter, 5th Ed., 2010
The Ultimate Carbohydrate Counter, 3rd Ed., 2010
The Fat Counter, 7th ed., 2009
The Healthy Wholefoods Counter, 2008
The Cholesterol Counter, 7th Ed., 2008
Your Complete Food Counter App: ClickHere
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: TheNutritionExperts
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