Buckwheat nutritional values

Buckwheat is rich in manganese, magnesium and fiber. Buckwheat contains the health-protecting and immune system supporting flavonoids rutin and quercitin. The protein in buckwheat is composed of all essential amino acids, which makes it a complete, valuable protein very helpful if you are on the vegan diet.

More on Buckwheat:
Blueberry buckwheat pancakes
Buckwheat tips
Ukrainian Stuffed Cabbage Recipe
(This recipes can be cooked with rice or buckwheat stuffing)

Buckwheat, cooked

	100 grams	1 cup (170.0 g)
Energy	343.00 kcal	583.100 k
Protein	13.25 g	22.525 g
Fiber, total dietary	10.00 g	17.000 g
Total fat	3.40 g	5.780 g
Carbohydrate	71.50 g	121.550 g
Minerals
Sodium, Na	1.00 mg	1.700 mg
Magnesium, Mg	231.00 mg	392.700 mg
Copper, Cu	1.10 mg	1.870 mg
Potassium, K	460.00 mg	782.000 mg
Zinc, Zn	2.40 mg	4.080 mg
Manganese, Mn	1.30 mg	2.210 mg
Iron, Fe	2.20 mg	3.740 mg
Phosphorus, P	347.00 mg	589.900 mg
Calcium, Ca	18.00 mg	30.600 mg
Selenium, Se	8.30 mcg	14.110 mcg
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	0.00 mg	0.000 mg
Vitamin B-12	0.00 mcg	0.000 mcg
Retinol	0.00 mcg	0.000 mcg
Thiamin	0.10 mg	0.172 mg
Pantothenic acid	1.23 mg	2.096 mg
Vitamin B-6	0.21 mg	0.357 mg
Niacin	7.02 mg	11.934 mg
Folate, total	30.00 mcg	51.000 mcg
Riboflavin	0.42 mg	0.723 mg
Vitamin A, IU	0.00 IU	0.000 IU
Cholesterol	0.00 mg	0.000 mg
Amino Acids
Histidine	0.31 g	0.525 g
Proline	0.51 g	0.862 g
Leucine	0.83 g	1.414 g
Arginine	0.98 g	1.669 g
Glutamic acid	2.05 g	3.478 g
Glycine	1.03 g	1.753 g
Threonine	0.51 g	0.860 g
Tyrosine	0.24 g	0.410 g
Lysine	0.67 g	1.142 g
Aspartic acid	1.13 g	1.926 g
Phenylalanine	0.52 g	0.884 g
Alanine	0.75 g	1.272 g
Valine	0.68 g	1.153 g
Cystine	0.23 g	0.389 g
Isoleucine	0.50 g	0.847 g
Methionine	0.17 g	0.292 g
Tryptophan	0.19 g	0.326 g
Serine	0.69 g	1.165 g

Avocado Mandarin Salad

Makes 4 servings

1 package (9-10 ounces) mixed salad greens
1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges, well drained
1 package (6 ounces) cooked and sliced chicken
2 thin slices red onion, quartered
1/4 cup pecans, toasted
1/2 cup prepared light Italian or balsamic vinaigrette dressing
2 ripe avocados, seeded, peeled, and cut into chunks

In large salad bowl, combine salad greens, mandarin oranges, chicken, onion, and pecans. In small bowl combine dressing and 1/2 cup avocado cubes. Mash and blend into dressing. To salad add remaining avocado cubes and dressing. Toss and serve.

360 calories per serving; 18 grams protein; 30 grams carbohydrate; 21 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat, 12 grams monounsaturated fat, 5 grams polyunsaturated fat); 35 milligrams cholesterol; 10 grams fiber; 510 milligrams sodium

For more information
The American Dietetic Association/National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics.
ADA's Consumer Nutrition Information Line (800/366-1655) provides recorded messages with timely, practical nutrition information as well as referrals to registered dietitians. Messages are available 24 hours daily with new topics each month.

This fact sheet is supported by a grant from California Avocado Commission. Acceptance of this grant does not constitute an endorsement by ADA of any company's products or services.

© ADAF 2000. Reproduction of this fact sheet is permitted for educational purposes.

Image by AllPosters.com

What's in avocadoes? Nutrition and recipes

Avocado: Nature's whole food

Enjoy delicious meals made with a variety of fruits and vegetables and reap the potential benefits of the many phytochemicals found in foods from plant sources. Phytochemicals are substances which plants naturally produce. Hundreds of these substances contain phytosterols and antioxidants.

Avocado is power-packed fruit with just 5 grams of fat per serving ( 1/5 of an avocado). The majority of the fat is monounsaturated -- the same type found in olive oil -- which studies have shown may increase HDL (good) cholesterol, but has little effect on LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables:

* Beta-sitosterol is an important phytosterol found in fruits like bananas, apples, cantaloupes, grapes, plums, and cherries. High phytosterol intake has been linked with lower blood cholesterol levels. Among all commonly eaten fruits, oranges and avocados contain the most beta-sitosterol and contain at least twice the amount of the phytosterol found in other foods, including corn, green soybeans, and olives.
* Glutathione, a phytochemical found in fruits and vegetables, acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants help the body by ?mopping up? free radicals that are known to play a role in the development of heart disease and some cancers. Avocados may be one of the best fruit sources of glutathione, which may offer some protection against oral, throat, and other types of cancer.

Additional health benefits of avocados

While phytochemicals have received a lot of attention lately, other important nutrients are found in fruits and vegetables.

* Avocados along with other fruits and vegetables are nutrient-dense in vitamins E and C -- antioxidants that help promote healthy teeth and gums and protect the body tissue from oxidation damage.
* Folate is another important nutrient that promotes healthy cell and tissue development. Consuming enough folate is essential for pregnant women and women of child-bearing age. Avocados contain more folate per ounce than other fruits.
* Potassium is a mineral that helps the body's fluids and other life-essential minerals stay in balance. The richest fruit sources of potassium are avocados and bananas.

The ripe way to eat healthfully

Store unripe avocados in a fruit bowl on the kitchen counter. Avocados are also easy to ripen. Place them in a paper bag with an apple for 2 to 3 days at room temperature. When they're dark purple or black in color and yield to gentle pressure, they're ready to eat!

* Wash, then cut the avocado lengthwise around the seed.
* Twist the halves in opposite directions to separate.
* Slip a spoon between the seed and the fruit and work the seed out.
* Slip a spoon between the skin and fruit and scoop away from the peel.

When avocados are ripe, they can be stored in a refrigerator or freezer for later use as a spread for sandwiches or for a delicious dip!

* Mash the remaining fruit in a covered storage container.
* Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon or lime juice per 1/2 mashed avocado to prevent discoloration and enhance flavor.
* Lay plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture before covering. Refrigerate up to two days.
* Label container and use within two months if freezing. Season before use.

Toss up new menu ideas using kitchen staples along with tasty avocados, salad greens, mandarin oranges, and avocado balsamic vinaigrette.

More about avocados:

• Avocado Mandarin Salad
• Nutrients in Fruits: apples, apricots, avocados
• Avocado Tips and Resources
• South Beach Diet Tips on Avocado Buying, Storing, and Preparing
• Sonoma Diet Foods. Avocados

For more information
The American Dietetic Association/National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics.
ADA's Consumer Nutrition Information Line (800/366-1655) provides recorded messages with timely, practical nutrition information as well as referrals to registered dietitians. Messages are available 24 hours daily with new topics each month.

This fact sheet is supported by a grant from California Avocado Commission. Acceptance of this grant does not constitute an endorsement by ADA of any company's products or services.

© ADAF 2000. Reproduction of this fact sheet is permitted for educational purposes.

Olive oil, the good fat

Olive oil is not the "least bad" fat. It's a very "good" fat!

To appreciate olive oil as a power food, banish from your mind the notion that it's the "least bad" fat. It is a heart-healthy food that is good for you. You need dietary fat to lose weight, but you need the right kind. Olive oil is one of the best. Choose extra-virgin olive oil and you'll also enhance the flavors of your food. The kind of fat that olive oil is mostly made of (monounsaturated fat) actually lowers your levels of the bad, LDL cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides. The fats you'll be avoiding (saturated fat) raise those levels. That alone qualifies olive oil as a power food par excellence.

In Sonoma County each year, there's a festival called the Blessing of the Olives. That's how central olive trees and the foods they yield are to the economy and the eating habits of the region. Olive oil, the most treasured gift of these trees, is just as central to The Sonoma Diet. There's probably no food choice you'll make that does more for your health and weight loss efforts than olive oil.

Which is good news for your taste buds, because no other vegetable oil comes close to olive oil's rich and pleasing flavor. It's at the heart of Mediterranean cuisine's appeal. Research has made clear that a major reason for southern Europeans' low rate of heart disease is their liberal use of olive oil as their main source of dietary fat. By adopting olive oil in the same way, you'll get the same benefits. And because you'll learn to enjoy olive oil in healthy amounts in place of the harmful fats you may be used to, you will lose weight.