In-silage tannins may make dairy cattle more efficient without the need for additional dietary protein, says researcher.

A team of researchers from the US Department of Agricultures US Dairy Forage Research Center examined the use of Lotus corniculatus L. or birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) as a forage alternative to alfalfa in terms of protein production in milk and attempted to find the optimal amount of dietary condensed tannin (CT), they said. The group published its results in the Journal of Dairy Science .

We were pursuing the condensed tannin [level], because of our hope that it would improve production and the environmental footprint of dairy, said Glen Broderick, USDA researcher and corresponding author.And it does, but the plants are not as good.

It can be more of a challenge to grow a tannin-containing plant like birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) because not as much work has been done to establish strains of the plant that are resistant to concerns like drought and cold weather, he told FeedNavigator. The extension of this is that through genetic engineering, it looks like it would be possible to have the trait expressed in alfalfa, he added.

Birdsfoot is a good source of forage with dairy cows it would work somewhat better in a dairy ration that alfalfa, he said. If you can grow it; and you might have sufficient land and are not worried about a yield knock.

The team found that cows getting diets containing condensed tannins, produced less milk urea nitrogen (MUN) and that there was little variation in the level of milk true protein, said the researchers. However, additional work is needed to pinpoint the amount of CT needed for the diet as results were somewhat inconclusive.

Compared with AS diets, diets containing BFT reduced MUN and urinary excretion of urea and total N [nitrogen], which would be expected to reduce ammonia emissions from manure; however, little improvement was made in conversion of feed CP [crude protein] into milk true protein, said the researchers. Although earlier work suggested that milk and component yields were optimal at 1.0 to 1.6% CT, feeding BFT silage containing 0.5% CT gave rise to the greatest yields of milk, ECM [energy corrected milk], milk protein, and other components in the current trials.

Several legumes contain levels of condensed tannins that are involved in hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding with the proteins in conserved forages, said the researchers. Those activities limit protein degradation and the formation of non-protein nitrogen (NPN) during ensiling.

When a silage is created, it also can contains enzymes that will digest the protein in the feed, said Broderick. For ruminants, this means that over time the usefulness of the proteins dwindles.

Previous research has found that the presence of CT improved the growth and milk production of ruminants, said the researchers. Using a forage that included CT also limited the output of urinary urea and ammonia.

However, the interaction of CT with proteins in forage and the chemical properties vary based upon which legume produced them, they said. It has been suggested that the tannins found in birdsfoot trefoil is particularly effective for boosting ruminant performance.

In previous research using fresh-cut forage, feeding BFT improved milk production in cows and ewes, when compared to production results from animals getting a diet where the CT had been inactivated, they said.

Our hypothesis was that the presence of CT in BFT would, relative to the AS [alfalfa silage] control, improve protein utilization for milk production in lactating dairy cows, said the researchers. Moreover, we wished to identify the CT concentration that would optimize cow performance.

Researchers ran two separate feeding trials to examine the feed ingredient.

In the first feeding trial, 32 cows were given one of four diets for a four-week period, and then rotated to the next diet, said the researchers. Diets included an alfalfa-based diet, and one with a low, medium and high amount of condensed tannins.

Samples were taken of the silages, total mixed ration, orts and analyzed for dry matter, total nitrogen (N), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF), they said. Milk yield was recorded and samples were taken to check for fat, true protein, lactose, solids-not-fat (SNF), MUN ECM and the efficiency of feed conversion, N utilization and body weight (BW) change were established.

Fecal matter and urine were collected to test for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), NDF, ADF total N and indigestible ADF, they said.

In the second study, 50 cows were given one of five diets for 12 weeks, said the researchers. Diets were fed as TMR and contained (DM basis) 48% AS (covariate and AS control diet), 16% AS plus 32% of 1 of the 3 BFT silages with varying levels of CT, or 48% of a mixture of equal DM from all 3 BFT silages, they added.

Diet samples were collected and tested for DM, ash, OM, total N, NDF and ADF, while milk collected was checked for protein, lactose, SNF, MUN and ECM, they said. Body weights were noted and urine and fecal matter were collected and analyzed.

In the first study, the alfalfa diet had more ash and crude protein, while the mid-level birdsfoot diet had the most ADF and NDF, said the researchers.

Dry matter intake was higher for diets with BFT, and cows on the AS diet lost weight, they said. Milk yield was similar for all diets, but there tended to be more milk protein concentration and true protein yield in the BFT diets.

MUN was reduced linearly with increased BFT and apparent N-efficiency was higher, they said. Apparent digestibility of DM, OM (organic matter), N, NDF and ADF were larger for the alfalfa diet, but fiber digestion did not decline linearly with an increase in CT.

In the second feeding trial, the diet with the most tannins was found to have the most NDF, ADF, neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen (NDIN) and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN), with less N and NPN than the other diets, they said. Cows getting the BFT diets tended to have more DMI and milk yield.

The DMI responses were reflected in linear effects on yield of milk, ECM, fat, true protein, lactose, and SNF, indicating reductions with increasing CT concentration, said the researchers.Milk concentrations of fat, lactose, and SNF were not affected by diet; however, milk true protein was lower on the mixed BFT diet versus the other three BFT diets.

MUN was larger for the AS diet, but apparent N-efficiency was not altered, they said. However, the apparent digestibility of DM, OM and ADF was similar among all diets.

There was a generally positive use from the birdfoot rather than the alfalfa, said Broderick on the results. But, the team was unable to pinpoint the best level of dietary tannin, he added.

However, there could be several reasons for the results found, he said. You have to have cows that are in a position to use the extra protein, if theyre later in lactation or the requirements are met on the control diet, when you increase the supply of metabolizable protein you may not see much response, he added.

If you had access for birdsfoot trefoil forage and you were getting appropriate yield, youd have improved protein utilization and somewhat improved protein yield of the cows with the same amount of protein in the diet, he said was the overall takeaway.

Source: Journal of Dairy Science

Title: Replacing alfalfa silage with tannin-containing birdsfoot trefoil silage in total mixed rations for lactating dairy cows

DOI: doi.org/10.3168/jds.2016-12073

Authors: G. Broderick J. Grabber, R. Muck, U. Hymes-Fecht

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Tannins in feed may offer production boost for dairy cattle - FeedNavigator.com

India has an abundance of food items that are nutritious, healthy and locally available without pinching your pocket. One of these many food items is amla or the Indian gooseberry. The small, green fruit is a powerhouse of nutrition and is often referred to as a superfood. Amla has more Vitamin C than an orange and improves your eyesight as well as your hairs texture. Including it your diet can do wonders for your health and body. However, it is important to keep things exciting so that you dont get bored of eating the same thing every day. And so, we have listed different ways to include amla in your diet. (ALSO SEE Top 5 Indian superfoods you should include in your diet)

Drink yourself to good health by having amla juice in the morning. You can even opt for concentrated power shots in tiny shot glasses if you do not want to drink up a whole glass. If you are making a tall glass of amla juice, dilute it with water, add a dash of honey and include other fruits you like to make a yummy drink.

These days, amla is quite popular as a candy too and is easily available in the market. You can try these sweet and tangy candies that add some more taste to the fruit. The candies are bite-sized and you can snack on them every day. Some are sweetened with honey or jaggery while some are spiced with Indian masalas to add a punch of flavour. Pick the one you like and gorge on amla candies every day. (ALSO SEE Foods to improve your immunity)

Amla chutney is another great way to ensure that you get your daily dose of amla. The chutney can be prepared in bulk and stored in the fridge and you can savor it with all meals in small quantities. Many people add green chillies and salt to the chutney to enhance the flavour. You too can make it at home this way and enjoy it with your meals.

Now, we know that consuming too much pickle isnt too good for health due to the large amounts of salt and oil it contains. However, you can safely eat one to two spoonfuls of amla pickle every day. Most amla pickles are water-based and do not contain much salt. They have a short shelf-life but are perfect for adding nutrition to your diet. (ALSO SEE 10 foods that make you look younger)

One of the easiest ways to eat amla is to cut the fruit and eat it raw. To balance the sour taste, sprinkle salt on it. You can also add a dash of red chilli powder. This will help enhance the taste and make it easier to consume the fruit. You can also boil amla in water along with turmeric powder and salt and then eat it once it cools down.

Whichever way you prefer, incorporate amla in your daily diet as it full of health benefits for your body. If you know more ways to eat amla, do share with us in the comments section below.

Photograph: Shutterstock

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Published Date: April 25, 2017 5:34 PM IST

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How to include more amla in your diet: Top 5 ways to eat amla - India.com

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More Work Might Mean Your Horse Needs More Calories TheHorse.com Not all horses need a change of diet as their work level increases. Easier keepers might maintain their body weight on a forage diet with a ration balancer even as work intensity increases. Monitoring body condition is important to identify whether ...

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The arrival of Dr. Marie Collier, a recently hired epilepsy specialist at St. Marys Hospital, means Grand Valley patients wont have to drive across mountains to get care.

By the time many epilepsy patients end up in Dr. Marie Colliers office, they can be desperate for answers. I have a lot of empathy for patients with epilepsy because they tend to be alienated and tend to be discriminated against, Collier said. Im a very strong patient advocate, seeing this group of people disenfranchised solely because they have a disease.

By Katie Langford Monday, April 24, 2017

Dr. Marie Collier specializes in second chances.

As medical director of the epilepsy program at St. Marys Hospital, Collier works with people who have seizure disorders, specifically those with hard to manage cases. Theyre people who have tried myriad medications to prevent seizures with minimal success. By the time theyre in Colliers office, patients can be desperate for answers.

I have a lot of empathy for patients with epilepsy because they tend to be alienated and tend to be discriminated against, Collier said. Im a very strong patient advocate, seeing this group of people disenfranchised solely because they have a disease.

Collier moved to Grand Junction in September to help run the hospitals new epilepsy program, including a new four-bed epilepsy monitoring unit that opened in summer 2016 and thats unique on the Western Slope.

An epilepsy monitoring unit allows doctors, nurses and technicians to monitor patients around the clock by charting the brains electrical activity and other physical symptoms in a safe, controlled environment. In some cases, it means that Collier and her team can safely induce seizures and gather data that helps to better treat a patient.

Collier and her team serve nearly 500 patients who previously had to travel to Denver or Salt Lake City for care.

Dr. Logan McDaneld, a neurologist at St. Marys Hospital, said building the monitoring unit was part of meeting a community need.

Prior to this, patients and their families had to drive to Denver or Salt Lake City, which is time consuming, can be risky in winter and for many families cost prohibitive, he said. In addition, there was no unit over there willing to see Medicaid patients from the Western Slope. So there was a huge gap in the care that patients were able to receive.

And along with a state-of-the-art epilepsy monitoring unit, McDaneld said, the hospital wanted to hire top-notch personnel to run it.

Collier previously worked in Montana as the only board-certified epileptologist in the state.

Since coming to St. Marys Hospital, she has helped secure the hospitals level three certification, which sets us apart and tells people that we maintain a standard of excellence here to be able to provide comprehensive care to patients with complex epilepsy, Collier said. My hope is to get the word out to the community that were here, they dont have to drive over the mountain to get care.

While the new epilepsy unit and advanced technology are important tools, Collier also focuses on treatment options as simple as nutrition, diet, exercise and stress levels.

The more epilepsy patients try medications that fail, the less likely it is that new medications will be effective, Collier said, so exploring every aspect of health is important to a patients success.

Collier said shes looking forward to using more integrative medicine with epilepsy patients and expanding the support network for patients and families who can now receive treatment locally.

This is possible because of a dynamic group of people who were motivated to bring this to the Grand Valley, she said. Theyve been incredibly supportive, and its been really, really cool, seeing on a weekly basis the difference were making in peoples lives. Getting that kind of feedback keeps me going.

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New epilepsy unit at St. Mary's a boon for locals - Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

Harvesting natures bounty sounds a wonderful idea but knowing which plants are good to eat, and those that are not, is that much easier with an experienced forager at your side. SUE BRADLEY joins a course run by Wiltshires Fred Gillam

STINGING nettles, ground elder, hairy bittercress and dandelions: to a gardener these sound like a whole bunch of weeds, but for Fred the Forager theyre a gourmet feast.

Wiltshire-born Fred Gillam is a big fan of scouring fields, hedgerows and woodlands in search of tasty leaves to add to salads or gently steam and enjoy as a vegetable, and he says the British countryside is more bountiful in delicious things to eat than we might think.

Hes keen to get more people out picking their own wild food, both for the nutrients it contains and the benefits that exposure to nature can bring to our physical and mental health.

Nevertheless he urges beginners to exercise caution when they first set about searching for natural goodies they should equip themselves with a good reference book and, ideally, join an organised forage like the ones he runs to learn whats safe to eat and whats not.

You might think well he would say that, given that he earns money from such activities, but its when he sends us off into a shady woodland to pick the leaves of wild garlic or ramsons as some people know them that the value of spending time with somebody like Fred becomes apparent.

For nestling among the lush and pungent-smelling foliage, like a coiled snake waiting to pounce on its unsuspecting prey, is another type of green leaf that would make a meal memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Lords and ladies, also known by the common names cuckoos pint or Jack-in-the-pulpit, and Arum maculatum under the botanical nomenclature, could cause serious poisoning.

Knowing that it exists, and can often be found growing among clumps of wild garlic, should help to save the budding forager from suffering serious damage.

And, should a lords and ladies leaf be unwittingly placed into a basket, another piece of sterling advice from Fred should root it out later on.

I always tell people to check things as they put them in their basket, check while theyre sorting through and throwing out any twigs that may have fallen in, and check while theyre preparing it to be eaten, he says.

Freds advice is built on a lifetime spent looking for and eating wild food, both in Wiltshire and all over the UK, and his knowledge is such that he is now an internationally recognised fungi specialist who works with Natural England as part of a national cross-organisational panel on the future of foraging. He also represents the Foragers Association in a similar group convened by the Forestry Commission on the future of looking for wild food in the New Forest.

Last month his The Wild Side of Life company was named Trade Monthlys Food & Drink Awards Foraging Education Provider of the Year.

The 48-year-old, who also earns his living as a herbalist, grew up on a private estate in All Cannings near Devizes, where his dad, George, worked as a gardener. It was here that Fred first found an affinity with the countryside, spending his school holidays and weekends exploring, fishing and foraging for tasty wild fruits such as blackberries and damsons that his mum, Pat, would incorporate into the familys home-cooked meals or use to make jams and jellies.

We had a very simple diet back then, says Fred, who now lives in Avebury. There were always lots of vegetables growing in the garden and Mum would always cook with what we brought home, which was quite encouraging.

George took great pleasure in passing on his knowledge of plants to his son and over time Fred began reading up on wild species and increasing his knowledge of what was good to eat. As a teenager he developed an interest he calls it an obsession - with mushrooms and set about learning all he could about the UKs native fungi.

By the time I was 13 I had an understanding of simple things, particularly mushrooms, although there was one occasion, when I was 14, when I managed to poison myself and this taught me great respect for fungi in particular. What happened was that I had a couple of childrens nature books that contained pictures of one or two mushrooms, and I didnt realise there was anything else. Thats why education is so important.

A few hours in Freds company are all thats needed for even the most convenience food-addicted couch potato to start seeing the countryside as not just a pretty place but a veritable larder of fresh produce to enjoy as long as they know what to look for and what to avoid.

Those signing up for his Wild Side of Life courses get to discover the delights of lesser celandine leaves, although were told to go for the young, marbled ones rather than the older specimens, which can be tough and bitter; blackberry shoots, which are best eaten in moderation; garlic mustard, also known as Jack by the Hedge; goosegrass, or cleavers, the bendy tops of which are lovely steamed and said to be a tonic for the lymphatic system, and rib plantain, Plantago lanceolata, the buds and seedheads of which have a mushroomy taste, although Fred doesnt bother with them when theyre actually in flower.

The delicate inner shoots of hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), known as fiddles, are as tasty as asparagus, says Fred, although he cautions that theyre toxic if not first blanched in boiling water for five minutes, with the fluid being discarded, before being sautd in butter with salt and pepper for three minutes. Take care not to mistake common hogweed for the giant version (Heracleum mantegazzianum), the shoots of which are much larger, and avoid it altogether if in any doubt.

Hawthorn leaves, traditionally referred to in rural areas as bread and cheese, contain nutrients that are proven to be good for the heart.

Elderberries are particularly recommended by Fred, both for making a balsamic vinegar substitute and because they contain flavonoids that attack the flu virus and are much cheaper than buying off-the-shelf remedies made from the same ingredients from chemists.

Ground elder now the scourge of gardeners was actually brought to the UK as a vegetable by the Romans, who prized its ability to grow untended. Young tips are great when wilted for 30 seconds and have a celery or gin-like taste, says Fred.

All of these sound well and good, one might think, but stinging nettles?

Freds a big fan of these calcium and vitamin C-packed leaves and uses large amounts of them in his spring cure, a soup made with nutrient-rich wild plants that was traditionally cooked in the West Country to kick-start bodies left lethargic by meat-rich winter diets.

He even eats them raw, and, to prove it, demonstrates a technique for rolling leaves to break down their tiny needles so that they dont sting the throat on their way down.

Many may be surprised to learn that the right to forage is enshrined in law, namely the Theft Act of 1968 that says that picking wild leaves, flowers, fruit and fungi for non-commercial use isnt an offence, although digging up plants is not permitted. This legislation does not provide a defence for trespassing on other peoples land or taking farmers crops, however, and Fred urges those looking to forage on nature reserves to ask permission first as their activities may harm valuable conservation work.

Its a common misconception that foraging is bad for the environment but its not a bad idea; its about foraging intelligently and sustainably, says Fred.

In the past it was especially important that people could forage: during the Second World War the government actually produced two guides to foraging as a way of improving the content of peoples diets.

I encourage people to focus on common plants, those that are regarded as pests, and those that are plentiful. Its also a good idea to be aware of areas of the countryside commonly used for walking dogs. Its a matter of using your common sense.

With all the positives that come from foraging, its surprising that more of us arent including more wild foods in our diets, although, as Fred says, the time constraints of modern life make it more of a luxury than a necessity.

It is hard work and very seasonal: people would have to learn the art of preserving to get them through the winter, which can be pretty bleak for wild food, he says. Its not possible to run a job and then get home and go off looking for plants to eat for supper.

Nevertheless hes keen to spread the word about natural food; the good things known to our ancestors and the benefits that come from being close to nature, so long as we set out into the big wide yonder equipped with the knowledge that will save us from biting off more than we can safely chew.

Visit http://www.thewildsideoflife.co.uk.

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Help yourself to nature's larder - This Is Wiltshire

Fuel doesn't have to come in the form of gel or protein bar. By making your own endurance eats, you'll be arguably more energized wherever your adventures take you. Photo: jacoblund / iStock

A year ago, I solved an energy crisis. I had signed up for a 24-hour, unsupported, military-style team endurance event that would involve carrying hundreds of pounds of gear over 50 miles, a bit of swimming, and a thousand or so burpees tossed in for good measure. All things considered, I would burn just north of 15,000 calories during the event.

As I stood scanning the energy bar aisle at my local outdoor store, I realized thatcarrying even half my calorie requirements in my favorite bars,at $3.50 a pop, would run me $73.50half the cost of feeding a family of four for an entire week.

I decided to improvise and pointed my truck toward a nearby discount grocery store. There, I considered my needs: a huge amount of calories in a small package and, preferably, something tasty. I grabbed peanut butter, jelly, and a seedy wheat breadand some thin-sliced mozzarella, because why not. The resultant sandwich, while admittedly strange, packed in more than 30 grams of proteinthe magic number for refueling working muscle, according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Associationand nearly 700 calories. Yet it took up no more room in my pack, cost just 80 cents each, and was truly delicious. The math: per calorie, the bars would have been ten times more expensive.

Figuring out what the hell to eat is a common dilemma for anyone whos ever gone for a long run or ride or embarked on a multiday adventure. Sure, energy bars and goos are quick and convenient, but after a while, the awful taste and high sugar content can wreak havoc on your stomach. Instead, with a little planning, you can make some killer DIY endurance eats at homejust as packable but infinitely better-tasting and cheaper.

With the help of Trevor Kashey, Florida-based registered dietitian and owner of Relentless Dietetics, and Rachele Beck, a nutritionist based in Utahs Wasatch Frontas well as a few ultra-athleteswe developed seven endurance recipes packed with high-value nutritional-impact ingredients that are easy on your stomach and so tasty you might even eat them when your heart rate is below 100 beats per minute.

The average American consumes 1,500 PB&Js before graduating high school. And with two simple tweaksswapping peanut butter for cashew butter and jelly for mashed bananathe classic pulls double duty as an ideal endurance fuel. The only thing you shouldnt tweak? The breadstick to old-fashioned Wonder Bread. Wrap it in tinfoil, and force the malleable sandwich into any miniscule bag or pocket space you can find.

Why It Works: Bananas deliver the electrolyte potassium and an equal ratio of glucose and fructose, a combo researchers in New Zealand say can boost endurance and gut comfort. Cashewsone of the highest-carbohydrate nutspack in magnesium, a critical electrolyte that almost half of Americans dont get enough of, according to a study in Nutritional Reviews. Why Wonder Bread? Its cheap, fortified with vitamins and minerals, and highly processed, which means your stomach wont have to work as hard digesting it compared to a whole-wheat, seedy bread. Thatll help you avoid GI issues.

How to Tweak It: Want a bigger protein punch? Stir protein powder into the mashed banana. If youre on a budget, swap the cashew butter for regular old peanut butter, which drops each sandwichs cost to 53 cents.

How To Make It: Simply make a sandwich with the following ingredients.

Calories: 395 Carbs: 53 grams Fat: 20 grams Protein: 9 grams Price Per Serving: $1.20 Calories Per Dollar: 329

Most people who drop out of ultramarathons cite gastrointestinal issues, according to researchers at Gettysburg College. Thats because intense exercise pulls blood from your digestive system and shuttles it to your working muscles. Set up your breadbasket for success: harness the power of a root that man has been eating for 7,000 years and that scientists are now realizing has GI benefits.

Why It Works: Arrowroot, a starch made from the roots of several tropical plants, may reduce stomach issues, suggests a small study published in 2000 in the Brazilian journal Arquivos De Gastroenterologia. Eggs are a complete protein, meaning they contain the nine essential amino acids your body needs to function optimally, and offer less risk of stomach issues compared to dairy-based proteins, which appear in classic flapjacks.

How to Tweak It: Add an extra egg white to increase the protein content. Or slather your favorite nut butter or honey between pancakes to boost the calories. You can drop the cost to just 45 cents per serving by using regular white flour, if your stomach allows.

How To Make It: Mix the following ingredients into a batter. Pour the batter onto a hot pan and cook until done, flipping once.

Calories: 397 Carbs: 83 grams Fat: 5 grams Protein: 7 grams Price Per Serving: $1.25 Calories Per Dollar: 318

Ill never forget one of the best meals Ive ever had: a cup of hot broth in a foam Dixie cup, handed to me by a race volunteer at the finish line of a cold October Jersey Shore half marathon. When youve spent the past hour or two pouring sweat, nothing beats salty, savory comfort foods. Thats what this turkey-and-beet wrap delivers, along with extra carbs and proteinplus bacon. Wind it tight and itll take up the same space as an energy bar.

Why It Works: Turkey delivers protein and endurance-boosting vitamins and minerals like B6, B12, niacin, choline, selenium, and zinc. Opt for the sliced deli variety, which has more salt (youll need it). The nitrates in beets may boost your endurance and improve blood flow, according to a study in the Applied Journal of Physiology, and white tortillas digest quickly.

How to Tweak It: If youre working at a high heart rate, use two tortillas and reduce the turkey to one ounce. That ups the quick-digesting carbs and reduces the load on your digestive system. Toss in a handful of spinach for an antioxidant and potassium boost.

How to Make It: Construct a wrap using the following ingredients.

Calories: 285 Carbs: 32 grams Fat: 10 grams Protein: 20 grams Price Per Serving: $1.40 Calories Per Dollar: 204

Performance waffles might be convenient, but they dont have as much flavor, value, or protein as this at-home variety, which features honey, tofu, and timeless Eggo waffles.

Why It Works: Honey is natures energy goo. Researchers at the University of Memphis described it as a cocktail of various sugars that improved the performance of cyclists just as much as an expensive endurance goo. Tofu offers easy-to-digest, taste-free protein thats high in the electrolyte calcium. Waffles are a secret weapon of endurance champions; the frozen variety is convenient and fortified with vitamins and minerals.

How to Tweak It: Use half the ingredient quantities for shorter efforts. If you cant stand tofu, keep the protein high by subbing in a piece or two of thin-sliced, salty deli ham.

How to Make It: Simply make a sandwich with the following ingredients.

Calories: 399 Carbs: 63 grams Fat: 11 grams Protein: 14 grams Price Per Serving: $1.22 Calories Per Dollar: 318

Ultrarunner Nickademus Hollon, who won the notoriously difficult Barkley Marathons in 2013 and has routine dealt with stomach issues, discovered these treats while testing out different on-trail foods. The secret ingredient? Ginger, which the Chinese have been using to aid digestion and treat upset stomach for more than 2,000 years. Hollon says the balls are cheap (this is the cheapest recipe here) and easy to make.

Why It Works: Sticky rice delivers an easy-to-digest endurance fuel. Science backs the ancient Eastern remedyginger can settle your stomach, say researchers in the UK, and may also relieve post-exercise soreness, according to a study in the Journal of Pain.

How to Tweak It: Splash a dash of soy sauce into the mixture to increase the salt content and to add the complex flavor of umami, a Japanese word that roughly translates to deliciousness. Or toss in some chopped pecans for a boost of high-energy fat and tasty texture. Theyre the highest-antioxidant nut, according to a USDA study.

How to Make It: Mix the following ingredients together and shape into ping-pong-sized balls. Recipe makes about eight.

Calories Per Ball: 48 Carbs: 11 grams Fat: 0 grams Protein: 1 gram Price Per Serving: $0.12 Calories Per Dollar: 400

Avocadosonce a rare, seasonal treatare now mainstream. Sales of the fruit quadrupled from 2000 to 2015, and you can find them in grocery stores from Bangor to Beaverton and everywhere in between. And thats a good thing for all you ketogenic converts. Mashed in a Ziploc with a little salt, avocado is the perfect packable keto fuel.

Why It Works: A medium avocado has 250 calories and 20 vitamins and minerals. Beyond endurance, the avocados general health benefits are stellar. Eight studies show that their fats can boost heart health and promote healthy aging. Sea salt contains more of the electrolytes and minerals you lose through sweat compared to regular salt.

How to Tweak It: If youre not on the keto bandwagon but like the idea of an all-natural endurance paste, add carbs to the mash in the form of a slow-roasted sweet potato.

How to Make It: Dump all ingredients into a sealable plastic bag. Mash them together. Mid-endurance effort, bite off a corner the bag and squeeze the contents into your mouth.

Calories: 250 Carbs: 13 grams Fat: 23 grams Protein: 3 grams Price Per Serving: $1 Calories Per Dollar: 250

Consider these 13-ingredient bites as miniature power plants. Becks recipe takes a bit more prep work than the others on this list, but the magic is that the balls are designed to be made in bulk and frozen. Beck says her clients will grab a couple power balls from the freezer for shorter efforts or fill a sack for lower-intensity, multihour runs and rides.

Why It Works: The nut mixture delivers a huge amount of selenium and essential fatty acids, which are key for energy. Oats and honey offer complex, instant energy. Coconut counteracts inflammation. Indeed, with so many natural ingredients, your body wont be missing much.

How to Tweak It: However you want. Beck says the best way to make these is to experiment with ingredients and flavors you love. For example, you could swap the honey for Grade B maple syrup or pitted dates, or add any nuts or ingredients you like, such as cocoa nibs, which pack in cardio-healthy polyphenols. You could also swap the almond milk for canned pumpkin, which is high in vitamin C and potassium.

How to Make It: Dump all the ingredients except the almond butter and almond milk into a food processor or blender and pulse. After a minute or two of pulsing, add the almond butter and almond milk, continuing to pulse until the mixture is sticky and moist. Shape the mix into small one-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place the sheet in the freezer for a few hours.

Calories Per Ball: 81 Carbs: 3.6 grams Fat: 6.6 grams Protein: 3.1 grams Price Per Serving: $0.25 Calories Per Dollar: 324

Read the rest here:
The Definitive Guide to the Ketogenic Diet - Outside Magazine

Give your diet a Spring-cleaning!

For tips on how to eat lighter and healthier for this warmer weather, I called Phillip and Cru Von Holtzendorff Fehling. This duo recently opened Mama Gaia - a fast-casual restaurant in Crosstown Concourse that offers organic vegetarian fare.

First and foremost, if you eat smarter, you will feel better and be treating your body (and your world) better.

There have been multiple studies around the globe why a vegetarian and vegan diet is more healthy. You reduce your risk significantly of getting cancer, diabetes, and heart disease if you cut down on meat, and ideally even completely reduce it. You feel more healthy and it is also very good for the environment at the same time.

Phillip and Cru also stress the importance of eating organic.

Organic produce is so important because organic produce is more nutritious and it doesnt have all these chemicals like herbicides and pesticides like conventional produce does.

A vegetarian diet doesnt have to be bland it can even be exciting!

Nature is very bountiful so it gives us a lot of herbs and spices and seeds that add lots and lots of flavor to vegetarian dishes.

And it can also be so satisfying that you will never miss the meat!

So at Mama Gaia we use a lot of quinoa in our dishes. Quinoa is very filling and its a super food so it has all the things that you really need and it fills you up quite a bit.

Ill never be able to give up meat 100%, but I plan to make veggies the center of my plate at more meals each week this Spring. Try it too!

This is Jennifer Chandler for The Weekly Dish. Bon Appetit!

For more information about Mama Gaia, visit http://www.mamagaia.net.

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Lighten your diet for Spring - WKNO FM

(Reuters Health) - Consuming too much choline, a nutrient sold in over-the-counter dietary supplements, can boost the risk for blood clots, researchers warn.

Thats because bacteria in the intestines interact with choline to produce a compound that encourages platelets to clump together and form clots.

Choline is found in a variety of foods including meat, eggs and milk. Its whats known as an essential nutrient, which means the body cant make enough choline on its own and so it must be provided in food.

But unless prescribed by your doctor, avoid supplements with choline, said senior study researcher Dr. Stanley L. Hazen of the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, in a statement.

Hazen and colleagues had previously shown that bacteria in the intestines interact with choline and other dietary nutrients to produce a substance called TMAO, and they linked high levels of TMAO in the blood to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Also, in studies in animals, they linked higher levels of TMAO to a higher risk for blood clots.

Their latest research, reported in the American Heart Associations journal Circulation, shows that choline in food can affect blood clotting risk in humans, and in some cases, that risk can be minimized by taking low-dose aspirin.

In the current study, they gave oral choline supplements to 18 volunteers and then measured TMAO levels, along with the responses of platelets, tiny particles involved in clotting.

After taking the supplements for up to two months, participants had more than 10-fold increases in blood levels of TMAO. The tendency of their platelets to clump together and form clots was also significantly increased, in direct proportion to the increases in TMAO levels.

Aspirin, which reduces the stickiness of platelets, reduced both the increases in TMAO and the increases in platelet clotting associated with choline, but it didn't completely eliminate them, the researchers found.

The findings are of particular concern in people at high cardiovascular risk, whose increased risk of blood clots may not be overcome by low-dose aspirin. The researchers recommend further study.

They also say it's worth exploring whether low-dose aspirin is beneficial in otherwise healthy people with high TMAO in the blood although at this point, they cant explain why the aspirin seemed to bring down TMAO levels.

Dr. Herbert Tilg from Medical University Innsbruck, Austria, who has studied the link between gut microbes and blood clots, told Reuters Health by email, This and earlier studies show that we now definitely have to consider dietary aspects in this context, i.e., diet drives thrombosis risk.

These associations are totally new and unexpected: a link between diet - gut microbiota - and thromboembolic events, he said.

They are extremely relevant for the public and in medicine, given that clots are very, very common and can be fatal, he said.

Tilg added that preventive strategies are needed, and probably aspirin is not sufficient. This needs further studies.

SOURCE: bit.ly/1q3uqj1 Circulation, online April 24, 2017.

Large drugmakers with piles of cash are on the hunt for promising medicines being developed by small companies to treat NASH, a progressive fatty liver disease poised to become the leading cause of liver transplants by 2020.

(Reuters Health) - - Mindfulness-based stress reduction programs (MSBR) appear to improve low back pain only slightly, and only temporarily, a review of previous research suggests.

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Diet and gut bacteria linked with blood clots - Reuters