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Turns out your diet may be healthier than you think. Those little extras you love like ketchup on burgers or hot sauce in tacos have hidden health benefits. New research shows that certain spices, herbs, and spreads not only boost flavor but can also help curb appetite, ease digestion, and even promote better memory.
— Amanda Pressner, Prevention
1. Ketchup
GENE J. PUSKAR / AP
Lowers risk of cardiovascular disease
Daily dose: 3 to 4 tablespoons
Lycopene — a powerful antioxidant in ketchup — may slow the process that leads to atherosclerosis, says Betty Ishida, PhD, a USDA research biologist. While all ketchup contains some lycopene, a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organic versions contain up to 60 percent more per gram than conventional brands. The researchers also found that organic ketchup had the highest levels of vitamins A, C, and E.
Serving tip: Use dark-hued ketchup for the most lycopene, and squirt on burgers and baked fries or stir with equal parts reduced-fat mayo for a Russian dressing, says Tanya Zuckerbrot, RD, a dietitian in New York City. Or mix with chopped garlic and herbs to marinate grilled chicken, suggests Daniel Stern, executive chef and co-owner of MidAtlantic and R2L restaurants in Philadelphia.
2. Hot sauce
Curbs appetite
Daily dose: a few dashes
Eating just one meal that contains capsaicin — the compound that gives hot sauce and chile peppers their heat — not only reduces levels of hunger-causing ghrelin but also raises GLP-1, an appetite-suppressing hormone, says new research in the European Journal of Nutrition. Other scientists found that people who drank capsaicin-spiced tomato juice before each meal over 2 days ingested 16 percent fewer calories than those who drank it plain.
Serving tip: Splash on tacos, brown rice, or low-fat tomato or lentil soup. Hot sauce also pairs well with citrus, adds Meyer. Top half a grapefruit with a few shakes, plus a teaspoon of brown sugar.
3. Time for a BARBEQUE Sauce relaunch In K-12 . . . The Delicious, More Nutritious Product has arrived!
Who doesn’t love great Barbecue? Among restaurants, nearly 40% offer some form of a Barbecue menu item* and K-12 menus are actually far less these days due to the amount of sodium contained in traditional foodservice barbeque sauce products. According to Flavor Trak®, Barbecue Chicken, Pork and Riblets are on a school menu more than once a month. Within the sandwich category, Barbecue sandwiches outpace grilled chicken and crispy chicken sandwiches on school menus.
There’s a new opportunity to add more Barbeque items now that Red Gold’s unique Naturally Balanced formula is available in 3 different packaging formats.
The heavy reliance on Barbecue sauce within restaurants is even greater than in K-12 menus since the implementation of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA) in 2012 created an immediate need to reduce sodium wherever possible. So now, with a new Barbeque Sauce Formula from Red Gold, you can deliver even more of what they love to assure increased participation in your meal program. A start can be to add the new Red Gold Naturally Balanced Barbecue Sauce to your menu. Another way is to make sure it is available as a condiment too.
Some easy ways to innovate can be as simple as changing the carrier from a whole grain hamburger bun to a whole grain hot dog bun (e.g. Bar-B-Dog) or adding pulled pork to a grilled cheese sandwich with a little Barbecue Sauce. Another idea could be to switch the protein of ordinary nachos from ground beef to pulled pork with Barbecue Sauce. Taking a familiar dish and adding a unique twist has been the secret to menu success for decades.
Red Gold® offers a variety of Naturally Balanced Barbecue Sauce options including a new 114 oz. pump jug for your condiment station or kitchen, 1 oz. dunk cup, and 1.5 gal. dispenser pouch. It is made with real sugar and is up to 80% less sodium than traditional Barbecue Sauce. Other Benefits to our great tasting, Enhanced Low Sodium, Naturally Balanced Barbecue Sauce are:
Learn more about Red Gold’s Barbecue products!
* Datassentials, 2018