Maybe I’m being a little selfish. This week’s featured ingredient, grapes, is probably my all-time favorite food. I can’t really think of any food I like more…to me, they are perfect just as they are: a whole-food sweet package of goodness from the earth. Love ‘em, just like ‘em, or not, there’s no denying that they offer a lot of health benefits. For cyclists, they offer a good daily nutrition carbohydrate source as a whole-food and a natural option for training fuel as raisins or grape juice (can be used in Kelli’s Homebrew). For those who enjoy wine now and again, they offer health benefits beyond other alcoholic beverages. This week, let’s raise a glass to one of nature’s best fruits while promoting our hearts’ health:

Recipe of the week:  Grilled Chicken with Fresh Grape Glaze

Ingredients:

Glaze:

• 3 cups seedless red grapes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Chicken:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 chicken drumsticks (about 1 1/2 pounds), skinned, organic & free-range if possibl
• 6 chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds), skinned, organic & free-range if possible
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
• Fresh rosemary leaves (optional)

Instructions:

To prepare glaze, place grapes in a blender; process until smooth. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cover and cook 10 minutes. Add garlic; cover and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in pureed grapes, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and 1 teaspoon rosemary; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Cool slightly. Place grape mixture in blender; process until smooth. Set aside.

Prepare grill.

To prepare chicken, brush 1 tablespoon oil over chicken; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons rosemary, pepper, and salt. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 25 minutes or until done, turning and basting frequently with grape glaze. Garnish with rosemary leaves, if desire

Comments:

So, obviously, grapes offer an amazing flavor. They also offer wonderful juice and wine. But, beyond taste, what’s the scoop? Glad you asked.

For nutritive benefits, grapes have been well-studied and documented. Over 100 research studies on grapes (or products made from them, like red wine) have shown many of their health benefits to come from a category of phytonutrients called polyphenols. Three types of polyphenols seem most important: (1) flavonoids, (2) phenolic acids, and (3) resveratro.

Flavonoids are phytonutrients that give the vibrant purple color to grapes, grape juice and red wine; the stronger the color, the higher the concentration of flavonoids. These flavonoid compounds include quercitin, as well as a second flavonoid-type compound called resveratrol. If you’re familiar with FRS-brand sports drinks and foods, you know that their main energy-ingredient is quercitin. Both compounds, quercitin and resveratrol appear to decrease the risk of heart disease by 1) Reducing platelet clumping and harmful blood clots and 2) Protecting LDL cholesterol from the free radical damage that initiates LDL’s artery-damaging action.

It’s these benefits that likely allow grapes to protect societies that eat both a combo of high fat foods and a lot of grapes and/or wine (Mediterranean and French societies).  Let’s take an in-depth look:

In a study in which blood samples were drawn from 20 healthy volunteers both before and after they drank grape juice, researchers found several beneficial effects from their juice consumption.

First, nitric oxide levels were raised.  Nitric Oxide is a compound produced in the body that helps reduce the formation of clots in blood vessels. Second, a decrease occurred in platelet aggregation, or blood clotting, by red blood cells. Lastly, researchers saw an increase in levels of alpha-tocopherol, an antioxidant compound that is a member of the vitamin E family, and this increase was accompanied by a 50% increase in plasma antioxidant activity.

These finding confirmed conclusions of earlier studies which had found that grape juice protected LDL cholesterol from oxidation (once it’s oxidized, it becomes dangerous as it’s able to form plagues in the arteries) by increasing antioxidant levels in the blood stream.

What’s more, investigators have found that phenolic compounds in grape skins inhibit protein tyrosine kinases, a group of enzymes that play a key role in cell regulation. These compounds also suppress the production of a protein that causes blood vessels to constrict, thus reducing the flow of oxygen to the heart. This protein, called endothelin-1, is thought to be a key contributing agent in the development of heart disease. Maybe these compounds can help cyclist’s arteries to stay dilated and elastic, thereby increasing oxygen flow during intense training?!?

Then, there’s resveratrol.

Resveratrol is a natural phenol that inhibits the production of the potent blood vessel constrictor, endothelin-1 (ET-1). It appears to work at the genetic level, preventing a gene that directs the production of ET-1. In fact, resveratrol prevents any increases of ET-1, at least in part, by significantly reducing free radical formation.

Next, resveratrol helps keep the heart muscle flexible and healthy.  A team of researchers at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine have shown that resveratrol not only inhibits production of endothelin-1, but also directly affects heart muscle cells to maintain heart health. Their research shows that resveratrol inhibits angiotensin II, a hormone that is secreted in response to high blood pressure and heart failure. Angiotensin II has a negative effect on heart health in that it signals cardiac fibroblasts, heart muscle cells that secrete collagen.  It’s their production and the excessive amount of collagen that causes the heart muscle to stiffen and lose its ability to pump blood efficiently – not what a cyclist wants!

And, there’s more.  Resveratrol also prevents the cardiac fibroblasts that are already present from changing into myofibroblasts, the type of cardiac fibroblast that produces the most collagen.

Beyond the heart, resveratrol may reduce cancer risk, especially estrogen-linked cancers, improve lung function as an anti-inflammatory agent, and an anti-aging agent.

Grapes’ saponins also support a cyclist’s heart.  Saponins, plant protective agents found in the skin, are phytonutrients that help lower cholesterol.  They are believed to bind to and prevent the absorption of cholesterol and are also known to settle down inflammation pathways, an effect that could have implications in not only heart disease, but cancer and chronic diseases.  Some good news for wine drinkers: The saponins dissolve into the wine during its fermentation process.

For the sake of our post, I’ll stop with these heart-health benefits…but, the list of healthy reasons to enjoy grapes goes on and on.  If you want a strong heart in life and on the bike, include grapes and grape-products in your diet.  Eat them in meals and snacks for daily nutrition, and try grape juice within my homebrew (http://www.apexnutritionllc.com/freetools.html) and as raisins for training nutrition (you’ll get 15 grams of carbs in just 2 Tablespoons of grapes).  The more we choose natural foods to nourish our bodies, the better we’ll feel on our bikes.

Fuel Your Ride.  Nourish Your Body.

This is one of my all-time favorites.  The meal I often go-to when company’s coming over.  The one I freeze and take to a friend who needs an extra meal.  The one that gets rave reviews, but only takes a few minutes to prepare.  It tastes good, freezes well, and provides some flavor variety.  And, it delivers the nutrients healthy cyclists need:

Recipe of the week:  Thai Chicken or Thai Tofu

Ingredients:

• 8 Organic Chicken Thighs OR 1.5 lbs firm tofu, cut into chunks
• ¾ Cup fresh or jarred Salsa
• 1/3 Cup natural Peanut Butter
• 3 Tbsp Lime Juice
• 1 ½ Tbsp Lite Soy Sauce
• 1 ½ tsp Fresh Ginger Root, minced or grated
• ¼ cup water
• ½ Cup Peanuts, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro
• Fresh Chili Peppers, chopped (optional)

Instructions: (prep: 10 minutes, cook in Crockpot: 8-9 hours)

1. Place chicken or tofu in 3 ½ to 6 quart crock pot.  Mix remaining ingredients except peanuts, cilantro, and optional chili peppers; pour over chicken or tofu.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8-9 hours or until juice of chicken is no longer pink in thickest part of centers.  Remove chicken or tofu from cooker, using slotted spoon, place on serving platter or individual plates.
3. Spoon sauce over chicken or tofu.  Sprinkle with peanuts, cilantro, and optional chili peppers.
4. Serve with Sautéed Vegetables.

Comments:

It’s getting hot in here – this many spices in one recipe?  You’ve got a variety in salsa, ginger, and chili peppers.  This week, while adding fire to our recipe, we’ll add a lot of beneficial components to our bodies.  How?  By adding red chili peppers, jalapenos, and other spicy peppers, you add:

Capsaicins:

These are the nice little components of peppers that make them HOT.  They are also a potent inhibitor of substance P, a neuropeptide associated with inflammatory processes. The hotter the chili pepper, the more capsaicin it contains. The hotter the pepper, the more anti-inflammatory it is. The hottest varieties include habañero and Scotch bonnet peppers. Jalapeños are next in their heat and capsaicin content, followed by the milder varieties, including Spanish pimentos, and Anaheim and Hungarian cherry peppers. Capsaicin is actually being studied as an effective treatment for sensory nerve fiber disorders, including pain associated with arthritis, psoriasis, and diabetic neuropathy.

And what’s more, capsaicins have anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic properties to boot.

Cardiovascular Benefits:

Red chili peppers, such as cayenne, have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and platelet aggregation, while increasing the body’s ability to dissolve fibrin, a substance integral to the formation of blood clots. Cultures where hot pepper is used liberally have a much lower rate of heart attack, stroke and pulmonary embolism.

Antioxidants:

As an antioxidant, chili peppers may also protect the fats in your blood from damage by free radicals—a first step in the development of atherosclerosis. In a randomized, crossover study involving 27 healthy subjects (14 women, 13 men), eating freshly chopped chili was found to increase the resistance of blood fats, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, to oxidation (free radical injury). In addition, after eating the chili-spiced diet, women had a longer lag time before any damage to cholesterol was seen compared to the lag time seen after eating the bland diet. In men, the chili-diet also lowered resting heart rate and increased the amount of blood reaching the heart.

Clear Sinuses:

Anyone who’s eaten too much spice at once (usually in a public setting, right?) knows it makes your nose run.  The peppery heat stimulates secretions that help clear mucus from your stuffed up nose or congested lungs.

An Immune Boost:

The combo of Vitamin A (10% of daily value) and Vitamin C (6 % of daily value) in chili peppers provides an immune boost for the body.  Vitamin A is often called the anti-infection vitamin, and it is essential for healthy mucous membranes, which line the nasal passages, lungs, intestinal tract and urinary tract and serve as the body’s first line of defense against invading pathogens. Vitamin C is thought to improve our defenses against colds and shorten the duration of colds once we have them.  Good, healthy lungs and nasal passages are crucial to a cyclist, so add the heat!

Reduced Prostate Cancer Risk:

Red chili peppers’ capsaicin, the compound responsible for their heat, stops the spread of prostate cancer cells through a variety of mechanisms, as indicated by recent animal and lab studies.  Capsaicin triggers suicide in both primary types of prostate cancer cell lines, those whose growth is stimulated by male hormones and those not affected by them. In addition, capsaicin lessens the expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), inhibits the ability of the most potent form of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, to activate PSA, and directly inhibits PSA transcription, causing PSA levels to plummet.

Stomach Aide:

Chili peppers have a bad–and mistaken–reputation for contributing to stomach ulcers. Not only do they not cause ulcers, they can help prevent them by killing bacteria you may have ingested, while stimulating the cells lining the stomach to secrete protective buffering juices.

Reduced risk of Diabetes and High Blood Sugars:

In a study published in the July 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Australian researchers show that the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar after a meal is reduced if the meal contains chili pepper. When chili-containing meals are a regular part of the diet, insulin requirements drop even lower.

Plus, chili’s beneficial effects on insulin needs get even better as body mass index (BMI, a measure of obesity) increases. In overweight people, not only do chili-containing meals significantly lower the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar levels after a meal, but chili-containing meals also result in a lower ratio of C-peptide/ insulin, an indication that the rate at which the liver is clearing insulin has increased.

And last but not least, little Boost in Fat Burn:

As luck would have it, capsaicins promote fullness which can cause a reduction in calorie intake, and they cause an increase energy (calorie) expenditure after they are eaten – a direct increase in metabolism.  Then, as an indirect metabolism boost, they promote less insulin requirements (as noted above), which can reduce the amount of fat stored in the body.  Chili Peppers make for lean, mean, (hot), cycling machines.

I love Thai Food, so getting a Chili Pepper Nutrition Boost from it is a no-brainer for me.  But, you can get all the same benefits in any dish by just adding some heat to any meal.  Fresh chili peppers work well with many foods and can be an easy addition to scrambled eggs, sandwiches, and more!  For health benefits, flavor, and a fiery metabolism, don’t forget the heat!

Fuel Your Ride.  Nourish Your Body.

This week, let’s combine 3 all-time favorites: cycling, the outdoor grill, and pizza.  In that order.  We’ll make a crust that promotes health and energy and doesn’t drag us down.  Then, we’ll bombard our cells with the antioxidants of tomatoes, such as lycopene.  To top it off, we’ll reduce belly fat and bodily inflammation with our highlighted ingredient, olive oil.

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Pizza with Almond Flour Crust

Ingredients & Instructions:

Crust:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 3-4 egg whites (about 3/4 c.)

Toppings:

• Extra Virgin Olive oil
• Organic tomato sauce
• Chopped organic tomatoes
• Sliced black olives
• Roasted red peppers
• Cooked organic chicken, cubed or shredded
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Minced fresh garlic
• Chopped fresh basil
• Extra Virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix together crust ingredients and spread on an oiled cookie sheet, about 1/4 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so use a fork to spread it most of the way, and then get your hands slightly damp with water and press out a bit more to make the crust thinner. Bake in oven at for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat grill on medium to high heat.  After crust has baked in the oven, brush grill grate with small amount of olive oil. Carefully move the place crust to the hot grill using a couple spatulas. Working quickly, brush olive oil over crust, and then brush with tomato sauce. Add toppings through basil. Close the lid, and cook until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Remove from grill, and set aside to cool for a few minutes – drizzle with ¼ cup olive oil.

If you’d prefer a regular wheat flour crust, you can use the grill exclusively instead of the 2-step oven-grill process necessary for almond flour crusts (although I strongly recommend almond flour over wheat flour).  If this is your preference, use any crust recipe and skip the baking instructions.  Then, place crust on a preheated grill at medium-high heat for cook for 10 minutes.  Then, preheat the grill to medium high heat.  Carefully place one piece of dough on hot grill. The dough will begin to puff almost immediately. When the bottom crust has lightly browned, turn the dough over using two spatulas. Then, follow the instructions above for adding topping and grilling.

Comments:

This week’s recipe is chock-full of healthy ingredients to fuel the pizza-loving- cyclist.  First, you can refer back to Loving the Bite: Almond Flour Waffles and Loving the BITE: Almond Butter Smoothie to review the benefits of almonds and read why we’d use them in place of grain flours in cooking (almond flour can be tricky, so keep experimenting!).  Then, you may remember all about the healthful properties of tomatoes, such as its high level of antioxidants, explained Loving the Bite: Roasted Tomato Basil Soup.

And today, we’ll take a look at olive oil.

Olive Oil, especially extra-virgin, is one of the best fats you can use in your diet.  And while many people know it’s good for you, they often fail to realize that most of its benefits are only provided in unheated olive oil.  While it can still be used in cooking (under 300 degrees F), it’s best when added to raw foods or after they’ve been cooked (drizzled on cooked pizza, on cooked or raw vegetables, as a dip etc).  When left unheated, it can:

• Promote an optimal metabolic output
• Improve cholesterol
• Reduce heart disease and blood pressure
• Reduce risk of breast cancer
• Improves blood sugars
• Reduces bone loss

Then, for those of us cycling up hills and over long distances, it can be especially helpful as it promotes less fat accumulation around the belly.  Since it increases the insulin sensitivity of our cells, it allows us to process sugars with less insulin.  Less insulin means less fat storage and more fat oxidation (breakdown), specifically around the midsection.

And after a good ride, we’ll benefit from a reduction in bodily inflammation.   As we’ve often discussed, us athletes tend to accumulate a lot of inflammation and free radicals in our bodies.  The more antioxidants we consume, then, the better.  Olive oil just happens to contain large amounts of antioxidant polyphenols.

Many cultures use olive oil almost exclusively as their choice fat.  It can be used in place of butter/margarine as a spread and to replace fats in cooked/baked foods. It’s perfect over vegetables and can be combined with a touch of vinegar, salt, and pepper for a homemade dressing.  Of note, when used in cooking, it is a good idea to keep it as less than 300 degrees F, as it can release harmful fumes above this temperature (all oils can release harmful fumes above their specific smoke point) – leave high heats for organic coconut oil and peanut oil.

When it comes to oil, don’t stop at your chain.  Give your body some healthy maintenance, too!

Fuel Your Ride.  Nourish Your Body.