Foodstuff Fertility

Wash hands before, during and after food preparation. Proper hand-washing may eliminate a large percentage of food poisoning cases. Remember to wash hands when switching tasks, such as handling raw meat and then cutting vegetables. Wash hands with soap in clean, running water for at least 20 seconds.
Keep kitchen surfaces clean. Use hot, soapy water to wash countertops and surfaces, cutting boards, refrigerator door handles and utensils. After cleaning, keep it clean by avoiding cross-contamination.
Use two cutting boards. Dedicate one for raw meat, poultry and fish and the other for ready-to-eat foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Make it easy to remember by using color-coded cutting boards, one for raw meats and one for ready-to-eat foods.
Employ different utensils for different tasks. Use separate spoons and forks to taste, stir and serve food.
Resist temptation. When baking, avoid eating foods containing raw eggs or uncooked flour, such as cookie dough or cake batter. These ingredients may contain bacteria that can lead to food poisoning if not cooked first.
Buy and use a food thermometer. It is the only reliable way to determine the doneness of your food and ensure that food is cooked to proper internal temperatures. (Do not rely on "clear juices" to tell that the turkey is done.)
Refrigerate food within two hours of serving. This helps to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can lead to food poisoning. This is especially important when serving buffets. Use a refrigerator thermometer and make sure it's set at below 40°F.
Practice Kitchen Safety. Ensure your kitchen is ready with the tools and resources you need before the big event.

Defrost carefully. Never allow foods to defrost at room temperature, on the counter or in warm water. Defrost food only in the refrigerator, in the microwave or in a cool water bath (inside a leak-proof plastic bag) with water that is changed every 30 minutes. When defrosting food in the refrigerator, remember to cover raw meat and place it on the bottom shelf so juices won't drip onto other foods. When defrosting food in the microwave, cook it immediately afterward.
Wash hands before, during and after food preparation. Proper hand-washing may eliminate a large percentage of food poisoning cases. Remember to wash hands when switching tasks, such as handling raw meat and then cutting vegetables. Wash hands with soap in clean, running water for at least 20 seconds.
Keep kitchen surfaces clean. Use hot, soapy water to wash countertops and surfaces, cutting boards, refrigerator door handles and utensils. After cleaning, keep it clean by avoiding cross-contamination.
Use two cutting boards. Dedicate one for raw meat, poultry and fish and the other for ready-to-eat foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Make it easy to remember by using color-coded cutting boards, one for raw meats and one for ready-to-eat foods.
Employ different utensils for different tasks. Use separate spoons and forks to taste, stir and serve food.
Resist temptation. When baking, avoid eating foods containing raw eggs or uncooked flour, such as cookie dough or cake batter. These ingredients may contain bacteria that can lead to food poisoning if not cooked first.
Buy and use a food thermometer. It is the only reliable way to determine the doneness of your food and ensure that food is cooked to proper internal temperatures. (Do not rely on "clear juices" to tell that the turkey is done.)
Refrigerate food within two hours of serving. This helps to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can lead to food poisoning. This is especially important when serving buffets. Use a refrigerator thermometer and make sure it's set at below 40°F.
Practice Kitchen Safety. Ensure your kitchen is ready with the tools and resources you need before the big event.

1. Pay attention to nutrition labels.
As you may have noticed, the nutrition label on food packages looks a little different now. Many of the FDA changes to the nutrition label, which went into law earlier this year, were made to help reduce chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease.
The goal is to help consumers become more aware of what they’re eating and how it impacts their health. Have you ever eaten more than one serving size out of a snack container? Now, companies are required to disclose both the number of calories per serving as well as the amount of servings per package.

Calories from fat are no longer listed, because the type of fat you consume is more important than the total amount of fat, Blair says. The new label lists the fats that should be limited because of their ties to cardiovascular disease, including saturated fat and cholesterol.

There are also four vitamins and minerals listed on the food label as “nutrients of concern.” These have been identified as nutrients many Americans don’t consume enough of, like vitamin D and potassium.

2. Recognize healthy fats.
There are two natural types of fat, saturated and unsaturated, as well as a synthetically created fat known as trans fat.

All fat molecules have long tails that may be saturated (completely filled with hydrogen atoms) or unsaturated (not completely filled with hydrogen atoms). When the fatty acid tail is filled with hydrogen, or saturated, the tail is stiff and rigid. Rigid tails can block off arteries and lead to heart disease, Blair explains. Saturated fats are solid and are found in rich foods like butter, milk and marbled meats.

Comparatively, unsaturated fatty acid tails are not rigid and can move or flow. Unsaturated fats are termed healthy fats because they provide antioxidant effects in the body while remaining fluid. Unsaturated fats are a liquid at room temperature and are found in plant-based oils, avocados, nuts and fish.

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Omega 3 fatty acids, found in many types of fish — including salmon, herring and sardines —help fight inflammation and protect the heart.

Trans fats were synthetically created and lead to increased risk of heart disease. These have now been required by law to be removed from the American food supply.

Blair tells her patients the goal for a healthy heart is to minimize saturated fats and trans fats and increase their daily intake of unsaturated fats.

3. Find flavorful alternatives to salt.
Many patients with cardiovascular disease are encouraged to ditch the salt shaker. Too much salt can elevate blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

But heart patients aren’t the only ones who should be aware of how much sodium they’re eating on a daily basis. The average American consumes approximately 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day, far beyond the recommended 2,300 milligrams (approximately 1 teaspoon). In addition to increasing blood pressure, a salty diet can put you at risk for an enlarged heart muscle, heart failure, kidney disease and osteoporosis.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of sodium we consume is already in our foods, particularly processed foods. Sodium is prevalent in the American diet because it’s used to preserve many of the foods we consume, so reading the nutrition label is an important way to know how much salt you’re consuming.

Because most canned foods are high in sodium, Blair recommends sticking to frozen or fresh vegetables instead. Be sure to avoid frozen vegetables with added sauces, though. Purchasing fresh meats and freezing them yourself can reduce sodium intake by at least 25%. Salt is also found in many seasoning blends and boxed items.

Instead, make your own seasoning blends without the salt. Blair recommends trying garlic and onion powder, coriander, cumin or paprika to flavor your food.

And although the salt we sprinkle on our food at the dinner table isn’t the main culprit of our high sodium intake, we should still avoid adding it to our food.