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Olive Oil Hunter News #203

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Pistachio Cake with White Chocolate Cream Recipe, Spotlight on Pistachios, Grinding Nuts, Protecting the Brain, and New Stroke Prevention Guidelines

Looking for a sweet change from that box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day? My cake combines tender pistachio chiffon layers and a rich but not overly sweet cream filling. It’s a showstopper to cap off any celebration. While most of the attention around February 14 is on the heart, I’m sharing important advice for nurturing your brain to stave off two health threats—dementia and stroke.

Pistachio Cake with White Chocolate Cream

  • Pistachio cake with white chocolate cream Pistachio Cake with White Chocolate Cream

    Pistachio and white chocolate are two luscious ingredients whose unique tastes enhance each other. This cake is not only delicious but can also be up made up to two days in advance. For the white chocolate, choose a brand that’s 35% cacao and in bar or disc form, not chips, which won’t melt smoothly.

    Ingredients

    For the cake:

    • 4 large eggs 
    • 1 cup cake flour 
    • 1/2 cup ground unsalted pistachios (see Healthy Ingredient Spotlight and Quick Kitchen Nugget in weekly newsletter)
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
    • 1 cup sugar, divided use 
    • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1/3 cup room-temperature water 
    • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 

    For the filling and garnish:

    • 4-1/2 ounces white chocolate
    • 1-1/2 cups heavy cream, divided use
    • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
    • 2 pints raspberries
    • 1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
    • Optional: edible dried rose petals 

    Directions

    Step 1

    Make the cake: Separate the yolks from the whites when the eggs are cold and allow them to come to room temperature. 

    Step 2

    Place one of your oven racks in the center of the oven; preheat to 325°F. Line a 17-by-13-inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper (do not grease it). 

    Step 3

    In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, ground pistachios, and baking powder; set aside. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and a 1/2 cup of the sugar at medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes. Mix in the olive oil, vanilla, and water. On low speed, fold in the flour mixture. If you have only one stand mixer bowl, transfer the batter to another bowl and wash the stand mixer bowl and whisk thoroughly—any fat will prevent the egg whites from whipping.

    Step 4

    In a separate large bowl or the cleaned bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add the salt, cream of tartar, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Slowly increase the speed to high and beat until you achieve a glossy meringue that holds firm peaks, 5 to 8 minutes depending on your mixer.

    Step 5

    Add a 1/4 of the meringue to the batter and mix thoroughly to incorporate (this will lighten it). Add the remaining meringue in 3 batches, gently folding after each addition until only a few streaks of meringue remain (err on the side of undermixing to keep the batter billowy).

    Step 6

    Transfer the batter to the sheet pan and smooth out with a large offset spatula; be sure to get into the corners of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheet pan in the oven for more even baking. Continue baking until the top is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed, 10 to 15 minutes more. 

    Step 7

    Remove the sheet pan from the oven and slide the cake and parchment paper onto a wire rack to cool. After 10 minutes, invert the cake onto another rack and gently peel off the parchment paper. Let the cake cool completely. 

    Step 8

    Make the filling: Melt the white chocolate and a 1/3 cup heavy cream in the microwave in 1-minute increments at power 4 until just about melted. Use a small spatula to stir until completely smooth; let cool to room temperature.

    Step 9

    Place the rest of the cream in a large bowl or the clean bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until thick, then with the mixer running on low speed, add the cooled melted white chocolate. Increase the speed and whip until peaks form. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes for easier spreading.

    Step 10

    While the cream is chilling, trim the edges of the cake. Sprinkle on the confectioners’ sugar and use your hands or a pastry brush to spread it out. Cut the cake into 3 sections, each about 12 inches long and just over 5 inches wide. Rinse the raspberries and pat them dry. Reserve 20 berries and lightly mash the rest in a bowl. 

    Step 11

    To assemble the cake, place one layer on a rectangular serving plate and spread on 1/3 of the filling, then press in half the mashed berries. Repeat with another layer of cake, another 1/3 of the cream, and the rest of the mashed berries. Top with the final cake layer and spread the rest of the cream on top. Garnish with the whole berries, chopped pistachios, and, if desired, rose petals.

    Yields 8 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Pistachios

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Pistachios

With good amounts of protein, fiber, healthy fats, potassium, B vitamins, and assorted phytochemicals, pistachios are great to include in dishes—from baked goods to salads—and make a smart snack. 

For baking, choose unsalted pistachios and, to bring out their flavor without losing their green color, toast for just a few minutes at a low temperature. Preheat your oven to 300°F. Place the shelled pistachios on a rimmed sheet pan and into the oven for about 5 minutes. Once the nuts cool down a bit, rub them between your hands to remove some of the skins. Wait until the nuts reach room temperature to grind or chop them as needed for your recipe.

Pistachios
Quick Kitchen Nugget: Grinding Nuts

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Grinding Nuts

As with almonds, ground pistachios are easy to make at home in a nut or coffee bean grinder. I prefer a grinder and working in batches to using a food processor, unless the goal is to achieve more of a nut butter. To keep ground pistachios light and powdery for a cake, add nuts until the grinder is about half full and process in spurts. Stop the machine as soon as you no longer hear any chopping noise. It typically takes about 2 ounces of shelled nuts to yield a 1/2 cup of nut flour.

For Your Best Health: Protecting the Brain

For Your Best Health

Protecting the Brain

A recent study supported by the National Institutes of Health and published in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, looked at a new potential harm of processed and unprocessed red meat: negative impacts on brain health.

“Red meat is high in saturated fat and has been shown in previous studies to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which are both linked to reduced brain health,” said study author Dong Wang, MD, ScD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “Our study found processed red meat may increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, but the good news is that it also found that replacing it with healthier alternatives, like nuts, fish, and poultry, may reduce a person’s risk.”

The researchers defined processed red meat as bacon, hot dogs, sausages, salami, bologna, and other processed meat products, and unprocessed red meat as beef, pork, lamb, and hamburger. A serving of red meat is 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards.

The first part of the research involved 133,771 people with an average age of 49 who did not have dementia at the start of the study. Participants completed a food diary every 2 to 4 years, listing what they ate and how often, enabling the researchers to calculate how much red meat each person ate on average per day. They were followed up to 43 years. Of this group, 11,173 people developed dementia.

To see the effects of processed red meat, they divided the participants into three groups: The low group ate an average of fewer than 0.10 servings per day (think of this as less than 1 serving a week); the medium group ate between 0.10 and 0.24 servings per day (less than 1 to less than 2 servings a week); and the high group, 0.25 or more servings per day (roughly 2 or more servings a week). After adjusting for age, sex, and other risk factors for cognitive decline, researchers found that participants in the high group had a 13% higher risk of developing dementia compared to those in the low group.

To see the effects of unprocessed red meat, they compared people who ate an average of less than half a serving per day to people who ate 1 or more servings per day; they did not find a difference in dementia risk.

The researchers also looked at both subjective cognitive decline and objective cognitive function. Subjective cognitive decline is when a person reports memory and thinking problems before any decline is large enough to show up on standard tests. Objective cognitive function, which can identify decline, is how well your brain works to remember, think, and solve problems. To evaluate meat’s potential effects on subjective cognitive decline, they looked at a different group of 43,966 participants with an average age of 78 who took surveys rating their own memory and thinking skills twice during the study.

After adjusting for age, sex, and other risk factors for cognitive decline, the researchers found that participants who ate an average of 0.25 or more servings per day of processed red meat had a 14% higher risk of subjective cognitive decline compared to those who ate an average of fewer than 0.10 servings per day. They also found people who ate 1 or more servings of unprocessed red meat per day had a 16% higher risk of subjective cognitive decline compared to people who ate less than a 1/2 serving per day.

To evaluate meat’s potential effects on objective cognitive function, the researchers looked at a third group, 17,458 female participants with an average age of 74 who took memory and thinking tests four times during the study.

After adjusting for risk factors, the researchers found that eating more processed red meat was associated with faster brain aging in global cognition with 1.61 years with each additional serving per day and in verbal memory with 1.69 years with each additional serving per day.

Finally, researchers found that replacing 1 serving per day of processed red meat with 1 serving per day of nuts and legumes was associated with a 19% lower risk of dementia and 1.37 fewer years of cognitive aging. Making the same substitution for fish was associated with a 28% lower risk of dementia and replacing with chicken was associated with a 16% lower risk.

“Reducing how much red meat a person eats and replacing it with other protein sources and plant-based options could be included in dietary guidelines to promote cognitive health,” said Dr. Wang. 

A limitation of the study was that it primarily looked at white health care professionals, so the results might not be the same for other race, ethnic, and non-binary sex and gender populations. “More research is needed to assess our findings in more diverse groups,” he concluded. 

Fitness Flash: New Stroke Prevention Guidelines

Fitness Flash

New Stroke Prevention Guidelines

Each year, over half a million Americans have a first stroke. According to the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, up to 80% of strokes may be preventable. Its “2024 Guideline for the Primary Prevention of Stroke” outlines steps that people and their doctors can take to protect against this devastating brain event, including screening people for stroke risk factors and increasing the public’s awareness and knowledge about healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the risk. 

“The most effective way to reduce the occurrence of a stroke and stroke-related death is to prevent the first stroke—referred to as primary prevention,” said the guideline writing group chair, Cheryl D. Bushnell, MD, MHS, FAHA, professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Neurology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC. “Some populations have an elevated risk of stroke, whether it be due to genetics, lifestyle, biological factors, and/or social determinants of health, and in some cases, people do not receive appropriate screening to identify their risk.”

The guideline replaces the 2014 version and provides evidence-based recommendations for strategies to support brain health and prevent stroke throughout a person’s life. “This guideline is important because new discoveries have been made since the last update 10 years ago. Understanding which people are at increased risk of a first stroke and providing support to preserve heart and brain health can help prevent a first stroke,” said Dr. Bushnell. 

Modifiable risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, elevated cholesterol, and elevated blood sugar, can be identified with physical exams and blood tests. These conditions, the guideline states, should be addressed with healthy lifestyle and behavioral changes and may include medications. A new recommendation is to consider GLP-1 receptor agonist medications, which are FDA-approved to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in people who are overweight or obese and/or have type 2 diabetes.

Mediterranean Diet

The most common lifestyle behaviors that can help reduce stroke risk include healthy nutrition, regular physical activity, avoiding tobacco, getting healthy sleep, being at a healthy weight, controlling cholesterol, and managing blood pressure and blood sugar. The guideline recommends that adults with no prior cardiovascular disease, as well as those with increased risk, follow a Mediterranean dietary plan. Mediterranean dietary programs have been shown to reduce the risk of stroke, especially when nuts and olive oil are eaten.

The guideline also includes some new specific recommendations for women. Health professionals should screen for conditions that can increase a woman’s risk of stroke, including use of oral contraceptives, high blood pressure during pregnancy, other pregnancy complications such as premature birth, endometriosis, premature ovarian failure, and early onset menopause. For instance, treating elevated blood pressure during pregnancy and within six weeks of delivery is recommended to reduce the risk of maternal intracerebral hemorrhage.

“Most strategies that we recommend for preventing stroke will also help reduce the risk of dementia, another serious health condition related to vascular issues in the brain,” said Dr. Bushnell.

According to the American Stroke Association, it’s also important to remember the warning signs of stroke with the acronym FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911.

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How EVOO Combats Heart Disease

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Part II: The Power of Polyphenols

A large body of evidence shows that daily consumption of EVOO can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Part I of this two-part series highlighted the contributions of oleic acid (OA). The other bioactive components of EVOO that protect against CVD are its more than 30 polyphenols.

Factors that contribute to CVD include oxidative stress, inflammation, cholesterol, blood-vessel function, and high blood pressure (hypertension). Below, we’ll look closely at the mechanisms by which polyphenols work in the body to modify and improve these factors.

What are polyphenols? Polyphenols are naturally occurring substances in many plants and fungi. Most polyphenols are antioxidants, which means they help neutralize chemical compounds formed in the body that can damage cells. Hydroxytyrosol (HT) has been identified as the polyphenol in EVOO that is essential in the prevention of CVD.

HT combats oxidative stress

Oxidative stress can cause cell mutations and has been identified as an underlying cause of multiple aspects of CVD. Injured tissues release ions—charged particles—that bind to oxygen, creating an excess of unstable molecules. As an antioxidant, HT directly neutralizes these unstable molecules, or reactive oxygen species (ROS). HT has also been shown to inhibit the cell damage produced by ROS and to enhance the antioxidant abilities of cells in the blood vessel walls.

Lowers inflammation

HT can block some of the processes that signal for cells to mount an inflammatory response. In this way, HT reduces the impact of inflammatory substances that are linked to oxidative stress as well as to impaired blood vessel function, a key risk factor for CVD.

Reduces “bad” cholesterol and improves “good”

Polyphenols reduce the amount of small molecules of LDL (“bad” cholesterol), which do the most damage. Polyphenols also help prevent LDL from forming plaques that build up in the arteries,
or atherosclerosis. In a 3-week clinical trial, HDL (“good” cholesterol) functioning improved significantly in healthy patients who consumed high-polyphenol EVOO, compared with low-polyphenol EVOO.

Protects the blood vessel lining and lowers blood pressure

Polyphenols help prevent damage to the endothelium, the inner lining of the blood vessel walls, by increasing the production of nitric oxide (NO), a vasodilator—a substance that relaxes the blood vessels. By enhancing the production of NO, polyphenols can improve endothelial function, protect against arterial stiffness, and lower blood pressure.

References: 1. Lu Y, Zhao J, Xin Q, et al. Food Science and Human Wellness. 2024;13:529-540. 2. Pandey KB, Rizvi SI. Plant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2009;2(5):270-278. doi:10.4161/oxim.2.5.9498 3. Lobo V, Patil A, Phatak A, Chandra N. Pharmacogn Rev. 2010;4(8):118-126. 4. Hernáez Á, Fernández-Castillejo S, Farràs M, et al. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2014;34(9):2115-2119.

Olive Oil Hunter #198

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Mascarpone Mousse Recipe, Spotlight on Passionfruit, Chill Your Beaters, Sip Away Stress with Cocoa, and A Heart Threat Even for Active People

Whether you’re indulging à deux or hosting a large New Year’s Eve get-together, you’ll love this creamy mousse recipe with a passionfruit sauce drizzle. If you’re also looking to get a jump on healthful New Year’s resolutions, two research findings fit the bill: how to tap into the benefits of flavanol-rich drinks, and how to find motivation to sit less and stand more in 2025—both of which benefit the heart.

Mascarpone Mousse

  • Olive Oil Hunter #198 Mascarpone Mousse

    This is a melt-in-your-mouth mousse made without eggs. I love it topped with fresh passionfruit pulp, but since fresh fruits can be hard to find, I’ve included a rich sauce recipe that you can make with frozen pulp (with seeds) or purée (without seeds). Both the mousse and the sauce can be made early in the day or even the day before the big event.

    Ingredients

    For the mousse:

    • 2 cups heavy cream
    • 8 ounces mascarpone at room temperature
    • 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    For the sauce:

    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 14 ounces frozen passionfruit, defrosted
    • 2 large eggs plus 2 yolks 
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • Optional: fresh berries

    Directions

    Step 1

    To make the mousse, whip the cream until very firm, then whip in the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Step 2

    To make the sauce, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar, then whisk in the passionfruit, eggs, and yolks. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil for 2 minutes; it should be thick.

    Step 3

    Off the heat, whisk in the olive oil, then let the sauce cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Step 4

    To assemble, mound equal amounts of mousse in 6 elegant stemware glasses and top with spoonfuls of sauce and fresh berries, if desired.

    Yields 6 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Passionfruit

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Passionfruit

This exotic citrus fruit, a favorite of pastry chefs, is truly unique. Oval-shaped and with a hard deep purple or bright yellow shell (it’s about the size of a lemon), it has an edible inside that is a fairly runny gel of yellow pulp and crunchy black seeds—sweet and tangy at the same time. Passionfruit has vitamin C plus some vitamin A, and small amounts of iron, potassium, and fiber. It is originally from South America, although some varieties thrive in southern California and central Florida.

A passionfruit should feel full and weighty in your hand. Some people wait just until the shell starts to wrinkle as a sign of ripeness, but as long as the fruit is not green, you can enjoy it soon after purchase. Aficionados love to simply scoop it out and eat it with a spoon as is (rinse the fruit first, then cut in half on a plate or over a bowl to catch every drop). It’s also delicious when folded into yogurt, frozen into sorbet, and turned into sauces and creamy desserts.

Fresh passionfruit pulp can be frozen for future use in ice cube trays; once frozen, pop the cubes into a freezer-safe container. In the offseason, look for the Goya brand of frozen pulp in the freezer case. There are also some companies that sell pouches of purée on Amazon—choose 100% fruit, no sugar added.

Quick Kitchen Nugget: How to Mince by Band

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Chill Your Beaters

It takes a moment of forethought, but to get the best results when whipping cream, make sure everything is cold—your beaters, your metal mixing bowl, and the cream itself. Pop the beaters and bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes or in the freezer for 10 before getting started.

For Your Best Health: Understanding Nontraditional Approaches to Healthcare  

For Your Best Health

Sip Away Your Stress

A new study from researchers at the University of Birmingham in the UK, published in the journal Food and Function,has followed up on their earlier work that showed food choices made during periods of stress can influence the effect of stress on cardiovascular health: high-fat foods can negatively affect vascular function and oxygen delivery to the brain, while foods high in flavanol compounds, like cocoa and green tea, can protect vascular function during periods of everyday stress.

Their latest research found that drinking cocoa high in flavanols in combination with a fatty meal can counteract some of the impact of the fatty food and protect the vascular system from stress. Rosalind Baynham, PhD, research fellow in sport, exercise, and rehabilitation sciences at Birmingham and first author on the paper, explained, “Flavanols are a type of compound that occurs in different fruits, vegetables, tea, and nuts, including berries and unprocessed cocoa. Flavanols are known to have health benefits, particularly for regulating blood pressure and protecting cardiovascular health.” Recent guidelines for flavanol intake recommend between 400 and 600 mg a day—about two cups of black or green tea or a combination of berries, apples, and high-quality cocoa.

Hot cocoa for your health

Participants in the new study were given a breakfast of two butter croissants with 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) salted butter, 1.5 slices of cheddar cheese, and 250 mL (about 1 cup) whole milk and either a high-flavanol or a low-flavanol cocoa drink. The cocoa drinks were both made from 12 grams cocoa powder and 250 mL whole milk, but the low-flavanol cocoa was alkalized to reduce total flavanols to 5.6 mg per serving while the high-flavanol cocoa was a non-alkalized powder, delivering 695 mg per serving. (Alkalization is a process typically used in chocolate making to enhance flavor, but it also reduces the flavanol content.)

Following an 8-minute rest period, participants completed an 8-minute mental math test with questions coming at progressively increased speed and with alerts when an answer was wrong—a stress-inducing exercise that leads to significant increases in heart rate and blood pressure, similar to the stress someone might encounter in everyday life. During both the rest and test periods, researchers took a variety of measurements including forearm blood flow, cardiovascular activity, prefrontal cortex tissue oxygenation, and vascular function using brachial flow-mediated dilatation, a prognostic measure for future risk of cardiovascular disease. 

The researchers found that consuming fatty foods with the low-flavanol drink when mentally stressed resulted in reduced vascular function that lasted up to 90 minutes after the stressful event was over. The cocoa drink high in flavanols, by contrast, was effective at preventing the decline in vascular function following stress and fat consumption. Also, brachial flow-mediated dilatation was significantly higher in the high-flavanol group than in the low-flavanol at both 30 and 90 minutes after the math test. 

“This research shows that drinking or eating a food high in flavanols can be used as a strategy to mitigate some of the impact of poorer food choices on the vascular system. This can help us make more informed decisions about what we eat and drink during stressful periods,” said Catarina Rendeiro, PhD, assistant professor in nutritional sciences at Birmingham.

Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten, PhD, professor of biological psychology at Birmingham and a co-author of the paper, added, “Modern life is stressful, and the impact of stress on our health and the economy has been well documented, so any change we can make to protect ourselves from some of the symptoms of stress is a positive. For those who tend to reach for a treat when stressed or who depend on convenient food because they work high-pressure jobs or are time-poor, incorporating some of these small changes could make a real difference.”

Fitness Flash: Exercising to Avoid Afib

Fitness Flash

A Heart Threat Even for Active People

More time spent sitting, reclining, or lying down during the day may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology, and presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2024. 

Insufficient exercise is a known risk factor for CVD. Achieving over 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week is recommended to promote heart health. However, study experts say exercise is only a small fraction of overall daily activity, and the current guidelines don’t provide specific guidance on sedentary behavior, which accounts for a much larger portion of daily activity, despite evidence that it’s directly linked with CVD risk.

This study examined the amount of sedentary time at which CVD risk is greatest and explored how sedentary behavior and physical activity together impact the chances of atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI), and cardiovascular (CV) mortality.

Among the 89,530 study participants, who came from UK Biobank, the average age was 62 years and 56.4% were women. Participants submitted data from a wrist-worn triaxial accelerometer that captured movement over seven days. The average sedentary time per day was 9.4 hours. After an average follow-up of eight years, 3,638 individuals (4.9%) developed incident AF, 1,854 (2.1%) developed incident HF, 1,610 (1.84%) developed incident MI, and 846 (0.94%) died of CV causes.

The effects of sedentary time varied by outcome. For AF and MI, the risk increased steadily over time without major shifts. For HF and CV mortality, increase in risk was minimal until sedentary time exceeded about 10.6 hours a day, at which point risk rose significantly, showing a threshold effect for the behavior. For study participants who met the recommended 150 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, the effects of sedentary behavior on AF and MI risks were substantially reduced, but effects on higher risk of HF and CV mortality were not significantly reduced.

“Our findings support cutting back on sedentary time to reduce cardiovascular risk, with 10.6 hours a day marking a potentially key threshold tied to higher heart failure and cardiovascular mortality,” said Shaan Khurshid, MD, MPH, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and co-senior author of the study. “Too much sitting or lying down can be harmful for heart health, even for those who are active. Future guidelines and public health efforts should stress the importance of cutting down on sedentary time. Avoiding more than 10.6 [sedentary] hours per day may be a realistic minimal target for better heart health.”

In an accompanying editorial comment, Charles Eaton, MD, MS, director of the Brown University department of family medicine, said the use of wearable accelerometers has shown that exercise is significantly overestimated when self-reported and sedentary behavior is underestimated. Dr. Eaton said that replacing just 30 minutes of excessive sitting time each day with any type of physical activity can lower heart health risks. Adding moderate-to-vigorous activity cut the risk of HF by 15% and CV mortality by 10%, and even light activity made a difference by reducing HF risk by 6% and CV mortality by 9%.

The study has several limitations, including lack of information on where or why people are sitting or lying down for extended periods, which could have different impacts on CV risks. Accelerometers worn on the wrist are imperfect at detecting posture and therefore may misclassify standing time as sedentary time. A longer monitoring period may provide more accurate data on activity habits and patterns.

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Olive Oil Hunter News #188

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Potato Frittata Recipe, Spotlight on Condimento Bianco Senape and Blackcurrants, Steaming Potatoes, and A Surprising Benefit of Exercise for Women

Autumn is a wonderful time to get together with family and friends, and what better way than over brunch? If you’re looking for a simple yet satisfying dish, my potato frittata fits the bill. It features Condimento Bianco Senape, a unique vinegar in my brand new collection of artisanal vinegars from the T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections. Sweet, fragrant, and with a hint of mustard, it’s crafted in the style of a fine Italian balsamic (read below to learn why there’s actually no such thing as “white balsamic”). You’ve never tasted anything like it before—get ready to fall in love! 

Also in this issue…I’m sharing fascinating research on blackcurrants, a powerful member of the berry family that might hold the answer to protecting women’s bones in midlife and beyond. Keep reading and you’ll also find out about a surprising benefit of exercise.

Potato Frittata

  • Potato Frittata Potato Frittata

    Elegant enough for a brunch party, this egg-and-potato dish is also easy enough for a casual weekend breakfast. The potatoes can be steamed a day or two in advance.

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound red potatoes
    • 8 eggs
    • 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
    • 2 tablespoons milk
    • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
    • Coarse sea salt
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
    • 1 large leek, twiced rinsed, trimmed of the tough, dark green ends, and sliced into 1/4-inch discs
    • 2 tablespoons Condimento Bianco Senape, plus more for drizzling

    Directions

    Step 1

    Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Steam them on a steamer rack over simmering water until tender, about 25 minutes. 

    Step 2

    In a bowl, whisk the eggs until no whites show, then whisk in the cheese, milk, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt until well combined. 

    Step 3

    Heat a 14-inch skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and the leeks. Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt and sauté until the leeks soften and turn light brown, about 10 minutes. Layer on the potato slices, overlapping them a bit. Pour on the egg mixture. Cover the pan and cook without disturbing over medium heat until the eggs firm up, about 8 minutes. Drizzle on the vinegar, cover the pan again, and remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing into wedges. Drizzle each portion with more olive oil and vinegar.

    Yields 4 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Condimento Bianco Senape 

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Condimento Bianco Senape 

Condimento Bianco Senape, or White Condiment with Mustard

I want to set the record straight—“white balsamic” is not a recognized type of vinegar in Italy. That’s because, by its very nature, balsamic vinegar must be made solely with grape must (grape juice made from all parts of the grapes) that naturally darkens to its signature purple-brown color. That being said, my new Condimento Bianco Senape, or White Condiment with Mustard, is reminiscent of a fine balsamic because it’s crafted in the perfect ratio of two parts white cooked grape must to one part white wine vinegar by the amazing vinegar producers known for their balsamic vinegars, Società Agricola Acetomodena in Modena, Italy. Both the grape must and wine vinegar are made solely from Acemodena’s own Trebbiano grapes, which give it its unique light color, and not their Lambrusco ones, which give traditional balsamic its deep color. 

The idea for creating a complex, mustard-seed infused white wine vinegar in the sweet style of balsamic came from Patrizia Vecchi, the wife of Acetomodena owner Paolo Vecchi. She was inspired by the ancient Roman cooking technique of using a white vinegar along with honey and mustard to get a delicious crust on spit-roasted pork. The white mustard seeds, which are entirely edible, add a subtle layer of flavor to my Condimento Bianco Senape that would be lost in a traditional balsamic. 

You’ll use this mustard vinegar to effortlessly create a rich and silky vinaigrette just by whisking in fresh-pressed olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. I love its sweetness yet will also blend it with other vinegars when I want a bit more tartness. Use it as a marinade for poultry, pork, and fish. Drizzle it on steak and burgers, gourmet sandwiches with prosciutto and other meats, bruschetta with tomatoes, fresh salads like rocket with pine nuts and a drizzle of honey, and my eggless Caesar salad which along with the potato frittata are just two of the many recipes included in the Vinegar Report that comes with the collection. 

Quick Kitchen Nugget: Steaming Potatoes

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Steaming Potatoes

Steaming potatoes keeps them from falling apart and preserves more of their nutrients than boiling. Simply scrub and slice or cube your potatoes and arrange them in a steamer basket set over two inches of simmering water in a stockpot. You can load the basket with two layers of potatoes, but try to keep some space between the pieces for the steam to get through. The potatoes are done when the tip of a knife easily pierces the flesh; start checking after 25 minutes.

For Your Best Health: Blackcurrants for Better Bones?

For Your Best Health

Blackcurrants for Better Bones?

Research done at the University of Connecticut (UConn) has identified blackcurrants, a tart berry known in French foods and liqueurs as cassis, as a potential way of countering the bone density loss experienced by women in the years surrounding menopause. 

For many years, Ock Chun, PhD, MPH, professor of nutritional sciences in UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), has been investigating the berry’s potential to ameliorate a host of conditions including postmenopausal bone loss and osteoporosis. One of her previous studies showed that in mice, blackcurrant supplements helped prevent bone density loss postmenopause, and that the best time to start taking these supplements is in the transition between pre- and postmenopause, before bone loss has significantly progressed. With these findings in hand, Chun and her team wanted to see whether the benefits would translate to people. The new study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, found that the supplements prevented the loss of, and in some cases even increased, whole-body bone mineral density in women.

Blackcurrants

The study involved 40 perimenopausal and early postmenopausal participants between the ages of 45 and 60. They were randomly assigned to take either one or two capsules of blackcurrant powder (392 milligrams per capsule) or a placebo daily for six months. The researchers found that the supplements prevented the loss of whole-body bone mineral density and that the group of participants who took two capsules a day actually showed overall increases in bone mineral density at the end of the six-month trial period.

The researchers looked at changes to the gut microbiome and immune system, which interact to play a key role in bone metabolism. They found that the blackcurrant supplements decreased levels of proteins called interleukin-1 beta and RANKL. Interleukin-1 beta stimulates the expression of RANKL, which causes bone resorption and thus a decrease in bone density. “The reduction in RANKL is important because that can cause shifts toward excessive bone resorption, so we’d want to see a decrease in that,” said graduate student Briana Nosal, first author of the paper.

Taking the supplements also increased Ruminococcus 2, bacteria found in the gut microbiome that help degrade polysaccharides and fibers. This is a key function that transforms the foods we eat into energy. This led the researchers to infer that it could be one of the bacteria driving the protective effects blackcurrant has on bones. “It’s all related, and there’s a lot of research showing the gut can regulate various systems in the body,” Nosal said.

The researchers identified a total of four proteins that had increased expression in the group of participants who took two daily supplement capsules. These could serve as potential biomarkers for the changes in bone density that they observed and potentially allow researchers or medical professionals to quickly and easily assess whether the blackcurrant supplementation is benefiting bone density.

This study is especially important for perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women who have or are at risk of developing osteoporosis. While medications for osteoporosis do exist, compliance is low due because of side effects. If a blackcurrant supplement can improve bone density without the same side effects, it could prove to be an effective alternative.

As the research team continues to study the relationship between blackcurrant and its benefits to the body, they’ll try to better understand why exactly they’re seeing these results and “how all our findings connect to each other,” Nosal said. “Conducting that multifaceted research will really paint the picture of how everything works, the different mechanisms, and what we can do for next steps.”

Fitness Flash

A surprising Benefit of Exercise for Women

Recent research led by Donald S. Wright, MD, MHS, of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Yale School of Medicine and published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that sticking with an exercise program is linked to older women staying out of the hospital.

This retrospective study evaluated 718 older adults with a mean age of 69.5; three-quarters were women. The researchers compared the outcomes of those who participated in a structured, individualized exercise training program at a privately owned gym in their community for at least three months (411 participants) to the outcomes of those who did not. The structured program consisted of guided sessions of cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training monitored by exercise physiologists. Participants completed a baseline physical assessment and quarterly reassessments of physical performance including measuring vital signs, strength (bicep curl or grip strength), mobility (as measured by the ability to easily go from sitting to standing), balancing on one leg, and aerobic capacity. These data were paired with regional hospital data and a national mortality database. Participants were followed for over two years. 

When the researchers compared outcomes of older adults who participated in the exercise program with outcomes of those who did not, they found that the risk for all-cause hospitalization was 46 percent lower among the women in the exercise program. Surprisingly, this benefit was not seen among the men. 

The researchers pointed out that the study doesn’t establish cause and effect between exercise and not needing healthcare, just a link, albeit a positive one for women. It’s also not known whether the people who dropped out of the structured exercise program exercised independently, potentially narrowing the observed differences between the groups. They also warned that participants may not be fully representative of the broader US population because they were all from one area of the country and had all been motivated to sign up for the gym program on their own.

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