Background: Cognitive decline—worsening memory and more frequent memory loss or confusion—affects 10% of all US adults aged 45 and older. Incidence is higher—11.4%—among Hispanic and Latino Americans. In some cases, cognitive decline may be an early sign of dementia.
Close adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) is associated with a reduced risk of dementia and cognitive decline. The MeDi emphasizes fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, low to moderate amounts of dairy, eggs, fish, and poultry, and olive oil as the primary fat source.
Researchers have attributed the MeDi’s brain benefits to its cardiovascular effects, such as lower blood pressure, reduced diabetes risk, and improvements in blood vessel function and cholesterol levels. The first large-scale study of the MeDi in Hispanic and Latino Americans investigated whether the MeDi’s brain benefits are independent of its cardiovascular effects.
Preliminary findings from this 10-year study of 2,774 participants (44% men, 56% women; average age 64 at follow-up) were presented at the recent conference of the American Stroke Association, February 5–7, 2025.
Methods: At an initial visit, each participant reported their food intake during the previous 24 hours and received a score (0 to 9), indicating how closely their diet corresponded to the MeDi. Average MeDi score was 5. Ten years after the baseline visit, investigators obtained a brain scan via MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) for each participant.
The main outcome evaluated in the study was white matter integrity (WMI) and volume. The white matter of the brain (as opposed to the gray matter) consists of bundles of nerve fibers that, crucially, communicate information to different parts of the brain. WMI and volume are markers of the strength of those connections in the brain. MRI scans provide clear, detailed cross-sections of the brain, showing white matter and gray matter.
To account for the impact of cardiovascular benefits, the study also asked participants about multiple practices associated with heart health: regular exercise; healthy diet; not smoking; weight maintenance; and maintaining healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.
Results: Participants with higher MeDi scores had stronger connections between regions of the brain (preserved WMI) compared to those with lower MeDi scores. With each point higher in MeDi score, participants’ MRI scans also showed less structural damage to the blood vessels of the brain. After factoring in heart-health practices, the researchers determined that cardiovascular effects alone did not account for all the significant brain benefits of the MeDi.
Conclusion: Eating a Mediterranean-style diet improved brain health and preserved structural integrity in a high-risk population. Even small adjustments in food intake, closer to the MeDi, could help protect against cognitive decline and dementia. The brain benefits of the MeDi extend beyond its well-known cardiovascular effects—more research is needed to identify the brain-protective mechanisms involved.
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 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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
Cold Avocado and Cucumber Soup Recipe and The Mediterranean Diet for Longevity
Members of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club are well aware of the benefits of extra virgin olive oil as part of the world-famous Mediterranean diet. Dozens of studies have assessed its health effects and its link to longevity, most commonly attributed to its improving heart health. But how the Mediterranean diet works its magic hasn’t been thoroughly understood. Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston recently published the results of a long-term study that helps unravel this mystery. I’m thrilled to share their findings. And to start, here’s a recipe that highlights the plant-based approach that underscores the Mediterranean way of living.
There’s nothing more refreshing than a chilled soup for lunch or dinner during the dog days of summer, especially when there’s no cooking needed. I like to add a different kind of heat with a fresh hot pepper, but you can omit it if you aren’t a fan!
Ingredients
2 pounds cucumbers, about 2-3 large ones
1 small jalapeño, halved and seeded, optional
2 ripe Hass avocados
2 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt or skyr
3 large scallions, trimmed
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup packed of fresh parsley, dill, and chives
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Optional garnishes: thin slices of avocado, a dollop of yogurt or skyr, more fresh herbs
Directions
Halve the cucumbers lengthwise and use a large spoon to scoop out and discard most of the seeds; leave on the peel. Cut the cucumbers into chunks for easier puréeing. If using the pepper, halve it, scoop out the seeds and veins, and discard them along with the stem. Scoop all the flesh out of the avocados.
Step 2
Working in batches as needed, add the cucumbers, avocados, pepper if using, yogurt, scallions, garlic, herbs, olive oil, water, and vinegar to your food processor bowl or blender and process until puréed—the mixture should be fairly thick. If it’s too thick, add more water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until it’s pourable. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Chill in the fridge for about an hour.
Step 3
To serve, ladle portions into soup bowls or glasses, garnish as desired, and drizzle with more olive oil.
Yields 8 servings
For Your Best Health
The Mediterranean Diet for Longevity
The study: “Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Risk of All-Cause Mortality in Women,” JAMA Network Open,2024.
The health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, on its own and when compared to other healthy ways of eating, are so strong that US dietary guidelines have repeatedly designated it as the healthiest recommended diet. It’s also gotten the nod from many health organizations around the globe, including the American Heart Association, European Society of Cardiology, and Australian National Heart Foundation. While these benefits aren’t in doubt, how it achieves them hasn’t been completely understood. This new study sought to better explain the various ways in which the body responds to the diet—how exactly closely following it lowers mortality risk. What’s more, the more than 25,000 participants were American women. In general, women aren’t included in the same numbers as men in most studies, and regarding research on the Mediterranean diet in particular, most studies have been done in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, where the diet is more of a way of life than in the US.
For the study, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, followed the women, who were all healthy at the start of the study, for up to 25 years. They found that participants who followed the diet most closely had up to 23% lower risk of all-cause mortality…and found evidence of biological changes to help explain why. They were able to detect and evaluate changes in approximately 40 biomarkers representing various biological pathways and clinical risk factors, both traditional ones and novel ones that hadn’t been used in prior studies. Biomarkers of metabolism and inflammation made the largest contribution, followed by triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, adiposity, and insulin resistance. Smaller contributions were seen from biological pathways relate to branched-chain amino acids, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, glycemic measures, and hypertension.
“For women who want to live longer, our study says watch your diet!,” said senior author Samia Mora, MD, a cardiologist and the director of the Center for Lipid Metabolomics at the Brigham. “The good news is that following a Mediterranean dietary pattern could result in about one quarter reduction in risk of death over more than 25 years with benefit for both cancer and cardiovascular mortality, the top causes of death in women (and men) in the US and globally.”
“Our research provides significant public health insight: Even modest changes in established risk factors for metabolic diseases, particularly those linked to small molecule metabolites, inflammation, triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, obesity, and insulin resistance, can yield substantial long-term benefits from following a Mediterranean diet,” said lead author Shafqat Ahmad, PhD, an associate professor of epidemiology at Uppsala University Sweden and a researcher in the Center for Lipid Metabolomics and the Division of Preventive Medicine at the Brigham. “This finding underscores the potential of encouraging healthier dietary habits to reduce the overall risk of mortality.”
How the Study Was Conducted
At the start of the study, blood samples, biomarker measurements, and dietary information were taken from the participants, who self-reported demographics and filled out a validated food-frequency questionnaire. The data collection period was from April 1993 to January 1996, and data analysis took place from June 2018 to November 2023.
Each participant was given a score for Mediterranean diet adherence, which ranged from 0 to 9. Eating a higher-than-median amount of each of a list of foods—vegetables (excluding potatoes), fruits, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and fish—earned 1 point. So did eating a good ratio of monounsaturated-to-saturated fatty acids such as olive oil compared to butter, a less-than-median amount of red and processed meat, and having an alcohol intake within the range of 5 to 15 grams a day (one 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce can of regular beer, or 1.5 ounces of liquor). Participants were then categorized into one of three levels: 0-3 or low, 4-5 or intermediate, and 6-9 or high. Women with scores of 6 or greater had a 23% lower relative risk of all-cause mortality than did women who scored 3 or less.
“The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are recognized by medical professionals, and our study offers insights into why the diet may be so beneficial. Public health policies should promote the healthful dietary attributes of the Mediterranean diet and should discourage unhealthy adaptations,” said Dr. Mora.
Horiatiki Salad Recipe and The MIND Diet for Brain Health: More Benefits of Olive Oil
I’m a huge fan of both Greek and Middle Eastern salads, the ingredients of which are not only delicious but also mainstays of the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet, a way of eating designed for brain health. It’s an offshoot of the super-healthy Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. Why the distinction? Because the latest research on the MIND diet shows it can slow aging as well as reduce dementia risk. Add this to the list of the benefits of olive oil—it’s one of the super foods that MIND suggests including every day.
Chicken Skillet Dinner Recipe, Spotlight on Chicken Thighs, Parboiling Potatoes, Fruit and Veggies for Better Sleep and Exercising A Cancer-Fighting Plan
Craving a flavorful meal that’s complex only in its taste? This dish with chicken thighs and potatoes fits the bill. Perfect for cooler weather, it’s hearty and satisfying. And, according to new research on sleep, its veggies may bring you closer to restful shut-eye—read about the correlation below. This issue’s other research recap is on a hopeful benefit of exercise: How it can help stymie the growth of cancer cells as part of an overall cancer-fighting plan.
Chicken Skillet Dinner
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Chicken Thighs
I love the deeper flavor of chicken thighs and the convenience of skinless, boneless ones. However, roasting or baking with the bone in can be even more flavorful and less expensive—just pull off the skin when it’s not called for.
Chicken thighs are a good source of protein, with about 27 grams per 4-ounce serving and just a moderate amount of fat. They’re also a good source of B vitamins and the minerals iron and zinc.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Parboiling Potatoes
Skillet potatoes are delicious, but it can take quite a bit of time for the potatoes to cook through. Parboiling to the rescue—this short boil partially cooks the spuds, softening not only the inside but also the outside and releasing a layer of gelatinized starch that helps the potatoes crisp up when they’re transferred to a stovetop skillet to finish cooking.
To parboil potatoes or any other hard vegetable, cut them as desired and add to a stockpot. Fill it three-quarters of the way with cold water and a tablespoon of coarse sea salt. Bring the water to a boil and set a timer for 7 minutes. You should be able to easily pierce a piece or two of potato with a fork, but they should not fall apart. If necessary, transfer them to layers of paper towels and blot dry.
For Your Best Health
Fruit and Veggies for Better Sleep
We all know about the benefits of eating vegetables and fruit for overall health, but there’s another reason to add them to the menu today: sleeping more soundly tonight. “Dietary modifications could be a new, natural, and cost-effective approach to achieve better sleep,” said Professor Esra Tasali, MD, director of the UChicago Sleep Center and co-senior author of the study, “Higher daytime intake of fruits and vegetables predicts less disrupted nighttime sleep in younger adults,” published in Sleep Health: The Journal of the National Sleep Foundation.
Sleep disruptions can have far-reaching negative consequences, impacting cardiovascular and metabolic health, memory, learning, productivity, mood regulation, interpersonal relationships, and more. “The temporal associations and objectively measured outcomes in this study represent crucial steps toward filling a gap in important public health knowledge,” said Dr. Tasali.
Studies have shown that inadequate sleep can cause people to gravitate toward unhealthier diets that are higher in fat and sugar. However, despite the far-reaching effects of sleep on public health and even economic productivity, not all that much is known about how diet can affect sleep patterns. In previous observational studies, high fruit and vegetable intakes were associated with better self-reported overall sleep quality. However, this new study was the first to draw a temporal connection between a given day’s dietary choices and objectively measured sleep quality that same night.
Healthy young adults who participated in the study reported their food consumption each day with an app and wore a wrist monitor that allowed the researchers to empirically measure their sleep patterns. The researchers, including scientists from Columbia University and the University of California San Diego, specifically looked at “sleep fragmentation,” an index that reflects how often someone awakens or shifts from deep to light sleep throughout the night. They found that each day’s diet was correlated with meaningful differences in the subsequent night’s sleep. Participants who ate more fruits and vegetables during the day tended to have deeper, more uninterrupted sleep that same night, as did those who consumed more healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains.
Based on their findings and statistical modeling, the researchers estimate that people who eat the CDC-recommended five cups of fruits and veggies per day could experience a 16% improvement in sleep quality compared to people who consume no fruits or vegetables.
“Sixteen percent is a highly significant difference,” Dr. Tasali said. “It’s remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours.”
Future studies will help establish causation; broaden the findings across diverse populations; and examine the underlying mechanisms of digestion, neurology, and metabolism that could explain the positive impact of fruits and vegetables on sleep quality. But based on current data, the experts confidently advise that regularly eating a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables is best for long-term sleep health.
“People are always asking me if there are things they can eat that will help them sleep better,” says co-senior author Professor Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research at Columbia. “Small changes can impact sleep. That is empowering—better rest is within your control.”
Fitness Flash
Exercising A Cancer-Fighting Plan
A vigorous workout can spark anti-cancer proteins, cut cancer cell growth, and help survivors fight recurrence by reducing inflammation and improving body composition, according to new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU). ECU PhD student Francesco Bettariga found that a single bout of either resistance or high-intensity interval training increased levels of myokines, a protein produced by muscles, which have anti-cancer effects and that could reduce the proliferation of cancer growth by 20% to 30%. His research with survivors of breast cancer measured myokine levels before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after working out.
“Exercise has emerged as a therapeutic intervention in the management of cancer, and a large body of evidence exists that shows the safety and effectiveness of exercise as medicine, either during or post cancer treatment,” Bettariga said. “The results from this study are excellent motivators to add exercise as standard care in the treatment of cancer.”
While higher levels of myokines were expected in a healthy population after a vigorous workout, Bettariga investigated whether breast cancer survivors would see the same results, given the impact that cancer treatments and cancer itself often have on the body. He added that the long-term implications of elevated myokine levels should be further investigated, particularly in relation to cancer recurrence.
Further research by Bettariga investigated how changes in body composition, following consistent exercise, could impact inflammation, which plays a key role in breast cancer recurrence and mortality by promoting tumor progression. Persistent inflammation not only promotes tumor progression by influencing cell proliferation, survival, invasiveness, and metastasis but also inhibits immune function. Given that the cancer itself and the side effects of treatments can elevate levels of inflammatory biomarkers, survivors of breast cancer are at increased risk of cancer progression, recurrence, and mortality.
“Strategies are needed to reduce inflammation, which may provide a less-supportive environment for cancer progression, leading to a lower risk of recurrence and mortality in survivors of breast cancer,” he explained. The new research found that by reducing fat mass, which is responsible for releasing anti- and pro-inflammatory markers, and increasing lean mass, through consistent and persistent exercise, cancer survivors had a better chance at reducing inflammation. Unfortunately, quick fixes to reduce fat mass would not have the same beneficial effects, Bettariga stressed when he said, “You never want to reduce your weight without exercising, because you need to build or preserve muscle mass and produce these chemicals that you can’t do through just diet alone.”
This double dose of chicken plus vegetables delights by affording rich flavor and cooks all in one pan.
Ingredients
1 pound fingerling or red potatoes, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound chicken thighs
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
8 ounces chicken sausage links, cut into 2″ slices
8 ounces button mushrooms, halved
1 yellow onion, halved and sliced into thin sections
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon rosemary needles
1 cup white wine
2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
Directions
Step 1
Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill three-quarters with water; add the tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Step 2
In a large bowl, mix the flour, teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Cut each chicken thigh into thirds and toss in the flour mixture to coat; place next to your stovetop.
Step 3
Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the sausage slices. Cook for 5 minutes, flip with tongs, and cook for another 5 minutes. Move the sausage to the outside of the pan and add the chicken thighs; brown them on all sides. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned on the edges. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and mushrooms to a bowl next to your stovetop.
Step 4
Add the rest of the olive oil and the onions to the hot skillet and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the potatoes in one layer, sprinkle with the garlic and rosemary, and let cook undisturbed for 5 minutes to brown the edges; flip and repeat. Transfer the potatoes to the bowl with the meat and deglaze the skillet with the wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce by half.
Step 5
Add the meat and vegetables back to the skillet along with the chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and let the stock cook down until it thickens to a sauce and an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F when you test a few pieces of the thighs.
Farfalle with Creamy Tomato Ricotta Sauce Recipe, Spotlight on the Basil Family, High-Speed Blenders, Understanding Ultra-Processed Foods and Better Balance
Take advantage with this delicious tomato sauce recipe while farm stands still have fresh tomatoes for sale, though I will say it’s almost as good made with hothouse cherry tomatoes available all year long. Eating seasonally is always a top goal and can help you avoid many ultra-processed foods—read the highlights of the American Heart Association’s advisory about these packaged products to help you make the good choices for better health.
Farfalle with Creamy Tomato Ricotta Sauce
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Basil: Meet the Family
Many people keep basil growing year-round, moving a pot from the garden to a windowsill. But you might be surprised to learn that there are some 150 different basil varieties and that you might prefer one over another…or decide to grow two or more for the different tastes they impart. Here’s a quick rundown of the more common types available:
Genovese basil, with its large, rounded leaves and intense taste, is arguably the most popular basil grown.
Sweet basil, as its name implies, has a milder taste; its leaves are lighter in color and pointier than Genovese.
Greek basil has rounded leaves smaller than Genovese and usually an even more intense taste.
Thai sweet basil has beautiful pointy green leaves, yet its stalks and flowers are a deep purple. Used in Thai and other South Asian cuisines, it adds layers of taste to dishes.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
High-Speed Blenders
Food processors changed the way we cook, making so many recipes effortless. Traditional blenders with a small bottom blade couldn’t compete on volume. But with today’s high-speed blenders, many recipes are being shaken up all over again. When it comes to making smoothies, instant sorbets, and large quantities of sauces, blenders with a motor power output of 1,000 watts or more are unbeatable. Some double as a crushed-ice machine and can also grind nuts and seeds in seconds. If you’re in the market for a new blender, check out models from Ninja, Vitamix, and Blendtec. Yes, they’re pricey, but some come with attachments that look like traditional food processor bowls, giving you two appliances in the space of one.
For Your Best Health
Understanding Ultra-Processed Foods
Last week in The Olive Oil Hunter Newsletter, I shared a study that found dieters who followed a diet of minimally processed foods lost twice the weight of those who ate mostly ultra-processed foods (UPFs) even though they all consumed the same number of calories. A new American Heart Association Science Advisory has detailed even more concerns surrounding UPFs.
The advisory, “Ultraprocessed Foods and Their Association with Cardiometabolic Health: Evidence, Gaps and Opportunities,” summarizes current knowledge about UPFs and their impact on cardiometabolic health, and outlines opportunities for research, policy, and regulatory reform to improve dietary intake and overall health. It was published in Circulation, the flagship journal of the American Heart Association.
Advisory highlights:
Most UPFs, including sugar-sweetened drinks, ultra-processed meats, refined grains, candies, and commercial baked goods, are characterized by poor nutritional quality, contributing to excessive calories, and are typically high in saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium, which contribute to adverse cardiometabolic health outcomes, including heart attack, stroke, obesity, inflammation, type 2 diabetes, and vascular complications.
Observational studies have found links between eating higher amounts of UPFs and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic illness, and mortality.
Emerging evidence also suggests certain additives and industrial processing techniques may have negative health effects.
However, not all UPFs are junk foods or have poor nutritional quality. A limited number, such as certain commercial whole grains, low-fat-low-sugar dairy, and some plant-based items, have positive nutritional value and, therefore, can be part of an overall healthy dietary pattern.
Experts recommend multilevel strategies, including more research to uncover how UPFs specifically impact the body, refining dietary guidance to discourage excessive consumption of nutrient-poor UPFs, clarifying the impact of the limited number of UPFs with more-favorable nutrition profiles, more research on the health impacts of food additives, and evidence-based policies to evaluate and regulate food additives.
“The relationship between UPFs and health is complex and multifaceted,” said Maya K. Vadiveloo, PhD, RD, FAHA, volunteer chair of the writing group for this Science Advisory. “We know that eating foods with too much saturated fat, added sugars, and salt is unhealthy. What we don’t know is if certain ingredients or processing techniques make a food unhealthy above and beyond their poor nutritional composition, and if certain additives and processing steps used to make healthier food like commercial whole grain breads have any health impact.”
The rapid rise in UPF consumption since the 1990s disrupted traditional dietary patterns, potentially contributing to adverse health effects. It is estimated that 70% of grocery store products in the US contain at least one ultra-processed ingredient. As detailed in a CDC report published on August 7, 2025, 55% of calories consumed by people ages 1 and older in the US come from UPFs. Among children ages 1 to 18 years of age, total UPF calories jumped to nearly 62%, and among adults ages 19 and older, it’s 53%. In addition, families with a lower mean income had a higher percentage of UPFs consumed per day: 54.7% for the lowest income group versus 50.4% for the highest income group.
UPFs are relatively inexpensive, convenient, and aggressively marketed, particularly toward youngsters and those living in under-resourced communities, often displacing healthier alternatives. This shift resulted in lowering the overall nutritional quality of typical eating patterns in the US and is misaligned with the American Heart Association’s dietary guidance.
A meta-analysis of prospective studies cited in the Advisory found a dose-response relationship between UPF consumption and cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and all-cause mortality. High versus low UPF intake was linked to a 25% to 58% higher risk of cardiometabolic outcomes and a 21% to 66% higher risk of mortality. More research is needed to understand the appropriate thresholds for daily consumption of UPFs, including what a safe amount is and the incremental risks of eating more UPFs.
Research has also found that UPFs may promote obesity. UPFs frequently contain combinations of ingredients and additives to enhance palatability, and these may influence reward-related brain activity. For example, ingredients like artificial flavors may mimic sweetness without sugar, and this disruption in flavor-nutrient relationships often leads to irregular eating habits and results in weight gain.
“More research is needed to better understand the mechanisms of how UPFs impact health. In the meantime, the Association continues to urge people to cut back on the most harmful UPFs, [which] are high in saturated fats, added sugars and sodium, and excessive calories, and instead follow a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and whole grains; low-fat-low-sugar dairy; and lean proteins like fish, seafood, or poultry for better short- and long-term health,” said Dr. Vadiveloo.
Fitness Flash
Be in Better Balance
Of all the motor skills that contribute to mobility, balance is probably the most overlooked. And as we age, balance—along with strength training—becomes even more important. The American Council on Exercise stresses training both stability and mobility in a variety of planes of motion and positions to maximize your ability to perform everyday activities.
According to experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, having a hard time or feeling unsteady when doing activities such as squatting down, standing up from a chair, or simply walking can increase the risk of falling. Exercises that call for strength and balance can help. Always talk to your doctor or a physical therapist first before starting any new exercises, especially if you have weak balance.
Here’s a progressive exercise sequence that they suggest for people who have a low risk of falling and are able to stand on their own without support from others but in the beginning, stand in a corner or at a kitchen counter in case you start losing your balance and need a wall or counter to steady yourself.
1. Feet apart: Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart, eyes open. Hold steady for 10 seconds, working your way up to 30 seconds. If you find yourself swaying or reaching for the wall or counter frequently, just keep working on this exercise until you can do it with minimal swaying or support. Once you can hold this position firmly for 30 seconds, move on to the next exercise.
2. Feet together: Stand with feet together, eyes open. Hold steady 10 seconds, working your way up to 30 seconds. Once you can do this exercise for 30 seconds with minimal swaying or support, move on to the next one.
3. One foot: Stand on one foot, eyes open. Hold steady 10 seconds, working up to 30 seconds. Switch feet and repeat.
4. Eyes closed: If you can perform the first three exercises safely and with little support, try to do each one with your eyes closed. Hold for 10 seconds, working up to 30 seconds.
You can repeat each exercise up to 5 times per session and build up to repeating the sequence twice a day.
While there’s a place for slowly simmered red sauce, I love how quickly this version comes together, enriched with extra virgin olive oil and ricotta cheese.
Ingredients
Coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup grated yellow onions
4 cups cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 fresh basil sprigs
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more to taste
1 pound farfalle or another pasta of similar size
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water and a tablespoon of salt to a boil just before you start the sauce.
Step 2
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil, onions, and a sprinkling of salt. Cook until the onions become translucent. Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, sugar, and crushed red pepper, and sauté until the tomatoes burst, stirring constantly. Put the pasta in the boiling water at this point and cook until al dente, according to package directions.
Step 3
Continue cooking the tomatoes for a few more minutes, just until their liquid starts to reduce. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a high-speed blender and process to a smooth sauce, about 30 seconds (start at a low speed and increase gradually to avoid splatter). Pour the sauce back in the skillet and, over medium heat, stir in the ricotta.
Step 4
Use a large Chinese strainer to transfer the pasta to the skillet and coat with the sauce. Ladle into deep bowls, sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and drizzle with olive oil.
Direct From Australia!
A Trio of Exquisite Extra Virgin Olive Oils All From Gold-Medal-Winning Farms Perfect for Your Autumn Table
Food-friendly fresh-pressed oils created by your Olive Oil Hunter and the leading Aussie artisanal producers.
Unique expressions of prized varietals and rich in polyphenols, the source of EVOO’s wide-ranging health benefits.
Rushed to the US by jet to maximize freshness and independently certified to be 100 percent extra virgin olive oil.
It’s not hyperbole to say that I travel to the four corners of the world to find Club members the freshest and food-friendliest extra virgin olive oils on the planet. Though my annual visit to Australia is the longest trip I make each year—close to 24 hours in the air—I always look forward to it because the island continent is like no other: the people, the landscapes, the food.
Many people are surprised that the southeastern state of Victoria produces exquisite olive oil, not realizing that its climate, indeed its many microclimates, mirror the growing conditions around the Mediterranean. The history of Australian extra virgin olive oil is decidedly shorter, but the growers I’ve forged relationships with (for well over a decade now) are every bit as passionate as their European counterparts—they live and breathe olive oil.
Those in the know credit Leandro Ravetti, international panel judge and olive oil consultant, with setting the highest EVOO standards in Oz—he was instrumental in convincing producers to print “use by” dates on their oils, for instance. He and I visited one of his nurseries with thousands of seedlings that, if conditions are just right, will one day be mighty olive trees bearing beautiful fruit for the Club’s oils.
Aussie EVOO is so delectable because the producers know how to balance art and science to create superb New World olive oils from Old World varieties. Consider Kyneton, producer of our bold oil: estate manager Mick Labbozzetta’s parents came here from Italy, and he’s joined for every harvest by Davide Bruno, an Italian master miller—the seasons of the Southern Hemisphere occur at opposite times of the year, so many European experts are able to travel here and share their knowledge.
An Embarrassment of Riches
Melbourne, my first stop in Australia, is synonymous with Melissa Wong, olive oil authority, former restauranteur, fellow foodie, and all-around gastronomic genius. Her exquisite palate is so appreciated at the grand tastings she organizes for my Merry Band of Tasters and me. This year had a delicious twist: like the surf along Victoria’s beaches, the fresh-pressed olive oil samples came in seemingly endless waves. Every time I thought we had crafted the perfect blends, more contenders—superstars all—arrived for us to taste. “Recalibrate” became our mantra.
Olive oil authority Melissa Wong and I get ready to taste the latest arrivals of harvest-fresh olive oils from Victoria producers. As vast as this array looks, these were but a fraction of the amazing samples we had to play with.
With such an array of delicious and unique oils to choose from, you might think that the season was a slam dunk, but, in actuality, many growers lost huge amounts of olives because of Mother Nature’s mean bag of tricks, specifically an unexpected frost that killed the blossoms of early-flowering varietals. According to world-renowned olive savant, master miller, and honorary member of my Merry Band, Leandro Ravetti, growers lost on average 40 percent of potential olives to frost. Indeed, when we met up, my good friend John Symington of Oasis, a name familiar to Club members, told me that one of his farms had lost 90 percent of its olives!
The saving grace? The Aussie producers we worked with knew how to pivot and focus on pampering their late-flowering varietals. Another important edge is that they have groves in various microclimates, sometimes hundreds of miles apart, so we’re never counting on just one. However, they faced other challenges—the summer was very hot and dry, and it took a long time for autumnal temperatures to arrive. That meant harvesting earlier in the day, working on the cooler days, and, in some cases, pausing the harvest. The bottles you now have in front of you are testament to their skills in the field and the mill.
The drive from Melbourne to Tongio, home of Nullamunjie, Annie Paterson’s groves, is a fun trek. We stayed at the impressive Hotel Grand Terminus in Bairnsdale, whose façade remains true to 1889 architecture. And, of course, there was a pit stop at Bruthen Bakery for its fantastic meat pies, made even more divine with fresh-pressed olive oil—Annie introduced me to the place over a decade ago and now it’s a must on my itinerary.
Oz: Always in Good Taste
Second only to the pleasure I take in sampling fresh-pressed oils is discovering new food trends and sharing them with you. Melbourne (or Mel-buhn, as the locals pronounce it) is a foodie city, and it’s wonderful to see how its restaurants have embraced ultra-premium extra virgin olive oil. At Antara, for instance, the chefs created a dining series featuring local oils, with dishes that included wood-fired scallops, a duck parfait, and a citrus pavlova, all lavished with EVOO. There’s also a huge coffee culture here, and a brew called tiger bomb is all the rage (I’ve given it my own spin in the recipe section below).
It’s no secret that everywhere I go, I take the best of the fresh-pressed olive oil blends with me to make sure they pair perfectly with many cuisines before I deem them ready for the Club—that’s easy to do in Australia because so many restaurants specialize in ethnic cuisines. The three selections you’re about to try have met my self-avowed impossibly high standards, so I know you will enjoy them throughout the season on all your favorite autumn dishes, as will I.
Happy drizzling!
T. J. Robinson The Olive Oil Hunter®
This Quarter’s First Selection
Producer: AuLife
Middle Park, Australia
Olive Varieties: Picual
Flavor Profile: Mild
When Melissa Wong and I first met at the original Food Network studios in New York, now nearly 25 years ago, I could never have dreamed that we would forge such a deep friendship and one day be working together so closely…on the other side of the world. When the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club was just a gleam in my eye, this gracious and elegant food-globetrotter partnered with Michelin chef Claudio Sadler to open a branch of his Sadler Ristorante in Beijing. When Melissa and her husband Robert decided to relocate from Asia to Melbourne, she founded AuLife to promote Australia’s extraordinary olive oils and other gourmet specialty foods.
With her meticulous judgment and discerning palate, Melissa has become one of my most trusted collaborators in Australia—my “boots on the ground,” as I often refer to her. Our relationship has only deepened over the years. In recent seasons, I’ve been thrilled to be back in her beautiful home—not only for our marathon tastings but also for collaborating with her on recipes. (She’s such a foodie that she’s the only person I know to have a Berkel, the top-of-the-line meat slicer, in their home kitchen!)
I tour hundreds of olive groves around the world, but only Down Under are there kangaroos hopping between the trees (happily, they don’t bother the fruit). This fellow was as curious about me as I was of him—could it have been my Olive Oil Hunter hat?
Melissa, originally from Vancouver, Canada, is an ultra-savvy EVOO scout and always has the inside scoop on the Oz olive oil scene. As we reviewed the many contenders for this quarter’s trio, she shared her vision for our mild selection: create an exceptional oil from two unique Picuals—one from Boort and the other from Kialla. Being a phenomenal taster, Melissa knew that this could be a powerful marriage. The two groves were 100 miles from each other, and while that might not seem like a great distance, each is a product of its terroir—literally, “sense of place,” which accounts for the different expressions of the same varietal. So many aspects of the environment, such as climate, soil, topography, and elevation, come together to create an oil’s distinctive characteristics. While one of the Picuals in this blend can be described as highly aromatic, the other has more structure, bitterness, and spiciness to it. We worked together to find just the right ratio, and the exquisite result is definitely greater than the sum of its parts.
Picual lovers will note the difference between the Aussie and the Spanish styles—there’s a wonderful tropical aspect to this olive oil, yet it also has intense flavor, perfect for autumn dishes from bruschetta to roasted root vegetables, soups, and stews.
While Melissa and I adore the Melbourne restaurant scene, we often have the most fun right in her kitchen. She demonstrated just how easy it is to make Chinese dumplings. I love that she busts the myth about using only peanut oil in Asian cooking—she brings her spin to recipes with extra virgin olive oil. Check out two of her favorites, these dumplings and gai lan, a Chinese green, in the recipe section.
Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings
This enchanting Picual has rich aromas of tomato and green grass, complemented by green banana, Asian pear, and tropical fruit. There are also notes of Bibb lettuce, celery, and white pepper, along with herbal notes of parsley, rosemary, and mint. When we sipped from the glass, we tasted tomato, baby lettuces, celery leaf, and green tea; the bitterness of radicchio and Belgian endive; and the spiciness of black pepper, with a sweet finish, persistent of fresh mint.
This exquisite oil will elevate mild vinaigrettes, tomato dishes, Asian salads, puréed soups, roasted “dirty” martini shrimp cocktail,* crudo, chicken and vegetable sheet pan “stir fry,” pasta, risotto, Melissa’s prawn and pork dumplings, white beans, lentils, couscous, baked sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and squash, fruit dishes, yogurt, ice cream, ANZAC cookies, and quick breads.
Though we love Melbourne’s big-city vibes, my Merry Band of Tasters and I are always eager to head northeast to bucolic East Gippsland to visit the award-winning Nullamunjie olive groves and its charming proprietress, Annie Paterson.
A visit to Greece in her early twenties ignited Annie’s passion for olive oil. To this day, she remembers a trip along the Aegean coastline, admiring the sage-colored leaves of olive trees framed by the windows of the tour bus. The large cattle ranch where she grew up was on the 37th parallel, the antipodal twin of the Mediterranean’s olive-growing region. She surmised that olive trees would thrive there. Alas, her father declined to sell land to her.
So, the next few decades of her life passed conventionally. Annie married successful Melbourne businessman and entrepreneur John Paterson, with whom she raised four children. Then, in 1998, Annie resurrected her dream by buying several hundred acres of family land on the slopes of Mt. Stawell. Appealingly, there was a water source for irrigation—the Tambo River. John was supportive of his wife’s olive oil ambitions, accepting Annie’s frequent absences and often traveling with her to the groves some 250 miles away from their home.
As always, it was wonderful to see Annie again. John, who serves on numerous corporate boards, was also able to join us this year—a rare treat. Despite working long hours at the pressing shed (Aussie slang for “mill”), Annie was her usual effervescent self, always leaving laughter and hilarity in her wake. John lovingly restores her energy and good humor after a long day by opening a nice bottle of red wine and by preparing one of his specialties—spaghetti bolognese or hearty beef bourguignon.
The picturesque Tambo River (left) cuts through the Nullamunjie olive groves, sustaining the trees as well as abundant Aussie wildlife. We crossed the meandering river several times via the Great Alpine Road on our way to and from Tongio. At right: Operations manager Riley Nivens oversees the Nullamunjie olive groves—over 4,000 trees, all Italian varietals. We are pictured near the tool shed, each of us holding the multifingered rakes used to coax olives from the trees during the harvest.
She had us in stitches one evening, describing the flocks of yellow-crested cockatoos that pinch off olive-bearing branches with their wickedly sharp beaks. Not to eat them, Annie clarifies, but simply for the birds’ own amusement. To combat them, she has dispatched drones, fired a percussive gun, and resorted to screaming at them. “They’re very intelligent,” Annie says. And, evidently, very difficult to disperse.
Nullamunjie oils, she told us, will soon be used in a hip new restaurant in Sydney called 20 Chapel. Chef Costelloe’s signature dish is woodfired Wagyu steak drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Annie confided that this is one of her favorite uses of her oils. (Try it for yourself.)
Despite the cockatoo scourge, incursions into the groves of deer and oafish kangaroos (both of which can trample young seedlings), and untimely temperature extremes, Annie was very pleased with the quality of this season’s oils. I was, too! The farm blend we created especially for you—a special thanks to indispensable Nullamunjie operations manager Riley Nivens—features Italian varietals in a unique and food-friendly combination. I am always astounded by Annie’s commitment to excellence, using innovative strategies, upgrading equipment, buying additional land, planting new trees, and following sound environmental practices. Most of all, I salute this septuagenarian’s boundless energy and continued investment in her farm’s future.
Annie and John Paterson have been partners in the olive oil world for over two decades, from the hands-on work such as pruning to rolling with the emotional ups and downs each harvest. Like Annie, John is a talented cook. During our recent visit, he prepared a delectable spaghetti bolognese, which we enjoyed with just-pressed Nullamunjie and wine from the couple’s well-stocked cellar.
Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings
This assertive blend of Correggiola, Coratina, Leccino, and Pendolino delights with the scents of sweet almond, fennel, Tuscan kale, artichoke, arugula, kiwi, green peppercorns, and thyme, along with nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Its complexity was apparent on the palate with the essence of green artichoke and fresh walnuts, dark leafy greens such as Swiss chard, fresh oregano, the sweetness of golden apple, bitterness of cacao beans, and spiciness of black pepper and arugula.
Lavish this oil on bruschetta, hearty salads, and salads with nuts; Australian zucchini breakfast slice* and other egg dishes; duck, roasted chicken, and turkey; steaks; pasta with meat sauces; fatty fish, octopus, and calamari; pizza; gai lan, roasted root vegetables, and garbanzo beans; Annie’s baked pears, and chocolate and nut-based desserts.
*See the recipe section for bolded dishes.
This Quarter’s Third Selection
Producer: Kyneton
Bylands, Australia
Olive Varieties: Coratina, Frantoio
Flavor Profile: Bold
“Super green…slightly lighter green…but all green,” is how master miller Davide Bruno described the gorgeous Coratina olives showcased in this superstar EVOO. Davide, who’s worked with Kyneton since 2018, knows exactly what I prize: early-harvest oil, pressed during that magic window when the fruit is at the peak of its flavor and brimming with healthful polyphenols.
Victoria-based Kyneton, one of the pioneers of Aussie ultra-premium olive oil, has been a destination for me and my Merry Band of Tasters since 2009. In the intervening years, over several delicious Club collaborations, the Kyneton crew—headed by estate manager Mick Labbozzetta—and I have developed fond friendships, born of an ever-evolving mutual desire to create great olive oil. Kyneton’s motto is “Australian made, Italian heritage,” embodied by its all-Italian (and Italian-descent) team, state-of-the-art Italian milling equipment, and olive roster of mainly Italian varietals.
Kyneton’s master miller, Davide Bruno, has a preternatural sense of when the olives are just entering the magic window of maximal flavor, aromas, and polyphenols—the ideal time to pick and press them for a vibrant early-harvest oil. “You love the oil like me,” Davide told me. This is one of the many reasons I treasure every opportunity to collaborate with him and the Kyneton team.
Mick was born in Adelaide to a Calabrian father and Sicilian mother, both of whom immigrated to Australia in the 1950s. He often looks like he stepped out of a classic film, dapper yet down-to-earth, with a trademark newsboy cap. He joined Kyneton in 2016 via what I described at the time as a “tale of two households,” like Romeo and Juliet, except the families liked each other and everyone lived happily ever after. Mick’s daughter, Melissa, is married to Robert Inturissi, whose family acquired Kyneton from the Trovatellos (whose award-winning farm was already a Club favorite). With everyone’s blessing, Mick took the helm, continuing and expanding Kyneton’s innovation and excellence.
Mick’s love of family extends to his production team: Davide Bruno joins for the harvest—the rest of the year, he works the opposite season as a master miller in his native Liguria—and is supported in the Kyneton groves year-round by Calabrian Carmelo Tramontana. When the three of them are in the harvest groove, Italian phrases buzzing while just-picked olives are being rushed to the mill, you’d swear you were in the old country.
During the off season, Mick took a long-anticipated trip to Italy, visiting his father’s village of Sinopoli as well as a mill in Calabria run by one of his dad’s old schoolmates. Mick and I reflected on how different European olive oil production can be. “They have their traditional habits,” he said, noting that the Australian way is much more open, more about sharing—not only fruit but also equipment, harvesting and milling techniques, and hard-earned wisdom.
I was thrilled to get advance word from Kyneton of an outstanding Coratina harvest—the first from a team they collaborate with near the town of Bendigo, about 200 km (120 miles) from Bylands. Mick and Davide worked closely with the farm’s growers, advising and optimizing. “Only green fruit for us, please, please,” Davide laughed, imitating his plea. The combination of exquisite Coratina, harvested at precisely the right moment; a splash of Frantoio, with soft almond flavors; and a new olive crusher in Kyneton’s mill enabled us to create a delectably harmonious oil, robust, well-balanced, and exceedingly food-friendly.
Left: A few years back, Mick Labbozzetta and I savored an Italian repast at That’s Amore Cheese, a community favorite among many excellent Italian eateries in Melbourne (owner Giorgio Linguanti is center). In the time since this photo was taken, That’s Amore—a magnet for Italian Australian workers and diners—has opened two more locations. Right: We Are Family—Mick’s extended clan gathered to celebrate his granddaughter’s confirmation, and I joined them afterward to pick up bottles of harvest-fresh olive oil from Mick. We joked that the EVOO got blessed by association, because the Coratina we created for you is so divinely delicious.
Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings
An intense Coratina with a splash of Frantoio, this oil has quite the aromatic bouquet: green almond, tomato leaf, spinach, and wheatgrass; the sweetness of green apple; floral notes of nasturtium; and chopped culinary herbs—rosemary, oregano, and basil. On the palate, there was an explosion of macadamia nut and green almond, watercress, raw artichoke, and fennel, with notes of dark chocolate and coffee, rosemary, wild mint, lime zest, and the tingling spiciness and bitterness of celery leaf and arugula.
It will pair exquisitely with crusty breads; beet and goat cheese salad* and dark leafy green salads; butterflied leg of lamb with za’atar, beef, game, tuna, and salmon; soba noodles and peas with olive oil–soy dressing, hearty pasta sauces, rice pilafs and other grain dishes; and chocolate mousse.
*See the recipe section for bolded dishes.
Olive Oil and Health
Kudos from Club Members
Don't leave home without it I take my oil with me when I travel, and I can no longer stand the refined olive oil and stopped buying it. Grocery store EVOO tastes bland and uninteresting.
Tiffanie B.allahassee, FL
The difference is night and day I thought I knew olive oil. I have been buying a good quality olive oil (in a tin) for years. I received my first Olive Oil Club bottle and tried it out. The flavour is outstanding. The difference between what I have been using and fresh-pressed is night and day. The fresh-pressed is head and shoulders better than my brand. Looking forward to the next bottle!
Bob B.Captain Cook, HI
Immediately ordered the larger bottles After my first order, I made the best mayonnaise I’ve ever tasted!! So, I immediately ordered the larger sizes of oils. Not sure quarterly is going to give me enough!!
Annie also shared her recipe for slow-baked pears. “The long cooking time is essential—they’re just not the same if you try to hurry the dish along,” she explained. Serve them with the best-quality store-bought ice cream or make your own. Note: The pears can also be baked with the skins on for a more rustic look.
Ingredients
2 large ripe green pears
1/2 cup water, more if needed
1 vanilla bean, split, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Vanilla or vanilla olive oil ice cream
Slivered almonds (optional)
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel, halve, and remove the core from the pears.
Step 2
Place the pears, cut side up, in a baking dish and pour the water around them. Add the vanilla pod or extract to the water. Place 1 teaspoon olive oil, topped with 1 teaspoon butter, in the cored center of each pear half. Sprinkle the sugar over the pears
Step 3
Cover the baking dish (use foil if it doesn’t have its own cover) and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, checking periodically to make sure the water has not evaporated (add more water if necessary). At the end of the cooking time, the sugar and water should have just started to caramelize, and the tip of a sharp knife should easily pierce the fruit.
Step 4
Let cool slightly, then serve with vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of olive oil, some syrup from the baking dish, and a sprinkling of almonds, if desired.
Chinese broccoli is a delicious change from American greens. Melissa Wong shared her simple recipe with me. If you can’t find it at your local ethnic markets, feel free to substitute broccoli rabe. Vegetarian versions of oyster sauce are available online or at larger markets.
Ingredients
1 pound gai lan or baby gai lan
4 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought
chicken or vegetable broth, or salted water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (optional)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
Directions
Step 1
Soak the gai lan in cold water to dislodge any sand or grit; rinse well and drain. Trim about 1/2 inch off the stem ends. Peel any tough ends with a vegetable peeler or paring knife. (This will not be necessary if you are using baby gai lan.) Prepare an ice bath by adding ice cubes to a large bowl of cold water.
Step 2
Over medium-high heat, bring the broth to a boil in a deep saucepan or wok. Add the gai lan and blanch until it turns bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the gai lan to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Reserve the cooking liquid in a separate bowl or container. Drain the gai lan and transfer it to a platter, plate, or shallow bowl.
Step 3
Add the olive oil to the still-hot pan (or reheat, if necessary) as well as the garlic and ginger, if using. Sauté over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid (save or freeze the remainder for another use) as well as the oyster sauce. Pour the sauce over the gai lan. Serve at room temperature.
Melissa’s Vegetarian Dumplings with Dipping Sauce Recipe, Spotlight on Asian Ingredients, Prepping Rice Noodles, Fewer Ultra-Processed Foods, Greater Weight Loss, and On the Horizon: Walk This Way…To Ease Knee Pain
Members of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club know that the Pressing Report that accompanies each quarterly shipment includes a recipe section focused on the cuisines of the countries where the olives were harvested and milled. However, extra virgin olive oil has a delicious place in nearly every cuisine, and this Asian dumpling recipe is a perfect example. I talk a lot about the merits of eating whole foods, and a new study on weight loss points to one of its many benefits. I’m also sharing an imminent new therapy for knee arthritis—how a simple tweak to the way you walk can help.
Melissa’s Vegetarian Dumplings with Dipping Sauce
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Asian Ingredients
Fresh ginger, garlic, and scallions are mainstays in Asian cooking, but there are other staples called for in so many recipes, including stir-fries and marinades, that you’ll use them more than you realize once you have them in your pantry. Here are descriptions of the essentials used in the dumpling recipe:
Black vinegar is an aged vinegar with a rich, pungent yet somewhat sweet flavor.
Rice noodles and wrappers can be used the same way you’d use pasta and tortillas. Because they’re gluten-free, they’re a great alternative to flour-based products.
Rice wine, such as Shaoxing or mirin, or rice wine vinegar adds fruity notes along with acidity.
Sesame oil is available toasted to be used as a finishing oil or added at the end of a recipe, and untoasted, which is milder in taste and lighter in color.
Sichuan peppercorns, which come whole or ground, are not technically a chile pepper but deliver a slightly citrusy zing to dishes.
Soy sauce is used instead of salt and can be very powerful—consider reduced-sodium varieties or simply start with just half of what’s called for in traditional recipes.
Other than the peppercorns, store these in the fridge after opening.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Prepping Rice Noodles
Rice noodles are used in so many Asian dishes, from stir-fries to soups and from pad Thai to Vietnamese summer rolls. What’s more, they can be stored in the pantry and don’t need to be boiled before using. A quick soak in cool water is all that’s necessary—about 10 seconds for a wrapper and 2 to 3 minutes for a bowl of noodles.
For Your Best Health
Fewer Ultra-Processed Foods, Greater Weight Loss
A recent study done at the University College London in the UK is music to a frustrated dieter’s ears: Participants eating minimally processed foods lost twice as much weight as those eating ultra-processed foods, even though both groups’ diets were nutritionally balanced and they could eat freely. The findings revealed that food processing itself—not just the food’s nutrients—plays a significant role in shaping body weight and health outcomes and that cutting down on processed foods could help people sustain a healthy weight long term.
The study, published in Nature Medicine, is the first interventional study comparing ultra-processed food (UPF) and minimally processed food (MPF) diets in real-world conditions, as well as being the longest experimental study of a UPF diet to date. Fifty-five adults were split into two groups. One group started with an eight-week diet of MPF, with meals like overnight oats and homemade spaghetti Bolognese; then, after a four-week period during which they went back to their normal diet, they were switched to a diet of UPF, with meals like breakfast oat bars and premade lasagna. The other group completed the diets in the opposite order. In total, 50 participants completed at least one diet.
The diets provided were nutritionally matched in accordance with the Eatwell Guide, the UK’s official government advice on how to eat a healthy, balanced diet. This included monitoring levels of fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrate, salt, and fiber, as well as providing recommended intakes of fruits and vegetables. Participants had plenty of food (i.e., more calories than they needed) delivered to their home and were told to eat as much or as little as they wanted, as they would normally. They were not told to limit their intake.
After eight weeks on each diet, both groups lost weight, likely a result of the improved nutritional profile of what they were eating compared to their normal diet. However, this effect was higher (2.06% reduction) with the MPF diet compared to the UPF diet (1.05% reduction). These changes corresponded to an estimated calorie deficit of 290 calories per day on the MPF diet, compared to 120 calories per day on the UPF diet. (The Eatwell Guide recommends a daily energy intake of 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 for men.)
The greater weight loss experienced on the MPF diet came from reductions in fat mass and total body water, with no change in muscle or fat-free mass, indicating a healthier body composition overall. The findings suggest that, when observing recommended dietary guidelines, choosing MPFs may be more effective for losing weight.
Samuel Dicken, PhD, first author of the study from the UCL Centre for Obesity Research and UCL Department of Behavioural Science & Health, said, “Previous research has linked ultra-processed foods with poor health outcomes. But not all ultra-processed foods are inherently unhealthy based on their nutritional profile. The main aim of this trial was to fill crucial gaps in our knowledge about the role of food processing in the context of existing dietary guidance, and how it affects health outcomes such as weight, blood pressure, and body composition, as well as experiential factors like food cravings.
“The primary outcome of the trial was to assess percentage changes in weight, and on both diets we saw a significant reduction, but the effect was nearly double on the minimally processed diet. Though a 2% reduction may not seem very big, that is only over eight weeks and without people trying to actively reduce their intake. If we scaled these results up over the course of a year, we’d expect to see a 13% weight reduction in men and a 9% reduction in women on the minimally processed diet, but only a 4% weight reduction in men and 5% in women after the ultra-processed diet. Over time this would start to become a big difference.”
Participants completed several questionnaires to assess their food cravings before starting the diets and at weeks four and eight during the diets. On the MPF diet compared to the UPF diet, participants reported a twofold greater improvement in overall craving control, a fourfold greater improvement in craving control for savory food, and an almost twofold greater improvement in resisting whichever food they most craved.
The trial also measured secondary health markers, such as blood pressure and heart rate, as well as blood markers such as liver function, glucose, cholesterol, and inflammation. Across these markers, there were no significant negative impacts of the UPF diet, with either no change or a significant improvement from baseline. Generally, there weren’t significant differences in these markers between the diets, and the researchers caution that longer studies would be needed to investigate these measures properly in relation to the changes in weight and fat mass.
Professor Rachel Batterham, PhD, senior author of the study from the UCL Centre for Obesity Research, said, “Despite being widely promoted, less than 1% of the UK population follows all of the recommendations in the Eatwell Guide, and most people stick to fewer than half. The normal diets of the trial participants tended to be outside national nutritional guidelines and included an above-average proportion of UPF, which may help to explain why switching to a trial diet consisting entirely of UPF but that was nutritionally balanced resulted in neutral or slightly favorable changes to some secondary health markers.
“The best advice to people would be to stick as closely to nutritional guidelines as they can by moderating overall energy intake; limiting intake of salt, sugar, and saturated fat; and prioritizing high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, pulses, and nuts. Choosing less-processed options such as whole foods and cooking from scratch, rather than [eating] ultra-processed, packaged foods or ready meals, is likely to offer additional benefits in terms of body weight, body composition, and overall health.”
Fitness Flash
On the Horizon: Walk This Way…To Ease Knee Pain
A new study led by a University of Utah engineering professor and including scientists from New York University and Stanford University showed that gait retraining can ease pain, slow cartilage damage, and even delay knee surgery.
By making a small adjustment to the angle of their foot while walking, participants in the yearlong randomized control trial experienced pain relief equivalent to medication. Critically, those participants also showed less knee cartilage degradation over that period as compared to a group that received a placebo treatment.
Published in The Lancet Rheumatologyand co-led by Scott Uhlrich, PhD, of Utah’s John and Marcia Price College of Engineering, these findings come from the first placebo-controlled study to demonstrate the effectiveness of a biomechanical intervention for osteoarthritis.
“We’ve known that for people with osteoarthritis, higher loads in their knee accelerate progression, and that changing the foot angle can reduce knee load,” said Dr. Uhlrich, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering. “So, the idea of a biomechanical intervention is not new, but there have not been randomized, placebo-controlled studies to show that they’re effective.”
With support from the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies, the researchers were specifically looking at patients with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis in the medial compartment of the knee—on the inside of the leg—which tends to bear more weight than the lateral—outside—compartment. This form of osteoarthritis is the most common, but the ideal foot angle for reducing load in the medial side of the knee differs from person to person, depending on their natural gait and how it changes when they adopt the new walking pattern.
“Previous trials prescribed the same intervention to all individuals, resulting in some individuals not reducing, or even increasing, their joint loading,” Dr. Uhlrich said. “We used a personalized approach to selecting each individual’s new walking pattern, which improved how much individuals could off-load their knee and likely contributed to the positive effect on pain and cartilage that we saw.”
In their first two visits, participants received a baseline MRI and practiced walking on a pressure-sensitive treadmill while motion-capture cameras recorded the mechanics of their gait. This allowed the researchers to determine whether turning the patient’s toe inward or outward would reduce load more, and whether a 5° or 10° adjustment would be ideal.
This personalized analysis also screened out potential participants who could not benefit from the intervention because none of the foot angle changes decreased the load on their knees.
After their initial intake sessions, half of the 68 participants were assigned to a sham treatment group to control for the placebo effect. These participants were prescribed foot angles that were actually identical to their natural gait. Conversely, participants in the intervention group were prescribed the change in foot angle that maximally reduced their knee loading.
Participants from both groups returned to the lab for six weekly training sessions, where they received biofeedback—vibrations from a device worn on the shin—that helped them maintain the prescribed foot angle while walking on the lab’s treadmill. After the six-week training period, participants were encouraged to practice their new gait for at least 20 minutes a day, to the point where it became natural. Periodic check-in visits showed that participants were adhering to their prescribed foot angle within a degree, on average. After a year, all participants self-reported their experience of knee pain and had a second MRI to quantitatively assess the damage to their knee cartilage.
“The reported decrease in pain over the placebo group was somewhere between what you’d expect from an over-the-counter medication, like ibuprofen, and a narcotic, like oxycontin,” Dr. Uhlrich said. “With the MRIs, we also saw slower degradation of a marker of cartilage health in the intervention group, which was quite exciting.”
Participants’ ability to adhere to the intervention over long periods of time is one of its potential advantages. “Especially for people in their 30s, 40s, or 50s, osteoarthritis could mean decades of pain management before they’re recommended for a joint replacement,” Dr. Uhlrich added. “This intervention could help fill that large treatment gap.”
Before gait retraining can be made widely available, future studies of this approach are needed and the gait retraining process will have to be streamlined. The researchers envision that this intervention will eventually be prescribed in a physical therapy clinic and that retraining can happen while people go for a walk around their neighborhood.
“We and others have developed technology that could be used to both personalize and deliver this intervention in a clinical setting by using mobile sensors, like smartphone video and a smart shoe,” Dr. Uhlrich said.
Roasting vegetables brings out their depth of flavor and turns a simple salad into a spectacular one. Beets, in particular, become oh so sweet!
Ingredients
2 small red or yellow beets, about 6 ounces each
Extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of kosher or coarse sea salt
4 cups micro greens or arugula
1 ripe pear, halved, cored, and cut into thin slices
3 ounces goat cheese, cut into slices
1 small red onion, cut into thin rings
2 tablespoons unsalted pistachios Balsamic vinegar of Modena
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 2
Scrub the beets and cut off the roots and tips, but don’t peel. Cut into medium cubes and transfer to the sheet pan. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast until the tip of a sharp knife easily pierces a few cubes, about 30 minutes. Remove beets from the oven and let cool.
Step 3
Divide the greens between two large plates. Top with equal amounts of beets, pears, cheese, red onion, and pistachios. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Melbourne-based foodie and olive oil authority Melissa Wong shared two of her dumpling recipes with me on my most recent trip to Australia for the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club. The shrimp-and pork-based dumpling recipe is available in the current Pressing Report included with our latest Ozzie olive oils. Here is her meatless version. Tailor the filling to your tastes by adding more veggies like diced shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, or jicama.Please click here to join now so you don’t miss my sumptuous trio of Oz oils shipping now.
Ingredients
For the dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon ground Sichuan pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 fresh chile, such as jalapeño or serrano, chopped
2 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons black vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
For the dumplings:
1/2″ piece ginger, peeled and cut into coins
2 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
1/2 medium onion, diced small
1/2 carrot, diced small
1 cup diced red cabbage
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 ounce dried rice noodles
1/2 cup diced zucchini
2 portobello mushrooms, diced small
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 package square or round dumpling wrappers (about 50)
Directions
Step 1
For the dipping sauce, toast the sesame seeds in a dry, hot frying pan until fragrant, about 2 minutes; transfer to a small dish and set aside. In the same pan, dry toast the Sichuan pepper, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the olive oil, garlic, ginger, chile, cilantro, and sugar. Whisk in the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, scallions, and the reserved sesame seeds. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.
Step 2
For the dumpling filling, place the ginger, garlic, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small food processor and blitz to a rough paste; set aside.
Step 3
Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add in 1 tablespoon olive oil and the onions and cook until the onions soften slightly. Add the carrots and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the ginger-garlic paste and cook until fragrant. Transfer the contents of the wok to a large bowl and return the wok to the stovetop.
Step 4
Let the wok heat up again, then add the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the cabbage and cook until the cabbage softens slightly. Turn off the heat and stir in the coriander and cumin. Add to the bowl with the other vegetables, holding back any released liquid from the cabbage (discard it). Allow the vegetables to cool completely.
Step 5
Soak the rice noodles in cold water until softened, about 3 minutes. Drain and roughly chop into 1″ pieces. Add to the cooked vegetables along with the zucchini and mushrooms. Evenly sprinkle on the cornstarch and mix well.
Step 6
Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place a bowl of water next to your work area. Open the package of wrappers and cover with a damp kitchen towel so that they won’t dry out.
Step 7
Place a generous teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper (don’t overfill or the dumplings won’t stay closed). Dip a fingertip in the water bowl and moisten the outer edges of the wrapper, then fold it and press the edges together to seal them. For round wrappers, crimp the edges together to make a crescent shape. For square wrappers, use your fingertip to wet the two bottom corners, then overlap them slightly and press together to form a shape like a bishop’s hat. As you finish each dumpling, place it on the rimmed sheet pan under the towel. There should be enough filling to make about 50 dumplings.
Step 8
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in 12 to 16 dumplings at a time and cook for 7 minutes (they will float to the surface). Use a Chinese strainer to transfer them to a large bowl; cover with a pot lid to keep them warm. Repeat until all the dumplings have been cooked. Serve with the dipping sauce.
Serves 8 to 10
For Your Best Health
The MIND Diet for Brain Health: More Benefits of Olive Oil
According to a new study from researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and The Robert Butler Columbia Aging Center, a very specific brain-boosting diet has been linked to reduced dementia risk and a slower pace of aging. The study, “Diet, Pace of Biological Aging, and Risk of Dementia in the Framingham Heart Study,” published in the Annals of Neurology, also explains how the diet helps slow down the processes of biological aging.
“Much attention to nutrition in dementia research focuses on the way specific nutrients affect the brain,” said Daniel Belsky, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology and a senior author of the study. “We tested the hypothesis that healthy diet protects against dementia by slowing down the body’s overall pace of biological aging.”
The researchers used data from the second generation of the Framingham Heart Study, the Offspring Cohort. Participants were 60 years of age or older and free of dementia and had available dietary, epigenetic, and follow-up data. Follow-up was done at nine examinations, approximately every 4 to 7 years, which included a physical exam, lifestyle-related questionnaires, blood sampling, and, starting in 1991, neurocognitive testing. Of 1,644 participants included in the analyses, 140 developed dementia.
To measure the pace of aging, the researchers used an epigenetic clock called DunedinPACE developed by Dr. Belsky and colleagues at Duke University and the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. The clock measures how fast a person’s body is deteriorating as they grow older, “like a speedometer for the biological processes of aging,” explained Dr. Belsky.
“We have some strong evidence that a healthy diet can protect against dementia,” said Yian Gu, PhD, associate professor of neurological sciences at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the other senior author of the study, “but the mechanism of this protection is not well understood.” Past research linked both diet and dementia risk to an accelerated pace of biological aging. “Testing the hypothesis that multi-system biological aging is a mechanism of underlying diet-dementia associations was the logical next step,” explained Dr. Belsky.
The research determined that higher adherence to the MIND diet slowed the pace of aging as measured by DunedinPACE and reduced risks for dementia and mortality. Furthermore, slower DunedinPACE accounted for 27% of the diet-dementia association and 57% of the diet-mortality association.
“Our findings suggest that slower pace of aging mediates part of the relationship of healthy diet with reduced dementia risk, and therefore, monitoring pace of aging may inform dementia prevention,” said first author Aline Thomas, PhD, of the Columbia Department of Neurology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain. “However, a portion of the diet-dementia association remains unexplained, therefore we believe that continued investigation of brain-specific mechanisms in well-designed mediation studies is warranted.”
“We suggest that additional observational studies be conducted to investigate direct associations of nutrients with brain aging, and if our observations are also confirmed in more diverse populations, monitoring biological aging may indeed inform dementia prevention,” noted Dr. Belsky.
Exactly What Is the MIND Diet?
MIND is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, tailored to reflect key findings from nutrition and dementia research. It details serving sizes of specific foods to focus on and which to limit, primarily those high in saturated fat, which is known to negatively affect brain health.
Foods and portions to eat every day: 1/2 to 1 cup green leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup other vegetables, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and three 1-ounce servings of whole grains.
Foods and portions to eat over the course of each week: 5 ounces nuts, 2-1/2 cups berries, 1-1/2 cups legumes, two 3-to-5-ounce servings of skinless poultry, and 3-to-5 ounces fish.
Foods to limit to these weekly totals: three or fewer 3-to-5-ounce servings of red and processed meats, 1 ounce whole-fat cheese, 1 fried or fast food, and 4 sweet servings. If desired, no more than 1 teaspoon of butter or stick of margarine a day.