Think all veggies are better for you raw? NOT TRUE!

Lycopene, found in tomatoes and other carotenoids are more easily absorbed when cooked.  The raw food movement might have you believe that all fruits and vegetables are better for you uncooked. But the truth is, some nutrients are actually better absorbed by the body when they’ve been heated.

Lycopene, found predominantly in tomatoes, is more abundant in cooked products, like stewed tomatoes, in spaghetti, or pizza sauce. Here’s a rule of thumb for getting the most nutrients out of your veggies: Water-soluble vitamins (B and C) lose nutrients when cooked, while fat-soluble (A, D, E and K, which require fat to be absorbed by the body) do not. Eating a variety of cooked and raw vegetables is your best bet for getting adequate amounts of both.

No bad apple in this bunch! Reach for dried apples to reduce inflammation.

An apple a day really can keep the doctor away!

According to a recent study, women who snack on dried apples every day earn a bushel of heart-healthy benefits. Those who ate 240 calories worth of dried apples for a year lowered their “lousy” LDL cholesterol by 23%. It also reduced C-reactive protein levels— a substance linked with an increased risk of heart disease.

Apple chips can be found on campus this Fall at Union Street Market: http://www.rps.indiana.edu/unionstreetmarket.cfml. Find it on the ground floor of the Cedar building at Union Street Appartments (corner of 10th and Union Street).

Watching cholesterol? Go easy on the cheese!

We know we’re not supposed to eat too much saturated fat, because it can increase our cholesterol and raise our risk of heart disease and stroke. But what exactly does “too much” mean?

The American Heart Association recommends getting no more than 7% of your calories from saturated fat. If you eat a 2,000-calorie diet, aim for less than 16 grams, or 140 calories worth, of saturated fat. You might think you come nowhere close to that if you avoid ribs, burgers and butter. But, believe it or not, just two ounces of cheddar cheese provides 60% of your daily recommended intake — that’s more than what’s in a scoop of Häagen-Dazs!!

If you love cheese, opt for reduced fat, which contains half the amount of saturated fat as its full-fat counterpart.

Mushrooms as a super food? White button mushrooms are no slouches.

Scientists at Tufts University found these ordinary guys help fortify the cells of the immune system and reduce development of breast tumors.

They are high in a compound known as L-ergothioneine, which helps block excess production of estrogen, and in turn, halts cancer cell development! Toss them on your next salad or pasta dish!

A win-win: Sleep more and weigh less. People who don’t catch enough z’s eat 300 more calories a day.

Do your waistline a favor and hit the sack earlier. Not only will you be rested, you’ll be less likely to consume excess calories. According to a study at Columbia University, people who got 4 hours of shut-eye ate 300 more calories a day compared to those who banked 9 hours a night.

Women are more likely to overindulge, averaging 329 extra calories, compared with men’s 263. Another study found that drowsy dieters produce high levels of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger and slows metabolism. Not only are you eating more when you’re sleep-deprived, you’re burning less fat! Being active also improves your sleep, so get moving too!