• Buttermilk contains only one gram of fat per 1/2 cup serving. Originally it was the liquid left after milk was churned into butter. After hours of churning, the butter became a solid and when it ws removed the "buttermilk" left behind was almost fat free. Natural bacteria in the air gave it a tangy flavor and thick consistency. Today’s buttermilk is made from a particular bacteria culture which produces a similar-tasting product. Despite its name, buttermilk is still virtually free of fat and actually quite healthy for you.

• Grapefruit contains about two-thirds as much Vitamin C per ounce as oranges. Half a medium sized grapefruit supplies about 70% of the daily RDA for Vitamin C. Pink and red varieties also contain a modest amount of beta carotene and though they may taste sweeter than the white varieties, they have the same number of calories - 35 to 45 per half fruit. Source: University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, Volume 13, Issue 3.

• A combination of wine and chocolate may actually work together to lower blood cholesterol, according to an article in Nutrition Today (Volume 33, #3, May/June, 1998). Cocoa butter, which is the fat in chocolate, does not contain or produce cholesterol and it has a certain amount of phenols that may help prevent heart disease. Wine also contains a certain amount of phenols, 210 mg per glass, hence a pairing of some red wine with a bit of chocolate could be beneficial to the heart. A 1.5 ounce of chocolate contains 105 mg of phenol and a mug of hot chocolate made with 2 tablespoons of cocoa has 146 mg. For best results, dark chocolate is recommended because it has less fat than sweeter varieties like milk chocolate.

Autumn 1998
Powdery Mildew Thrives Now | "Wet Feet" of Shrubs, Trees & Flowers | Baking Soda Update | Some Tips on Buying Firewood | Lawn Care Caldenar | Bug Bites: Slugs | Cybergarden Sites | Hort Shorts | Hort Tips | Refrigerator Storage | Locally Grown: Edible Flowers | Pre-Washed Salad Greens | Foodborne Illness: What Consumers Need to Know | Health & Household Tips | Did You Know?

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