In the fall of 2012, Saladmaster partnered with Taste of Home as the Official Cookware for the Taste of Home Cooking Schools. We are excited to announce that this amazing partnership is continuing in 2013.

The Taste of Home Cooking School is America's leading cooking school program, reaching over 300,000 passionate consumers each year at 300 events across the country.

Through Saladmaster’s sponsorship and participation in Taste of Home Cooking Schools, we will have the opportunity to continue to inspire people by sharing our mission of nutritional cooking and healthy living with our unique product, Saladmaster Healthy Solutions 316Ti stainless steel cookware.

To find a cooking school near you visit: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Cooking-Schools.

About Taste of Home

Taste of Home is the leading multi-platform producer of information on food, cooking and entertaining, serving home cooks engaging media that capture the joy and comfort received from food made with love. The world’s largest circulation food publication, Taste of Home magazine has a circulation of 3.2 million. The brand also features Simple & Delicious magazine, which is published bimonthly; best-selling bookazines; newsstand specials; and popular cookbooks. The Taste of Home Cooking Schools attract more than 300,000 attendees annually. Tasteofhome.com is a top destination for engaging audiences with kitchen-tested recipes, how-to techniques, cooking videos and lively community forums. Learn more at www.tasteofhome.com. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Los productos Saladmaster Healthy Solutions 316 Ti serán destacados durante las clases de cocina que se llevaran a cabo en el crucero Holistic Holiday at Sea: A Voyage to Well-Being el 2 al 9 de marzo del 2013.

Celebrando su décimo aniversario, Holistic Holiday at Sea es un crucero holístico de 7 días por el Caribe occidental y que sirve como unas vacaciones educativas con una variedad de conferencias, clases y consultas privadas con autoridades principales en el medio de salud alternativa y holística. Entre la lista de presentadores reconocidos de prestigio están: Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, autor del libro Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease; Dr. T. Colin Campbell, autor del libro The China Study; y Dr. Neal Barnard, fundador y presidente de la Comisión de Médicos para la Practica Responsable de la Medicina (PCRM).

Durante los días del crucero, los individuos a bordo pueden asistir a una gama de clases de cocina entretenidas e informativas proporcionadas por varios chefs e instructores internacionales de alimentos naturales. Las clases se pueden enfocar en un tipo de comida o en un tema específico como cocinar sin aceite, cocina macrobiótica, cocina estacional, o comida vegana básica. Las personas que asisten estas clases podrán probar la deliciosa comida y al mismo tiempo aprender como empezar a cocinar vegano y como mantenerlo interesante.

Dealer Autorizado de Saladmaster, Sandy Clubb de Cookware Health Clubb Inc. que estará a bordo el crucero, fue instrumental en la presentación del mensaje saludable de Saladmaster así como los productos para su uso en las clases de cocina.

También se ofrecen sesiones diarias de meditación y pilates así como grandes conciertos, fiestas y eventos sociales veganos.

Visite www.atasteofhealth.org para más información sobre el Holistic Holiday at Sea.

Para más información sobre Saladmaster y productos Healthy Solutions 316 Ti, visite www.saladmaster.com

Cardiovascular disease is a worldwide concern. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that 17 million people die of cardiovascular diseases each year. Heart disease is the single largest cause of death due to non-communicable disease (NCD) in the world. In 2008, of the 36 million deaths due to NCDs, 17.3 million (48%) were due to cardiovascular disease. The risk factors that contribute to the prevalence of heart disease are largely controllable and include tobacco use, excessive use of alcohol, physical inactivity, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes, and being overweight or obese, making heart disease and stroke highly preventable. Also note that the last four risk factors above relate to diet.  

For many years, we have known that dietary fats contribute to high cholesterol levels and obesity. The types of fats that do the most harm are saturated fats and trans fats. Saturated fats come from most animal fats, as well as palm oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter. Trans fats are unsaturated fats altered through a process called hydrogenation to make them more solid at room temperature and are found in shortening or margarine, for example. Both saturated fats and trans fats affect the body by raising LDL (low density lipoprotein or “bad”) cholesterol. Reducing these fats in one’s diet is a common recommendation by doctors for reducing one’s cardiovascular risk.

Many food manufacturers have responded to consumer demands for heart-healthy foods, offering a variety of products that claim to be healthier because their fat content has been reduced or are labeled “trans fat-free.” However, there are important points to consider when choosing such foods:

• Low-fat does not necessarily mean healthy. For instance, most low-fat sweet treats are still loaded with sugar, which can contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance and diabetes.
• Be cautious of labels boasting “trans fat-free.” Some manufacturers are substituting palm oil or coconut oil for shortening or margarine. Thus a trans fat-free food can still be loaded with saturated fat.
• Put trans fats in perspective. One or two grams sounds harmless, but keep in mind that these fats are so damaging that intakes of less than 1% of total calories are recommended. For most people, that’s 2 grams or less per day.
• Labels listing trans fats at 0g can still contain less than 0.5g trans fat. Read the ingredients to identify trans fats: hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, margarine, shortening.
• Statements such as 96% fat-free often are misleading. This type of claim is an indication of the fat content by weight. What is more useful is a representation of the percentage of fat by calories. Case in point: whole milk is 96.75% fat-free by weight. For 1 cup of whole milk (244g), there are 8g of fat. (8 divided by 244 = 0.0328 or 3.28%, which for practical purposes is rounded to 3.25%). However, there are 9 calories for every gram of fat. So, since there are 8 grams of fat, there are 72 calories from fat. Since there are 146 calories in 1 cup of whole milk, 49% of the calories come from fat. Furthermore, of the 8 grams of fat, 5g are saturated fat. Therefore, 31% of the calories in whole milk are coming from saturated fat. Compare that to the recommendations of cutting total fat to less than 25 - 35% of total calories, and saturated fat to less than 7% of total calories.
• Pay attention to your portion size compared to the serving size listed on the label. If the label says 1 serving is ½ cup, but you eat 1 cup, you are eating twice as many calories, fats and other nutrients listed on the label.
• Utilize the Daily Values (or Guideline Daily Amounts in Europe) if available. This is the percent of a nutrient that one serving of the food provides. As a reference, 5% or less is low while 20% or more is high. Try to aim low in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Aim high for vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Positive steps you can take to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease through nutrition include:

• Choose primarily a plant-based diet with a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans).
• Include foods high in soluble fiber, which has been shown to decrease LDL (“bad”) cholesterol when eaten regularly as part of a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. Foods high in soluble fiber include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice, bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp.
• Limit your intake of saturated fats by choosing fat-free and low-fat dairy products and lean meats.
• Keep your total fat intake between 25 and 35 percent of your total calories with no more that 7% of total calories coming from saturated fats. Ideal fat sources are of the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated varieties, which can be found in foods such as fish, nuts and seeds.
• Avoid or limit foods made with trans fats: margarine, shortening, fried foods and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Commercially fried foods, including fast foods, are likely to be high in trans fats, saturated fats and total fat.
• If you use margarine, choose soft tub or liquid varieties over harder stick forms.
• Cakes, cookies, crackers, doughnuts, French fries, muffins and pies are examples of foods containing substantial trans fat. If you eat these at all, eat them only occasionally.

References:

1. Global Atlas on cardiovascular disease prevention and control, published by WHO in collaboration with the World Heart Federation and the World Stroke Organization, 2011.
2. Integrated Management of Cardiovascular Risk. Report of a WHO Meeting, Geneva, July 2002.
3. The American Heart Association, www.americanheart.org.

For information regarding Saladmaster and Healthy Solutions 316 Ti Cookware or to find an Authorized Saladmaster Dealership near you, please visit www.saladmaster.com.

By Kathy Smith, fitness expert, author and TV personality

With the new year just budding, this is the perfect time to hit the reset button on our old habits as we begin to create new ones. While I support the importance of New Year's resolutions and those who want to set a goal to get healthier and take better care of their body's, I've never been a fan of that "The diet starts January 1st" mentality. That kind of attitude treats nutrition and exercise as an expirement or a novelty, rather than a lifestyle. So I'm here to present the opposite of a resolution - this is a new lifestyle beginning - regardless of when you start.

My challenge is a week and a half of endless opportunities to clean up our diet. Take it one day at a time and build each new habit upon the next one until we've created a doable, realistic, new way of eating.

Day 1 - Sleep it off.
Be sure to get a good night's sleep so that we're not dragging in the morning.

Day 2 - You are what you drink.
When we think of nutrition we often overlook the importance of liquids. Increasing our water intake is key. I like to jazz up my water with a fresh lemon or vitamin C packet. I also love freshly-juiced green drinks loaded with spinach and kale. If you're a caffeine junkie, switch your sugary, calorie-laden latte for a cup of heart-healthy green tea.

Day 3 - What goes in must come out.
That's right - we can't underestimate the importance of elimination. That means increasing our fiber intake. Shoot for 25 grams a day - the more you can get the better - to get our digestion on track for the New Year.

Day 4 - Make it a 5-veggie day.
Push produce intake and get creative with veggie selection. Don't stick to the tired formula of iceberg lettuce and carrot sticks. Try adding some kale and collard greens to your diet.

Day 5 - Shrug off sugar.
You'll be amazed by the results when you cut back on refined sugars. Simple substitutions like choosing sparkling water over soda or a fresh orange over a glass of orange juice can do wonders for our mood, energy levels and waistline.

Day 6 - Shop yourself thin.
Weight loss doesn't start in the kitchen, it starts at the source - the grocery store! Stock up on healthy treats that you'll actually look forward to eating, so that you have plenty of options when hunger strikes. And stick to the perimeter of the supermarket, that's where the fresh produce, low-fat dairy and protein options usually are. The center aisles are usually filled with cookies, crackers, and packaged stuff you'd like to avoid.

Day 7 - Grab some different grains.
So many people have gluten sensitivities that wreak havoc on their digestive systems. Remember, not everything containing the word "wheat" is considered healthy. Try cutting back on grains altogether, getting the majority of your carbs and fiber from veggies and fruit. Instead of bread, try wrapping your sandwiches with lettuce. And when you do eat grains, choose the purer variety like steel-cut oatmeal, quinoa and brown rice.

Day 8 - Pick your proteins.
Proteins are a major building block in any nutrition plan so choose wisely. Egg whites, lean cuts of turkey, chicken, and even some lean beef are the perfect way to round out our meals. Beans and legumes are also great sources of protein.

Day 9 - Find the right fats.
Just because we'll be losing fat in 2013 doesn't mean we won't be eating fat. We can include a small portion of healthy fats such as avocado, olives and nuts.

Day 10 - Cook in Saladmaster.
As we change our diets to a more healthy version, we also want to be cooking them in the most healthy manner possible and that means cooking in Saladmaster. We can cook on low heat and without nutrient-draining water or calorie ridden oils. And the really exciting thing on our new healthy eating program, is our food will taste fabulous!

For more information about Saladmaster and Healthy Solutions 316 Ti Cookware, please visit www.saladmaster.com