Season 1 - Episode 9
Did You Know?
Look for carbs that come with lots of vitamins and minerals like those from whole grains and vegetables.
Foods containing carbs can bring a wealth of nutrients to the table, when chosen correctly.
Think twice about consuming the types of sugar that are added to foods during processing.
Potatoes, pasta and rice are just a few examples of our daily intake of carbohydrates, and each is on the menu for episode #9 of Food Over 50, "Unloading Carbs: Reducing Dietary Starch." But as we age, we should unload some of these excess starches and sugars in favor of better choices and more modest portions. That's why David and Elizabeth have chosen three excellent recipes to illustrate how "Unloading Carbs" doesn't mean eliminating them altogether!
First, from the FO5O studio kitchen in Palm Springs, David prepares classic parsley potatoes with the skin-on, for added nutrition, and sautéed in healthful and flavorful olive oil. Then it's off to Scotland for an out-of-kitchen adventure to collect fresh cockles on Uig Sands before adding them to an extraordinary Whole Wheat Fusilli Vongole. The cockles boost our lean protein intake while the whole grain pasta provides "complex" carbs, which are better for us. And finally it's back to our eclectic studio kitchen for Vegetable & Brown Rice Pilaf, with added onion, carrot, zucchini, dates and walnuts, further reducing empty carbohydrates and enhancing flavor.
Most importantly, registered dietician Elizabeth Kelsey educates viewers about the importance of consuming unrefined carbohydrates whenever possible during her "Second Helpings" segment. Healthy whole-food carbs are excellent brain food and important for gut health. She also emphasizes portion. Nutritious meals should consist of a single carbohydrate, not two or three, and the portion should not exceed a quarter of our plate!
Finally, David recaps the show with another inspiring "Earn What You Eat" segment, this time from a rowboat on Loch Morsgail, rather than a rowing machine in a sweaty gym. Put your back into it, David!
Featured Recipes in this Episode
Cockle & Pasta Vongolee
Vegetable & Rice Pilaf
Sautéed Garlic Potatoes