Health

Yunhee KimHigh in iron and low in fat, this Vietnamese beef-noodle soup recipe will delight your palate with fresh, exotic flavors.

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 21 minutes
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola oil
One 2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, sliced into quarter-size pieces
1 onion, halved and sliced
7 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
3 whole star anise
2 whole cloves
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces flank steak, trimmed
8 ounces dried flat rice noodles (banh pho)
2 scallions, sliced on bias
1/2 bunch fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
1/4 small dried Thai chile, thinly sliced

Instructions:
1. Bring large pot of water to boil (for step 3). Heat oil in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ginger and onion; saute 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Add broth, anise, cloves, and cinna­mon; bring to boil, then reduce to sim­mer. Cook 15 minutes. Strain broth into a bowl; discard solids. Return broth to pan, stir in fish sauce and sugar; season with black pepper.

2. Put steak in freezer for 15 minutes to firm for slicing. Soak noodles in hot water in large bowl for 20 minutes or until soft.

3. Add noodles to boiling water; cook 30 seconds. Drain, and divide noodles among 6 deep soup bowls. Return broth to boil. Remove steak from freezer, halve lengthwise, and slice thinly across the grain; arrange raw slices over noodles. Ladle broth into bowls (boiling broth will cook steak).

4. Arrange scallions, mint, bean sprouts, and chilies on large platter. Serve soup with platter on side. (Serving size: 1 cup broth plus garnishes)

Nutrition:
Calories 339; Fat 6g (sat 2g, mono 3g, poly 1g); Cholesterol 24mg; Protein 16g; Carbohydrate 54g; Sugars 4g; Fiber 2g; Iron 2mg; Sodium 827mg; Calcium 49mg

Vino lovers, rejoice! There's a new snack that combines the rich flavors of fruits and chocolate and the health benefits of your favorite red wine, without the threat of a hangover.

The product: WineTime bar ($3 per bar, $90 for a pack of 40; available online)

The taste factor: Sweet and satisfying, just like a nice glass of Pinot. Dates, almonds, dark chocolate, and cranberries add a rich taste. The bar also contains pomegranate, blueberry, and açaipowders to add a distinctive fruity flavor layered beneath the chocolate. And there is the slightest hint of the tannin taste you get at the end of a sip of red wine.

The health factor: The bar contains high amounts of resveratrol, which is the antioxidant in red wine that is linked to healthy aging and heart health.And unlike the empty calories you get in wine, this bar contains 7 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. However, the bar does contain 19 grams of sugar and 2.5 grams of saturated fat, so enjoy it as a dessert (not breakfast).

Why we love it: For nondrinkers, this is a great way to get the health benefits of red wine.

Category: Breakfast crunch cereal

Crunch factor: Slightly less than a solid crunch

Taste: We dove into this puffed whole wheat, toasted oat, and corn cereal with expectations of a guilt-free, grown-up Cap'n Crunch. Alas, our inner children made pouty faces when the puffed whole wheat deflated in milk and the honey sweetness proved elusive. Though the label received our dietitians approval—with 130 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, and 3 grams of fiber for a 3/4 serving—our testers banged their spoons for something yummier.

Overall score: 2 out of 5; for whole wheat and fiber lovers only.

The bottom line: Maybe actual bunnies would like this? Try the Cocoa and Vanilla Bunnies cereal instead.

Yunhee Kim

The unique combination of vitamin-rich Brussels sprouts and heart-healthy hazelnuts adds a fiber-packed punch to this delicious pasta recipe.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce finely diced pancetta
8 ounces dried orecchiette pasta
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°. Toss sprouts with 1 tablespoon oil; arrange cut side down on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and pancetta. Roast 18–20 minutes or until sprouts are tender.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot.

3. Add garlic to sprouts; toss well. Add sprouts, Parmesan, thyme, and a few tablespoons reserved pasta water to pasta; stir in remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Spoon into 4 bowls; sprinkle with hazelnuts. (Serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Nutrition:
Calories 382; Fat 14g (sat 3g, mono 9g, poly 2g); Cho­lesterol 8mg; Protein 14g; Carbohydrate 51g; Sugars 4g; Fiber 6g; Iron 4mg; Sodium 353mg; Calcium 98mg

Category: Sweet treat

Crunch factor: Slightly undercrunched

Taste: This probiotic chocolate bar, which claims five times the live active cultures of yogurt, won't fool chocolate purists, but it gave our chocoholic panel its fix. The dark chocolate was bitter to some, but the majority of tasters enjoyed the slight crunch of the brown-rice crisps and the authentic chocolate flavor. Be careful, though, because this chocolate bar may pack on pounds while aiding your digestion: Each contains a whopping 4 grams of saturated fat.

Overall score: 3.1 out of 5.

The bottom line: Enjoyable, but not a good choice for calorie- or fat-conscious folks.

A common thyroid-gland disorder can pile on pounds, sap your energy, and leave you achy, bloated, and moody—all at once. The problem: hypothyroidism, or when youre low on thyroid hormones. Experts now think lifestyle changes—even a little sushi—may prevent or delay it. “Anyone who has warning signs should act now,” says Richard Shames, MD, co-author of Feeling Fat, Fuzzy, or Frazzled? Here are four smart steps.

1. Order the dynamite roll
A healthy thyroid needs iodine, selenium, and magnesium. Iodine is a building block of thyroid hormone, and many people with hypothyroidism dont get enough. What you eat can help keep levels healthy: sushi, seafood, or sea vegetables like kelp, for instance, contain iodine. Multivitamins also usually have sensible amounts of the stuff, plus selenium and magnesium, which help make and metabolize thyroid hormone. (Just be careful: Too much iodine can also trigger abnormal thyroid function, Dr. Shames says.)

2. Cook your broccoli
Raw cruciferous vegetables—think broccoli and cabbage—are packed with healthy nutrients, but they also have compounds that interfere with the bodys ability to use iodine for thyroid hormone production. Cooking them inactivates most of the bad compounds, says Sherrill Sellman, a naturopathic doctor and author of Hormone Heresy.

3. Rinse—and repeat
Rinse well after brushing to avoid swallowing fluoride toothpaste, and dont drink too much fluoridated tap water. Studies suggest that fluoride may decrease your bodys production of thyroid hormone and interfere with how the hormone moves through your blood, says Kathleen Thiessen, PhD, a panelist for the National Research Councils recent scientific review of fluoride standards for drinking water.

4. Say no to stress
Manage it however you can—keep to your workout schedule and get more sleep, for instance. Heres why: Exercise boosts circulation and enhances relaxation. And that helps keep your bodys production of the hormone cortisol under control, which, in turn, improves thyroid function, Sellman says. Meanwhile, if you dont feel like working out, a good nights sleep can fight that low-energy feeling. Sweet dreams.