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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022
THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD — B3
Weighing the pros and cons of pork
By BARBARA INTERMILL
Monterey Herald
Valerie T writes: “I
am emailing you on the
request of my dad who is
88 and has several health
issues. He read what you
had to say about beef and
fi sh. He wanted to know
about pork and the pros
and cons of it.
He has diabetes, heart
problems, circulatory prob-
lems due to the diabetes,
kidney problems due to
the diabetes, and arthritis.
So just being a good
daughter and emailing you.
Thank you for your time
Barbara!”
You certainly are a good
daughter, Valerie! And
while I cannot give specifi c
medical nutrition advice in
this column, I’m happy to
answer your dad’s inquiry.
Although sometimes
called “the other white
meat,” pork is actually a
red meat. That means it
contains more myoglobin
— a protein that holds
oxygen in muscles — than
chicken or fi sh. Other red
meats are beef, lamb, veal
and venison.
To its credit, pork is
a nutrient-dense food. It
provides a good dose of
high quality protein, iron,
zinc and vitamins B6 and
B12. Pork’s protein helps
manage blood sugars,
maintains muscle strength
and enhances the immune
system.
Depending on the
severity of your dad’s
kidney disease, however,
he may need to limit the
amount of protein he eats.
Too much protein is hard
on damaged kidneys.
Like beef, today’s pork
is much lower in fat than
Dreamstime/TNS
Although sometimes called “the other white meat,” pork is actually a red meat. That means it contains more myoglobin — a protein that holds oxygen in muscles — than chicken
or fi sh.
The biggest “con” about pork involves some of the foods we hold
near and dear: bacon, sausage and hot dogs. These are processed
meats which — if eaten regularly — have been implicated in
myriad health risks, including cancer.
it was a few decades ago.
If your dad enjoys pork,
have him look for loin
cuts, which are especially
lean. Pork tenderloin, for
example, can be lower in
calories and saturated fat
than chicken breast.
In fact, pork tenderloin
and sirloin now carry the
American Heart Associa-
tion’s Heart Check stamp
that designates a food is
not only a good source of
benefi cial nutrients but is
also low in sodium and sat-
urated fats.
Studies have shown that
lean pork can be included
in an overall healthful diet
and not be a detriment to
heart health. A recent study
found that adding two to
three servings a week of
lean pork to a Mediterra-
nean-style diet (olive oil,
fi sh, legumes, nuts and
lots of fruits and veggies)
improved blood pressure
and other signs of heart
health as much as a typical
low-fat diet.
The biggest “con” about
pork involves some of the
foods we hold near and
dear: bacon, sausage and
hot dogs. These are pro-
cessed meats which — if
eaten regularly — have
been implicated in myriad
health risks, including
cancer. Best if your dad
keeps his intake of these
foods to a minimum.
If he hasn’t already,
I’d suggest your dad seek
out a registered dieti-
tian nutritionist with spe-
cial training in diabetes
care. Look for RDN and
CDCES credentials. Medi-
care covers medical nutri-
tion therapy for people like
your dad who have dia-
betes and/or kidney dis-
ease. Find a nutrition pro-
fessional in your area at
https://www.eatright.org/
fi nd-a-nutrition-expert.
█
Barbara Intermill is a registered
dietitian nutritionist and
syndicated columnist. She
is the author of “Quinn-
Essential Nutrition: The
Uncomplicated Science of
Eating.” Email her at barbara@
quinnessentialnutrition.com.
Linguine with lemon
pesto, inspired by dreams
of the Amalfi Coast
By GRETCHEN McKAY
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Are you getting itchy
for travel? Me too, now
that the spring is teasing
us with warm and sunny
weather that just begs for a
road trip.
In particular, I’ve been
dreaming of Italy after
seeing a friend’s post about
his family’s trip to the
Amalfi Coast. My hus-
band and I were lucky to
visit the cliff side village of
Positano years ago for an
anniversary, and you don’t
soon forget places with
such stunning scenery and
amazing food.
There’s pasta, of course,
but the region also is
known for its incredible
lemons, which can grow
larger than baseballs and
are used to make its famed
limoncello, along with
sorbet, seafood recipes and
cake. Its juice also often
fi nds its way into sauces,
inspiring me to sate my
longing for a trip to Italy
with a fresh and fragrant
lemony pasta dish I might
fi nd on a menu there.
I accentuated the lemon
fl avor with lemon-infused
olive oil, and traded slivered
almonds for the more tra-
ditional pine nuts. (Pignoli
are more expensive.) If you
can’t fi nd fresh English peas
(they come in bags at Trader
Joe’s), frozen are fi ne.
Pesto is traditionally
made with crushed basil
leaves, garlic, pine nuts and
Parmesan cheese blended
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with olive oil. Here, thin
strips of lemon zest are
also added to the food pro-
cessor, along with lemon
juice to imbue the sauce
with a taste of sunshine.
Asparagus adds to the burst
of spring fl avor.
Pesto is often paired with
corkscrew pastas such as
fusilli because the grooves
grab onto the sauce, but I’ve
found it works well with
linguine, too.
LINGUINE
WITH LEMON,
ASPARAGUS
AND PEAS
1 cup fresh English peas
1 pound dried linguine
2 organic lemons, zest removed
in long strips and juice
reserved (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
2 generous handfuls fresh
basil or spinach (about 2
lightly packed cups)
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese,
plus more for passing
Pinch of sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cup good-quality olive
oil (I used lemon-infused
oil), plus more for pan
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound fresh asparagus,
cut into 2-inch pieces
Bring 2 quarts of generously
salted water to a boil. Add peas,
and cook for 60 seconds. Remove
to bowl with a slotted spoon or
hand-held strainer, and set aside.
Bring water back to boil and add
linguini, and cook at a boil until
al dente, about 8-9 minutes.
Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid,
then drain pasta and add to a
large bowl.
While pasta is cooking, make
pesto.
Place lemon zest, almonds and
basil in bowl of a food processor;
process until coarsely grated,
about 30 seconds. Add garlic,
Parmesan cheese, lemon juice
and a pinch of sugar (to balance
out the lemon’s bitterness) and
process until the mixture comes
together into a thick paste.
With food processor running,
drizzle olive oil into the mixture
in a steady stream. Continue pro-
cessing until the oil is integrated
smoothly, stopping occasionally
to scrape the sides of the food
processor with a spatula. If you
prefer a smoother pesto, add
more oil and/or lemon juice to
taste.
Season to taste with salt and
pepper, and set aside until pasta
is done.
Heat a generous drizzle or two
of oil in a cast-iron or other heavy
skillet. Add asparagus and saute
until lightly browned and tender,
3 to 5 minutes. Add cooked peas
and saute another minute, just
until warmed through.
In a large bowl, pour pesto
over hot pasta and toss to coat,
adding a little reserved pasta wa-
ter if sauce needs to be thinned.
Add asparagus and peas and toss
until well combined. (The peas
will try to hide in the bottom of
the bowl.)
Serve immediately in warmed
bowls, with additional Parmesan
for passing.
Serves 4-6.
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May is National Stroke Awareness Month.
Learning to spot the
warning signs of stroke
By LAUREL KELLY
Mayo Clinic News Network
May is National Stroke
Awareness Month, which
makes this a good time to
learn about the warning
signs of stroke and the
need for prompt treatment.
Stroke is one of the
leading causes of death
in the U.S. and a major
cause of serious disability
for adults. More than
795,000 people in the U.S.
have a stroke each year,
according to the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention. Stroke risk
increases with age, espe-
cially after 55, but strokes
can occur at any age.
A stroke occurs when
the blood supply to part of
your brain is interrupted
or reduced, preventing
brain tissue from get-
ting oxygen and nutrients.
Brain cells begin to die in
minutes.
A stroke is a medical
emergency, and prompt
treatment is crucial. Early
action can reduce brain
damage and other compli-
cations. If you or someone
you know is experiencing
a stroke, you should call
911 and seek emergency
medical care right away.
To recognize the signs
of stroke, remember the
acronym FAST:
• Face: Does the face
droop on one side when
the person tries to smile?
• Arms: Is one arm
lower when the person
tries to raise both arms?
• Speech: Can the
person repeat a simple
sentence? Is speech
slurred or hard to
understand?
• Time: During a
stroke, every minute
counts. If you observe any
of these signs, call 911
or your local emergency
number immediately.
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