All milk in the United States is fortified with vitamin D (1 cup = 25% daily value). So it is natural to think that yogurt and yogurt products should also have vitamin D. After all, they are all made from milk.

Not really.

Although, there is a trend now to add vitamin D to yogurt, there are still a lot of products out there with no vitamin D.  I decided to do a little research this weekend at the local Walmart. Here is a summary of what I found:

Yoplait original is the top of the pack with 50% DV of both calcium and vitamin D. The new packaging shows this fact prominently on the front of the box. Stonyfield is another good option but their Oikos brand organic greek yogurt does not have any vitamin D. Dannon, our long time favorite has a lot of catching up to do!

When I asked my Twitter followers about this, @peekababy informed me that the Yobaby and Yokids brands from Stonyfield also has added vitamin D. Sure enough, a quick check on their website showed that they have 25% daily value of vitamin D added to each serving.

With so much news on vitamin D deficiency, especially in kids, you would think that all yogurt brands would start fortifying their products with vitamin D.

What is in your yogurt? Take a peek inside your refrigerator and check if your yogurt contains vitamin D or not. Then leave a note below with the brand name and amount of vitamin D in each serving.

Disclaimer – I have not received any sponsorship or free samples of product for writing this review. For complete nutritional information check out the websites of these products.

©2011 Littlestomaks.com

We were inspired by a recent New York Times magazine which carries an excellent section on different kinds of soup recipes. We tweaked it a little bit and substituted a few ingredients with what we had on hand. Still, it turned out great!

Ingredients

• 1 chopped onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 cup organic chicken broth
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped (we got it from our vegetable garden)
• 1 bag of spinach, washed and chopped (8-10 oz)
• 1 cup yogurt

Method

Put chopped onions, garlic, water and chicken broth in a pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat and let it simmer covered, until onion is tender. Add spinach and parsley and cook until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add yogurt and puree in a blender. Garnish with a spoonful of yogurt and chopped parsley.

Serve hot with pita bread or naan.

Enjoy!

©2011 Littlestomaks.com

Ever since we planted a small vegetable garden in our backyard, it has been fun watching the plants grow each day. And now they are beginning to bear fruit as we were able to pick two fresh eggplants for a quick side dish. We made our favorite grilled eggplant and yogurt salad recipe which turned out to be extra delicious! Here is how it all came about:

Two eggplants that made it to our table today

It’s so much fun to pick ‘em up right from the vine!

Now, let us brush a little olive oil

Grill them nice….

Peel the skin off, crush, mix with yogurt and garlic, and garnish with chopped cilantro

It turned out to be great fun and we enjoyed the salad with our dinner!

Here are a few interesting facts about eggplants if you are up for a little food trivia:

1. Eggplant is actually a fruit, although it is cooked like a vegetable. It belongs to the nightshade family and closely related to potato and tomato.
2. Eggplant originated in India. China is the largest producer of eggplant in the world. 85% of the world production comes from only 5 countries.
3. Thomas Jefferson is credited with bringing eggplant to the US.
4. Although not rich in nutrients, eggplants do contain a fair amount of fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins including folic acid, potassium and magnesium.
5. The raw fruit has a bitter taste due to nicotine compounds. When cooked properly, this bitter taste can be very delicious!
6. Eggplant contains different types of antioxidants which remove free radicals and protect the body against cell damage. One such antioxidant found in eggplant is called chlorogenic acid which is considered to have anti-cancer and anti microbial properties. It also slows down the release of glucose in the blood after eating.
7. Another antioxidant found in the skin of the eggplant is called nasunin. It is supposed to be effective in lowering bad cholesterol, although it has not been proven in human trials.
8. Different names for eggplant – brinjal in India, aubergine in France, melanzana in Italy, meloongen in the Caribbean
9. Eggplant is high in histamines and is known to cause allergy in skin or mouth. Eggplant leaves are toxic and should not be eaten.
10. Through its long history, eggplant has sometimes been celebrated as an aphrodisiac and sometimes despised as a cause of insanity. Say what you like, today it is used in many different delicious recipes across the world!

Do you like eggplant? Share your favorite recipe in comments below.

Sources:

Wikipedia
WHFoods
National Garden Bureau

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

This eggplant recipe is similar to babaganoush, but with a little twist! It is prepared in yogurt instead of tahini. Now that it’s summer time, we like to grill the eggplant instead of baking it in the oven. Serve it chilled as a side dish with grilled fish and rice – you will love it!

Ingredients

• 5-6 small Asian/Indian eggplants
• 1  cup plain yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
• salt, pepper to taste

Method

Cut small slits in the eggplants and lightly brush each with olive oil. Place eggplants in a stainless steel wire grilling pan and grill over medium high heat, turning gently once in a while until the skin is dark and partially charred.

Remove eggplants from the grill and let them cool for a few minutes. Peel off the skin and collect the flesh in a bowl. Cut in smaller pieces and then puree in a food processor. Remove in a bowl.

Mix with plain yogurt until smooth and homogeneous. Add garlic, salt and pepper.  Garnish with ch0pped cilantro. Chill in a refrigerator before serving.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Getting young kids to eat salad greens and other veggies is a challenge for most parents. We are no exception as we try different ways to get our twins to take a few bites. A while ago, we had some success with our eating salad like a giraffe story, but it didn’t last too long.

Recently, out of the blue, and much to our surprise, our son has become a regular salad eater. He does love pretending to be a giraffe as he nibbles on the salad greens with his neck stretched out! Check out this recent video in which special musical effects were provided by his twin sister!

It is funny, no doubt, but the trick works because now we have a secret ingredient. Turns out that he likes it when we add a little ketchup, a tablespoon of plain yogurt and a sprinkle of salt over the greens. Call it a weird salad dressing, but it seems to work every time!

As they say, the secret is in the sauce. What has worked for you?

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

We have been getting this new snack from Gerber for the last couple of weeks. Much like the Fruit Twists, it has been a great hit with my son who enjoys it on the way back from daycare.

Here is what we like about this product -

1. Contains real fruits and made with yogurt
2. Tastes good
3. Only 80 calories per twist
4. No saturated fat or trans fat
5. No cholesterol
6. Added vitamins and minerals

Here is what we don’t like about this product -

1. No fiber although a label on the front shows made with whole grains
2. Added sugar, also contains sodium
3. It is not organic
4. High cost – a pack of 6 twists costs over 3 dollars

Overall, I think not a bad alternative if you are on-the-go and need to offer a snack. But I would not rely on it to skip real fruits!

Disclaimer – I have not received any sponsorship or free samples of product from Gerber for writing this review. For complete nutritional information and other products, visit Gerber’s website.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

I wanted to try these snacks from HappyBaby after I read Mothers of Invention, a story in the Wall Street Journal about Mom entrepreneurs. Plus, we had been getting similar snacks from Gerber like the fruit puffs and yogurt melts anyway, so this certified organic option had good appeal. I found them in our local Babies ‘R Us, but you can also find them  in Super Target and WinnDixie.

They taste quite good; even I couldn’t resist popping a few of these melts in my mouth!

Here is what we like about this product -

1. USDA certified organic
2. Contains live active cultures for digestive health
3. Contains 2X more protein than Gerber’s yogurt melts
4. Provides 13% vitamin D and 12% calcium for kids 1-4 year old. Gerber’s yogurt melts on the other hand contain no vitamin D and only 4% calcium
5. No saturated fat or trans fat, no cholesterol
6. Gluten free, no soy, no wheat

Here is what we don’t like about this product -

1. Slightly higher sodium than Gerber’s yogurt melts (don’t understand why!)
2. There is added sugar even though in small amounts
3. Very little fruit although the packaging prominently displays ripe strawberries! Don’t consider this a fruit substitute by any means, it has no fiber!
4. High cost. One trick I used was to mix a few melts in yoplait yogurt at snack time and offered it to my son! He loved the crunchy, quick melting texture with the otherwise soft fruity yogurt. You can also use plain yogurt.

Overall, we are very excited about this product. It can be a handy on-the-go snack. Give them a try and let us know your opinion.

Disclaimer – I have not received any sponsorship or free samples of product from Happy Baby for writing this review. For complete nutritional information and other products, visit HappyMelt’s website.

Photo Source: HappyBaby
©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Greetings! Hope you have had another wonderful week in this new year and you are still on track with your resolutions (or priorities as I like to call them). I am saddened by the tragedy in Haiti. Every time I see a photo of an injured child waiting to be treated, I feel sad. It is encouraging to see an outpouring of support from the world community and I hope and pray that things will soon improve for the people of Haiti.

For this week’s Five for Fridays, I have compiled 5 excellent posts on recipes and tips from several blogs I follow. These are great bloggers and I encourage you to check their blogs out if you haven’t already done so.

Mushroom Rice Pilaf on KidAppeal

This is a very simple recipe, but more importantly, I like the way Jenna of Kid Appeal mixes nutrition information and tips on getting your kids involved in the cooking project. Kids love to make believe, and creating a plot involving the ingredients is a cool, creative way to get them engaged and learn about the good, the bad and the ugly of foods. As the article correctly points out at the end, this strategy is far better than the conventional “try one bite, it is good for you and you need to eat more”!

Tips for Homemade Yogurt on The Nourished Kitchen

If you are interested in making yogurt at home, this collection of practical tips will come in handy. Recent research is showing the health benefits of probiotics for all kinds of conditions. Yogurt is a great source of bacteria that are good for your system, but it is difficult to find products with low sugar. That is why homemade yogurt is such a great idea – not only can you save money, but you can also control what goes in your yogurt.

Vitamin D is often lacking from many yogurt products. This intrigues me because most milk has added vitamin D these days. Making yogurt at home using the milk in your refrigerator will ensure you get this vital nutrient in addition to the other benefits of yogurt (calcium, probiotics etc.)

It has been quite a while since I had homemade yogurt. We have gotten used to the convenience of buying different kinds of yogurts from the supermarket. Every week, we get a box of plain yogurt, about half-dozen small jars of fruit yogurts and kids yogurts. I am seriously considering trying the homemade option even if it means setting aside a few hours on the weekends to prepare it.

Feel free to share your tips if you make yogurt at home!

Gallo Pinto on A Life Less Sweet

Caty of A Life Less Sweet is one of my favorite bloggers not just because she is on a crusade against HFCS and a PhD Chemical Engineer, but also because of her very practical common-sense driven approach to food and nutrition. This recipe appeared in her Meatless Monday column, which is a great resource for those trying to cut down on meat from their diets.

Gallo Pinto is a dish made with cooked black beans and rice mixed with spices. This is an excellent – and an inexpensive way – to get a full supply of proteins in your diet. The recipe is very easy to make. I think you can also try it with red kidney beans, although we like to cook the beans and rice separately. Our favorite is Basmati rice, but you can also use brown rice.

Okra and Dal on Chow and Chatter

Rebecca of Chow and Chatter is the queen of simple but tasty Indian (South Asian) recipes. She also happens to be a Registered dietitian and a guest blogger on here, so you can be sure she knows her food!

This is a combo recipe to celebrate one of South India’s major festival called Pongal. Okra we all know, dal is basically a dish made from pulses (dried beans, lentils). These are simple and flavorful recipes which go very well with rice or naan, the Indian version of oven baked flatbread.

Okra recipe can be tricky to make because okra can very easily turn into a soft mush. If done right, the okra in this recipe should be crispy and relatively dry. Wash the whole okra prior to chopping it, and pat dry with a paper towel before you cut it.

Broccoli Parmesan on Raising Healthy Eaters

Broccoli is not a favorite of most people, us included. But I liked this recipe from registered dietitian Maryann Jacobsen because it is so simple and fast to make. I also like that the broccoli comes out crispy, and also the fact that they were a hit with her little daughter. Nothing like proven success to try it out yourself!

One of the recipes TwinToddlersMom makes is a sauted mix of broccoli with Salmon mixed with a few spices. Again the broccoli comes out crispy and flavorful. We will post it soon after we make it next.

I hope you will enjoy these recipes and share your thoughts in the comments section. Also, visit these blogs for other great kid-friendly recipes!

Photo Source: Crystl on Flickr
©2010 Littlestomaks.com

According to the 2nd edition of the PDR for Nutritional Supplements -

The absorption efficiency of calcium varies throughout the life span. It is highest during infancy when it is about 60%. In prepubertal children, it is about 28%. During early puberty, at the time of the growth spurt, it increases to 34% and then drops to 25% two years later.

How you can use this information -

1. Get your kids to drink milk and eat yogurt at an early age. Dairy is the best source of calcium. Unless you have an allergy problem, this should be your first choice. Milk also has vitamin D which is necessary for calcium absorption.
2. Other sources of calcium and vitamin D – fortified orange juice, cereals, collard greens, broccoli, tofu, salmon, spinach. Offering a variety of food sources in addition to, or instead of dairy, is a good way to get calcium in your child’s growing bones early on.
3. Recommended daily value for children 1-3 years is 500 mg (about 2 cups of milk) and for children 4-8 years is 800 mg (2-3 cups of milk).
4. In addition to food sources, physical activity is also important. Both exercise and nutrition help bones to increase their strength.

Building a calcium reserve at an early age is almost like building a bank balance of good health for the rest of your child’s life.

What has worked well for you in providing adequate amount of calcium and vitamin D in your child’s diet?

©2009 Littlestomaks.com
Information provided in this post is not meant to be treated as medical advice

It was purely by chance that I added this product to my shopping cart this weekend. I was looking for our regular small drinkable yogurt bottles for kids from Dannon. I did not remember the exact brand. Turns out we were buying Danimals^® Drinkables which comes in a 6-pack of 3.1 fl oz bottles. Anyway, I was intrigued by the immunity claim on the packaging, which also prominently displayed the marketing name of the active probiotic culture L. Casei Immunitas^TM. Another bold statement on the package claimed that it was clinically proven to help strengthen your body’s defenses. Worth checking it out I said to myself.

Both of our twins loved it. In fact they have been drinking a couple of these bottles every day!

Here is what we like about this product -

1. L. Casei Immunitas^TM is supposed to be more resistant to the stomach acid compared to other  yogurt cultures. Which means that more of it will end up in the small intestines where it is supposed to help maintain the right microbial environment.
2. It has a high amount of protein, calcium and potassium.
3. No trans fats and very low saturated fat.
4. It tastes quite good!

Here is what we don’t like about this product -

1. Main problem – too much sugar! One 3.1 oz bottle contains 13 g sugar. My guess is that nearly half of it is added sugar. No wonder the kids liked it so much. By the way, the Danimals^® Drinkables are no better – one bottle contains 14 g sugar, although it has more vitamins and minerals.
2. It is not organic.
3. It is super expensive – a 6 pack costs $4.89 at my local store. It come to about 80 cents per bottle, which is way more than even milk or a homemade smoothie. Not sure if a slightly higher amount of bacteria reaching the gut is worth this much more! Eat more of plain yogurt and mix it with fresh fruit puree!!

Because of its sugar content and high price, I give it a thumbs down even though our kids loved it! This will only fuel their sweet addiction!!

Have you tried it? What is your opinion?

Disclaimer – I have not received any sponsorship or free samples of product from Dannon for writing this review. For complete nutritional information and other products, visit Dannon’s website.

©2009 Littlestomaks.com

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Ingredients

1. 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well (we used Goya brand)
2. 2 medium sized tomatoes cut into small pieces
3. Leafy lettuce, finely chopped. Optionally, mixed salad greens
4. Finely chopped cilantro, optional
5. 1 cup freshly grated cheddar
6. Flour tortillas
7. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8. Taco sauce
9. 1 cup plain yogurt

Method

Keep the beans, chopped tomatoes and lettuce and grated cheese in separate bowls so you can put them on the flour tortilla when making the tacos.

Add olive oil to a skillet or frying pan so it makes about a 1/4 inch deep layer. Heat on medium heat. Avoid overheating otherwise the oil will smoke. Pan fry a single flour tortilla until it turns light brown and slightly crispy, but still maintains some of its softness. Remove from pan and place between two paper towels to remove excess oil. Complete frying the remaining tortillas.

To make the taco, place one fried tortilla flat on a plate. Spread a layer of black beans, chopped tomatoes, lettuce and grated cheese. Add cilantro for extra flavor. Top it up with a layer of taco sauce. Fold and enjoy! Serve with yogurt instead of sour cream to avoid the saturated fat and cholesterol.

©2009 Littlestomaks.com

6 Toddler Servings, 3 Adult Servings

Ingredients

1. 1 lb bag of fresh green beans, cut into 1-2″ long pieces (optionally frozen or microwaveable)
2. 1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped or crushed in a food processor
3. 2 small tomatoes, crushed in a food processor
4. 1 tsp tomato paste
5. 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6. 1/2 cup warm water

Method

Steam or microwave green beans until soft, yet lightly crispy. Add olive oil to a shallow saucepan on medium heat. Add onions and saute lightly for 1-2 minutes. Add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes to the onions and mix lightly. Add green beans and water. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until beans are soft (about 15-20 minutes). Add more water as needed, and continue to cook until desired consistency. Serve cold with Basmati rice or a slice of whole grain and plain yogurt.

This new product is an instant hit with my son! My wife just ordered them from the Earth’s Best website. We found this to be a healthy and delicious snack, made from whole grain brown rice and organic yogurt. One bar makes a single serving of 70 calories. It is low in total fat, saturated fat, sodium, total carbohydrate and sugars, and rich in vitamins and minerals. The only negative is low protein and no vitamin D.

1 box of 6 bars is listed at $4.49 on Earth’s Best on line store.

See the table below for nutritional analysis. Traffic light color coding is based on FDA’s recommended guidelines of %daily value (DV)

Overall, we give it a big thumbs up!

If you have tried it, let us know what you think.

If you are giving your toddler a couple of cups of milk, vitamin D fortified orange juice, yogurt and cereal, and you take him out to play in the sun for 5 – 30 minutes each day, then there is no reason to worry. And if he has a taste for salmon and tuna, you are in really good shape. There is absolutely no need to grab that fancy multivitamin nutritional supplement on your next shopping trip. Balanced diet and an active, healthy lifestyle works like a charm!

There has been a recent buzz in the media about vitamin D deficiency among infants and toddlers. “Kids Aren’t Getting Enough Vitamin D” screams one headline, while “Vitamin D Deficiency Puts 40% of U.S. Infants and Toddlers at Risk” cries another. It is quite natural to be alarmed by such news; even I paid attention to it and started researching the topic to figure out if our twins were getting enough vitamin D each day.

It is worthwhile to get a little better understanding of why vitamin D deficiency is such a big deal. It is known to cause rickets (softening and twisting of bones in children). Vitamin D is important of absorption of calcium and phosphorus in bones to maintain their strength and proper development. Recent research is also showing that vitamin D plays an important role in prevention of diabetes, multiple sclerosis and certain cancers. It can also cause weakness in muscles if deficient. It seems to influence over 200 genes, including those that regulate cellular proliferation of both normal and cancer cells.

As I read more, I found myself fascinated by the incredible biochemistry that goes on in the body while processing vitamin D from various sources. Sunlight converts cholesterol from skin into vitamin D₃, which is converted inside the liver into another form (25-hydroxyvitamin D) and released into the circulating blood stream. Vitamin D fortified foods can contain D₃ and another form D₂, both of which end up in the liver for conversion to 25-hydroxyvitamin D. By the way, it is the level of this 25-hydroxyvitamin D that tells you if you have a vitamin D deficiency. If this level is between 30 – 60 ng/mL, you have no reason to worry! 25-hydroxyvitamin D now finds its way to the kidneys, where it is converted to the active form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D under the influence of hormones from the parathyroid gland. This active form of vitamin D increases calcium absorption in the small intestine. Calcium and phosphorus absorbed in the small intestine are released in the blood, from where they are picked up by the bone cells for bone growth. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin also regulates the growth and maturity of bone cells, which in turn release back the calcium and phosphorus in the blood to maintain their levels in the circulation system. The whole system works in harmony, promoting controlled bone growth!

You can continue to be vigilant by paying attention to what you buy. Remember that unless the label says Vitamin D fortified, orange juice, yogurt, cheese and cereals do not contain this vitamin. If you have a choice, go for Vitamin D₃ because it is three times more effective than Vitamin D₂ in conversion to 25-hydroxyvitamin D. If the label simply says Vitamin D, then most likely it is Vitamin D₂.

Here are some of the products we use regularly. Looking at them, and how much our twins are getting overall each day, I am not worried about Vitamin D deficiency.

Are you still worried?

If so, discuss with your pediatrician. Depending upon your specific case, you may be able to get advice about a nutritional supplement.

Here are some links for more information:

1. A very technical article in the New England Journal of Medicine
2. Dietary supplement fact sheet on Vitamin D from NIH