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The Jewish Home | JULY 28, 2022
Health & F tness
Meal Guidance for the Nine Days By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN
T
he Nine Days are a fateful time for the Jews. Dangerous things have happened during those days throughout our history and therefore we stay away from various activities. One of those restrictions is eating meat (other than on Shabbos and with some loopholes). Planning a menu for an entire week of dairy is a tough task and even tougher when trying to eat healthy. Most dairy meals tend to be heavier in calories than meat meals. Below are some ideas of healthy options for the Nine Days. Eggs are a great vegetarian meal for any day. They are so healthy and so versatile that you can’t possibly get sick of them. Plus, they’re easy and require very little prep time, too. For the past 40 years, Americans were wary of eating eggs due to its cholesterol content. However, the newest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans contained a striking change: it dropped a restriction on dietary cholesterol. Experts now believe that
eating cholesterol-containing foods may not significantly affect cholesterol levels or increase their risk of heart disease. According to federal guidelines, eggs are now grouped with lean meats, poultry, seafood, legumes, and nuts as a healthy source of protein. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends eating eggs, poultry or meat eight to nine times a week, or one egg or two egg whites in a single serving. Either way, Nine Days or not, you should be consuming eggs daily as part of a healthy diet. Get creative with your eggs, and have fun. Hardboiled eggs can be prepared in advance and easily taken along to work. When eating a meal at home, you can whip up scrambled eggs, omelets, sunny side up, soft boiled eggs, poached eggs, egg salad, deviled eggs, or shakshuka. Each of these choices offers variety, too. You can add vegetables and/or cheese to your omelets and cheese and/or onions to your scrambled eggs, too. Have a slice of whole grain toast with your eggs and a side salad, or any cut up vegetables or
avocado to enjoy with your eggs. There are so many yummy ways to make eggs and different side dishes to go along with them, which makes eggs a great meal for the Nine Days. Another extremely healthy and popular meal for the Nine Days is fish. Fish is one of the healthiest proteins out there. Fish is a great choice for any meal, any day of the year. The 20152020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults consume at least 8 ounces of seafood per week. Oily fish, in particular, such as wild salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, herring and farmed trout are great catches with DHA to offer. One serving of fish offers plenty of protein, is low in calories, and fat and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory agents that help protect the blood vessels and arteries, thus promoting heart health. Fish is also shown to boost brain health, fight heart disease and have many other great benefits. There are many different types of fish
out there – each with different textures, flavors, and health benefits. Every type of fish is healthy and beneficial. Salmon is a very popular choice and is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory agents that help protect the blood vessels and arteries. Salmon is also one of the healthiest protein sources one can eat and is low in calories. Salmon can be eaten raw as sushi, cooked, grilled, baked, poached, boiled, eaten in a salad, and even made into salmon patties! Other great fish options include trout, carp, sea bass, flounder, tilapia, bronzini, and red snapper. Prepare your fish in any way shape or form and enjoy it with a whole grain starch such as brown rice, quinoa, or even a baked sweet potato, with some veggies on the side. Voila! A healthy, delicious, and nutritious meal. While we’re on the topic of fish, sushi is another great option for the Nine Days. Choose a brown rice roll for optimal nutrition. One of my favorite meals for the Nine
