About Dr. Gourmet

My name is Timothy Harlan and I am both a physician and a chef. This blog is a general collection of information and random ideas on eating great food and eating healthy.

You can find out more at the Dr. Gourmet web site. Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Categories

Can Red Meat be Part of a Cholesterol-Lowering Diet?

Red meat consumption has been linked with poor cholesterol scores, breast, colon and rectal cancers, increased risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases. For a long time when I talked to my patients about eating healthier they would immediately tell me that they would stop [...]

Macronutrients vs. Overall Diet: Which is More Important? : Dr. Gourmet's Health and Nutrition Bites

It’s an axiom among dietitians that “people eat food, not macronutrients.” That’s one of the reasons that I find fad diets to be so silly: so many of them demonize entire classes of foods (”all oils are bad,” “avoid all carbohydrates,” “don’t eat animal products”). While [...]

Gout; How Often to Eat; Coumadin and Diabetes : Ask Dr. Gourmet Newsletter

Dear Dr. Gourmet,

Q: I am a 48 year old male who has suffered with gout for some years now, and I have gotten to the point where I am so discouraged and depressed with all of the controversy over certain food and beverage items, such [...]

Mediterranean Diet not just for Mediterranean people : Dr. Gourmet's Health and Nutrition Bites

There are a lot of misconceptions about the Mediterranean Diet, and of course the biggest one is that you can only eat Greek food. Long-time readers and followers of Dr. Gourmet know that Dr. Gourmet’s mission is translating Mediterranean Diet principles for the American (Western) [...]

Teens' Weight; Metabolic Syndrome; HON Code : Ask Dr. Gourmet Newsletter

Dear Dr. Gourmet,

Q: My question is really how much should I weigh? I’m a girl. Almost 13. I’m 5′3″ – almost 5′4″, and my weight is different every day! It’s from 114-118! It changes so much! Can you tell me why, as well?

Tomato and White Bean Soup : Dr. Gourmet Newsletter

Chef Tim Says….

For two decades now there has been controversy surround the government labeling tomato paste as a vegetable so that it will pass for one on kid’s plates in school lunch programs. While I am not one who believes that tomato paste should be [...]

Legumes Really Satisfy - and You'll Eat Less Later : Dr. Gourmet's Health and Nutrition Bites

Legumes, which include beans (such as red beans, navy beans, soy beans), lentils, peas, and edible pods (such as okra, snap peas and snow peas) are one of the nine tenets of the Mediterranean Diet. We know that adding legumes to your diet helps you [...]

Potassium, Diverticulitis, Pomegranate and Cinnamon : Ask Dr. Gourmet Newsletter

Dear Dr. Gourmet,

Q: How many milligrams of potassium would be acceptable in a recipe if you are trying to bring your potassium levels down?

A: One of the [...]

Acorn Squash Soup with Apple and Bacon: Dr. Gourmet Newsletter for October 24, 2011

Dr. Tim Says….

I was giving a talk to a group of physicians the other day when one asked if I had any simple handouts about the Mediterranean diet. I mentioned that there were a lot of handouts in the “For Physicians” section on the Web [...]

Nuts Still the Best Snacks : Dr. Gourmet's Health and Nutrition Bites

When I’m giving a lecture about eating healthy, someone invariably asks about snacking. As you may already know, I’m not a big fan of snacking between meals when you’re trying to lose weight. All too often that snacking simply adds calories that you don’t need. [...]