A Dietitian's View

March 08, 2010

Support Your Local RDs!

Registered Dietitian Day is Wednesday, March 10, 2010

The American Dietetic Association proudly announces the third annual Registered Dietitian Day. As the nation's food and nutrition experts, registered dietitians are committed to improving the health of their patients and community. Registered Dietitian Day commemorates the dedication of RDs as advocates for advancing the nutritional status of Americans and people around the world.

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February 18, 2010

Misleading Food Claims

The “Food Labeling Chaos” report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest identifies several misleading labeling tactics used by food companies. Here are six common but misleading claims included in the C.S.P.I. report.

Lightly-sweetened: Cereal packages often contain the phrase “lightly sweetened” to suggest less sugar. The Food and Drug Administration has regulations concerning the use of “sugar free” and “no added sugars” but nothing governing the claims “low sugar” or “lightly sweetened.”

A good source of fiber: A number of food marketers now claim their products are a good source of fiber, but C.S.P.I. notes that often the fiber doesn’t come from traditional sources — whole grains, bean, vegetables or fruit — known to have health benefits. Instead, food makers are adding something called “isolated fibers” made from chicory root or purified powders of polydextrose and other substances that haven’t been shown to lower blood sugar or cholesterol.

Strengthens your immune system: Through “clever wordsmithing,” food companies can skirt F.D.A. rules about health claims and give consumers the impression that a product will ward off disease, notes the C.S.P.I. report. Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice claims to “strengthen your immune system with a daily dose of vitamin C.” Green Giant offers an “immunity blend” of frozen vegetables. Nestle’s Carnation Instant Breakfast says it contains “Antioxidants to help support the immune system.”

Made with real fruit: Often the “real fruit” is found in small quantities and isn’t even the same kind of fruit pictured on the package. Tropical fruit flavored Gerber Graduates Fruit Juice Treats show pictures of fresh oranges and pineapple. But the main ingredients are corn syrup, sugar and white grape juice concentrate. Betty Crocker’s Strawberry Splash Fruit Gushers don’t contain strawberries — just pear concentrate.

Made with whole grains: Many products make a whole grain claim even though they often contain refined flour as the first ingredient and the amount of whole grains are minimal. The C.S.P.I. reports that the package of Keebler’s Townhouse Bistro Multigrain Crackers boasts they are made with “toasted whole wheat,” but the ingredient label shows the crackers contain more sugar than whole wheat.

All natural. Although the F.D.A. has issued several warning letters to firms making misleading “all natural” claims, the agency has never issued formal rules about the term, C.S.P.I. says. As a result, some products containing high fructose corn syrup claim to be “all natural.” One example is Minute Maid Premium All Natural Flavors Berry Punch. “Though glucose and fructose certainly occur in nature, the chemical conversions of cornstarch should not be considered natural,” writes C.S.P.I.

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February 08, 2010

Try Something New: Quinoa

Whether you are dealing with gluten intolerance or merely trying to reduce the amount of animal fat in your diet, quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah,") packs a powerful nutritional punch.

Quinoa seeds are covered with a bitter, resin-like coating called saponin, which acts as a natural pesticide. Its flavor is repellent to birds, insects — and people. Though most quinoa is rinsed before it is packaged, it is worth the extra effort to rinse it again thoroughly in cold water before you cook it.

Quinoa cooks to a light fluffy texture in about 15 minutes, increasing four times in volume as it cooks. It can be cooked using a rice cooker or on the stovetop, using one part quinoa to two parts liquid. Either water or broth works fine. It can be added raw to soups and stews 15 or 20 minutes before cooking is completed. It is a wonderful kitchen chameleon — taking on any flavor you add to it.

In appearance, quinoa is frequently compared to couscous, but it has a texture all its own. As it cooks, the external germ, which forms a band around each grain, spirals out, forming a tiny, crescent-shaped "tail." The cooked grain is soft and creamy, while the "tail" has a pleasant crunch, giving quinoa a unique mouth feel that complements its delicate, nutty flavor. Toasting the grain in a dry skillet for 5 minutes before cooking imparts a delicious roasted flavor.

Quinoa is an appropriate repast for any time of day. Prepare it for breakfast as a porridge with nuts, dried fruit and honey. It is delicious as a lunch salad, tossed with herbed vinaigrette and tomatoes and piled in the center of a ripe avocado. For dinner, serve it either as a side dish with fresh fish or meat, or as a main dish or vehicle for a ragu. It is a particularly fine accompaniment to legumes.

Black bean, tomato and corn quinoa

Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Makes: 6 servings

Here, quinoa takes on fresh, south-of-the-border flavors. Adapted from allrecipes.com.

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed, drained

1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels

4 green onions, chopped

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

Juice and zest from a fresh lime

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (or to taste)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Cook quinoa in boiling salted water until liquid is absorbed and the little "tails" appear, 15 to 20 minutes. Place warm quinoa in a large bowl; add beans, corn, green onions and tomatoes. Whisk together lime juice and zest, olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt and chili powder. Stir dressing into quinoa mixture; stir in cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition information: Per serving: 223 calories, 26% of calories from fat, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 38 g carbohydrates, 8 g protein, 530 mg sodium, 8 g fiber

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January 28, 2010

A few clicks = the perfect cereal

Ever wish you could create the perfect cereal with all your favorite ingredients? Mojamix.com lets you do just that! Start with a cereal base and add fruit, nuts and add-on ingredients to make your own special concoction.

You can even customize the box and give your cereal a name.

Also try elementbar.com to make your own granola bars! Choose a grain base and add in fruit, nuts, extras and create the perfect snack.

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October 29, 2009

Tips to keep your blood sugar regulated all day

If you are someone you know struggle with diabetes, listed below are general guidelines that can help keep your blood sugar levels stable and under control.

* Avoid concentrated sweets — Soft drinks, punch, lemonade, candy, cookies, cakes, pies, syrup, honey, jelly, sweet rolls and table sugar are all forms of refined carbohydrates. Be aware of alternative names for sugar such as corn syrup, honey, raw sugar, molasses, maple syrup,

sucrose, dextrose, sorghum, fructose, galactose, turbinado, high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, corn sweeteners, dextrin, fruit juice concentrate, malt and brown sugar.

* Be cautious of foods that are marketed and label as "dietetic" — Just because it is labeled as "sugar free" or "dietetic" does not mean that this food can be eaten in unlimited amounts. These foods will most likely still contribute significant calories to your diet, which could hinder overall health goals.

* Avoid skipping meals and snacks — Eating complex carbohydrate and lean protein every three to four hours will help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent large fluctuations. Be careful not to over-eat or under-eat at meals and snacks because this can cause significant fluctuations in blood sugar.

* Consume whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices — Fresh fruit will provide more fiber and bulk to your diet compared to fruit juice. If you are going to consume juice, limit it to four ounces at a time. Four ounces of orange juice will provide you with about 60 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrates and no fiber. A medium orange will provide about 60 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber.

* Increase your fiber intake — Eating foods high in fiber will help stabilize blood sugar levels, fill you up faster and provide phytochemicals and antioxidants that help protect against cancers and other diseases. Foods high in fiber include dried beans and peas; 100 percent whole-wheat breads, cereals and pastas; sweet potatoes; and brown rice. One point to remember is that while these complex carbohydrates should make up the bulk of your diet, consuming too much at one sitting can still result in high blood sugar.

* Load up on non-starchy vegetables — These include celery, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, greens, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers and bell peppers are low in calories and carbohydrates and are filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals and cancer-fighting phytochemicals. The low calorie count and high fiber content mean they will not make a significant impact on your blood sugar levels, therefore you should consider these as "free" foods.

Research has found that just losing 10 percent of your body weight can make significant changes in your blood sugar control.

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July 19, 2009

Frozen Treats

How to have your cone and eat it too:

Popsicle

A Super Twin Popsicle (81 grams) contains just 60 calories. Sure it isn't creamy, but it'll remind you of childhood pleasures and it's hard to beat the calorie count.

Frozen yogurt

Frozen yogurt generally contains less fat than ice cream and weighs in with 100 to 120 calories for a half cup serving compared to 150 to 220 for ice cream. Some are better than others. Ben and Jerry's frozen yogurt is notorious for its higher calorie count, and comes in at about 170 calories per half cup.

Soft ice cream

With more air and more liquid, soft ice cream's calorie count is similar to that of most light ice cream at 100 to 120 calories per half cup. Add a basic cone (about 35 calories) and dip it in chocolate, however, and the calorie count climbs quickly. A Dairy Queen medium chocolate-dipped soft vanilla ice cream cone (220 grams) contains 470 calories.

Gelato

Gelato is traditionally made with milk rather than cream. A half-cup scoop of gelato, if made with milk, usually has just 120 to 150 calories compared to 150 to 220 for regular ice cream.

Sorbet

A half-cup of sorbet contains about 130 calories and, because sorbet does not contain milk or cream, is almost always fat-free to boot. Add a sugar cone, which is usually smaller than a waffle cone, and you add about 50 calories. A waffle cone or bowl usually tops out at 110 to 160 calories.

Ice cream

Regular ice cream contains 160 to 200 calories for a half cup serving. Forty grams (a typical 1/6 cup serving) of hot fudge syrup adds 150 calories plus trans fat. Strawberry sundae syrup is not better for you than chocolate syrup and the calorie count is about the same. An eighth of a cup of blueberries adds just 13 calories, but the same volume in M&Ms adds 170. A typical dollop or swirl of whipped cream adds about 45 calories.

Ice cream bars

A Fudgsicle bar (70 grams) has 100 calories. A Nestle vanilla drumstick (140 millilitres) has 310 calories, as does a Haagen Dazs vanilla and almond bar. Nestle ice cream sandwich Minis (60 millilitres) contain only 90 calories, but the serving size is tiny and the treat is high in saturated and trans fat (2.1 grams).

Frappuccinos and Slurpees

A grande (16 fluid ounce) Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino contains 240 calories, but a grande Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino (16 fluid ounces) with whipped cream contains 570 calories with 15 grams of fat.

A large (40 fluid ounce) 7-Eleven Slurpee 20 teaspoons of sugar and 320 calories.

Other Frozen Treats

A large (378 gram) Wendy's chocolate Frosty contains 530 calories and is mostly milk, cream and sugar. A small (227 gram) Frosty has 320 calories. Meanwhile, a large Dairy Queen Reese Peanut Butter Cups Blizzard (514 grams) contains 1,170 calories.

Milkshakes

Milkshakes, usually made of ice cream, full-cream milk and masses of sugar, are the emperors of calorie excess. Ice cream parlour milkshakes generally contain 1,100 to 1,500 calories.
A small (338 millilitres) McDonald's chocolate milkshake contains 560 calories. A large (888 millilitres) McDonald's chocolate milkshake contains 1,160 calories.

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June 01, 2009

How to Choose Frozen Dinners

Looking for a convenient frozen meal to have on hand when time is tight? There's no getting around it: You'll need to read the " nutrition facts" panel on the package to see whether your choice is a healthy one.

In general, look for meals that include one or more servings each of vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat, fish, or poultry. These tend to be lower in calories and higher in vitamins and minerals as well as fiber (which helps fill you up).

Skip frozen dinners with cream sauces, gravies, or fried foods. And although dessert may look like a bonus, maybe have a piece of fresh fruit instead, for more fiber, nutrition, and fewer calories.

Here are the guidelines for choosing a healthy frozen dinner. Keep in mind that some healthy meals will meet some, but not all, of these recommendations:

* 300-500 calories
* 10-18 grams of total fat, or less that 30% of total calories
* Less than 4 grams of saturated fat
* Less than 600 milligrams of sodium.
* 3-5 grams of fiber.
* 10% of the Recommended Daily Value of vitamins or minerals
* 10-20 grams of protein

A few good brands to try are: Kashi, Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine.

It's also important to pay attention to serving sizes. Although they may be lower in calories, smaller entrees may leave you hungry. But don't be afraid to add a few extras to boost nutrition and satisfaction.

Add a side salad and low-fat dairy to boost the nutritional value of the meal and adds fiber and calories, so it will fill you up and satisfy your hunger,"

If you want to boost the protein, add 1/2 cup of beans or a sprinkling of nuts to your meal.

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May 27, 2009

Burger Time

BBQ season has begun and one of the most common meats to throw on the grill is burgers.

Hamburgers, while excellent sources of protein, iron and zinc, can also be loaded with calories and fat.

Beyond the all-beef patty, there are the familiar turkey burgers and veggie patties. You can also find burgers -- fresh or frozen -- that are made from ground buffalo (bison), chicken, salmon, tuna, even mahi-mahi.

Compare the nutrition facts labels if available. (USDA guidelines require mandatory nutrition labeling on frozen burgers, but not on fresh seafood or meat products.

Look for ground meat products (beef, buffalo or poultry) that are labeled with the percentage of lean meat versus fat. A product labeled 80/20 means that it's made with 80 percent lean meat and 20 percent fat. Simply making the change from 80/20 to 95/5 will slash the fat content by two-thirds, and cut calories by one-third.

If the percent lean isn't specified, reach for ground sirloin, the leanest of the ground meats. (The next best is ground round, followed by ground chuck).

If you're grilling turkey burgers or chicken burgers, look for those made with only skinless white meat. One popular brand of turkey burger has 17 grams of fat per 4-ounce patty -- far more than the 6 grams of fat in the same size burger made with extra lean ground beef. A closer look reveals that it's made with "85/15 ground turkey," meaning that it also contains dark meat, skin and fat. So unless the label specifies skinless ground turkey breast or ground chicken breast, it likely has nearly as much fat and calories as typical ground beef.

You can also add juiciness after grilling by topping burgers with grilled onions and mushrooms, roasted red peppers, thick tomato slices, salsa, avocado relish, low-fat mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard or barbecue sauce.

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May 23, 2009

Are You a Nutritionalist?

This question makes me laugh every time. What is a nutritionalist anyway?
(For the full article, click here)

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Registered dietitians and nutritionists have both been around for decades, but to help determine which is most qualified to help you, first ask yourself which of the following qualities would give you confidence in the credibility of a nutrition professional who evaluates and counsels you:

1.National credentialing by a recognized and trusted health professional organization.
2.A guarantee of at least a bachelor’s degree in a nutrition related field.
3.Successful performance in an internship.
4.Passing a national credentialing exam.
5.A requirement of at least 75 hours of continuing education every five years in order to stay current and maintain the credential.
6.Advice and recommendations that are based on sound, evidence-based science.
7.All of the above.

If any or all of the above are important to you, then your choice is clear: see a registered dietitian. Only registered dietitians – not nutritionists – meet ALL of the above criteria. Many registered dietitians, easily recognized by the initials “RD” after their name, have considerably more advanced education. Indeed, nowadays most RDs have a Master’s degree in a nutrition-related field and some have doctoral degrees. Don’t be surprised to see someone with “MS, RD” or “PhD, RD” following their name.

Nutritionists, on the other hand, have no nationally recognized credentialing body like the Commission on Dietetic Registration, which credentials registered dietitians. Some states require dietitians and nutritionists to be licensed or certified in the state before they can identify themselves as dietitians or nutritionist, but many states have no such requirements.

It’s shocking that in some states, anyone can hang out a shingle, call himself or herself a “nutritionist” and start dispensing nutrition advice. What’s even more ironic is that you may need a license to cut hair, but not to counsel someone about managing their diabetes.

They’re not in the kitchen anymore

Many people used to think of a “dietitian” as someone who wore a hair net and stayed in the hospital kitchen stirring the big soup kettle. Those days are long gone. They are now very respected members of the health care team playing a vital role in the treatment and prevention of our most life-threatening diseases.

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May 16, 2009

Food and Nutrition Information Center

Looking for reliable nutrition information? Go to the Food and Nutrition Information Center - part of the USDA National Agricultural Library. Be sure to check out the Professional and Career Resources page and click on Listservs and Blogs. You may find yourself right back here :)

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March 20, 2009

Celebrate National Nutrition Month: What is an RD?

Barbara Quinn, RD answers some great questions about RDs.

• What is a registered dietitian?
RDs are men and women trained and grounded in the science of nutrition. Most of the nearly 69,000 members of the American Dietetic Association — the largest professional organization of nutrition professionals in the world — are registered dietitians.

You can call us RDs or you can call us dietitians, but don't call us to a meal without vegetables.

• What does an RD do?
We practice "medical nutrition therapy" — diet therapy for a variety of medical conditions — on the referral from a physician. We work with real people to solve real health problems and manage diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer. Some RDs work with athletic teams. Others conduct medical research. Some write nutrition columns.

• What is the difference between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist?
It's a matter of definition. Registered dietitians have (at a minimum) a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the science of nutrition or related field. Many have master's orPh.D. degrees. RDs complete a one-year internship and pass a national registration exam. And we must continue professional education to maintain registration status. "Nutritionist" is a generic term for someone who may possess all of this training. Or none. An RD may choose to be called a nutritionist. But a nutritionist is not necessarily an RD.

• Where do you find RDs?
Look around most health care settings — hospitals, medical and sports clinics, colleges and universities, dialysis centers. You'll also find us hanging out in produce aisles and farmers markets.

• How can an RD help me?
Ask not what an RD can do for you. Ask instead what you can do if you work with an RD. A visit to a registered dietitian involves an assessment of your current diet, medical history and lab values. Your daily arsenal of medications and dietary supplements are reviewed. Then your RD develops a "nutrition prescription" that translates "what works" from current nutrition science into practical "what to eat" guidelines.

• How do I get in contact with an RD?
Talk first with your doctor to get a referral to a registered dietitian. Or go to www.eatright.org to find a registered dietitian in your area.

• What is a dietitian's favorite mantra?
"All foods can fit into a healthful diet. It's a matter of balance and portions." And that is what I'll tell you when you find me in the supermarket with mint chocolate chip (low fat!) ice cream in my basket.

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March 07, 2009

Essentials for Fighting a Cold

Hot soup
Soup is a good source of fluid and soothing heat for your throat; its saltiness also can help lower the risk of dehydration from a fever. Choose clearer broths over creamy varieties, and be aware that some scientific evidence suggests chicken soup can help fight infection.

Vitamin C
Doctors aren't sure if the nutrient can shorten illnesses, but foods rich in vitamin C tend to be healthful anyway. Good sources include strawberries, oranges, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, red peppers, broccoli and orange and lemon juice.
Lean meats
Healthful levels of iron—found in lean red meat, chicken and fish—can help maintain a strong immune system.
Garlic
Compounds in this cousin to the onion may help shorten the duration of a cold. Use fresh or dried garlic in recipes, or ask your doctor about taking a supplement.
Honey
The sticky substance can reduce coughing by coating and soothing an irritated throat. Try swallowing between 1/2 and 2 teaspoons, especially before you want to sleep. Note: Never give honey to children younger than 1; it can cause a rare but potentially fatal illness.
Hot peppers
Capsaicin, a natural compound in peppers, can help thin mucus, clear stuffy noses and flush germs from the body. Depending on your tolerance for spicy foods, stir a dash or more of fresh or dried pepper into dishes.
Water
Staying well hydrated can reduce symptoms such as headache and sore throat.
Green tea
Antioxidants in tea leaves can boost immune function. Just be aware that green tea has caffeine—so it may interfere with sleep if you drink too much.

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March 02, 2009

It's National Nutrition Month!

Celebrate National Nutrition Month in March by practicing the key message this year: Eating Right. Eating Right means:

* Eat a variety of foods

* Eat nutrient-dense foods which are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients -and lower in calories.
* Emphasize fruit, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products
* Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts.
* Eat foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and added sugars.

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February 26, 2009

Make Your Own Peanut Butter!

You don't need a special peanut butter machine to enjoy fresh, homemade peanut butter. Try this:

Here are steps to make your own peanut butter:

Put 2 cups of dry-roasted peanuts in a juicer or food processor.

Pulse for one to three minutes, scraping the sides down.

If it's not turning into a puree, add a teaspoon of canola oil, olive oil or flax oil. Puree an additional two minutes.

Add a dash of sea salt or sugar to lift the flavor.

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February 02, 2009

Selecting Beef

Fat content: The USDA defines "lean beef" as having less than 10 grams (g) of total fat, 4.5g or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3½-ounce serving (100g) of cooked beef. There are 29 naturally lean cuts of beef, such as tenderloin, flank steak, and sirloin, as well as five lesser-known cuts.

Others, such as ribeye or chuck roast, naturally contain more fat, although it is similarly divided between saturated and monounsaturated.

If using fattier cuts, slice away the outer rim of fat and cut or pull out any pockets of fat before cooking. For larger cuts, allow the fat to baste the meat while cooking, then trim away before eating, or skim it from the surface of braised dishes or stews.

Other nutrients: A 3½-ounce serving provides 27g to 30g of protein -- more than half of the 50g recommended daily in a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet. All beef is an excellent source of iron, zinc, and phosphorus. In general, the redder the meat, the more iron it contains (beef liver has the most). Beef also contains thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin and is a rich source of B12, found naturally only in animal foods.

Inspection and grading: USDA inspectors examine all live animals and beef shipped out of state, which encompasses most of today's supermarket beef. Grading is voluntary and done by the same inspectors. The more marbling -- the small white flecks of fat within the muscles -- the higher the grade. Three grades of beef are sold to consumers. Only three percent is highly marbled Prime, sought after by top steak houses and butcher shops. About 57 percent is moderately marbled Choice, the most common supermarket grade. The remaining 40 percent is lean Select.

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December 10, 2008

Congratulations to Me!

It's official! I passed the CDE exam! I am now a Certified Diabetes Educator. After accumulating 1000 hours of diabetes experience and studying for a few months, I passed the 200 question exam and have a few more letters to add to the end of my name. And I got a raise :)

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September 07, 2008

Stevia

The supplement Stevia often delivers a non-uniform sweet taste because it is
made from a plant and varies from supplement to supplement.

Stevia sweetened beverages are starting to appear on store shelves. Sweet
Leaf Tea Company (Austin, TX) created it¹s own stevia-based sweetener and
with self affirmed status. And it looks like they have GRAS status now:
http://www.sweetleaf.com/

In addition, Coca-cola plans to roll out products with its own version of a
stevia-based sweetener called Truvia (this has been delayed).

Some consumers prefer stevia because it is considered natural. It is not
without controversy though which stems mainly from from lab studies in rats
indicating that it may be mutagenic (cancer causing) in high doses . On the
flip side, there are several studies where scientists fed rats very large
doses of stevia and found no evidence of toxicity or genetic damage,

And, there are reports indicating that stevia may actually enhance one¹s
health by increasing insulin sensitivity . Stevia has been used as a
sweetener in several other countries for quite some time.

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September 02, 2008

The Low Down on Energy Drinks

The staple ingredient in energy drinks is caffeine -- lots of it. If you're wondering how much caffeine energy drinks have compared with other beverages, here's your answer, according to the caffeine database at www.energyfiend.com:

8 ounces of tea (brewed): 47 milligrams

12 ounces Coca-Cola: 34 milligrams

12 ounces Sunkist: 41 milligrams

8 ounces coffee: 108 milligrams

8 ounces Amp: 75 milligrams

16 ounces Full Throttle: 144 milligrams

16 ounces Rock Star: 160 milligrams

16 ounces SoBe No Fear: 174 milligrams

8 ounces Red Bull: 80 milligrams

8 ounces Redline RTD: 250 milligrams

Besides traditional forms of caffeine, many energy drinks include caffeine-containing substances such as guarana, a South American plant whose seeds are crushed and added as a stimulant. Other common ingredients include ginseng (thought to increase endurance, although studies have never proved it), carnitine (a protein thought to improve muscle performance, but again, that claim remains unproved) and other snake oil we don't know a whole lot about. All of these ingredients are classified as nutritional supplements by the Food and Drug Administration, meaning they can be sold over-the-counter without any trials to demonstrate their effectiveness or safety.

The label on Redline recommends consuming no more than one a day. Clearly, though, few consumers seem to notice the small print (and there's little motivation to make it larger, because a four-bottle pack of Redline can cost about $15).

Drinking several a day have been reported to cause gastritis: severe inflammation, bleeding and ulcerations.

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July 11, 2008

What is a Portion?

Here are some easy ways to estimate portion sizes:

Deck of cards = 3 oz of meat, fish or chicken

Baseball = 1 cup of cooked pasta or rice

CD = 1 serving of bread

Fist = 1 serving of fruits and vegetables

Thumb = 1 oz cheese

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July 07, 2008

Snack Attack

Snacks have been a part of your life since preschool. They were built into your day to help quiet hungry tummies between breakfast and lunch, then again between lunch and the end of school, typically delivered in the form of Teddy Grahams® and a milk or Goldfish® crackers and a juice box.

Regrettably, this snack ritual gradually disappeared from your day, only to be firmly reinforced as the most important thing you did when you got home from school. Any wonder you're still looking for something to eat between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. every afternoon?
Time Versus Food
On the one hand, a snack is a time for eating, an eating occasion that falls between the all-important meals. They are often less formal than meals, rarely eaten seated at a dining table and usually eaten alone. These snacks are a good thing. Eating only three meals a day is not really the best feeding plan for humans, it just happened to be the one most compatible with a working “man's” schedule and became institutionalized.
But in a perfect world (without clocks), we would all be governed by our internal signal of hunger and only eat when the signal goes on, and stop eating when it's off. Snacks would then be no different from meals. They would just be another time to eat.
The other interpretation of the word snacks is that they are a certain type of food, a.k.a. ”snack foods.” Originally noted for their salty, crispy, eat-out-of-your-hand qualities and found predominantly in vending machines, snacks now fill miles of aisles in supermarkets and entire convenience stores. And this is where the trouble begins.
What to Eat When?
As comfortable as most people are in labeling Cheerios and milk as “breakfast foods,” a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup as “lunch foods” and baked chicken with rice and peas as “dinner foods,” there are no nutrition rules about what gets eaten when. There are also no set times in the day known as “breakfast time”, “lunch time” or “dinner time.” This leaves your personal menu wide open to interpretation.
The most important food choice you have to consider each time you reach for something to eat is this: “What else have I already eaten today and what else am I likely to eat before the day is over?” Ultimately, your choices should add up to enough of the right foods in the right amounts to meet your nutritional needs without blowing through your caloric allowance. It doesn't matter in what order the foods you need are eaten, how you combine them or how you space them out over your day.
And while meeting your nutritional needs should be one of the primary factors influencing your food choices, right behind taste but ahead of cost and convenience, not every morsel you put into your mouth has to be a icon on the Food Pyramid. There's room in every diet for some “discretionary calories,” meaning foods or beverages consumed for fun or pleasure, not necessarily nutrient content.
Here's where your favorite snack foods can fit.
BYO or Grab-n-Go
If you take a realistic look at your schedule to figure out where you'll be when you're most likely to get hungry throughout your day, you have a chance to make some strategic food decisions before you leave the house. Depending on how well stocked your pantry is, you can begin by eating some of your basic requirements while still on home turf, then taking along some provisions to satisfy additional needs later on. That's right, go ahead and eat that slice of pizza left in the box, it's a whole lot better than grabbing a bagel and cream cheese with your coffee.
Then think about the foods that are harder to find when away from, namely fruits and vegetables. There's no reason why you can't pack a fruit cup, the leftover vegetable chow mein and a baggie of grape tomatoes to take with you or pick up a banana, a box of raisins and a can of V8 juice on your way to class or work.
Next consider whether you're going to have any social eating opportunities that day that may feature foods heavy in the fat, salt, sugar and alcohol “groups” and low in the light, lean and whole grain options. In that case, your discretionary calories will be used up, so be prepared to avoid any other impulsive eating by toting your own “snacks,” like a granola bar and a yogurt (crunchy-creamy combo) or corn chips and salsa (crispy-spicy combo) or Captain Crunch® and a packet of hot cocoa (sweet and chocolate combo).
The point is, there's no wrong time to eat the right foods and there's way too many times when the wrong foods are all that's available, so take control of the situation. Eating your favorite “snack” foods is not a crime, but not eating everything else you should sort of is.

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June 26, 2008

Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance

Food allergies are abnormal responses of the body's immune system to certain foods or food ingredients. Food allergies can show up as rashes, swelling of the skin, nasal congestion, nausea and diarrhea or the most serious reaction, anaphylactic shock, which is life threatening.

About 1 percent of adults suffer from food allergies, so knowing what to avoid is important. Most common allergens are peanuts, shellfish and eggs.

Food intolerances do not involve the immune system, but reactions can mimic those of allergies. With food intolerance, the body can't adequately digest a certain component of a particular food. Intolerances can involve many different foods, which makes it important to learn what substances trigger a reaction.

Food allergies and food intolerances should be diagnosed by a physician, and a dietetics professional can help develop an eating plan that's right for you.

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June 08, 2008

Taster's Choice: Best Snack Food

A little chocolate, a little mint and just the right size. Keebler Right Bites Fudge Shop Grasshopper Fudge Dipped Mint Cookies. Keep them in your car, desk or in your bag. These 100 kcal packs hit the spot anytime!

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May 20, 2008

Eating Healthy on a Budget

The weekly trip to the grocery store is getting more expensive and there’s no relief in sight, experts say. Many shoppers are wondering how to save on their food bills, without sacrificing nutrition.

There are some strategies you can follow to help avoid grocery sticker shock:

List it: Shopping with a list can save you 10 percent on unnecessary items like junk food.

Buy in bulk: But don’t buy more than you’ll use. Waste is costly too.

Simpler is better: The more processed the food, the more it costs—and, generally, the less healthy it is.

Dodge impulse traps: Stores are set up to spur impulse buying. Focus on staples such as milk, eggs, bread and canned or frozen veggies and avoid tempting cookies and cakes in the deli section.

Use coupons: Store discount programs and supercenters such as Wal-mart and Costco can also help generate significant savings. By being flexible and planning meals around what’s on sale, you can lower your grocery bills.

Rather than cutting back on healthy staples, click on the items at the left to learn how to get the most nutrition bang for your grocery buck.

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March 07, 2008

National Nutrition Month

It'll never whip up the frenzy of food holidays such as Christmas or the Super Bowl, but National Nutrition Month is worth marking with your mouth.

The month, started in 1973 by the American Dietetic Association, this time around is urging consumers to eat around the myths of nutrition and focus on the facts, during March and beyond.

The ADA also is encouraging people to schedule annual "nutrition checkup" visits with a registered dietitian with its first Registered Dietitian Day on Monday.

The ADA has more than 67,000 members. For more information, including some recipes and a way to find a registered dietician near you, visit www.eatright.org.

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February 08, 2008

Sourdough bread

Here’s a little gem of a nutrition nugget for people with diabetes. When lactic acid is added to bread dough, it does two things –– changes the flavor to the tangy, delicious bite of sourdough bread and mediates the glycemic impact of all that white wheat flour.

We know the glycemic response is less with sourdough because the acid slows the emptying of the stomach, thereby slowing the delivery of glucose to the bloodstream. And research has shown that this anti-glycemic effect can last through to the next meal, slowing the emptying of the stomach even a few hours later.
Check the bakery department of your supermarket for a variety of sourdough breads. White sourdough is better than non-sourdough white, but a whole grain sourdough will still rank highest on the health meter and lowest in glycemic response.

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November 02, 2007

Chewing Gum for Health?

Being an avid gum-chewer myself, I've often wondered if this habit has any pros or cons.

In a 2002 study of 75 people out of Northumbria University in England, gum-chewers performed better than nonchewers on a memory test. From a list of 15 words, chewers remembered eight or nine words immediately after hearing them and seven words 25 minutes later. Nonchewers and people who pretended to chew remembered six or seven words immediately and just five words later. How could that be? The simple act of chewing can get your heart pumping significantly more blood to the brain, suggests a small Japanese study. And more blood carries noggin-nourishing oxygen. It’s one theory, anyway.

If you’re trying to lose weight, gum might help with that, too, suggests a 2006 study in the journal Appetite. Of 60 people, those who chewed gum for 15 minutes every hour after eating lunch snacked on 36 fewer calories three hours after the meal and craved fewer sweets than people who didn’t chew gum during the study.

Cons: Much of the work on gum is still in its early stages, and for each purported benefit, different studies turn up opposite results. The repetitive stress of chewing can exacerbate pain in people with jaw problems, such as TMJ.

Our verdict: Some research suggests that chewing sugarless gum can help fight cavities and bad breath. As for other touted properties and added health-boosters, it may be too early to tell. As long as your jaw muscles and pocketbook tolerate the habit, a stick or two a day is fine.

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October 04, 2007

Immunity Booster: Zinc

An essential nutrient for our body, zinc is second only to iron as the most abundant trace mineral in our body. Because this essential nutrient is needed in small amounts by the human body, severe zinc deficiency is rare.

Zinc is important for activity of enzymes needed for regulating cell growth, helping heal wounds and promoting a healthy immune system. Another significant role involves acuity of taste and smell. This important mineral also helps your body use carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

The American Dietetic Association reports zinc positively impacts cognitive function and behavior not only in early development, but through life.

The recommended daily value for zinc is 11 milligrams for men and eight milligrams for women. Careful dietary planning to include foods that contain zinc will ensure an adequate intake.

The availability of zinc in foods varies widely. Meats and seafood are much better sources of zinc than vegetable products. A three-ounce serving of beef provides 39 percent of the zinc most people need each day. Individuals who limit their diets to foods of vegetable origin may need to monitor their zinc intake to assure they get sufficient amounts.

The average person does not need to be concerned about purchasing zinc supplements to prevent a deficiency. In fact, taking large amounts of zinc supplements may be toxic and cause acute gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting.

Some specific sources of zinc are seafood (especially oysters), meat liver, eggs, milk, brewer's yeast, whole wheat bread, wheat germ, black-eyed peas and fermented soybean paste (miso).

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September 16, 2007

Eat Fish…Don’t Eat Fish. Which is it?

Nearly all fish contains small amounts of mercury, which isn't a health concern for most people. However, unborn babies and young children are more susceptible to the harmful effects of mercury because the nervous system is still developing. With this in mind, the Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency have taken a better-safe-than-sorry approach to mercury in fish. They designed guidelines to keep mercury consumption far below levels shown to cause harm. By following these conservative recommendations, parents can safely include fish as an important part of a healthy diet.

Women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children 12 years and under can safely eat two meals per week of 6 ounces of cooked, ‘‘low mercury'' fish: cod, salmon, shrimp, flounder, canned chunk-light tuna, haddock, trout, pollock, squid, shellfish (except lobster) and catfish. Toddlers should eat smaller portions. Fish sticks and ‘‘fast-food'' sandwiches are commonly made from fish that are low in mercury.

The ‘‘medium mercury'' fish - striped bass, canned albacore (solid white) tuna, tuna steaks, halibut, lobster, bluefish, grouper - contain three times as much mercury as low mercury fish. One 6-ounce serving can be safely eaten once per week. In the United States, the EPA considers most fish caught in ponds or lakes to be ‘‘medium mercury.'' However, fresh-water fish in more industrial states, such as Massachusetts, may have higher levels of mercury that may not be safe because lakes tend to be more polluted and concentrated with industrial waste than the ocean. It is best to check either with local officials or check the Massachusetts Department of Public Health web site at www.state.ma.us/dph/ to determine the safety of local lakes for fish consumption.

The ‘‘high mercury'' fish - swordfish, shark, mackerel king and tilefish - contain nine times as much mercury as ‘‘low mercury fish.'' Children and women of childbearing age should not consume these fish.

All other adults can eat these higher mercury fish, in moderation, without health risks. It may be prudent for adults to limit their consumption of higher mercury fish to once per week and eat lower mercury containing fish most times.

The only cases of mercury poisoning from fish consumption occurred in Japan in the 1950s and 1960s during industrial accidents that polluted fishing waters with large amounts of mercury that far exceeded our local mercury levels. It is currently unknown if there are any long-term risks for adults consuming low levels of mercury in fish.

The general consensus is that any potential, small risk from mercury is offset by its nutritional benefits.

The American Heart Association continues to recommend that adults should eat at least two servings of fish per week because of the cardiovascular benefits.

Unfortunately, the issue of mercury pollution that jeopardizes our health and food supply was not addressed in these guidelines. Obviously, further restrictions need to be established to limit industrial release of mercury from coal-burning power plants, etc. into the environment.

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July 03, 2007

The Top 15

The top 15 foods with the highest antioxidant content per serving size, ranked from most to least. Keep in mind that there are still many unknowns when it comes to antioxidants and disease prevention, including how much of them is absorbed when people consume them in food, how much is retained during digestion and the relevance of the digested antioxidant to the whole body biology.

Blackberries (1 cup)

Walnuts (1 ounce)

Strawberries (1 cup)

Artichokes, prepared (1 cup)

Cranberries (1 cup)

Coffee (8 ounces)

Raspberries (1 cup)

Pecans (1 ounce)

Blueberries (1 cup)

Cloves, ground (1 teaspoon)

Grape juice (8 ounces)

Chocolate, baking, unsweetened (1ounce)

Cranberry juice (8 ounces)

Cherries, tart (1 cup)

Wine, red (3.5 ounces)

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June 12, 2007

National Dairy Month

June is National Dairy Month, a 30-day reminder to make sure you're eating and drinking the dairy products you need.

MyPyramid.gov recommends consuming 3 cups of milk per day for calcium and vitamin D to build strong, healthy bones and help prevent a decrease in bone mass. Milk keeps your tooth enamel strong, too.

Be creative. You don't have to just drink milk. Eat products that are made with milk to get the same benefits. Incorporate low-fat dairy products into every meal and you'll see it's not hard to reach your recommended amount.

For example, you can add cheese to your morning omelet or low-fat milk to oatmeal. Try cottage cheese or plain yogurt with fruit for a snack with lunch. Look to ethnic cuisines for recipes with different cheeses than you're used to, such as queso blanco in Mexican food.

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May 25, 2007

The Snack Pack Craze

If only solving America's obesity epidemic were as simple as filling grocery shelves with 100-calorie treats.

• Small packages may turn highly processed foods into not-so-unhealthful snacks, but they don't turn cookies or chocolate into fruits and vegetables.

While some better-for-you versions of classic treats are lower in sugar and fat, they don't fit the definition of a nutritious snack. Empty calories are still empty calories. Many of the snacks contain high-fructose corn syrup. Some get half their calories from fat.

Dietitians tend to focus on how people can use snacks to meet their nutritional needs instead of just racking up calories. Nutrient-rich foods whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and small amounts of protein-rich foods, offer better snack choices.

• Portion control will only work if people have the willpower to stick to just a single serving rather than simply ripping open another 100-calorie pouch.

• Whether 100 calories is a reasonable snack size depends on how often a person is snacking. Most people no longer eat three square meals a day and then have a 100-calorie snack. A series of snacks often replaces breakfast or other meals. If snacks are replacing meals, the need to focus on nutrient-rich snack foods becomes even more important.

One survey indicates an increase in the amount of calories Americans eat for snacks. In 1971, a typical snack was about 185 calories. In 2002, it was 234 calories.

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April 03, 2007

Eight Cancer-Fighting Nutrients

Studies have shown these healthy items contain phytochemicals. Fruits and vegetables of at least three colors should be eaten daily; each supplies specific nutrients, and the colors are a clue to those nutrients.

The foods included in this list are top contenders for cancer-fighting champions. The more color one can include from foods they eat, the more phytochemicals and antioxidants are consumed, which provide the body with powerful tools to fight damage caused by everyday living. The darker the color of fruit or vegetables, the more vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals it contains.

Flax: These seeds are found in cereal, bread, cereal bars, crackers, vitamin supplements and flax-oil capsules. They are a notable source of lignan, which may block hormone-related cancer.

Garlic: This is a key source of phytochemicals known as allylic sulfides. Animal studies show that garlic may help fight cancer by stimulating enzymes that detoxify cancer-causing agents.

Strawberries: This fruit is a key source of ellagic acid, a potent anticarcinogen that acts as an antioxidant.

Green tea: The flavonols in green tea have been shown to have antioxidant, anti-cancer and immune-system regulating effects.

Soy: From soybeans, soy is found in tofu, soy cheese, soy milk, soy yogurt and miso soup. Isoflavones are the key phytochemicals found in soy. Studies suggest that isoflavones help fight cancer.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is an antioxidant carotenoid thought to protect against several cancers (especially prostate), heart disease and possibly bone loss.

Carrots: Beta carotene is the primary phytochemical in carrots. A 16-year study of American female nurses found that women who ate five or more carrots a week had a 60 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer.

Broccoli: Research shows the cancer-fighting abilities of sulforaphane in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli reduce the risk of cancer of the bowel, stomach, breast, lungs and kidneys.

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January 22, 2007

Tea Time

Tea is the second most popular drink in the world (water is the top choice). Although most people think of tea as a soothing and delicious beverage, it possesses a remarkable wealth of antioxidants. All teas, whether black, green, oolong or white, are harvested from the leaves of a variety of plant known as the camellia sinensis. The primary distinction between the different teas is the amount of fermentation they undergo. Black teas are the most fermented, white teas the least. Herbal teas are not technically teas since they do not include camellia sinensis leaves.

* All true teas contain polyphenols, powerful antioxidants believed to protect against heart disease, certain cancers and stroke.
* The various levels of fermentation affect teas in different ways. Recent studies have shown drinking green tea might boost metabolism, oolong teas can lower blood sugar, and black teas can promote oral health.
* Tea contains half the caffeine of coffee.

Tea is not just for drinking: it has been used for centuries in marinades and as a flavoring agent in dishes.

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September 11, 2006

Helpful Tips for Meal Planning on a Budget

Take time to plan meals and menus. Take advantage of special sales. To resist impulsive buying – make a list and stick to it. Meal planning gives you the answer to that daily questions “What’s for dinner?�?

Plan to make more for the next day. As long as you’re cooking, might as well make the most of it. Use extra chicken for chicken wraps or chicken salad the next day.

Shop at a variety of different stores. Go to a warehouse once a month to stock up on nonperishable staples. Shop at a supercenter for everyday low prices and the regular supermarket to save time.

Arrange your shopping list to match the aisles in the store. This makes it easy to flow through and not forget anything.

Store brands are often 30% less than national brand competitors and often taste just the same. Sometimes brand name manufacturers make the same product for the supermarket label.

Keep it simple. Convenience can be expensive. A one pound bag of carrots can cost ninety cents. Pre-shredded carrots could cost as much as $2.24/pound. Save money and shred them yourself.

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September 01, 2006

Seed and nut butters

What they are: Non-peanut butters can be just as smooth (or crunchy) as their well-known counterparts. These peanut-butter alternatives are finding supermarket shelf space because of peanut allergies. The seed and nut butters are simply ground pastes of almonds, cashews, macadamias, roasted soybeans (typically called soynut), or sunflower seed s . Smaller companies are making the non-peanut varieties, and the ingredient lists read like recipe card s instead of chemistry lab inventories. Sunflower seed butter is an alternative for those who are allergic to nuts of all sorts. Sometimes these butters are made with nothing but the nut or seed itself. Without stabilizers, most of them separate between uses, so stir before you spread.

How to use them: Eat these butters just as you would their peanut kin: Spread on toast or bread with jam or honey. Or use for the famous Fluffernutter sandwich. Fill a celery stalk with any nut or seed butter and sprinkle with raisins for the classic ants-on-a-log or use for dipping carrots, cucumbers, or bell peppers. You can also substitute almond, cashew, or macadamia butter for peanut in many cookie recipes or use the butters as the base for an Asian-style cold noodle dish, making a sauce from the nutty spreads and topping the dish with scallions, cucumbers, and bean sprouts.

Where to find them: Nearly every supermarket now has seed and nut butters as well as specialty stores like Trader Joes. Look for these brands: Soy nut butters made by I. M. Healthy ($2.39 to $5.79 for 15 ounces) and Simple Food ($4.99 for 9 ounces); MaraNatha in almond, cashew, and macadamia ($5.79 for 8 ounces); and Sunbutter, with a variety of sunflower seed butters from crunchy to creamy ($4.99 to $5.69 for 16 ounces). Most supermarkets also stock a house brand.

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August 10, 2006

Garlic Basics

Storage

Keep fresh bulbs in a cool, dry, well-ventilated and preferably dark place. Since garlic needs air circulation, do not store it in a plastic bag but rather a small basket, net bag or open cardboard box. Keep it out of the refrigerator and away from excessive heat and moisture. Garlic braids should be hung in a cool dry area away from heat, moisture or the sun. Cut a bulb from the bottom of the braid as needed.

Peeling

The inside cloves of fresh garlic should be separated from the outer skin before cooking.

Try this:

- Flatten a clove on a cutting board with the large, flat side of a knife and remove the skin.

- Pour hot water over the cloves to loosen the skin. Pull off the skin with a paring knife.

- Roast the entire garlic head in the oven, then cool to room temperature. The cloves will pop out easily by pinching the skin at the bottom.

- Soak cloves in cool water for a half hour before peeling, then squeeze the outer skin to pop out the clove.

- Place the cloves in a microwave for five seconds and the skins peel off with ease.

Cooking with garlic

The goal in cooking with garlic is to achieve the sweet nutty flavor that garlic imparts to the other ingredients in any dish.

Garlic cooked too short a time can be overpowering, he says. Garlic cooked too long can become bitter. Netzer suggests roasting it in the oven or sauteing or cooking it before adding to other ingredients.

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July 31, 2006

Product Dates

Have you checked your dates lately? Product dating is not required by the federal government on foods except for poultry, infant formula, and some baby food, but more than 20 states mandate it for some products. You'll see words like use by or best if used by on packaged foods like cereal. That's the last date the product is at its peak flavor or quality. It doesn't mean it's unsafe.
Sell by or pull are on foods like dairy products. The retailer must remove them by that date, but you don't have to use them by then. For example, milk is usually good for about seven days after the sell-by date. Expiration dates for most foods is the last date you should eat them. Perishable foods like meat and bagged salads can harbor harmful bacteria. Eggs are an exception. You should be able to use them safely for three to five weeks after the expiration date.

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July 11, 2006

Life with a personal dietitian

This piece written by Barbara Quinn, RD, CDE is very funny to us dietitians. For some reason (and I think it's the same with other professions) it's hard for family members to take our knowledge/specialties seriously. As long as they get the information and they listen and act - job well done.

My husband has a personal dietitian and it's not who you think. This relationship started a year or so ago when he took a nutrition class from Michelle, an extremely talented registered dietitian who also happens to be my friend and co-worker.

"Let me tell you what I learned from 'my' dietitian," he'd say when he got home from class each week.

"Pray tell," I'd respond with wifely enthusiasm.

"She showed us that a reasonable serving size is this big... ," he'd demonstrate as he made a fist with his hand. "That's the limit on how much I should eat... a fistful of meat, a fistful of pasta... if I want to eat healthfully."

"Interesting!" I'd say, wondering if he had heard anything I'd said to him over the past two decades of our marriage.

"You know," he informed me a few weeks later, "MY dietitian says I need to eat lots of vegetables. And I've found they really do add a lot of flavor to meals."

"Real-ly," I'd manage to smile through my teeth.

Have I had any influence on this man's nutritional profile in the last 20-odd years? I remember when we were first married I couldn't get him to drink low-fat milk. So I did what any resourceful dietitian/wife would do. When he wasn't looking, I'd sneak to the refrigerator and pour nonfat milk into his carton of whole milk.

He never suspected a thing... until he caught me in the act one day. But it was too late. By that time, he was already accustomed to the taste of lower fat milk. How's THAT for a personal dietitian?

Still, my husband has become spellbound with the important nutrition concepts he has learned from his "P.D." (Personal Dietitian).

One evening as I was preparing to leave the next day for a NUTRITION conference, I asked my dear spouse, "What is the most important thing you have learned from Michelle?"

"The most important?" he said, obviously enthused about my question. "Self-talk... even though I hate to admit it because it's a little touchy-feely."

"Positive self-talk?" I attempted to interject.

"Just self-talk," he corrected. "Talking to yourself like your mother would: Are you really hungry? Do you really want a double cheeseburger? Eat your vegetables"

I nodded knowingly.

"And lastly," he continued, on his roll, "exercise, exercise, exercise. Nothing will change unless you..."

"Exercise?"

"Right!"

I'm SO glad he shared all this valuable information with me.

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March 20, 2006

A Different Kind of Nut

SOY BUTTER: Although technically not a nut, soy beans can be roasted and whipped into a nut-butter type product. Soy butter has both a roasted and a nutty flavor that fits well on sandwiches, in sauces and where you would usually use peanut butter.

Posted by Lisa at 09:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 10, 2006

Try Something New: Almond Butter

Almond butter is mild and creamy. Most almond butter is processed without preservatives, so refrigerate it when you bring it home. Almond butter can accent the flavors of soups, stronger-tasting vegetables, such as broccoli, and vinaigrette salad dressings. Almond butter is a good source of protein and vitamin E.

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March 09, 2006

New drink guidelines

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has just published healthy beverage guidelines. Think of it as a food pyramid for drinks. It covers everything from water to alcohol and how much you should drink of each every day.

The guidelines are designed to educating people to make healthier selections among the beverages they drink every day because most people get about 20% of their daily calories from something in a glass.

Level one of the healthy beverage guidelines is water. Women should drink nine glasses a day. Men need 13. Level two is unsweetened coffee or tea which has some health benefits. Level three is low-fat milk or soy milk; you need about two cups a day. The guidelines also stress that no one over the age of two should be drinking whole milk. Diet drinks make up level four. You can have about four cups a day of those. Level five is reserved for artificially-sweetened beverages that have some nutritional value, such as fruit or vegetable juice. The guidelines stress drinking just four to eight ounces a day of these types of drinks. You'll also find alcohol in this group. And finally, level six is made up of sweetened drinks with no nutritional value, such as regular soda and sweetened sports drinks.

As you've probably figured out, beverages are ranked based on the number of calories and whether they have any health benefits.

Summary:

* Unsweetened tea or coffee, up to 40 ounces.

* Low-fat or skim milk and soy beverages, up to 16 ounces.

* Diet soda and other non-caloric sweet drinks, up to 32 ounces.

* Beverages with some nutrients, such as juice, up to 8 ounces.

* Alcoholic beverages, one drink a day for women and two for men.
A drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces
spirits.

* Sugar-sweetened drinks like soda, no more than 8 ounces.
(Standard soft drink cans are 12 ounces.)

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March 07, 2006

March is National Nutrition Month

National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. NNM also promotes ADA and its members to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically based food and nutrition information. Check out www.eatright.org.

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February 20, 2006

Frozen Coffee Drink vs. Ice Cream

Here's the scoop: A half-cup serving of ice cream has 65 fewer calories than a typical medium-sized, frozen coffee drink made with whole milk. It also has more fat but less sodium and less than half the sugar. (Coffee drinks that have additional flavorings, like vanilla, are even sweeter and saltier.) With either pick, you'll have a good dose of calcium-about 10 percent of your recommended daily allowance.

If ice cream's fat content gives you cold feet, choose a light version; the fat tally drops to four grams and the calories to 125. If the coffee drink is your preferred choice, try it with skim milk to knock off 30 calories and all the fat.

Frozen Coffee Drink
(16 ounces, or one serving)
210 calories
4 grams fat
80 milligrams sodium
40 grams sugar
100 milligrams calcium

Vanilla Ice Cream
(1/2 cup, or one serving)
145 calories
8 grams fat
58 milligrams sodium
15 grams sugar
92 milligrams calcium

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February 16, 2006

What to do if...you're not hungry in the morning and you often skip breakfast.

It’s hard to get all the nutrients you need in a day in just 2 meals. It’s also important to wake your body up in the morning with a healthy breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry, try eating a little something. Just as your body got used to not eating breakfast, it can get used to eating it again.

**Start gradually. Try having breakfast twice during the first week. The next week aim for 3 days, and so on.

**Save time by getting breakfast ready the night before. Place your bowl, spoon and cereal on the table. Or make a smoothie the night before so you can grab and go.
**Grab a piece of fruit or a bagel on the way out the door. Take oatmeal with you so that you can heat it up at work.
**If you don’t like traditional breakfast foods, try a grilled cheese sandwich, peanut butter and jelly or a slice of leftover pizza.

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February 13, 2006

What to do if...you don't know what full means?

We live in an environment where supersizing, free refills and overgenerous portions have become the norm. The good news is that you can train your body to feel full on less just like it became accustomed to needing more.

**Serve meals that are already dished onto plates. This allows you to think twice before reaching for seconds.
**Try using smaller plates or bowls to make food seem like more.

**Eat slowly and really taste each bite. Remember it takes 20 minutes for your brain to feel fullness.
**Eat foods that are low in calories first like broth-based soup or salad. This will help fill you up without a lot of calories.
**Don’t clean your plate. Pay attention to your body and stop eating when you start to feel full.
**Get rid of distractions like the television or reading materials.
**Eat in one place in your house. Sit down and focus on your meal and your company.

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January 26, 2006

Yogurt: Immunity booster

For several years now, nutritionists have touted the benefits of probiotics, the "friendly" bacteria that, when eaten, help fight illness or disease. Yogurt is the most popular food containing probiotics and may, in fact, be the most beneficial as well. Two recent studies found that eating yogurt significantly improved a person's ability to fight off pneumonia. Your first communication with the outside world is through your GI tract. That's where you absorb all the nutrients you need to keep your body healthy in the first place. And it's also the body's biggest immune system fighter. It's recommended to eat yogurt every day—just make sure the brand you buy contains "live," or "active," cultures, as the bacteria (or, rather, the probiotics) can't do any good if they're dead before you ingest them.

Posted by Lisa at 08:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 18, 2006

It's Oatmeal Month!

January is Oatmeal Month, according to the Quaker Oats Co. The company is offering a free brochure, "Awesome Oats: Easy and Delicious Recipes With Oats," which contains seven contemporary recipes including almond streusel baked pears and Mu Shoo meatball wraps; ideas for main dishes and sides, in addition to breakfast classics and updated favorites; and lots of oatmeal topping suggestions. To request a brochure, e-mail oatoffer@aol.com or send your name and mailing address to Awesome Oats, P.O. Box 487, Chicago, IL 60690-0487.

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December 21, 2005

Tea Time

Tea is the most-consumed beverage worldwide next to water. And according to the Tea Association, Americans consumed well over 50 billion servings of tea in 2004, or more than 2.25 billion gallons. About 87 percent was black tea, 12.5 percent green tea, and the small remaining amount was oolong tea. Whether you’re a regular tea drinker or just starting out, here’s what you need to know about tea.

Is it true that tea has more antioxidants than almost any whole fruit or vegetable?
Yes — sort of. Tea is an excellent source of antioxidants. While it’s hard to make a general comparison, a rough estimate suggests that two servings of tea equal one serving of average antioxidant-packed veggie. So it might seem strange that tea sometimes gets billed over vegetables as an antioxidant powerhouse. Since nearly 95 percent of tea’s polyphenol compounds are flavonoids, tea ranks among the plants with the highest total flavonoid content. Green tea contains more simple flavonoids, called catechins, while black tea contains more complex varieties, called thearubigins and theaflavins.

Do you need to drink 10 cups a day to benefit?
Some Chinese homeopathic health practitioners advise 10 cups per day, but a lot of research suggests that much isn’t necessary. For example, just two cups of tea provide as much antioxidant power as a serving of vegetables, and research indicates that metabolism speeds up after five cups. And a study at Cleveland’s Case Western Reserve University suggests that four cups of tea may prevent rheumatoid arthritis. “Most scientists have based their studies on ‘normal’ amounts of tea, three or four cups, but some scientists think that five or more cups a day are necessary,�? reports Simrany.

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November 30, 2005

Popcorn Pop Quiz

What makes popcorn pop?
Each kernel contains a small drop of water stored inside a circle of soft starch. The soft starch is surrounded by the kernel’s hard outer surface.

When cooked to about 450 degrees, the kernel heats up and the water turns to steam, creating pressure against the hard starch. Eventually, this hard surface explodes. As it explodes, the soft starch inside the popcorn becomes inflated and bursts, turning the kernel inside out. Most commercial varieties will expand 30 to 40 times their volume.

Looking for a new popcorn taste? Try here.

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Try Something New: Baby Bananas

Some baby bananas, both yellow and red, are simply smaller versions of the bananas that dominate the U.S. market. Others, however, are among the more than 1,000 banana varieties worldwide that are naturally pint-sized; examples include manzano, burro and pisang mas--the last is being sold in the U.S. as Chiquita Mini's.

These babes-in-peels taste pretty much the same as their larger brethren but they don't necessarily possess the same nutritional profile. They're all rich in potassium but the Chiquita Mini, for instance, contains vitamin B2--which isn't found in regular bananas, said David Lund, director of innovation and product development for Chiquita. One Chiquita Mini contains 80 calories.

Buying

Baby bananas are often, though not always, sold by the bunch in a bag, so you might not be able to tear off the number you want--the source of produce-manager angst nationwide. They also are more expensive, at about $1.70 per pound. You'll usually find them next to the regular bananas in the produce section. Choose plump bananas with a little green at their tips; miniature bananas taste best at full ripeness. Of course, what determines a ripe banana depends mostly on the banana lover: Some folks like them a little green, others mottled with brown spots. Jimmy Bilbrey, produce buyer for Treasure Island, cautioned against buying fully green mini bananas; they may not ripen as evenly as the regular-size fruit does, he said.

Storing

Store bananas in a cool spot and coddle your babies in an uncovered bowl or container where they won't get bruised, Lund advised. They'll keep three to four days but, again, how long you store them is dependent on what you consider "ripe."

Cooking

Mini bananas are best for fresh-in-hand snacking, Lund said, or in dishes such as fruit salads. But they're also ideal for creating trendy (and diet-friendly) mini-desserts such as chocolate-dipped bananas or miniature banana splits--or maybe even a smoothie shot.

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November 29, 2005

Not just a kitchen scale

Salter has come out with a new Nutri-Weigh Food Scale which calculates nutrition information based on the weight of the food. You can also use it to record your daily food intake.

This scale stores nutritional values of over 1400 foods and beverages and can be programmed to store individually chosen foods. This is a great product for diabetics who have to count their carbohydrate intake or those people serious about losing weight.

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November 22, 2005

More on Intuitive Eating

“The basic premise of intuitive eating is, rather than manipulate what we eat in terms of prescribed diets -- how many calories a food has, how many grams of fat, specific food combinations or anything like that -- we should take internal cues, try to recognize what our body wants and then regulate how much we eat based on hunger and satiety,�? said lead researcher Steven Hawks, a BYU professor of health science, who adopted an intuitive eating lifestyle several years ago and lost 50 pounds as a result.

“What makes intuitive eating different from a diet is that all diets work against human biology, whereas intuitive eating teaches people to work with their own biology, to work with their bodies, to understand their bodies,�? said Hawks. “Rather than a prescriptive diet, it’s really about increasing awareness and understanding of your body. It’s a nurturing approach to nutrition, health and fitness as opposed to a regulated, coercive, restrictive approach. That’s why diets fail, and that’s why intuitive eating has a better chance of being successful in the long term.�? Read more.

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November 09, 2005

Quote of the Day

“Don’t dig your grave with your own knife and fork.�?
- English Proverb

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November 03, 2005

Diabetes is on the rise in America

You may think diabetes is not a big deal, but it is. The incidence of diabetes, its cost and complications are growing in America, especially in the Indian community.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 20 million Americans have diabetes and about 6 million don't even know they have it. If you are one of them, you might be losing your eyesight, kidney and cardiac functions silently.

While the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is on the rise, behavioral and lifestyle changes (as simple as switching from regular sugar to a sugar substitute or regular soda to diet soda) may turn the trend around.

To decrease your risk for diabetes, you should maintain a healthful weight, participate in physical activity daily and focus on heart-healthy food choices by using the USDA's My Pyramid guide. Along with a healthful eating plan, regular exercise may reduce the need for medication, can help manage blood sugar and weight, and can improve your cardiac health.

Did you know your A1C (a test that shows blood glucose control over three months) levels rise in winter? According to the American Diabetes Association, the researchers found a link between cold weather and high A1C levels (peak from February through April; low in August and September).

Notice early symptoms

Early diabetes may not have symptoms, but there are some signs such as excessive thirst and urination, fatigue during the daytime, blurred vision and poor wound healing that you should be aware of. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas stops producing insulin; in type 2 diabetes, there is a loss of insulin sensitivity also known as insulin resistance. A new study shows that dietary supplements may boost insulin sensitivity.

So find out what your blood sugar level is and get serious about controlling it by exercising and eating what you should eat according to your diet plan and not what you want to eat.

Poor health habits may complicate the disease for people who are on their way to developing diabetes. Since there is no cure yet, diabetes is much easier to prevent than cure.

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Celebrate tasty sandwiches this week

Thursday is Sandwich Day, leaving one day to get to the supermarket and pick up the ingredients for the perfect pile of bread, meat, veggies and spices.

The day honors the 17th-century British Earl of Sandwich who, according to legend, asked for one-handed meals so he could eat during card gambling sprees. The American Dietetic Association has some tips for getting the most nutrition out of your sandwich:

PICK A GREAT WRAPPER: Try whole wheat, tomato or spinach tortillas. Multigrain, rye or whole-wheat bread are good choices as well, and so are whole-wheat pitas or bagels.

SWITCH YOUR FILLING: For a lean meal, have some lean smoked turkey or some salmon salad with soy cheese or low-fat cheese.

COLOR YOUR LAYERS: Add green, red or yellow pepper slices, shredded carrots, slices of cucumber and tomato, spinach leaves, red onion and avocado.

FLAVOR WITH CREATIVITY: Add some chutney, mustard, horseradish, hummus, light pesto, balsamic vinaigrette, wasabi, chopped cilantro, basil or other herbs.

SPRINKLE IN SOME CRUNCH: For a little extra nutrition and flavor, top it with a dash of chopped almonds or walnuts, dried fruit or sunflower seeds.

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November 02, 2005

Saving Money on Meals

I often hear people complain that it is too expensive to eat healthy. However, a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that consumers were able to cut their weekly food bill by purchasing fewer extras such as soft drinks, chips, baked goods and other high-calorie items. Here are some other tips on how to save money at the supermarket:

1. Make a weekly meal plan. Decide what you will eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the next week. This can save time, money and energy! Save your weekly menus so that you can use them again.
2. Make a shopping list. Keep a list in the kitchen so that when you run out of something, you can add it to the list. Also, add only the ingredients you’ll need for the next week’s menu. This way you’ll buy only what you need.
3. Cut coupons and watch for store flyers. Weekly specials may also help you decide some of the food on your menu for the week. However, do not buy an item just because you have a coupon.
4. Do not shop when you are hungry.
5. If your children are with you, keep them busy with a toy, unbreakable food item or by letting them help you make choices between similar food items (which box of Cheerios to buy).
6. Be flexible with your meal plan to take advantage of store specials. If corn is on your menu, buy peas instead if they are on sale.
7. Be aware of marketing techniques like end of aisle displays, items at the checkout counter and sweet cereals at children’s eye level.
8. Buy fruits and vegetables in season.
9. Buy in bulk and store for later use. Make sure you will be able to use all of the food before it spoils.
10. Buy store brands when they are cheaper than brand names.
11. Compare unit prices of different brands to determine the best size and brand for your money.
12. Prepared foods are usually more expensive than unprepared foods. For example, grated cheese is more expensive than a wedge of cheese you can grate yourself.

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November 01, 2005

Outrageous Foods: Mrs. Fields Cookies

No one expects a Mrs. Fields cookie to be good for you, but who would guess that a single Mrs. Fields Milk Chocolate & Walnuts cookie has more than 300 calories and as much saturated fat as a 12-ounce sirloin steak? It’s also got 6 teaspoons of sugar.
Best Bet? Share the smallest bag of Nibblers (6 half-ounce cookies) with a friend.

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October 31, 2005

Don't Skip Halloween Treats

Halloween treats can fit into a healthful eating plan. Keep balance, variety and moderation in mind:

1. Eat miniature pieces so that portions are small and controlled.

2. Chocolate may contain more fat than sugar candy, but if the chocolate isn't filled, such as with caramel, chocolate is healthier due to its content of antioxidants.

3. Make sure candy isn't your only food choice for the day.

Enjoy your treats and have a happy and safe Halloween!

Content provided by the American Dietetic Association. For more nutrition tips, visit www.eatright.org.

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October 24, 2005

Outrageous Foods: Swoops

Hershey’s crams almost 200 calories, 7-8 grams of saturated fat (a third of a day’s worth), and more than 4 teaspoons of sugar into each 6-Swoop pack. While the Almond Joy or Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Swoops are no worse than the candy bars, that’s not the case for the other varieties. Thanks to highly saturated palm and/or palm kernel oil, York Swoops have more than three times as much saturated fat as a York Peppermint Pattie, and Reese’s Swoops have roughly twice as much as Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Swoops? More like oops!

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October 20, 2005

Outrageous Foods: Starbucks on Steroids

The Starbucks Venti Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino Blended Creme with whipped cream is more than a mere cup of coffee. Think of it as a milkshake. Few people have room in their diets for the 770 calories and 19 grams of fat (10 of them saturated - half a day's quota of artery-clogging fat) that this hefty beverage supplies. It's the nutritional equivalent of a Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pepperoni Pizza that you sip through a straw!
Best Bet? Stick with the tall size - no need for anything bigger, nonfat milk and hold the whip cream.

(Source: Nutrition Action Healthletter. "10 Foods You Should Never Eat!")

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October 06, 2005

If your stomach could talk...

It's noon and you start hearing those rumblings and grumblings in your tummy. Are you really hungry or are you just thinking about food becasue it is "lunchtime" causing food cravings? Did you just eat or did you skip breakfast and haven't eaten anything yet today? Maybe you just saw a commerical for a new kind of pizza or walked by the break room where doughnuts are still sitting on the table. Can you trust those gurgles as a sign of hunger? All these things come into play when you're deciding wheter or not to have something to eat. Actual hunger occurs when you haven't eaten in a few hours and you have an empty feeling in your tummy. Get too hungry and you may start having blurred vision, headaches or lack of concentration. Cravings occur when you see food and "feel" hungry or you always eat something sweet after dinner. Really try to hone in on your hunger and satiety cues and gain control of your eating habits. Read more about that grumbling in your tummy.

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October 04, 2005

Chips Ahoy! gets healthy?

Just because the new Chips Ahoy! cookies are made with some whole grains, does that mean they're healthy? The label says they have one more gram of fiber per serving than the original cookie. Other products with the new whole grain label are Wheat Thins and Fig Newtons. They may give you an extra gram of fiber per serving but that doesn't give you the go-ahead to eat more than usual. Read more about Kraft foods.
Read more about fiber:
Whole Grains
Fiber
What does "enriched" mean?
Whole grain-white bread

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September 20, 2005

My Kind of Day

The right food at the right time

Chronobiologists at the University of Cambridge have studied the body's circadian rhythms and identified ideal time slots for eating and exercising.

7-8am Eat breakfast

It is best to eat after some light, early-morning stretching or yoga.

10am Have a snack

The body uses 20 per cent of the brain's available glucose by around this time, so a low-fat carbohydrate snack, such as a banana, bagel or sports energy bar, is needed to top up levels.

1pm Eat lunch

Energy levels are naturally running low at this time. Leave it any later and you are more likely to consume a greater number of calories.

2-3pm Have a snack

Glucose levels plummet in a post-lunch dip. Some cashew nuts, plain popcorn, or dried or fresh fruit will get you back on track.

4-6pm Do a workout

Muscle temperature and other fitness parameters reach a peak around now.

5-7pm Eat an evening meal

After this time, we tend to need more food to feel full. Eating now also allows time for food to be fully digested before going to bed.

7-9pm Eat a bedtime snack

Choose cottage cheese, a slice of turkey or a banana, all of which contain tryptophan, a substance that is a precursor to a good night's sleep.

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Intro to Intuitive Eating.

Hunger vs. Cravings.
Recognize when you’re actually hungry and when your satisfied.

Hungry feels like:
Empty or grumbling in your stomach if you haven’t eaten in awhile.
Lack of energy.
Tired or irritable. (that’s me :))

This doesn’t mean every time you’re tired you should eat. Dehydration can cause fatigue as well, so try a glass of water first. Sometimes you may just need a nap. Think about what you’ve been doing – how much water have you had today? How well did you sleep last night? When did you eat last?

Cravings feel like:
You see a food that you like and want it!
You smell food and you want it!
It’s a habit to eat after school or work.
You’re bored.
You like something sweet after a meal.

Picture a hunger gauge that goes from empty to hungry to happy to satisfied to uncomfortable. How would you feel after a big holiday dinner? If a plate of your favorite dessert was in front of you – would you eat it? Is this hunger? Could you save it for later when you truly may be hungry and can enjoy it?
Think of your stomach as a fuel tank. We fill it up with food to use as energy throughout the day, just like you fill a car with gas to get from place to place. If our stomach gets too empty, we start feeling sluggish. If only you could keep the gas tank 50-75% full – think of all the energy you would have!
Just like you don’t want to overfill a gas tank – you don’t want to overfill your stomach either. You want to be able to eat when you’re hungry, eat slowly and enjoy your food and then stop when you’re satisfied.
The next step is figuring out what you’re hungry for. This is how to really enjoy your food and help you feel satisfied. Is it sweet, salty, crunchy, soft, hot, or cold? Conquer this step and your well on your way to a healthier body!
The idea is to be more in tune with what your body is feeling and trying to tell you. Check back for more intuitive eating tips.

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September 01, 2005

Another Reason to Meet at the Water Cooler.

Hydration is important everyday of the year, but especially important in these hot summer months when the temperature is consistently in the 90’s and 100’s. Whether you’re exercising outside, walking your dog or just running errands around town, don’t forget to stop for a drink. Many people need to be reminded to drink fluids because our bodies send poor physical reminders. Once you’re thirsty, it’s too late. You’re already dehydrated. Often times we’ll feel tired and sluggish when we’re dehydrated. Instead of a nap, all you need is a big glass of water. Check out this article for some tips on how to quench your thirst.

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August 26, 2005

This is Your Brain on Chocolate

What’s the deal with sugar? Is it addictive? Does it make kids hyperactive? Is there such a thing as a chocoholic? Not quite. People who have a so-called sweet tooth often say they’re addicted to sugar. But addiction is defined as either an emotional or physical dependence or both, characterized by symptoms of withdrawal. That doesn’t happen with sugar or any other carbohydrate. However, new research is looking at the effect of chocolate on certain pleasure centers in our brains. In one study, smelling chocolate activated pleasure-anticipation neurons and food-reward neurons.
Research suggests that when kids are given sugary foods like cake, ice cream and candy they may become hyperactive, but it’s not due to the sugar. In these situations, the environment is what causes the hyperactivity. They’re usually with friends or family and they’re playing, at a party or other fun event in which they are allowed to run around and act somewhat wild. However, kids given sugar free foods at these types of events are just as hyper.

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May 05, 2005

Olive Oil: Which is the best?

Plenty of research suggests that cooking with olive oil can be beneficial to your health. Its monounsaturated fat content can help lower LDL, or “bad�? blood cholesterol.

The question then becomes—which type of olive oil to use?

Olive oil comes in a number of varieties, including virgin, light and extra virgin. All are the same in terms of fat content, either types of fat or total amounts of fat.

The difference in olive oils lies mostly in the flavor. Extra virgin olive oil is low in acid, resulting in a fruity flavor and aroma, so you don’t need to use as much to enjoy the flavor.

Virgin olive oil is more acidic, meaning you need to use more to get the distinct olive oil flavor. Light olive oil is lighter in color and flavor.

Whichever type of olive oil you prefer, remember they all have something else in common: They are all high in total fat and calories, so go easy on portions.

Produced by ADA’s Public Relations Team

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April 22, 2005

Q: Is it safe to re-use a disposable plastic water bottle?

A: Yes, but only up to a point. The bottles, designed for one-time use, are usually made of polyethylene, a flexible plastic that can be damaged with repeated use and washing. Some preliminary research suggests that this can release potentially harmful chemicals. But the studies have had inconsistent results, and researchers disagree about whether these compounds pose a significant risk.

A better reason not to re-use the bottles over and over is that they can become contaminated with bacteria from your hands or mouth. Bacteria don’t grow easily in water, but can thrive when saliva and food particles are present, especially if the bottle is left at room temperature

If you do refill your water bottle, do so only a few times. Before refilling, wash it in hot, soapy water, as you would anything you drink from—but not in the dishwasher. Wash the cap, too, and inside the narrow neck. Keep a re-used bottle out of heat or sunlight, which may speed degradation and increase bacterial growth.

Source: UC Berkeley Wellness Letter

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April 19, 2005

The New Food Icon

This morning the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the new "MyPyramid" Food Guidance System graphic symbol to help consumers implement the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans into their daily eating plans. You can find all the details at http://mypyramid.gov.

As the American Dietetic Association recommended last year, the USDA has retained the iconic and widely known shape of the Food Guide Pyramid as the government's primary graphical symbol of variety, proportion and moderation in making good nutritional choices. And ADA recommended that the educational messages within and accompanying the Pyramid should be updated to improve consumer understanding, which has also been done.

Will the new graphic symbol be successful in conveying to consumers the vital nutritional messages of balance, variety, moderation and adequacy that are found in the Dietary Guidelines' recommendations? Only time will tell for certain, and if MyPyramid can accomplish that objective it will be a great success.

As ADA told the USDA last year, no one graphic symbol can or should serve as a stand-alone consumer nutrition education tool. Many surveys, including ADA's own 1997 nutrition trends survey, found most people recognize the Food Guide Pyramid. The problem is that few people really understood the Pyramid and even fewer followed it. What is needed is what the USDA announced today: a Food Guidance System that includes a graphic symbol plus consumer messages and motivational and educational tools that work together to guide people toward healthy food choices.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines emphasize greater consumption of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains – foods that are naturally high in nutrients and low in calories. That is consistent with ADA's positions and consumer messages that emphasize the individual's total diet, or overall pattern of food consumed. ADA and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans agree that the keys are:

* Take a personalized approach to dietary advice and weight management, recognizing that one size does not fit all.

* Eat a variety of foods from every group in balance and in moderation.

* Pay attention to calorie consumption.

* Achieve a balance between food and regular physical activity.

As you know, the American Dietetic Association was deeply involved with the development of the Dietary Guidelines, and we will be just as involved in using them to set the nation's policy directions in nutrition programs, research, education, food assistance, labeling and promotion. On an individual level, I know all ADA members join me in looking forward to applying MyPyramid and its accompanying materials into our client counseling, patient care and consumer education.

In summary, the food and nutrition experts of the American Dietetic Association are committed to helping people understand and apply the recommendations of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans in their daily lives.

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The New Dietary Dos and Don’ts

Harvard Health Publications

Every five years the federal government issues new dietary guidelines that are supposed to put the country on the road to healthier eating. Apparently Americans have been taking some wrong turns because two thirds of us are now overweight and nearly a third are obese (a body mass index of 30 or greater).

Weight control and exercise have been mentioned in the guidelines before, but the new set released in January 2005 puts them front and center where they belong. They give better advice about grains and cereals: At least three of the six daily servings are supposed to be whole grains. They also make a stronger statement about difference between the "good" and "bad" fats.

The dietary guidelines have trickledown effects on school lunch and other government programs, even if many Americans aren’t aware of the particulars. The new guidelines are especially important because they will be used to update the familiar Food Guide Pyramid.

Dr. Walter Willett, a member of the Health Letter’s editorial board and chair of the Harvard School of Public Health’s nutrition department, is happy about the emphasis on weight control and the approach to dietary fats. He says, though, that the carbohydrate recommendations could have been stronger, noting that they still allow three servings a day of nutritionally-empty refined starches. And Dr. Willett says the recommendation that we have three servings of fat-free or low-fat dairy products a day is a mistake — and a big win for the dairy industry: "In reality, large studies have consistently shown no reduction in fracture risk with high dairy intake, but many studies have shown a higher risk of prostate cancer."

Here are some highlights of the guidelines:

Weight management. Prevention is the best policy. Many of us could avoid weight gain in the first place by shaving 50–100 calories from our diets. The guidelines note that although the 2,000-calorie-a-day diet remains the reference diet, it’s not the recommended one. Many Americans should be eating far fewer calories than that. They say the best way to cut calories is to reduce the so-called discretionary ones that come from added sugars (in soft drinks and candy, for example), added fats, and alcohol.

Physical activity. Why do dietary guidelines include recommendations about physical activity? Because regular physical activity, as much as anything we eat, is essential to maintaining a healthy body weight.

Past guidelines have said that 30 minutes of exercise a day will reduce chronic disease risk and have other health benefits. The new ones say that most of us need an additional 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to avoid gaining weight.

An hour of exercise a day — that sets the bar pretty high. But you don’t have to work out in a gym: Examples of moderate-level physical activity include gardening, dancing, and walking at a 3 1/2-mile-per-hour pace. And short, 10-minute bouts of activity have benefits similar to longer stretches so long as you reach the same daily total. So give yourself credit for the brisk walk from where you parked your car and similar activities.

Dietary fat. Most of the fat you eat should be the "good" polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils (corn, olive, soybean, etc.). Less than 10% of your daily calories should come from saturated fat, found primarily in meat and dairy products.

For the first time, the guidelines take a strong stand against the trans fats created by partially hydrogenating vegetable oils, saying you should eat as little trans fat as possible. Some experts were hoping they’d set a definite daily limit (1–2 grams), but Dr. Willett says the guidelines got it right. Trans fats are used to make baked goods and snack foods so they stay fresh longer. Other major sources include french fries and many stick margarines.

Carbohydrates. Fruit, vegetables, all grain-based foods, dairy products — they all contain carbohydrates, which in the good old days we called sugars and starch. The trick isn’t to boycott carbohydrates, but to make sure they arrive on our plates in packages — such as whole grains and in fruits and vegetables.

The guidelines aren’t very bold on the extra, empty carbohydrates from added sugars (the "more research is needed" refrain is sounded). The advice is to limit intake as part of the general limit on discretionary calories.

Potassium. Potassium offsets sodium’s effect on blood pressure and has other health benefits. Your daily diet should include 4,700 milligrams of the mineral. Potassium-rich foods include bananas, leafy green vegetables, and potatoes. Meat, milk, and some cereal products contain potassium but in a form that is difficult to absorb.

Fruit and vegetables. One of the first principles of healthy eating is to choose nutrient-dense foods that pack, calorie-for-calorie, the most amount of fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients. That’s why the guidelines say that the 2,000-calorie-a-day reference diet should include nine (!) servings of fruit and vegetables. For the average American, that’s over double the usual number of servings.

Dairy. At least the guidelines recommend the fat-free and low-fat dairy products, so people aren’t misled into eating cholesterol-boosting saturated fat. Dr. Willett notes, though, that dairy products are fairly high in calories. Three glasses of low-fat milk contain over 300 calories that the American diet doesn’t need.

Although the guidelines are written mainly for nutrition experts, they aren’t hard to understand. You can read the full, 84-page document at www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

Copyright (c) 2004 by the Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College. Used with permission of StayWell. All rights reserved. Harvard Medical School does not approve or endorse any products on the page. Harvard is the sole creator of its editorial content, and that advertisers are not allowed to influence the language or images Harvard uses.
URL: http://articles.health.msn.com/id/100101207?GT1=6327

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April 13, 2005

Grapefruit and Pills

Q. Why are patients taking several widely prescribed medicines warned against consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice? A. Grapefruit interacts with an enzyme, found mostly in the lining of the digestive tract, that breaks down both the fruit and many drugs.

As a result, less of the enzyme is available to work on the drugs, and higher-than-normal amounts go into the bloodstream rather than being broken down. For some drugs, the effective dose is so much higher that it can be dangerous or even fatal.

The enzyme is called P450 34A. In 1989, scientists discovered that grapefruit juice could interfere with the digestion of one of the blood pressure medications called calcium channel blockers. Since then, the list of drugs with grapefruit warnings has grown.

Some widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins, including Lipitor, are of special concern; extra-high levels of the drug can cause damage to the muscles or kidneys. The list also includes some anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants and sleeping pills; some AIDS drugs, heart drugs and blood thinners; some drugs to fight rejection of organ transplants; and some antibiotics, among many others.

The effect is long lasting, persisting 24 hours or more, so eating grapefruit in the morning and taking the drug at night won't help.

For a few drugs, grapefruit activates another digestive chemical, P-glycoprotein, and may prevent full amounts of the drugs from entering the bloodstream.

Carefully read the label and inserts when taking any new drug; ask your doctor about other possible food and drug interactions, too.

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April 11, 2005

Water, Water Everywhere

The human body is made up of 50 to 75 percent water, or about 10 to 12 gallons, so replenishing your body's water supply is crucial for proper function.

According to the American Dietetic Association's Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, the average adult loses about two and a half quarts or about 10 cups of water daily. To maintain your body's fluid balance, you need to replace it each day.

All fluids like juice, tea, soup and even coffee count. Many foods have a high water content, too:

Food Percent Of Water

Lettuce (½ cup) 95

Watermelon (½ cup) 92

Broccoli (½ cup) 91

Grapefruit (½ cup) 91

Milk (1 cup) 89

Orange juice (3/4 cup) 88

Carrot (½ cup) 87

Yogurt (1 cup) 85

Apple (one medium) 84

Content provided by the American Dietetic Association. For more nutrition tips, visit www.eatright.org.

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April 08, 2005

Nutrition Myths

Fitness fans miscalculate their dietary needs so frequently that ACE came up with its list of the Top 10 Nutritional Mistakes Made by Active People. Dietitians offer suggestions on how to correct these diet errors and create a healthier eating plan.

1. EATING TOO MUCH PROTEIN AND NOT ENOUGH CARBOHYDRATES. The current popularity of low-carb diets has many people trying to fuel their workouts with poultry instead of pasta.

"Our muscles' endurance and performance comes from the glycogen in carbohydrates. You can't be an athlete and be on the Atkins diet," says Monica Callan, a certified personal trainer and Sharp Hospital registered dietitian.

A diet with too little carbs usually means a diet with too little water, and that can set you up for an increased risk of injury and dehydration.

2. SKIPPING BREAKFAST. Not eating breakfast is like asking your car to get you to work without any fuel in the tank.

"Whether or not you're an athlete, breakfast should be a non-negotiable part of the day," says Callan. "When you don't eat breakfast,

3. NOT EATING BEFORE A WORKOUT. "If you don't have the fuel, your workout won't be as productive," says Norma Flood, a registered dietitian and nutrition counselor at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.

A light pre-workout snack consisting of carbs, a little fat and some protein can help improve endurance and hand-eye coordination.

However, eating too much or the wrong kind of foods (too much fiber, fat or spice) will make you feel bloated, and indigestion could result. Flood recommends sticking to foods to give you quick but quality energy. A banana, toast with a dab of peanut butter, a half of a small bagel, a handful of almonds and an apple, or yogurt are all healthy options.

4. WAITING TOO LONG AFTER EXERCISE TO EAT. For optimal recovery, it's best to eat 30 minutes to two hours after exercise.

"As soon as exercise is over, your body goes into rebuilding mode," Flood says. "The best thing you can do is eat a small meal containing carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen stores and protein to facilitate the repair of muscle tissue."

Some nutritious post-workout eats include yogurt, a bowl of cereal, or a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread.

5. REPLACING MEALS WITH ENERGY BARS OR REPLACEMENT DRINKS. Sure, they're convenient, but too often energy bars offer little more nutrition than your average candy bar.

"Although energy bars are calorically dense, they're not giving you enough nutritional variety or fiber," Bland says. "For a lot of people, the energy bar has become a midday snack instead of meal replacement. And, that means overeating."

Always reach for real food first.

"There's just no substitute for the nutrients and benefits you get from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein," Callan says.

6. TRUSTING THE ACCURACY OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENT LABELS AND CLAIMS. "The FDA doesn't regulate any of the supplements so it's the Wild West out there in health food stores. Manufacturers can claim anything they want to about their products," Callan says. "Most of the time, you can get the desired effects from real food instead of pills."

However, if you think you want or need to take supplements, do your homework. Talk to your pharmacist and your doctor about any you're considering. Check out the following Web sites recommended by the American Dietetic Association: www.eatright.org; the American Botanical Council, www.herbal gram.org; consumerlab.com; American Pharmaceutical Association, www.aphanet.org

7. NOT CONSUMING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CALORIES FOR THE AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY YOU DO. Your calorie intake should be sufficient to support your active lifestyle, but not so abundant that weight control becomes a challenge.

"People feel that if they're exercising, they can add more calories. It's true you can add a few more, but not too many or you'll end up heavier than when you began working out," Flood says.

People who exercise, especially when just starting out, often overestimate how many calories they burn in a workout.

A 150-pound person burns approximately five calories per minute of medium intensity exercise. So on a 30-minute power walk, a person expends about 150 calories, equivalent to a can of Coke.

Check out the dietitian-recommended Web site www.caloriesperhour.com to help you figure out your energy burn.

8. BELIEVING THAT EXERCISE MEANS YOU CAN EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT. Whether you exercise a little or a lot, you still need to follow a healthy, balanced diet and watch your portion sizes.

Athletes who work out strenuously need more calories than the typical couch potato. But even active folks need to be discriminate about the source of those calories.

"Some athletes feel like they can eat doughnuts and french fries to get the calories they need," Flood says. "The problem is those refined foods don't have the vitamins and minerals they need. They're empty calories without the nutrients necessary to create efficient energy."

9. NOT DRINKING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FLUIDS. Dehydration can be a serious problem, especially during warm humid weather. Drinking fluids before, during and after exercise will help you a maintain adequate hydration levels.

Unless you're working out longer than 90 minutes, replenishing with water will be sufficient. For longer workouts, make sure you include drinks with electrolytes (such as Gatorade) to replace what you lose when you sweat. Electrolytes are what your cells use to carry electrical impulses to other cells. In addition to sports drinks, electrolytes are also found naturally in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

10. JUMPING ON THE LATEST DIET CRAZE IN SEARCH OF THAT ELUSIVE "EDGE." It's tempting to believe there is some magic formula out there that will dramatically improve our performance or help us effortlessly lose weight – if only we could find it.

"People looking for quick results try all kinds of fad diets and food crazes, which are impossible to stick with very long," Bland says. "To get long-term results, you need to make long-term changes in the way you eat. Fad diets just don't give you the right fuel for the long haul."

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April 06, 2005

A View From the Fridge

WHAT do you do when your refrigerator and freezer are so jam-packed with aging foods that trying to find a bite to eat is like going on an archaeological dig? You can break out the Hefty bags and toss everything out. But if you're still looking forward to thawing and reheating last month's leftovers from Schiller's Liquor Bar, read on.

True or false: Foods can last forever in the freezer.

True. That 18-year-old slice of wedding cake may look the same as when you fit into your wedding suit, but it won't quite taste the same. Even though frozen foods are safe forever, the enzymes present in animal foods, vegetables and fruits make their quality deteriorate. Freezing slows, but does not stop, the enzyme activity.

Food in the freezer has a "quality" shelf life, which varies depending on the food. For instance, hamburger has a freezer shelf life of three to four months. And any food you freeze needs to be wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum foil, plastic wrap or an airtight freezer bag.

Here are a few examples of recommended storage durations: whole chicken or turkey, one year; TV dinners/frozen casseroles, three to four months; leftover fried chicken, four months. For more storage dates, go to fightbac.org/doubt.cfm.

True or false: A doggie bag from my favorite restaurant will last at least a week if the fridge is cold enough.

False. Takeout food, doggie bags and leftovers should be refrigerated within about two hours and eaten within two to three days, according to Rutgers professor and food-science specialist Donald W. Schaffner.

Many times, the quality and feel of the food in the mouth break down, says Meredith H. Luce, a clinical dietitian at Florida Hospital in Orlando. She advises keeping leftovers in airtight containers, not in aluminum foil — it just doesn't do the job. "Air is your enemy for preserving the taste and quality of food," she adds.

And don't think that simply looking at or smelling food will tell you if it's safe. If you're not sure when you stuck it in the fridge, toss it.

True or false: Using the salad and/or meat drawer in the fridge preserves your food for months.

False. They do help extend the life of your food — just not for months.

"The salad and meat drawers provide air circulation and minimize drying, so they do increase shelf life and maintain the texture and appearance of the foods," says Purnendu C. Vasavada, a professor of food science and microbiology at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

The key feature of a meat drawer is its temperature. "The colder you can keep your meat, the longer it will last," says Rutgers' Schaffner. And, "the two key features of a vegetable crisper are control of humidity and temperature."

Storing vegetables properly can increase their shelf life as much as 40 percent. However, if you put them in the drawer and forget about them — well, that defeats the entire purpose of storing vegetables in the drawer, adds dietician Luce.

From a food-safety perspective, limp or discolored vegetables, such as lettuce, are perfectly safe to eat, says Keith R. Schneider, a professor of food science at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

True or false: If cheese gets moldy, it's safe to take the mold off and eat the cheese.

True, but it depends on the kind of cheese. If mold forms on hard or firm cheese (e.g., cheddar, Parmesan), cut off the mold plus one inch of cheese around and below the mold, and be careful not to touch the mold with your knife. Then wrap the trimmed cheese in plastic wrap and refrigerate it, advises Luce, who also says that soft and semisoft cheeses like brie, feta or cottage cheese are a different story.

Mold spores spread more easily through soft foods, so if you see mold on a soft cheese (unless it's supposed to be there, as with blue cheese), throw it out. Also, discard moldy breads, jams, jellies, yogurts and sour cream.

True or false: Condiments like mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and barbecue sauce can last almost forever in the fridge.

False — they'll last about six months, but will eventually spoil, either due to chemical changes or bacterial growth. But these bacteria aren't the ones that make us sick. "They just spoil the taste," Schaffner says.

"One of the reasons condiments last as long as they do is because they have an acidic environment (e.g., the vinegar in ketchup), and bacteria don't do well in that situation," says professor Schneider, who also reminds us that foods that are rancid are not necessarily dangerous — they just taste bad.

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March 22, 2005

Supermarket Smarts

Next time you walk into your neighborhood grocery store, stand in the front and scan the store from right to left. What do you notice? Which sections are on the outermost sides of the store? Which sections are in the middle? Most likely the produce, dairy, fresh meats and grains are on the outside. These are the foods which should take up the majority of your shopping cart. The inside aisles are packed with processed foods and junk foods. First off, before going to the store, make a list of the foods you need to buy. It can be helpful to plan out your menus for the week so that you know which foods to buy. As you walk in, make your way around the outside of the store first and then choose the specific inside aisles you need to go down. Also, make sure you’re not hungry when you go to the store. You may find a bunch of foods you think you might want, but don’t particularly need.

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March 14, 2005

Pop Quiz

Nutrition quiz, part 1

March is National Nutrition Month and the American Dietetic Association has put out a quiz to test our nutritional knowledge. Answer these questions to see how much of a nutritional expect you are:

According to consumer research, which factor tops nutrition as the number one reason why consumers buy one food over another?
A - packaging
B - preparation time
C - taste
D - cost

You might be surprised to see that taste is the answer. We tend to eat the foods we like more often and the more we eat them, the more they affect our overall health. To get the best flavor out of food, chew food well.

In addition to walnuts, which of the following is another rich source of omega-3 fatty acids:
A - peanuts
B - flaxseed
C - apple
D - broccoli

The answer is B, flaxseed, which is also known as linseed. Although you can buy it whole or milled, the whole seeds cannot be digested. Add it to salads, cereals, smoothies, juices, yogurt, or even baking.

True or False? With thousands of food items to choose from in the supermarket, most Americans regularly consume a wide variety of foods.

Unbelievably, the answer is false. Most are us are simply in a food rut meaning that we typically plan meals around the same old 10-15 food. Since variety is the key to good nutrition, try to include one new food in your diet each week.

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March 11, 2005

The New Dietary Guidelines: One step at a time. Protein.

Choose lean sources of meat. If the work “loin�? is in the name, it’s usually a good choice. Trim the fat off the edges of meats before cooking. Try something new like legumes or meat alternatives. Nuts and nut butters are also in this group, which supply you with protein and healthy fats as well.

Meat and beans:
5 1/2 ounces per day
ounce serving equals:
l 1 ounce cooked lean meat, poultry or fish
l 1 egg
l 1/4 cup cooked dry beans or tofu
l 1 tablespoon peanut butter
l 1/2 ounce nuts or seeds

- Adapted from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, USDA and Department of Health and Human Services
More information
You might not want to wade through the 80-page document that spells out 41 specific eating recommendations, but a consumer booklet called Finding Your Way to a Healthier You boils down the new guidelines into an easy-to-digest format. You can download both at http:// healthierus.gov/
dietaryguidelines.

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March 10, 2005

The New Dietary Guidelines: One step at a time. Fats

Choose 'good' fats: The new guidelines reinforce the notion that not all fats are bad. Though we should curtail saturated fat and trans fat, there are some fats that we should make an effort to increase, such as omega-3 fats found in certain fish, nuts and oils. These ''good'' fats may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
* Use canola or olive oil for sautéing and making salad dressings, but limit them to 6 teaspoons per day.
* Eat more nuts, particularly walnuts, which pack in the most omega-3s. Add to salads, stir-fries, oatmeal or baked goods. Grab a handful of nuts for a snack instead of chips or pretzels.
* Eat fish twice a week (about 8 ounces total). Choose salmon, tuna or other fatty fish that is high in omega-3s. Keep canned, boneless salmon on hand for making salmon patties or flaking on top of a salad.
* Slash the sources of trans fat in your diet to keep intake ''as low as possible.'' Major culprits are partially hydrogenated oils found in some cakes, cookies, crackers, chips, margarine and shortening.
* To help limit saturated fat to less than 10 percent of calories, choose lean cuts of meat and poultry, and opt for more meals built around beans and peas (aim for 3 cups per week).

Oils:
6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day
1 tsp equivalent equals:
l 1 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
l 2 tbsp light salad dressing
l 1 teaspoon canola oil

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March 09, 2005

The New Dietary Guidelines: One step at a time. Dairy.

Drink your milk: The guidelines upped the ante on dairy, recommending 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk per day (or an equivalent amount of yogurt or cheese). Dairy foods supply many of the vitamins and minerals the guidelines said were chronically low in American diets: calcium, vitamin D, potassium, magnesium and vitamin A.
* Start your day with dairy: whole-grain cereal and milk, fruit and yogurt or an omelet with part-skim mozzarella.
* When making a run for coffee, order a large skim latte - but hold the sugar.
* Swap your soda at lunch for a glass of skim milk.
* Whip up a smoothie made with milk, fresh fruit and a few ice cubes. Or try a cut-up frozen banana instead of the ice.
* Stock up on individually wrapped string cheese for snacks.

Milk:
3 cups per day
1 cup serving equals:
l 1 cup low-fat/fat-free milk or yogurt
l 1 1/2 ounces low-fat or fat-free natural cheese
l 2 ounces low-fat or fat-free processed cheese

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March 08, 2005

The New Dietary Guidelines: One step at a time. Grains.

Make half your grains whole: The guidelines recommend 6 daily servings of grains, but three or more should be whole grains, which are important sources of fiber and other nutrients. Replacing refined grains with whole grains (at least 3 ounces per day), can help reduce the risk of several chronic diseases and may help with weight maintenance, the guidelines indicate.
* Breakfast is your best opportunity to get whole grains, but it may mean ditching your usual fare. Bypass the bagel with cream cheese and opt for two slices of whole-grain toast.
* Enjoy a bowl of oatmeal. Whether instant, old-fashioned or steel-cut, all oatmeal is whole grain. One cup is 2 whole-grain servings.
* When choosing ready-to-eat cereal, look for ones that list whole wheat, whole oats or another whole grain as the first ingredient.
* For lunch, make sandwiches with whole-grain breads. Check the label to make sure you see the word ''whole'' on the package or in the first ingredient.
* Skip the white rice and use brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or whole-wheat couscous.
* When making bread, muffins, pancakes or waffles, substitute whole-wheat flour for part or all of the white flour.

Grains:
6 servings (6 ounces) per day
Including:
Whole grains (3 ounces)
Other grains (3 ounces)
1 ounce serving equals:
l 1 slice bread
l 1 cup dry cereal
l 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cooked cereal

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March 07, 2005

The New Dietary Guidelines: One step at a time. Fruits and Vegetables.

Focus on fruits and vegetables: Though ''5-a-day'' used to be the battle cry, now we need to aim for 9 servings: 4 servings (2 cups) of fruit and 5 servings (2 1/2 cups) of vegetables each day. Ramping up your intake of fruits and vegetables not only supplies your body with fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants, but it will likely edge out the stuff the guidelines suggest we limit, such as sugary foods and beverages and trans-fat-laden snacks.
* One of the easiest ways to achieve this goal is to make fruits and vegetables half of what you eat at each meal.
* Don't leave home in the morning without some fruit for breakfast: a glass of orange juice, a bowl of mixed berries or a sliced banana on cereal.
* Keep a stash of baby carrots, red pepper strips or other cut-up veggies on hand for easy munching.
* Look for ways to make vegetables a center-of-the-plate star: Fortify pasta dishes with extra vegetables, pump up the vegetables in stir-fries and casseroles, or enjoy a hearty salad as your main entree.
* Vary your veggie selections and lean toward richly hued varieties, such as dark leafy greens (spinach, chard) and bright orange vegetables (think carrots, sweet potatoes and winter squash).

Fruit:
4 servings (2 cups) per day
1/2 cup serving equals:
l 1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit
l 1 medium fruit
l 1/4 cup dried fruit
l 1/2 cup fruit juice

Vegetables:
5 servings (2 1/2 cups) per day
Including:
Dark green vegetables (3 cups/week)
Orange vegetables (2 cups/week)
Legumes (dry beans and peas) (3 cups/week)
Starchy vegetables (3 cups/week)
Other vegetables (6 1/2 cups/week)
1/2 cup serving equals:
l 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables
l 1 cup raw leafy vegetables
l 1/2 cup vegetable juice

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February 22, 2005

Deciphering Credentials: Whom Can You Trust for Reliable Nutrition Advice?

When you want nutrition information based on sound science, or want to know how food promotes health and fights disease, rely on the most-qualified professionals in the field of food and nutrition: a registered dietitian or dietetic technician, registered.

There are many so-called nutrition advisors out there, sometimes it's hard to tell just who is a qualified expert.

A registered dietitian, or RD, is a highly trained food and nutrition expert who has completed a four-year degree program and a supervised internship program and passed a comprehensive credentialing examination. Registered dietitians must maintain their credentials through career-long continuing education.

A dietetic technician, registered, or DTR, must complete at least a two-year degree and pass a nationwide examination. DTRs also must have supervised practice experience in community programs, health care and food service facilities. DTRs must also take part in continuing education courses throughout their careers.

From the hottest trendy restaurants to school cafeterias, from corporations to day-care centers, the secret is out. The registered dietitian is recognized as the most valuable source of good nutrition.

Many times authors or salespeople for dietary supplements, for example, may call themselves "nutritionists." In reality, they may only be self-proclaimed experts. Anyone could call themselves a nutritionist, so these terms, nutritionist and dietician, are really not interchangeable.

The best place to find a qualified registered dietician is to look on the website. It's American Dietetic Association Web site, www.eatright.org. And you can actually enter your ZIP code and you will find an RD within your local area.

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February 11, 2005

Wake Up!

Caffeine is a natural chemical found in tea leaves, coffee beans, cacao (the stuff used to make chocolate), and cola nuts (the plant that gives cola soda its flavor). Caffeine has been in foods that humans eat and drink for hundreds of years. Today, caffeine is found in many common foods and drinks, such as coffee, tea, hot cocoa, soda, chocolate, and some medicines.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE?
Caffeine is a mild stimulant to the central nervous system. It is not addictive, though it can be habit forming. When caffeine intake is stopped abruptly, some individuals can experience headache, fatigue or drowsiness. Age and body size can make a difference in effect. A child or a smaller person may feel caffeine's effects more strongly than an adult or a heavier, taller person. A cup of strongly brewed coffee or tea has more caffeine than a weakly brewed cup.

HOW MUCH CAFFEINE IS "SAFE?"
MODERATION is the key. Most experts agree that 300 mg. of caffeine (about the amount contained in 3 cups of coffee) is a moderate intake. People who have certain health problems need to check with their doctor as they consider their caffeine intake. At this time, there is NO evidence that caffeine intake is associated with heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis or high cholesterol. Because research is ongoing, recommendations about caffeine in the presence of these conditions seems conflicting. Talk with your doctor for guidance about your consumption. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine's effects than others and may feel effects at smaller doses. Pregnancy and aging may affect one's sensitivity to caffeine. There is no evidence that caffeine in beverage form is dehydrating. Its diuretic effects are usually compensated for by the beverage's fluid content. If you ingest caffeine from sports supplements (Clif Bar Ice series) or from prescription drugs or over-the-counter sources (No-Doz, etc.) be sure to drink adequate fluid to rehydrate yourself from caffeine's mild diuretic action.

Caffeine Chart

Drink/Food
Amount of Drink/Food
Amount of Caffeine

Mountain Dew
12 ounces
55.0 mg

Coca-Cola
12 ounces
34.0 mg

Diet Coke
12 ounces
45.0 mg

Pepsi
12 ounces
38.0 mg

7-Up
12 ounces
0 mg

Brewed coffee (drip method)
5 ounces
115 mg*

Iced tea
12 ounces
70 mg*

Dark chocolate
1 ounce
20 mg*

Milk chocolate
1 ounce
6 mg*

Cocoa beverage
5 ounces
4 mg*

Chocolate milk beverage
8 ounces
5 mg*

Cold relief medication
1 tablet
30 mg*

*This is an average amount of caffeine. That means some of these products may contain a little more caffeine; some may contain a little less.

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration and National Soft Drink Association

HOW CAN I ENERGIZE?
Instead of reaching for another Coke(c), try these non-caffeinated strategies to maintain good energy levels:

· Get a good night's sleep. If you are tired during the day, take a short nap.

· Take a brisk, 10-minute walk.

· Eat regular, healthful meals. Use the food guide pyramid to build your meals. Fatty foods and alcohol can make you feel "draggy."

· Try not to skip or delay meals. Avoid eating very large meals - digesting a large meal can make you want a nap.

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January 28, 2005

Whole Grains Are Good for Us...But What are They?

Shannon Samson wtote:

Whole grains have three parts: bran, germ and endosperm. If you're eating bleached pasta or bread, you're eating just the starchy endosperm, but no bran and germ and therefore no fiber.

Examples of whole grain foods are brown rice, oatmeal and products made with whole wheat. At the Great Harvest Bread Company, much of what you see up front got its start in the back of the store, in the mill room.

Owner Mark Stieler says, "We take the wheat berry. This is our stone mill. We have two stones that go around and around like that real close together and out comes 100% whole wheat flour."

Great Harvest has offered whole grain products for 35 years and now, other companies are following suit. Instead of just making some of its cereals with whole grains, General Mills just announced all of its cereals will contain them. Registered Dietitian Marita Cohen says, "The fact that they're going to whole grains, I think that's really good."

Cohen says the benefits are overwhelming. Whole grains ward off constipation, lower the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. And because they slow digestion, they help you feel fuller longer. Not sure where to find them? Cohen says, "Check the ingredient list and try to make sure one of the first ingredients listed does say whole grain or 'whole wheat.' I also tell them to look at the label on the back where they have the breakdown and see just how much fiber's in it."

The Food and Drug Administration says products can bear a "whole grain" label as long as they contain at least 51 percent whole-grain ingredients. Great Harvest breads contain 100 percent. Stieler says, "We've always said that whole grains are real important and we're kind of glad now that the USDA is backing us up on it."

The low carb craze took a slice out of the bread business. A push toward whole grains might put it back. Let me point out that research suggests that it's not just the dietary fiber, but all the components of the whole grain that appear to act together to prevent disease.

The dietitian in my story is just saying when in doubt, look at the fiber content. If there's lots of fiber, there is probably whole grains.

What about the taste? General Mills says its new cereals have passed the taste test. People who aren't used to the taste should give it some time. Their taste buds might get used to it.

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January 13, 2005

New dietary guidelines stress healthy options

Jon Bonné wrote:
The federal government on Wednesday outlined how Americans should eat and exercise, backing a broad approach that stresses weight loss and a balanced, moderate diet.

There were few surprises in its new dietary guidelines: endorsements of nutritious foods, and limits on bad fats, cholesterol, sugar, salt and alcohol.

As never before, the guidelines stressed the need for Americans to manage their weight and get fit.

"Two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, and more than 50 percent of us Americans do not get the recommended amount of physical activity," said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. "So the 2005 guidelines emphasize physical activity and calorie control more than ever before."

The guidelines, revised every five years, largely follow mainstream advice: eat a mix of foods, watch your fats and sugars. They stress the importance of calories in managing weight, directly tying weight loss to consuming fewer calories.

This is good news to nutritionists who have been fighting the popularity of fad diets, and bad news to dieters who have focused on cutting one nutrient — carbs or fats, for example — out of their daily routines.

Fruits and vegetables got a strong boost. Nine servings of produce are recommended for the average 2,000-calorie diet, the upper limit of prior recommendations. That translates to 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables each day.

Thompson and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman portrayed the guidelines as an "important tool" in fighting the nation's weight epidemic.

Also recommended:

Half of all grains consumed should be whole grains, at
least three servings per day.

Less than 10 percent of calories should come from
saturated fats, and fat should make up no more than 25
to 30 percent of total calories. No firm guideline was
set for trans fats, only a recommendation to keep
them "as low as possible."

Whole foods are generally preferred over processed:
fresh fruit, for example, rather than juice.

Protein sources should be lean and low-fat.

Foods should be fiber-rich and contain "little added
sugars or caloric sweeteners."

Recommended daily sodium intake was lowered to 2,300 mg
or less, about 1 teaspoon of salt.

Everyone should get a minimum of 30 to 60 minutes each
day of moderate exercise — brisk walking or bicycling,
for example. Losing weight will require 60 to 90
minutes of more intense daily exercise.

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