Eating for two? Hold that donut! May 27, 2009

 

“Eating For Two” Has Consequences For Mom And Baby

Once again, research shows that eating too much, especially too much unhealthy foods such as those that are fried, during pregnancy can increase risks of complications. So how much extra should you eat? Not nearly the extra 500 calories that many moms think! One of my favorite formulas is on the USDA’s mypyramid.gov website for moms and moms-to-be.  This gives you more calories as your baby grows, compared to the general 300 calories extra per day recommendation, as well as good portion recommendations from each food group. Still confused? Contact a registered dietitian in your area for individualized calculations and recommendations.

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Is red meat bad for your health? May 23, 2009

I was recently clicking through an email with the latest research updates when I came across a journal article on red meat and heart disease. Like many other studies, this one indicated that people eating the most red meat and processed meats were the most likely to suffer from chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. The final discussion session was filled with information on the dangers of eating too much meat, while lauding the environmental and health benefits of a vegetarian diet. While I am no means a vegetarian, I could see their point; there is definitely a correlation between chronic diseases disease and eating high-fat and processed meats too frequently.    However, red meat is also a great source of protein, iron, zinc, and some B-vitamins…nutrients that many Americans do not consume sufficient quantities of in their regular diets.  What’s the answer?  The key to this particular study was that the people that ate too much, too frequently were the ones suffering ill effects, not everyone who enjoyed a steak or a reuben sandwich on occasion. It all comes down to moderation…red meat is a nutrient-dense food, just like prunes are healthy; but both beef and prunes can have some negative consequences if one eats too much too frequently. Think Cut, Portion, and Frequency when adding red meat, particularly beef, to your diet.
Choose lean cuts of beef, such as the “round” and “loin” and trim off all visible fat. A sirloin steak has much less fat than prime rib. If you can see a lot of marbling in the meat it probably has a lot of fat in it, and while it may be more tender, it can also be tougher on your cardiovascular system. 
Enjoy a 3oz portion (about the size of a deck of cards) as a ground sirloin burger topped with lots of lettuce and tomato, broccoli and beef stirfry, or even cold leftover steak sliced thin on top of a spinach salad with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Consider red meat to be a garnish or small part of the meal, rather than the foundation of the plate. When making soups or stews add slightly more beans and less meat to save money and fat.
How often should you eat red meat? The general rule of thumb is once a week; less than that if you already have heart disease and are sedentary, or up to 2-3 times a week if you are younger, iron-deficient, and/or very active.
  For more beef ideas and nutrition info, check out the Texas Beef Council. 
Now how about the environmental effects of eating beef? Yes, that cow did have to eat about seven pounds of corn to make that delicious 12oz T-bone steak.That is in addition to the processing, shipping, cold storage, and other energy-consuming activities it took to make the steak safe and tasty. To minimize the environmental effects, choose organic or grass-fed sources for red meat, eat what you buy (wasted food is incredibly costly to the environment), and eat red meat less frequently than chicken, turkey, or beans.

Another article I read talked about how less than 8% of Americans eat beans on any given day.  I love beans.  I think it’s time for them to make a comeback, especially during this recession.  If you want to eat healthy and save some big bucks,

nutrition to prevent swine flu? May 7, 2009

Swine flu.  Here in Texas where the first two U.S. deaths occurred it has been in the news constantly.  Officially called H1N1, it was called swine flu because some of the genes resembled those of a flu virus that affects swine in North America; but because it also contains genes from avian influenza (bird flu) and regular human flu it’s not quite accurate to just blame pigs for this bad bug. 

Can you get H1N1 from eating pork?  Nope!  So go ahead and grill up that pork tenderloin this weekend, and just be sure to cook it until the juices run clear, over 160 degrees Fahrenheit.  Can you eat anything to prevent getting H1N1?  A quick survey of the internet will have you taking megadoses of vitamins D and C, fish oil supplements, amino acids, and a daily serving of kimchi.  However, an coalition of supplement experts warns that while supplements are a great addition to a healthy diet and can improve general health, be aware of marketers that are just trying to sell snake oil to cure swine flu.  That said, what can you do to boost your immune system?

1) Eat your antioxidants.  Eat at least 5-9 cups of fruit and vegetables each day, with at least 1 of those servings being fresh fruit or veggies.

2)  Limit your sugar and saturated/trans fat intake.  These foods can actually suppress your immune system and keep it from responding properly.

3) Choose supplements that support a healthy diet.  Let’s face it – sometimes it is difficult to eat perfectly, and a multivitamin can be a great addition to make sure that your bases are covered.  Megadoses of any vitamin, mineral, or other nutrient should be prescribed and monitored by a qualified health professional as self-treatment can cause a range of problems from diarrhea, other nutrient deficiencies, or worse.

4) Wash your hands before eating.  And when you first arrive home.  And when you are done using the bathroom and before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.  This one can be tricky with kids, but handwashing is one of the best lines of prevention for almost any contagious disease.

5) While they have nothing to do with nutrition, sleep and stress can make or break your immune system!  Aim for a regular bedtime, exercise 3-5 times a week for 30 minutes, and take a deep breath to relax if you start getting stressed. 

If you do start coming down with symptoms of the flu or even a cold, try one of my favorite “teas.”  Add boiling water to a slice of lemon, 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger, and a tsp of honey.  Sometimes I’ll trade out a lime for the lemon, molasses for the honey, and add a dash of cayenne to “kick it up a notch” as well.  Let it steep for a few minutes and enjoy!  

Of course, if you do have any of the warning signs listed on the CDC’s H1N1 website then contact your doctor.  H1N1 may not turn out to be as deadly as we once thought, but it’s always wise to take precautions with any flu bug, especially one that qualifies as a pandemic.

More bad news on high fructose corn syrup March 5, 2009

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been blamed for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and multiple other ills – but is its bad rap deserved?  Up until recently research consistently showed that it has the same effect on appetite, calorie intake, and even insulin levels as regular table sugar.  However, it may create more damage than we thought due to its production of reactive carbonyls – compounds that are thought to cause tissue damage in humans and lead to problems like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Another interesting finding is that carbonation seems to increase the amount of these reactive carbonyls, whereas tea seems to decrease it.  Soda had 6 times as much reactive carbonyls as teas made with HFCS, and fruit drinks with HFCS had a third as much. 

The average American drinks 38 gallons of HFCS-sweetened soda each year, making it our primary source of HFCS.  Maybe it’s time to kick the can, grab our BPA-free water bottles and quench our thirst with good old-fashioned H2O.

Is your baby vitamin D-ficient? November 5, 2008

Which is healthier – 1) eating ice cream at the beach on a sunny day, or 2) eating a house salad with nonfat salad dressing in a dimly lit restaurant?  According to a recent study, eating ice cream and spending time in the sun may be the clear winner for most toddlers and even some adults.

the American Academy of Pediatrics recently came out with a report suggesting that breastfed infants two months and older be given a vitamin D supplement (formula is fortified with vitamin D) based on the low amount of vitamin D in most mothers’ milk.  This vitamin varies widely in milk depending on how much the mother is consuming or making from exposure to sunlight.  The AAP recommends that babies continue supplementation until they drink at least a pint per day of vitamin D fortified milk or formula.  They do NOT recommend sun exposure without sunscreen, even though studies show that 10-30 minutes of being in sunlight while wearing only a diaper would be all infants need to make sufficient vitamin D.  (However, I find it hard to believe that 10 minutes of sun once a day is that likely to cause cancer).

Why the sudden focus on D?  Roughly 30% of babies may be D-deficient, and many adults are as well.  Extreme deficiency leads to rickets, but even low levels of this vitamin are associated with poor bone development in children and diabetes, cancer, and heart disease in adults.  Recent studies also show a possible link between autism and low vitamin D levels.  As people are drinking less D-fortified milk and spending less time in the sun without sunscreen, more Americans are becoming D-ficient and seeing the negative health consequences.   

Technically, vitamin D is more of a hormone than a vitamin since our bodies can make it from exposure to UV rays from sunlight.  Unfortunately, what boosts D production may also cause skin cancer.  Because D production varies so widely depending on the season, location, amount of sunlight, and a person’s genetics, doctors recommend a dietary supplement to ensure adequate amounts.  In the old days people gave their children cod liver oil which is a great source of vitamins D and A as well as omega 3’s, but this supplement has a wildly unpopular flavor, and better-tasting D’s are on the market.  Also, seafood such as salmon, shrimp, and sardines are rich sources of vitamin D if you do not eat or drink fortified dairy products.

  Talk to child’s pediatritian on what he or she recommends for your baby’s D levels… and if you always wear sunscreen and never drink milk, it may be time to take a beach trip, put the sunscreen on after the first 20 minutes, and enjoy a vitamin D-rich smoothie or ice cream cone!

Fast facts on fats September 26, 2008

Good fat?  Bad fat?  Trans fat?  Or how about fish fat…I mean “fish oil supplements?”  In the 1980s we Americans tried to rid our diets of all fat in hopes of eliminating bodyfat – and we found that our bodies are quite efficient at making fat from carbs as well.  Now fats are back in the news and back in vogue.  We are eating fatty fish, choosing the Mediterranean or South Beach diets that emphasize healthy fats, and filling our vitamin cabinets with omega-3 fatty acids, often from fish oil. 

The truth is that our body needs certain types of fats, alpha-linolelenic (ALA) and linoleic acids to be exact, in order for our immune system, brain, and even skin cells to function properly.  EPA and DHA are the omega 3’s that are found in fish oil; ALA is a precursor to these healthy fats.   These are the “essential” fatty acids, meaning that our body cannot make them.  These are found in most oils, nuts, and seeds, along with many other types of fatty acids.  Other fats, such as the saturated fat in many animal products, are made by our livers, so technically we do not need to eat them to survive.  Artificial trans fat is worse for you than saturated and should be kept to an absolute minimum. 

The problem with the typical American diet is that we eat too much of the saturated and some polyunsaturated fats such as linoleic, and too little of the ALA and other omega-3 fats.    This can lead to cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation, and possibly even skin conditions such as eczema.  

 A few substitutions can get your fat balance back on track, making you feel better, your skin look younger, and help prevent heart disease as well:

1)  Substitute canola (for cooking) or olive oil (on veggies or salad) for regular vegetable oil and butter.

2)   Snack on nuts, specifically walnuts and almonds, rather than chips.

3)  Eat salmon, trout, or low-mercury tuna twice a week.  Keep in mind that cod, catfish, and many other farmed white fishes do not have the DHA and EPA that you need, even though they are a low-fat choice.

4)   Sprinkle one Tbsp ground flaxseed on your cereal in the morning for an extra dose of ALA.

5)  If you do choose to take a fish oil supplement, make sure that it is either certified by the USP (you’ll see the symbol on the bottle) or it passed the consumerlab test.

best of breakfast July 13, 2008

Was your mom right in saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?  Scientific studies seem to show eating in the morning has a positive impact on kids’ academic performance, the athlete’s morning workout, and can even help the dieter stick to her program and lose a few more pounds!  While 96% of Americans believe their moms that breakfast is important, only two out of three make time for breakfast…and of those, 40% are eating on the run.  In our hurry to start the day, we don’t make time to fuel up for the day.  What you eat is as important, if not more important, that when you eat.  As a breakfast food lover, I have found that the bagel and coffee will leave me hungrier than if I just didn’t eat anything, while the full-up farmer’s breakfast of pancakes with syrup, eggs, bacon, and juice can leave me stuffed and lethargic.  After 30 years of highly scientific experimentation (er, a lifespan of eating a wide variety of breakfast foods) as well as looking into what non-biased research seems to indicate about the morning meal, here is what I have found..

Slow down on sugar:  while Lucky Charms may be more appealing that oatmeal, high sugar breakfasts tend to lead to an energy crash and more hunger than something with fiber or protein.  My rule of thumb is to look at the nutrition label  - if there is more than twice as much sugar as fiber then leave it at the grocery store.  If there is as much or more fiber than sugar it’s a winner!

Fill up on fiber:  Fiber is a wonderful calorie-free filler that most Americans do not get enough of. Oatmeal, whole-grain breads, and nut butters will keep you fuller for longer than a low-fiber cereal, bagel, or donut.  Choose something with at least 3 grams, but preferably 5 grams of fiber per serving if you tend to get hungry quickly.

Go for the protein:  Still hungry after eating that bowl of oatmeal with a few raisins?   Try adding some yogurt or milk, or eating a hard-boiled egg on the side.  Protein is digested more slowly than carbs and has the same amount of calories per gram, so it stays in your digestive system and fills you up longer.

Not convinced you can slip a meal into your morning routine?  Here’s some ideas that may help!

Super Speedy (45seconds to 2 minutes): 

• hard-boil 7 eggs and have one each morning along with a piece of fruit or glass of juice
• eat one 6oz container lowfat yogurt with grapenuts, ground flax, or wheat germ for fiber
• drink a glass of milk and eat a lowfat, high-fiber granola bar or a banana

Slightly Speedy: (5-10 minutes)

• toast 100% whole wheat bread, bagels, or frozen waffles and spread with peanut butter and jam or syrup
•  eat a bowl of Cheerios or any of the Kashi cereals with 1% milk and a small piece of fruit
• lowfat yogurt with granola and a piece of fruit

Weekend specials (20-40 minutes)

• omelettes with mixed veggies, ham, and cheese,
• poached egg with cheese and lowfat ham on a whole-wheat english muffin, one orange
• whole-grain waffles or pancakes with berries and toasted nuts
• scrambled eggs and toast with fruit preserves, sliced oranges on the side
• check out my Favorite Breakfast Foods for more weekender recipes

Chocolate – the next health food? May 1, 2008

Before I begin to comment on this article I must confess my bias – I love chocolate.  Therefore, I am especially fond of any research that supports chocolate’s health benefits.  So what can we apply from the recent Yale University study at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_63922.html) which indicates that pregnant women who consume more chocolate have healthier pregnancies?  

For starters, let’s look at the data:  researchers looked at 2,291 women who delivered a single baby, and asked them how much chocolate they ate in their first and third trimesters.  They also tested the cord blood for theobromine, a compound in dark chocolate that can help alleviate some cardiovascular problems by relaxing the arteries and stimulating the heart.  Apparently, the women women who reported eating the most chocolate and whose infants’ cord blood showed higher theobromine levels were actually 69% less likely to have preeclampsia than the women who ate the least chocolate! 

So should your OB prescribe a chocolate bar with prenatal vitamins yet?  While this study looks promising, we still don’t know which is the cause and which is the effect: whether the chocolate is the predictor, or whether healthy women with fewer preeclampsia risk factors are just more likely to indulge in lots of dark chocolate!  That said, it looks promising that small servings of dark chocolate, which is richer in these healthful compounds, fits into the healthy pregnancy diet.  As for me, I’ll keep enjoying my daily chocolate and keep looking for more studies to support the habit.