March is here so that means it is National Nutrition Month! This is one of my favorite times as a Dietitian! For 2017, the theme is "Put your best fork forward," which I love because it makes me think of not only choosing healthy foods, but also, cooking more! I often get client feedback that revolves around not having enough time to cook. My challenge for those of you reading this post is to commit to cooking at least one day/night per week. Once you get that down, increase to two or or even three nights! If the weekdays are too busy for you to cook more involved meals/recipes, try batch cooking on the weekends and freezing for later use. Stock-up on items like canned beans or frozen steamable veggies for when your not in the mood for cooking. To take it a step further, try incorporating new and healthy recipes in your weekly meal rotation.
Try out the zoodles (zucchini noodles) recipe below as a side dish or make it a meal by adding a lean protein and high-fiber carbohydrate (like chickpeas)!
Sauteed Zoodles with Fresh Pesto
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
4 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
2 cups fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice (can increase to 1 tablespoon if you prefer a more lemony flavor)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
Salt & pepper
**Flavor add-ins for pesto: pine nuts, minced onion, walnuts, or nutritional yeast
Directions
1. Using a vegetable peeler or spiralizer, slice zucchini into noodles.
Set aside in bowl.
2. Food process: basil, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice.
3. In a large skillet, combine zucchini noodles with pesto and saute over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
4. Top noodles with tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Nutrition: 190 Calories, 17g Fat (12g Monounsaturated Fat & 3g Polyunsaturated Fat), 65mg Sodium,
522mg Potassium, 9g Carbohydrates, 3g Fiber, 3g Sugar, 1g Protein, 44% Vit A, 29% Vit C
Showing posts with label carbohydrates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carbohydrates. Show all posts
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Cereal Vs. Ice Cream
This past week I had the privilege of leading a nutrition supermarket tour. When my tour group came to the cereal aisle, many of my participants had a very eye-opening experience about all of the sugar in "healthy cereal" products. In talking about carbohydrates and sugar, one woman had a very interesting comment, "With that much sugar, I could have just had my bowl of ice cream for a snack. I thought I was being healthier by having cereal."
After the tour, I was curious to see how cereal, a so called wholesome breakfast, really stacked up to a bowl of ice cream. Here begins my investigation:
Raisin Bran (w/o Milk)(1 cup):
-Calories: 190 -Total Fat: 1g -Sodium: 210mg -Total Carbs: 46g
-Fiber: 7g -Sugars: 18g -Protein: 5g
-Additional Vitamins and Minerals
Raisin Bran (with skim milk)(1 cup):
-Calories: 230 -Total Fat: 1g -Sodium: 275mg -Total Carbs: 52g
-Fiber: 7g -Sugars: 24g -Protein: 9g
Special K (with skim milk)(3/4 cup):
-Calories: 160 -Total Fat: 1g -Sodium: 205mg -Total Carbs: 33g
-Fiber: 3g -Sugars: 16g -Protein: 6g
Choc Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (1/2 cup):
-Calories: 160 -Total Fat: 9g -Sodium: 65mg -Total Carbs: 20g
-Fiber: 0g -Sugars: 14g -Protein: 2g
-Vitamin A and Vitamin C
Chocolate Ice Cream (1/2 cup):
-Calories: 150 -Total Fat: 7g -Sodium: 45mg -Total Carbs: 19g
-Fiber: 1g -Sugars: 14g -Protein: 2g
-Vitamin A and Vitamin C
So, we have similar calorie ranges, especially with the ice cream and Special K cereal. The ice creams have a higher fat content and lower protein content; however, they have less sugar, calories, and sodium. The cereals have more sodium, carbohydrates and sugars; however, they also have fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
What does that leave us with? Well, the cereals are a good source of fiber and protein, at the expense of too much sugar and sodium intake. I'm not sure how many people really measure out their cereals in the morning anyway. Most of the time, cereal is just poured in the bowl and eaten. Unless you measure your cereal (kudos to you), you will be likely multiplying all of the nutritional information by 2.
In terms of which is a "healthier snack," I would go for what tastes better. In the end, they both have a high carb/sugar content, as opposed to healthier snacks (like veggies, nuts, seeds, or fresh fruit). I really suggest checking the sugar content of your favorite cereals. If you have never took notice of the nutrition label, you may be surprised at how much sugar you are consuming. While cereal does have extra vitamins, minerals, protein (mostly due to the milk added), and fiber, it is not a significant amount to make a difference if you are eating an overall healthy diet. Most cereals are "enriched" with vitamins and minerals anyway, so they aren't really a "natural" source to begin with. Depending on the cereal, and ice cream, you choose, you may even end up with more skewed results than I found.
Some final advice:
1. Always read the nutrition label! Look at the ingredient list too. Ingredients are listed by weight, in descending order.
2. If sugar is one of the first 4 ingredients, skip it!
3. Compare products. Check out all of the nutrients and see which is the best option.
4. Be mindful of portion sizes. Read the serving size and compare it to what you are normally eating.
5. If all else fails, have a little splurge and enjoy what you are eating!
After the tour, I was curious to see how cereal, a so called wholesome breakfast, really stacked up to a bowl of ice cream. Here begins my investigation:
Raisin Bran (w/o Milk)(1 cup):
-Calories: 190 -Total Fat: 1g -Sodium: 210mg -Total Carbs: 46g
-Fiber: 7g -Sugars: 18g -Protein: 5g
-Additional Vitamins and Minerals
Raisin Bran (with skim milk)(1 cup):
-Calories: 230 -Total Fat: 1g -Sodium: 275mg -Total Carbs: 52g
-Fiber: 7g -Sugars: 24g -Protein: 9g
Special K (with skim milk)(3/4 cup):
-Calories: 160 -Total Fat: 1g -Sodium: 205mg -Total Carbs: 33g
-Fiber: 3g -Sugars: 16g -Protein: 6g
Choc Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (1/2 cup):
-Calories: 160 -Total Fat: 9g -Sodium: 65mg -Total Carbs: 20g
-Fiber: 0g -Sugars: 14g -Protein: 2g
-Vitamin A and Vitamin C
Chocolate Ice Cream (1/2 cup):
-Calories: 150 -Total Fat: 7g -Sodium: 45mg -Total Carbs: 19g
-Fiber: 1g -Sugars: 14g -Protein: 2g
-Vitamin A and Vitamin C
So, we have similar calorie ranges, especially with the ice cream and Special K cereal. The ice creams have a higher fat content and lower protein content; however, they have less sugar, calories, and sodium. The cereals have more sodium, carbohydrates and sugars; however, they also have fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
What does that leave us with? Well, the cereals are a good source of fiber and protein, at the expense of too much sugar and sodium intake. I'm not sure how many people really measure out their cereals in the morning anyway. Most of the time, cereal is just poured in the bowl and eaten. Unless you measure your cereal (kudos to you), you will be likely multiplying all of the nutritional information by 2.
In terms of which is a "healthier snack," I would go for what tastes better. In the end, they both have a high carb/sugar content, as opposed to healthier snacks (like veggies, nuts, seeds, or fresh fruit). I really suggest checking the sugar content of your favorite cereals. If you have never took notice of the nutrition label, you may be surprised at how much sugar you are consuming. While cereal does have extra vitamins, minerals, protein (mostly due to the milk added), and fiber, it is not a significant amount to make a difference if you are eating an overall healthy diet. Most cereals are "enriched" with vitamins and minerals anyway, so they aren't really a "natural" source to begin with. Depending on the cereal, and ice cream, you choose, you may even end up with more skewed results than I found.
Some final advice:
1. Always read the nutrition label! Look at the ingredient list too. Ingredients are listed by weight, in descending order.
2. If sugar is one of the first 4 ingredients, skip it!
3. Compare products. Check out all of the nutrients and see which is the best option.
4. Be mindful of portion sizes. Read the serving size and compare it to what you are normally eating.
5. If all else fails, have a little splurge and enjoy what you are eating!
http://www.turkeyhill.com/products/premium-ice-cream-flavors.aspx?pID=431
nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/5547/2
Monday, July 8, 2013
Glycogen
While reading up on carbohydrates, I found some interesting facts about glycogen!
What is Glycogen?
Glycogen, a polysaccharide, is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals. Glycogen is stored primarily in the liver and muscle tissues. Glycogen is readily converted to glucose as needed by the body to satisfy its energy needs.
The Difference Between Liver and Muscle Stores
Liver glycogen stores are more readily available for energy and blood sugar maintenance. The central nervous system relies heavily on liver glycogen for energy. Muscle glycogen stores are used solely for muscle fuel because muscle lacks the enzyme G-6-P needed to make glycogen available to other tissues.
Glycogen Storage
Glycogen forms hydrogen bonds with water molecules. This means about 1 gram of carbohydrates is stored with about 3 grams of water. "The 70kg "average man" stores only an 18-hour fuel supply as glycogen compared with a 2-month supply stored as fat" (Mahan). Fun fact: if all human energy stores were glycogen, humans would need to weight an additional 60 pounds!
Glycogen and Exercise
About 150 grams of glycogen is stored in muscle. This number can be increased five-fold with physical training. If carbohydrates are consumed immediately following strenuous exercise, about 50% more glycogen can be stored.
Glycogen and Animals
In a well-rested animal, the glycogen content of the muscle is high and at slaughter residual glycogen converts to lactic acid. This lactic acid causes meat to become tender. With high stress levels during slaughter, epinephrine and stress hormones cause depletion of glycogen stores. The lactic acid level is then reduced and the meat quality is altered.
What is Glycogen?
Glycogen, a polysaccharide, is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals. Glycogen is stored primarily in the liver and muscle tissues. Glycogen is readily converted to glucose as needed by the body to satisfy its energy needs.
The Difference Between Liver and Muscle Stores
Liver glycogen stores are more readily available for energy and blood sugar maintenance. The central nervous system relies heavily on liver glycogen for energy. Muscle glycogen stores are used solely for muscle fuel because muscle lacks the enzyme G-6-P needed to make glycogen available to other tissues.
Glycogen Storage
Glycogen forms hydrogen bonds with water molecules. This means about 1 gram of carbohydrates is stored with about 3 grams of water. "The 70kg "average man" stores only an 18-hour fuel supply as glycogen compared with a 2-month supply stored as fat" (Mahan). Fun fact: if all human energy stores were glycogen, humans would need to weight an additional 60 pounds!
Glycogen and Exercise
About 150 grams of glycogen is stored in muscle. This number can be increased five-fold with physical training. If carbohydrates are consumed immediately following strenuous exercise, about 50% more glycogen can be stored.
Glycogen and Animals
In a well-rested animal, the glycogen content of the muscle is high and at slaughter residual glycogen converts to lactic acid. This lactic acid causes meat to become tender. With high stress levels during slaughter, epinephrine and stress hormones cause depletion of glycogen stores. The lactic acid level is then reduced and the meat quality is altered.
www.exrx.net
Mahan L, Escott-Stump, S. "Food, Nutrition, and Diet Therapy." Saunders. 2004.
Friday, July 5, 2013
How Many Carbohydrates Do You Really Need?
Eating healthy should be simple, right? It is apparent that the information given to consumers is mixed and inconsistent. A prime example of this inconsistency is found with carbohydrate recommendations. The recommendations for carbs pushed from the government skyrocket to 300 grams a day or more! The USDA pushes 6oz of grains per day for females and 8oz for males. Once we translate ounces into grams of carbohydrates, you will discover that the numbers do not add up to the recommended 45-65% of carbohydrates also pushed by health professionals. Let's delve into this carbohydrate mystery!
Just to start us off, the AMDR is set in place for the macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein) to help prevent chronic diseases. The AMDR for protein is 10-35% and the AMDR for fat is 20-35% (both ranges are for adults).
Version 1 (Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges)
Let's take a 25-year-old female at 130lbs with a calorie intake of 1800kcals. Activity level is low.
Grains: 45-65% of calories from carbohydrates
810-1170 calories from carbohydrates
To get grams, we divide by 4kcal/g: 203-293g of carbohydrates
Version 2 (USDA: choosemyplate.gov)
Let's take the same 25-year-old female from version 1.
Grains: 6 oz. equivalents. 1 ounce of grains is about 15-20 grams (1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of pasta).
6 oz x 15-20g/oz = 90-120 grams
Already, a huge inconsistency of 113-173grams! After seeing the whooping difference, my next thought was maybe included in the AMDR are the fruit, starchy vegetable, and dairy groups. Let's see how those groups factor in.
Version 2 (USDA: choosemyplate.gov) + fruit, vegetable, dairy
Fruit: 2 cups per day. 1 cup of strawberries is 12g of carbohydrates. 1 cup of apples is 15g.
If there are about 15g of carbohydrates per cup, that leaves us with 30g of
carbohydrates.
Vegetables: 2 1/2 cups per day. This number is then broken down into different categories of
vegetables to be eaten throughout the week. 1 cup of broccoli is 4g of
carbohydrates. 1 cup of green peas is 12g of carbohydrates. Non-starchy
vegetables (broccoli, greens) generally provide about 5g of carbohydrates
and starchy vegetables (corn, peas, potatoes) about 15g of carbohydrates per
serving.
If our 25-year-old female is consuming 1 cup of starchy vegetables a day (15grams) and
1 1/2 cups of non-starchy vegetables per day (10g), her grand total of carbohydrates from
vegetables would be 25g.
Dairy: 3 cups per day. 1 cup of milk is 12 grams of carbohydrates.
1 cup of yogurt is 15-20 grams.
If our 25-year-old female consumes 1 cup of milk (12g), 1 cup of yogurt (18g) and
2-ounces of cheese (0g), her total carbohydrates from dairy would be 30g.
Total Added Carbs: 30 + 25 + 30 = 85g
Now, if we have 90-120g of carbohydrates to start with and we added the 85g we would end up with a range of 175-205 grams. This still doesn't add up to the AMDR of 203-293g!
Version 3 (AMDR Method 2)
Another method used to calculate the grams of carbohydrate is to subtract the protein and fat calories from total calories and use the remaining calories for carbohydrates.
1800 kcal x 15% = 360 calories from protein, 90g from protein
1800 kcal x 20% = 360 calories from fat, 40g from fat
1800 kcal - 720 calories = 1080 calories for carbohydrates, 270grams. This number falls in the
range of carbohydrates found in the version 1 AMDR.
Both the MYPlate and AMDR are pushed by most (not all) health professionals. Mostly, the AMDR is used to prescribe diets for patients and clients to help them reach a healthy weight and decrease chronic disease. Seems ironic to prescribe excessive carbohydrates to clients or patients who are either suffering from a chronic disease or working to prevent one. Also, studies have shown that a diet full of excessive carbohydrates leads to diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels. It is time to rethink what you are eating and cut back on the carbohydrates.
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/printpages/MyPlateFoodGroups/Fruits/food-groups.fruits-amount.pdf
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/printpages/MyPlateFoodGroups/Grains/food-groups.grains-amount.pdf
http://www.iom.edu/Global/News%20Announcements/~/media/C5CD2DD7840544979A549EC47E56A02B.ashx
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/8/2
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/15/11/1572.full.pdf
Just to start us off, the AMDR is set in place for the macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein) to help prevent chronic diseases. The AMDR for protein is 10-35% and the AMDR for fat is 20-35% (both ranges are for adults).
Version 1 (Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges)
Let's take a 25-year-old female at 130lbs with a calorie intake of 1800kcals. Activity level is low.
Grains: 45-65% of calories from carbohydrates
810-1170 calories from carbohydrates
To get grams, we divide by 4kcal/g: 203-293g of carbohydrates
Version 2 (USDA: choosemyplate.gov)
Let's take the same 25-year-old female from version 1.
Grains: 6 oz. equivalents. 1 ounce of grains is about 15-20 grams (1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of pasta).
6 oz x 15-20g/oz = 90-120 grams
Already, a huge inconsistency of 113-173grams! After seeing the whooping difference, my next thought was maybe included in the AMDR are the fruit, starchy vegetable, and dairy groups. Let's see how those groups factor in.
Version 2 (USDA: choosemyplate.gov) + fruit, vegetable, dairy
Fruit: 2 cups per day. 1 cup of strawberries is 12g of carbohydrates. 1 cup of apples is 15g.
If there are about 15g of carbohydrates per cup, that leaves us with 30g of
carbohydrates.
Vegetables: 2 1/2 cups per day. This number is then broken down into different categories of
vegetables to be eaten throughout the week. 1 cup of broccoli is 4g of
carbohydrates. 1 cup of green peas is 12g of carbohydrates. Non-starchy
vegetables (broccoli, greens) generally provide about 5g of carbohydrates
and starchy vegetables (corn, peas, potatoes) about 15g of carbohydrates per
serving.
If our 25-year-old female is consuming 1 cup of starchy vegetables a day (15grams) and
1 1/2 cups of non-starchy vegetables per day (10g), her grand total of carbohydrates from
vegetables would be 25g.
Dairy: 3 cups per day. 1 cup of milk is 12 grams of carbohydrates.
1 cup of yogurt is 15-20 grams.
If our 25-year-old female consumes 1 cup of milk (12g), 1 cup of yogurt (18g) and
2-ounces of cheese (0g), her total carbohydrates from dairy would be 30g.
Total Added Carbs: 30 + 25 + 30 = 85g
Now, if we have 90-120g of carbohydrates to start with and we added the 85g we would end up with a range of 175-205 grams. This still doesn't add up to the AMDR of 203-293g!
Version 3 (AMDR Method 2)
Another method used to calculate the grams of carbohydrate is to subtract the protein and fat calories from total calories and use the remaining calories for carbohydrates.
1800 kcal x 15% = 360 calories from protein, 90g from protein
1800 kcal x 20% = 360 calories from fat, 40g from fat
1800 kcal - 720 calories = 1080 calories for carbohydrates, 270grams. This number falls in the
range of carbohydrates found in the version 1 AMDR.
Both the MYPlate and AMDR are pushed by most (not all) health professionals. Mostly, the AMDR is used to prescribe diets for patients and clients to help them reach a healthy weight and decrease chronic disease. Seems ironic to prescribe excessive carbohydrates to clients or patients who are either suffering from a chronic disease or working to prevent one. Also, studies have shown that a diet full of excessive carbohydrates leads to diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels. It is time to rethink what you are eating and cut back on the carbohydrates.
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/printpages/MyPlateFoodGroups/Fruits/food-groups.fruits-amount.pdf
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/printpages/MyPlateFoodGroups/Grains/food-groups.grains-amount.pdf
http://www.iom.edu/Global/News%20Announcements/~/media/C5CD2DD7840544979A549EC47E56A02B.ashx
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/8/2
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/15/11/1572.full.pdf
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Eat This, Not That
So, you skip the homemade dinner and opt to go out to eat. But what do you choose?! Although what is available to you may not always be the healthiest, some choices are better than others. Now, on to eat this, not that!
Applebee's
Eat This: Grilled Cajun Lime Tilapia
310 calories, 6g fat, 0g saturated fat, 1,250mg sodium
Not That: Grilled Steak Caesar Salad
1,295 calories, 82g fat, 26g saturated fat, 2,199mg sodium
Burger King
Eat This: Croissan'wich Egg and Cheese
300 calories, 17g fat, 6g saturated fat, 740mg sodium
Not That: Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit
530 calories, 37g fat, 12g saturated fat, 1,490mg sodium
Chick-fil-A
Eat This: Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich
270 calories, 3.5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 940mg sodium
Not That: Chicken Caesar Cool Wrap
480 calories, 16g fat, 6g saturated fat, 1,640mg sodium
Dunkin' Donuts
Eat This: Ham Egg and Cheese English Muffin
310 calories, 10g fat, 5g saturated fat, 1,270mg sodium
Not That: Multigrain Bagel
500 calories, 15g fat, 7g saturated fat, 930mg sodium
Olive Garden
Eat This: Chicken Giardino
448 calories, 11g fat, 1,670mg sodium
Not That: Stuffed Chicken Marsala
1,315 calories, 86g fat, 2,550mg sodium
Outback Steakhouse
Eat This: Prime Minister's Prime Rib
730 calories, 39g fat, 65g carbohydrates
Not That: Ayers Rock Strip Steak
1,450 calories, 85g fat, 87g carbohydrates
P.F. Chang's
Eat This: Ginger Chicken and Broccoli
660 calories, 26g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 45g carbohydrates
Not That: Kung Pao Chicken
1,240 calories, 80g fat, 10g saturated fat, 58g carbohydrates
Ruby Tuesday
Eat This: 7 oz Top Sirloin
464 calories, 24g fat
Not That: Turkey Burger
1,171 calories, 58g fat
Muffins
-Look at the paper they are sitting on. A dark stain means they are loaded with fat.
Movie Theaters
Eat This: Popcorn (10 cups)
550 calories, 31g fat, 5g saturated fat, 972mg sodium
Not That: Nachos (6-8 nachos with cheese)
608 calories, 34g fat, 14g saturated fat, 1,736mg sodium
Yogurt
Eat This: Dannon Light and Fit Strawberry Yogurt
60 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 90mg sodium, 7g sugar
Not That: Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Strawberry Banana
150 calories, 1.5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 95mg sodium, 26g sugar
When eating out, remember, it is not always about the calories. It is also important to consider the protein, fat, and carbohydrate content of the meal. Stay tuned for an "Eat This, Not That" supermarket edition!
Zinczenko D. Eat this not that. New York, NY. 2008.
Restaurants
Applebee's
Eat This: Grilled Cajun Lime Tilapia
310 calories, 6g fat, 0g saturated fat, 1,250mg sodium
Not That: Grilled Steak Caesar Salad
1,295 calories, 82g fat, 26g saturated fat, 2,199mg sodium
Burger King
Eat This: Croissan'wich Egg and Cheese
300 calories, 17g fat, 6g saturated fat, 740mg sodium
Not That: Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit
530 calories, 37g fat, 12g saturated fat, 1,490mg sodium
Chick-fil-A
Eat This: Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich
270 calories, 3.5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 940mg sodium
Not That: Chicken Caesar Cool Wrap
480 calories, 16g fat, 6g saturated fat, 1,640mg sodium
Dunkin' Donuts
Eat This: Ham Egg and Cheese English Muffin
310 calories, 10g fat, 5g saturated fat, 1,270mg sodium
Not That: Multigrain Bagel
500 calories, 15g fat, 7g saturated fat, 930mg sodium
Olive Garden
Eat This: Chicken Giardino
448 calories, 11g fat, 1,670mg sodium
Not That: Stuffed Chicken Marsala
1,315 calories, 86g fat, 2,550mg sodium
Outback Steakhouse
Eat This: Prime Minister's Prime Rib
730 calories, 39g fat, 65g carbohydrates
Not That: Ayers Rock Strip Steak
1,450 calories, 85g fat, 87g carbohydrates
P.F. Chang's
Eat This: Ginger Chicken and Broccoli
660 calories, 26g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 45g carbohydrates
Not That: Kung Pao Chicken
1,240 calories, 80g fat, 10g saturated fat, 58g carbohydrates
Ruby Tuesday
Eat This: 7 oz Top Sirloin
464 calories, 24g fat
Not That: Turkey Burger
1,171 calories, 58g fat
Additional Swaps and Tips
Muffins
-Look at the paper they are sitting on. A dark stain means they are loaded with fat.
Movie Theaters
Eat This: Popcorn (10 cups)
550 calories, 31g fat, 5g saturated fat, 972mg sodium
Not That: Nachos (6-8 nachos with cheese)
608 calories, 34g fat, 14g saturated fat, 1,736mg sodium
Yogurt
Eat This: Dannon Light and Fit Strawberry Yogurt
60 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 90mg sodium, 7g sugar
Not That: Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Strawberry Banana
150 calories, 1.5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 95mg sodium, 26g sugar
When eating out, remember, it is not always about the calories. It is also important to consider the protein, fat, and carbohydrate content of the meal. Stay tuned for an "Eat This, Not That" supermarket edition!
Zinczenko D. Eat this not that. New York, NY. 2008.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Snacking and Healthy Eating on the Go
Scenario 1: From the minute you get up in the morning, you are running like crazy, whether it is with your job, your family, your hobbies, or all of the above. You may have just enough time to grab breakfast in the morning. If not, your stomach is grumbling leading to the perfect setting for that salty, fatty, not-so-good snack. Scenario 2: You don't eat all morning and before you know it, your stuffing cold leftovers into your mouth at the fridge. Scenario 3: You experience both scenarios mentioned before, depending on the day.
Whatever your scenario may be, here are simple tips and recipes to help you curb the cravings and snack healthy!
Let's start off with a brain buster question. Are 100-calorie pack snacks "healthy?" Truth is, no. They are basically 100 calories worth of carbohydrates. Since simple carbohydrates turn into sugar in your body, they are basically 100 calories worth of sugar. While they are better than eating chips out of the bag and help with portion control, they are no match for the endless possibilities of healthy snacks.
Tips for Healthy Snacking
1. Design your snacks like mini-meals. Include protein, fat, and healthy carbohydrates.
2. Resist the urge to snack when you are bored or stressed. Try going for a walk or reading a book to get your mind off of food.
3. Don't snack in front of the TV. This leads to mindless eating and lack of portion control.
4. If you are one to eat from the chip/pretzel bag, take out a serving and put the rest away in the cabinet.
5. Make snacking interesting! Try something new and different (like macadamia nuts or avocado slices).
Tips for Snacking On-The-Go
1. Pack your snack the night before, or at the beginning of the week. If you are making non-perishable items (trail mix or homemade granola bars) portion out a serving so they are easy to grab on the way out.
2. Remember to read the nutrition label. Sugar should not be one of the first 4 ingredients!
3. Choose high-fiber snacks like fruits and vegetables to keep your fuller for longer.
4. Stash carrots, peanut butter, and crackers in your bag or desk drawer so you always have healthy food nearby.
5. If the vending machine is all you have as an option, opt for nuts (protein and fat) or a lower sodium food.
Simple Snacks for Home or On-The-Go
-bananas dipped in yogurt, rolled in nuts, and frozen
-bananas dipped in peanut butter and frozen
-apples and peanut/almond butter
-apples and cheese
-trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, popcorn, etc
-hummus (mashed chick peas, olive oil, garlic) and vegetables
-avocado deviled eggs (hard boiled eggs, yolks mashed with avocado and spices)
-smoothie made with protein powder or peanut butter
-mini sandwich with tuna or egg salad
-yogurt with blueberries and granola
Hopefully, these tips help you to curb those cravings and snack healthy. Happy snacking!
Whatever your scenario may be, here are simple tips and recipes to help you curb the cravings and snack healthy!
Let's start off with a brain buster question. Are 100-calorie pack snacks "healthy?" Truth is, no. They are basically 100 calories worth of carbohydrates. Since simple carbohydrates turn into sugar in your body, they are basically 100 calories worth of sugar. While they are better than eating chips out of the bag and help with portion control, they are no match for the endless possibilities of healthy snacks.
Tips for Healthy Snacking
1. Design your snacks like mini-meals. Include protein, fat, and healthy carbohydrates.
2. Resist the urge to snack when you are bored or stressed. Try going for a walk or reading a book to get your mind off of food.
3. Don't snack in front of the TV. This leads to mindless eating and lack of portion control.
4. If you are one to eat from the chip/pretzel bag, take out a serving and put the rest away in the cabinet.
5. Make snacking interesting! Try something new and different (like macadamia nuts or avocado slices).
Tips for Snacking On-The-Go
1. Pack your snack the night before, or at the beginning of the week. If you are making non-perishable items (trail mix or homemade granola bars) portion out a serving so they are easy to grab on the way out.
2. Remember to read the nutrition label. Sugar should not be one of the first 4 ingredients!
3. Choose high-fiber snacks like fruits and vegetables to keep your fuller for longer.
4. Stash carrots, peanut butter, and crackers in your bag or desk drawer so you always have healthy food nearby.
5. If the vending machine is all you have as an option, opt for nuts (protein and fat) or a lower sodium food.
Simple Snacks for Home or On-The-Go
-bananas dipped in yogurt, rolled in nuts, and frozen
-bananas dipped in peanut butter and frozen
-apples and peanut/almond butter
-apples and cheese
-trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, popcorn, etc
-hummus (mashed chick peas, olive oil, garlic) and vegetables
-avocado deviled eggs (hard boiled eggs, yolks mashed with avocado and spices)
-smoothie made with protein powder or peanut butter
-mini sandwich with tuna or egg salad
-yogurt with blueberries and granola
Hopefully, these tips help you to curb those cravings and snack healthy. Happy snacking!
Sunday, June 2, 2013
How to Read a Nutrition Label
"Heart healthy!" "Low fat!" Confused on how to read a nutrition label? Well, you have come to the right place!
Why should you read a label anyway? For starters, it helps you determine the nutritional content of the product. It is also helpful for those with food allergies or intolerances. Reading the nutrition label helps you to see how the food fits into your overall diet.
One of the first things you want to look at when reading a nutrition label is the serving size. Many people consume over the amount suggested. You want to note the size of a single serving and how many servings are in the product. If you are doubling the serving size, you will need to double everything listed on the food label. For example, 20g of carbohydrates would then be 40g of carbohydrates.
As you look further down the label, you will see calories, calories from fat, total fat (includes saturated, trans, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats), cholesterol, sodium, potassium, carbohydrates (includes fiber, sugars, and other carbohydrates), protein, vitamins, and minerals. To the right of these nutrients, you will see "% Daily Value." This is shown to see how the food fits into your overall diet. If a product says it has 5% of the daily value, it is considered a low source. 10% of the daily value is a good source and 20% or more of the daily value, it is considered a high source.
"Other carbohydrates" refers to the amount of starch in the product. Some products do not list "other carbohydrates." This number is found by subtracting both sugar and fiber from the total carbohydrates.
In general, you want to keep cholesterol, sodium, fat (trans and saturated), and added sugars low. Ingredients are listed in order from the greatest amount to the least. If sugar is one of the first 4 ingredients, toss the product aside and opt for something else. Sugars add calories with little to no nutritional value. You want to focus on foods that offer high amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fats, potassium, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Labeling Terms and Tips
-"No" or "Zero" trans fat means that a product must have less than .5g per serving of trans fat.
-When a product says "lean" it means that total fat must be less than 10g and saturated fat must be less than 4.5g.
-A product that says "calorie free" has less than 5 calories per serving.
-"Low calorie" means that the product has less than 40 calories per serving.
-Fruit drink usually just has a lot of added sugar, little to no real fruit, and no fiber. Skip it and opt for a piece of fruit instead.
-"Sugar-free" or "fat-free" does not mean the product is low calorie or that has a high nutrient value. Most of the fat-free products just substitute sugar to make the product palatable.
Hopefully, this has helped you to see that reading a nutrition label is not as hard as it may seem. Just a few final tips: the fewer ingredients, the better and if you can't pronounce most of the ingredients, you might want to opt for something else.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Simple Vs. Complex Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are a hot topic nowadays. Carbs are good. Carbs are bad. Eat complex. No wait, it doesn't matter! We are going to delve into a small portion of the carb-ness craze today and talk about what simple and complex carbs are.
Let's go with the simple carbs first. Simple carbs are constructed from one or two sugar molecules, which makes them easier to digest. Six important simple carbs include: glucose, fructose (fruit sugar), galactose (found in milk), maltose (malt sugar), sucrose (table sugar), and lactose (milk sugar). Complex carbs, on the other hand, are made up of chains of multiple sugar molecules. This makes them take longer to digest. Complex carbs include starches (grains, legumes, vegetables) and fiber.
Now, on to the fun part. You consume a simple carbohydrate and your body breaks down, absorbs and stores the sugars. Then, you consume a complex carbohydrate and the same thing happens! Your body breaks down, absorbs, and stores the sugars. Your body is unable to distinguish between the carbohydrates found in whole foods (like fruits and vegetables) and the carbohydrates found in food-like products (like candy and chips). Crazy, right? Chemically, these sugars are the same. So why don't we just eat candy bars instead of fruit? Well, foods with naturally occurring sugars contain many vitamins and minerals that promote health. Also, like in the case of fruit, these foods contain fiber, which is also important for your health.
There is a further slight difference in the breakdown of carbohydrates. Simple carbs are metabolized quickly and provide a short dose of energy for your body. Starches take longer to digest; however, in the end, they are broken down into simple sugars anyway. Fiber, because of it's toughness and stringiness, does not break down in the body completely, thus it is beneficial for digestion and adds bulk to food without adding extra calories.
In the end, it's all relative and comes down to the basics of sugar. (Minus fiber, see my article on fiber for more information). With that said, I leave you with a poem!
Carbs, carbs everywhere! Simple, complex! Should we care?
Featured in each daily trend! Look no further. You have found the end!
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