Posts Tagged ‘fat’
Friday, September 2nd, 2011
During Hot Dog Season, Memorial Day to Labor Day, Americans typically consume 7 billion hot dogs! Depending on the brand, most hot dogs contain 10 to 15 grams of fat. Many of us make the already fatty dog worse by placing it in a nutritionally-stripped white bun and loading on sugar, sodium and fat with condiments like ketchup, sauerkraut, and cheese. Not only is the sugar, sodium and fat a concern, but nitrate, an ingredient found in many hot dogs, has been linked to serious, life-threatening diseases.
While hot dogs are not exactly a health professional’s favorite food, you don’t have to ditch your dog this Labor Day. There are hot dog companies that are now making healthier hot dogs. These companies make hot dogs with less than five grams total fat, less than 500 mg of sodium, ones that are nitrate-free, as well as soy and veggie hot dogs. Finding these healthy dogs can be easy with some smart shopping and simple label reading.
When you’re at the grocery store, here are important hot dog guidelines to follow:
Choose a hot dog, not a Fat dog. you should first look at the total fat on the hot dog’s nutrition facts. If the total fat is over five grams you might as well call that hot dog a fat dog.
Choose hot dogs labeled “Uncured” or “No added nitrates.” look at the ingredients to see if there is nitrate in the hot dog. Nitrate may be labeled sodium nitrate, nitrite, or sodium nitrites, and all of these should be avoided.
Go for organic hot dogs. These dogs are made from organically raised animals, not treated with antibiotics or hormones. Plus they skip the nitrites and nitrates.
Pick sodium-smart dogs. Look for brands with 370 mg sodium or less. Anything over is way too much and about one fourth of the recommended amount of sodium an child or teenager should be getting in one day.
Here is a list of hot dogs that are lower in fat, lower in sodium, nitrate-free, and the healthiest options for you and your family.
Organic Turkey Dog
Organic Chicken Dog
Organic Beef Dog
- Shelton’s Turkey Franks
- Organic Prairie Chicken Hot Dog
- Trader Joe’s Uncured Turkey Hot Dog
- Lightlife: (vegetarian options)
Smart Dogs
Tofu Pups
Veggie Dogs
After you purchase your healthy hot dogs, don’t stop there. Buy whole-wheat buns and load the hot dogs with other lower-fat foods like fresh fruit and vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, onions, and pico de gallo. Get creative and try these healthy hot dog topping ideas:
-Wrap grilled halved hot dogs in grilled whole-wheat tortillas; top with shredded fat-free cheddar, lettuce, and salsa.
-Serve boiled tofu dogs on whole-wheat buns with diced avocado and cucumber, sprouts and shredded carrot.
-Serve boiled hot dogs on whole-wheat buns with dill pickle and cucumber spears, sliced tomatoes, diced onion and yellow mustard.
- Serve boiled hot dogs on whole-wheat buns with sauteed mushrooms and onions.
Please Note – The American Academy of Pediatrics, state that hot dogs are the food most commonly associated with fatal choking among children. Many recommend not feeding hot dogs to children under 3. For children of all ages, cut up the hot dog to appropriate sizes and watch your child eat to ensure he or she does not choke.
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Monday, August 22nd, 2011
Thank goodness for breakfast bars: convenient, pre-packed, pre-portioned meals that are simple, mess free and portable! Breakfast bars can be a quick and easy part of breakfast or snacks for kids, but parents and health experts alike often question the nutritional value of these bars. Many are high in sugar, don’t contain real fruit and aren’t made with whole grains as many claim to be.
With so many different brands on the supermarket shelves, grabbing one while on the run is a simple way to satisfy your child’s hunger, but… NOT SO FAST!!! Before your child bites into that bar, make sure to check out the nutrition label. Many, although marketed as “healthy” are simply glorified candy bars. Just because the wrapper says hearty, harvest, whole grain, slim and/or healthy doesn’t mean they are good for your child. Many provide little nutrition yet lots of empty calories.
Follow these simple guidelines to choose the best bar for your child to help them stay on track with their diet!
- Calories – Aim for less than 200 calories if you are eating a bar between meals and about 300 calories if you are using it as a meal replacement. These calorie ranges should keep you satisfied through your next meal.
- Fiber and Protein – Bars laden with sugar and with little fiber and protein are burned by the body more quickly, and hunger soon returns. Look for bars with at least 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein per serving. This nutritional mix will help to keep you full without adding extra calories.
- Fat – A little bit of fat goes a long way. Look for bars with less than 5 grams of total fat (especially if it is a snack), less than 3 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat per serving.
- Sugar – Look out for the hidden sources of sugar present in the following ingredients: high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, fructose, honey, rice syrup, barley malt syrup, concentrated fruit juice and corn syrup!
* Red Light Green Light Best Bets
| Brand |
Calories |
Fat |
Fiber |
Protein |
| *Luna Bar |
180-190 |
4-5 grams |
3-5 grams |
9 grams |
| *PowerBar Harvest |
240-250 |
5 grams |
5 grams |
10 grams |
| Balance Bar |
200 |
6 grams |
< 1 gram |
15 grams |
| *Balance 100 Calorie Bars |
100 |
4.5 grams |
5 grams |
6 grams |
| *Gnu Bar |
130 – 150 |
3 grams |
12 grams |
3 grams |
| LaraBar |
190-220 |
8-13 grams |
4-5 grams |
5-6 grams |
| *Clif Bars |
240 – 250 |
5 grams |
5 grams |
10 grams |
| Pria Bar |
110 |
3.5 grams |
1 gram |
5 grams |
| Zone Bars |
210 |
7 grams |
< 1 gram |
15 grams |
| *Special K Meal Bars |
180 |
6 grams |
5 grams |
10 grams |
| Slim Fast Meal Bar |
220 |
6 grams |
2 grams |
8 grams |
| Think Thin Bars |
240 |
8 grams |
1 gram |
20 grams |
| *Fiber One |
150 |
4 grams |
9 grams |
2 grams |
| * Fiber One 90 Calorie Bar |
90 |
2 grams |
5 grams |
1 gram |
| Odwalla, Original Bar, Super Protein* |
210 |
4.5 grams |
4 grams |
14 grams |
| Kashi’s TLC Chewy, Honey Almond Flax* |
140 |
5 grams |
4 grams |
7 grams |
Remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so if you do decide to give your kids breakfast bars before heading out the door in the morning make sure you check to choose a healthy one. Also, be sure to incorporate one vegetable or fruit serving with all meals and snacks.
There is nothing wrong with breakfast bars you just don’t want your children to live off of them. If you don’t have the time to fix breakfast during the week then you can always whip them up a nice hot breakfast on the weekends.
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Monday, August 15th, 2011
While cartoon characters on a cereal box can be a blinding spell that leads kids to believe a particular food actually tastes better, parents are alos not impervious to the food industry’s marketing tactics when it comes to particular health claims, some of which are on children’s cereal boxes.
A recent study by Yale researchers from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity found that parents often misinterpret health claims on children’s cereals, assuming they are more nutritious than they actually are.
Researchers surveyed parents with children between ages 2 and 11, asking them to view pictures of common children’s cereals and say whether the health-related buzzwords on the boxes might influence them to buy the products. While the cereals were of below-average nutritional quality, the boxes featured various nutrition-related health claims including ‘whole grain’, ‘fiber’, and ‘calcium and vitamin D’.
Approximately one-quarter of parents believed that the ‘whole grain’ claim on Lucky Charms® and ‘calcium and vitamin D’ claim on Cinnamon Toast Crunch® meant these cereals were healthier than other children’s cereals.
Being blinded by health claims is very common. The concept is so widespread, that is has been dubbed the health halo effect. The concept of a health halo has been around for several years now, and new studies continue to document the potential downfall.
Remember to always turn the product around and check the nutrition facts panel. Never assume that food product with a “calcium and Vitamin D” health claim is necessarily healthier or lower in calories than a product without a “calcium and Vitamin D” label.
Increased regulation is needed from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reduce confusion about the nutrition claims, but in the meantime, I have provided a list of common terms often used to describe the level of a nutrient in a food and how they can be used:
- Free. This term means that a product contains no amount of, or only trivial or “physiologically inconsequential” amounts of, one or more of these components: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugars, and calories. For example, “calorie-free” means fewer than 5 calories per serving, and “sugar-free” and “fat-free” both mean less than 0.5 g per serving.
Take away message: if you eat more than one serving it can all add up!
- Low. This term can be used on foods that can be eaten frequently without exceeding dietary guidelines for one or more of these components: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and calories. Thus, descriptors are defined as follows:
- low-fat: 3 g or less per serving
- low-saturated fat: 1 g or less per serving
- low-sodium: 140 mg or less per serving
- very low sodium: 35 mg or less per serving
- low-cholesterol: 20 mg or less and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving
- low-calorie: 40 calories or less per serving.
Take away message: don’t trust the box…..READ THE LABEL!
- Lean and extra lean. These terms can be used to describe the fat content of meat, poultry, seafood, and game meats.
- lean: less than 10 g fat, 4.5 g or less saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol per serving and per 100 g.
- extra lean: less than 5 g fat, less than 2 g saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol per serving and per 100 g.
- High. This term can be used if the food contains 20 percent or more of the Daily Value for a particular nutrient in a serving.
- Good source. This term means that one serving of a food contains 10 to 19 percent of the Daily Value for a particular nutrient.
- Reduced. This term means that a nutritionally altered product contains at least 25 percent less of a nutrient or of calories than the regular, or reference, product. However, a reduced claim can’t be made on a product if its reference food already meets the requirement for a “low” claim.
- Less. This term means that a food, whether altered or not, contains 25 percent less of a nutrient or of calories than the reference food. For example, pretzels that have 25 percent less fat than potato chips could carry a “less” claim.
- Light. This descriptor can mean two things:
- First, that a nutritionally altered product contains one-third fewer calories or half the fat of the reference food. If the food derives 50 percent or more of its calories from fat, the reduction must be 50 percent of the fat.
- Second, that the sodium content of a low-calorie, low-fat food has been reduced by 50 percent. In addition, “light in sodium” may be used on food in which the sodium content has been reduced by at least 50 percent.
Take away message: Light doesn’t necessarily mean low in calories, only 50% less than the original. So if the original is very high in fat/calories then the light version may be too!
- More. This term means that a serving of food, whether altered or not, contains a nutrient that is at least 10 percent of the Daily Value more than the reference food. The 10 percent of Daily Value also applies to “fortified,” “enriched” and “added” “extra and plus” claims, but in those cases, the food must be altered.
Healthy. A “healthy” food must be low in fat and saturated fat and contain limited amounts of cholesterol and sodium. In addition, if it’s a single-item food, it must provide at least 10 percent of one or more of vitamins A or C, iron, calcium, protein, or fiber. Exempt from this “10-percent” rule are certain raw, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables and certain cereal-grain products. These foods can be labeled “healthy,” if they do not contain ingredients that change the nutritional profile, and, in the case of enriched grain products, conform to standards of identity, which call for certain required ingredients. If it’s a meal-type product, such as frozen entrees and multi-course frozen dinners, it must provide 10 percent of two or three of these vitamins or minerals or of protein or fiber, in addition to meeting the other criteria. The sodium content cannot exceed 360 mg per serving for individual foods and 480 mg per serving for meal-type products.
Other Definitions
The regulations also address other claims. Among them:
- Percent fat free: A product bearing this claim must be a low-fat or a fat-free product. In addition, the claim must accurately reflect the amount of fat present in 100 g of the food. Thus, if a food contains 2.5 g fat per 50 g, the claim must be “95 percent fat free.”
‘Fresh’
The regulation defines the term “fresh” when it is used to suggest that a food is raw or unprocessed. In this context, “fresh” can be used only on a food that is raw, has never been frozen or heated, and contains no preservatives. (Irradiation at low levels is allowed.) “Fresh frozen,” “frozen fresh,” and “freshly frozen” can be used for foods that are quickly frozen while still fresh. Blanching (brief scalding before freezing to prevent nutrient breakdown) is allowed.
‘X Grams of Whole Grain’
Many consumers equate grams of whole grains with grams of fiber, however, 5 g of fiber is very different from 5 g of whole grains. These claims often appear on products with a sprinkling of whole-wheat flour on top, products that are virtually refined grains.
Take away message: The quantity of fiber grams versus the grams of whole grains is the important number. When in doubt, look to the Whole Grains Council stamp. Foods marked as “excellent sources” contain significant amounts of whole grains.
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Monday, July 18th, 2011
If you are one of the many people in the battle to fight the bulge you will be pleased to learn that there are actually foods that may help you burn fat. Certain foods have a strong metabolism-boosting impact when eaten. Some of the calories in food you eat are burned off just to digest them, so the net amount of calories is less than the amount contained in the food. This process is called dietary induced thermogenesis. The following list of foods speed up the rate at which your body burns calories in different ways. These foods get a green light, so eat and enjoy!
Low-Fat Dairy: Milk, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese:
Studies show that not getting enough calcium may trigger the release of calcitrol, a hormone that causes us to store fat. Therefore, meeting your daily calcium needs through consumptions of low fat dairy products helps to burn fat more efficiently. Dairy products can boost weight loss efforts, according to a recent study in Obesity Research. People on a reduced-calorie diet who included three to four servings of dairy foods lost significantly more weight than those who ate a low-dairy diet containing the same number of calories. Low-fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein.
Berries:
Berries are high in fiber and fiber keeps you full and satisfied all day on little calories. A 1 cup serving of raspberries contains 8g of fiber and only 60 calories! Strawberries, blackberries and blueberries are all high-fiber berries. Fiber also acts like a sponge and absorbs and moves fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed.
Citrus Fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemon, limes):
Foods that contain Vitamin C help metabolize fat faster and make losing weight less difficult. You only need 60 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C a day to meet your body’s basic needs, but raising your daily intake to 500 mg could boost your fat burning potential during exercise by 39%. Researchers at Scripps Clinic found that participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal in a 12-week period lost an average of 3.6 pounds. The study indicates that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduce insulin levels, which promotes weight loss. NOTE: If you are taking medication, check with your doctor about any potentially adverse interactions with grapefruit.
Green Tea:
Green tea contains caffeine, which is a natural stimulant that can help you body burn more calories while at rest. Caffeine speeds up the heart rate and also frees fatty acid stored in the body, making them more readily available for energy use. Also, green tea contains a compound called ECGC that may help to boost your metabolism as well by speeding up the brain and nervous system.
Water:
Water helps to rid the body of toxins and chemicals that may be slowing down your overall metabolism. A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss. Researchers in Germany found that subjects of the study increased their metabolic rates (the rate at which calories are burned) by 30 percent after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloat as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Make sure that you are starting your day with a big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.
Fish (Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel, Trout, Sardines):
These fish all contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which, besides being incredibly healthy, seem to affect metabolism. Omega-3′s alter levels of leptin, a hormone in the body which directly influences metabolism and determines whether you burn calories or store them as fat. Fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) increase the levels of fat-burning enzymes and decrease the levels of fat-storage enzymes. It’s been shown to boost metabolism by as much as 400 calories per day.
Lean Proteins (Lean Beef, Chicken and Turkey):
Eating lean protein helps to preserve muscle mass during weight loss, keeping metabolism running at full speed. Countless studies have shown that protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories.
Spicy Peppers (Jalapenos, habaneros, chili pepper):
Studies show that the chemical compound capsacin, found in peppers, speeds up your heart rate and metabolism. Eating a very spicy meal can actually speed up the metabolism by about 25% for up to 3 hours. Keep Crushed red pepper on the table to spice up everything from scrambled eggs to soup to pasta.
Broccoli:
Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fiber. And, at just 20-calories per cup, this weight-loss superfood not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease. Try it chopped in your salad, or sautéed and used in an omelet or as a side dish.
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Monday, July 11th, 2011
Eating salads is a great way to curb your appetite and add nutrients to your diet. However, lurking in restaurants, the salad bar, or your fridge are salad staples that may up your fat and calorie intake more than you realize. If you want to know what to keep and what to toss, check out this advice on how to make healthy salads.
Healthy Salad Basics
Restaurants/Salad Bar: Most restaurant salads would be healthy if it weren’t for the way they were prepared. At a restaurant and/or a salad bar, take a moment to look over the selection before you start preparing your plate. First things first: When you do begin assembling or ordering your salad, ask for your vegetables and main dishes to be served without the sauces or pile up a large amount of leafy greens. For an added nutrient boost, swap iceberg lettuce for darker greens, such as, romaine lettuce or spinach, as they pack more vitamins and minerals. Try to take up about three-fourths of your plate with greens, then pile on lots of other veggies — sliced peppers, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, sliced beets, and more. Avoid marinated veggies that look super-shiny — those are probably loaded with oil.
Fridge: Be sure to keep loads of fresh veggies on hand so that you can make healthy salads at meal times or make Ready-to-Go Salad Bags. These portable salads are made to eliminate dirty dishes, save time, keep you healthy and losing weight! Making salads every time you want to eat one can be a deterring factor, since it takes a lot of prep time.
First, prep all your veggies by washing them thoroughly, then cutting them up into bite-size pieces. Next, lay all of your veggies out on a long counter or table top so that you have your salad assembly line ready to go. Then, take a zip lock bag and start at the end of the counter that has your greens. Put greens into the bag first, then move down the line filling it with veggies. End with toppings (not dressing), then squeeze any extra air out. Zip and put into the refrigerator. Dressing can be added at meal times by pouring the dressing into the bag and shaking thoroughly.
Healthy Salad Toppings
Toppings and dressings can turn a healthy salad into a diet disaster, but not if you choose wisely.
Crunchy toppings: Skip the croutons, tortilla chips, Chinese noodles, and anything else that might be fried. Add some crunch to your salad with things like sliced water chestnuts, thinly sliced almonds (just a tablespoon or so), and crispy raw veggies.
Dressings: By now we all know that creamy salad dressings, such as ranch and blue cheese, really pump up the fat and calorie counts of our salads. Finding a reduced- or low-fat dressing isn’t always so easy. Not only do you have to taste test until you find one you like, but as with all other food choices, you will need to always check and compare the nutrition labels. It’s possible that a reduced-fat dressing could have more calories than a regular kind. Typically, when fat is removed from a reduced-fat product, something else is added to compensate, such as sugar (which accounts for the extra calories) or salt. Look for reduced-fat dressings with 100 calories or less per 2 tablespoon serving.
If you don’t find a light dressing that suits you, consider making your own. Oil and vinegar is a good choice, if used in moderation. Simply combine one part olive oil to two parts vinegar, adding additional herbs and spices to taste.
Other calorie-cutting options include adding the juice from a few lemon wedges to your salad or using picante sauce or salsa as dressing. If you really crave regular dressing, you can dilute it with either lemon juice or vinegar to cut calories and fat.
Another problem with salad dressing is that few of us use the standard 2-tablespoon serving and instead land somewhere between drizzling and dousing our salads. Dipping your fork into a small container of salad dressing before you spear your salad, rather than pouring it on, is a good way to use less. And now that spray dressings are available, automatic portion control is even easier. Try a light spray variety, such Wish Bone and Ken’s Salad Spritzers, which provide only one calorie per spray (about 10 spritzes are suggested for every cup of salad).
Give Your Salad Protein Power
Stick with lean protein to keep the calories, total fat, and saturated fat to a minimum.
Good lean protein choices include:
- egg whites
- grilled chicken
- boiled or steamed shrimp
- grilled salmon
- roasted turkey breast
- water-packed tuna
- low-fat or fat-free cheese
If you don’t eat meat, remember that you can get protein from other food sources such as:
- tofu
- lentils
- garbanzo beans
- black beans
- nuts (watch portion sizes)
- avocado (watch portion sizes)
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Tuesday, June 21st, 2011
Now that the warm weather is here, many of us will be spending time at carnivals, fairs and amusement parks — spots that can be pretty scary when it comes to meals and snacks. If you are wondering what to watch out for (besides the 100 foot drop roller coaster), here are a few rules to live by:
Not So Amusing Carnival Fare
Funnel Cake and other Fried Desserts - Snacking on snickers, dough, or oreos, that have been dipped in batter and deep fried can contain one day’s worth of fat and can pack in a whopping 700+ calories each!
SNO-CONE – The problem with sno-cones is all that sugar-laden syrup the crushed ice is drowned in. If you want to keep your sno-cone calorie counts low, you need to do one of two things. You can either a. use sugar free syrup (which means your treat will likely be calorie-free), or b. carefully monitor the amount of syrup that is poured over your ice. Sno-cone syrups usually contain 80-100 calories per ounce. Therefore, a 12 oz. sno-cone with 6 oz. syrup contains a shocking 540 calories! Stick with half the amount of syrup and your sno-cone will contain half the calories.
Ice creams - Ice cream sold at carnivals is often full fat and served in sugary waffle cones. That adds up to a ton of calories –close to 1,000– for a large sized cone. Many vendors do carry individually wrapped frozen novelties. So if you absolutely must have ice cream, consider getting one of those. Otherwise, try to stick with some cold water or a diet beverage and hold off on the frozen treats until you get home.
Amusing Carnival Fare
Cotton Candy - While cotton candy isn’t exactly good for you a 1 oz. cone only contains approximately 100 calories, no fat and less sugar than one can of regular soda. This doesn’t mean you should eat cotton candy every day. However, it might be a more sensible choice in comparison to many carnival treats.
Lean protein - In general, when it comes to meals, stick with deli meats or grilled lean protein (like chicken), rather than hot dogs, pizza, or hamburgers.
Fresh fruit - Amusement parks, carnivals and fairs typically have fresh fruit or smoothie stands.
OR
BYOT (Bring your own treats) – Keep a stash of these travel friendly treats in your bag to help you avoid eating the high-calorie snacks that pop up at parks:
- Sugar-free hard candies
- Sugar-free mints
- Sugar-free gum
- Turkey jerky
- Light cheese snacks
- Trail mix (made with nuts, high fiber, low sugar cereal, and dried fruit)
- 100-calorie packs of almonds
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Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
Besides being incredibly healthy, omega-3 fatty acids also affect metabolism. Omega-3 alters leptin levels, (hormone in the body which directly influences metabolism) and determines whether you burn calories or store them as fat. In other words, it increases the levels of fat-burning enzymes and decreases the levels of fat-storage enzymes.
To date, the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences has not yet issued any Dietary Reference Intakes for omega-3 fats. Many nutrition experts suggest that people consume at least 4% of their total calories (approximately 4 grams) as omega-3 fats. So how do you boost your omega-3 intake? The list below provides you with a cornucopia of suggestions!
Go Nuts (and Seeds)!
One-quarter cup of flaxseeds contains about 7 grams of omega-3 fatty acids while one-quarter cup of walnuts contains about 2.3 grams. By combining one-quarter cup of walnuts with a tablespoon of flaxseeds you will add close to the recommended 4 grams of omega-3 fats to your diet.
Beans, Beans, Good For The Metabolism
One cup’s worth of soybeans, navy beans, or kidney beans provides between 0.2 to 1.0 grams. A four-ounce serving of tofu will provide about 0.4 grams of omega-3s, a substantial step up from the average American intake.
Go Fish!
Fish provides about 2 grams from every 4 ounce serving of Chinook salmon; 0.6 grams from the same serving of halibut; and 0.4 grams from tuna. Be sure not to fry fish. Frying will damage the omega-3s and deprive you of their health benefits. In a research study that compared consumption of fried versus non-fried fish and risk of atherosclerosis, consumption of fried fish was found to offer no health protection to the study participants, even when the fish contained omega-3 fats.
Omega 3’s From Other Sources
A cup of winter squash will provide you approximately 0.3 grams and
for extra virgin olive oil, the amount of omega-3’s per ounce is about 0.2 grams. Be sure not to fry with olive oil, for the same reason mentioned above.
Practical tips
Don’t worry about bringing your calculator to the kitchen. All you have to do is to focus on bringing more omega 3 rich foods into your diet.
- Eat fish and seafood such as salmon, halibut, tuna and scallops a few times a week
- Add walnuts and flaxseed to salads or oatmeal
- Incorporating more beans, winter squash, and extra virgin olive oil to your Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right meal plan.
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Wednesday, April 6th, 2011
The word has been out for a while that lack of sleep can mess with weight loss and weight management, but get this: According to a small study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, when dieters in the study got a full night’s sleep, they lost the same amount of weight as when they slept less. When dieters got adequate sleep, however, more than one half of the weight they lost was fat. When they cut back on their sleep, only one fourth of their weight loss came from fat.
Participants were placed on an individualized, balanced diet, with calories restricted to 90% of what each person needed to maintain his or her weight without exercise. Each participant was studied twice: once for 14 days in the laboratory with an 8.5-hour period set aside for sleep, and once for 14 days with only 5.5 hours for sleep. Cutting back on sleep appears to compromise efforts to lose fat through dieting.
Getting adequate sleep also helped control the dieters’ hunger. When sleep was restricted, dieters produced higher levels of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger and reduces energy expenditure. Higher ghrelin levels have been shown to reduce energy expenditure, stimulate hunger and food intake, and promote retention of fat.
Aside from lack of sleep, rumor also has it that by not eating after a certain time of night, you’ll lose weight. However, it’s not necessarily the time cut-off that will rid you of the pounds. Calories count. Whether you eat them at 9 a.m. or 9 p.m., a calorie is still a calorie. However, if you give yourself fewer chewing hours, you’ll likely take in fewer calories and have more active hours to burn them off. This is especially helpful for late-night snackers who reach for the chips and cookies late night. If this sounds familiar, a cut-off time for eating might be helpful to you.
A recent global survey of worldwide sleep patterns from the Philips Center for Health and Well-being shows that Americans are some of the most sleep-deprived people in the world. So, what can you do about it? Now is your chance to learn which foods to eat and which to steer clear of for a good night’s sleep.
Should you reach for tryptophan-rich foods?
The hormone serotonin is an important factor in triggering sleep. Since our nerve cells use the amino acid tryptophan to make serotonin, much attention has been given to the role of tryptophan (and tryptophan-containing foods) in promoting sleep. Studies of tryptophan’s impact on sleep have found that it is only one phase of sleep – the falling asleep part – that is enhanced by tryptophan. Other aspects of sleep, such as the amount of deep-sleep reached during the night, may actually be harmed by supplemental tryptophan.
Many animal foods are relatively high in tryptophan and might sound like logical candidates for improving sleep. However, these same animal foods are also fairly high in other amino acids (like tyrosine) that could be used to produce other substances (like adrenalin) that would usually decrease with the onset of sleep. In summary, trying to up your serotonin by increasing your evening intake of high-tryptophan foods as a way to improve your sleep is not recommended.
Our serotonin levels respond to other aspects of our diet, however, and one of those aspects is carbohydrate intake. Eating foods higher in carbohydrates raises our blood insulin level. This is because carbohydrates are digested relatively quickly and raise our blood sugar level more quickly than proteins or fats. Along with this increased insulin level there is an increased transport of amino acids into our brain, including tryptophan. More brain tryptophan leads to more brain production of serotonin and increased likelihood of sleep onset.
Put down the burger and chips!
Sometimes we rationalize and think that a big meal will actually help us get to sleep by exhausting our body and having it slow down from exhaustion as it tries to digest the large meal. It’s tempting logic, but research evidence points in the opposite direction. A large meal does the opposite of slowing our body down. It asks our circulatory system to move more blood to our digestive tract. It asks our stomach to secrete more gastric acid. It asks our pancreas to become more active and produce digestive enzymes. In short, a large meal does anything but relax us. Research also shows that people who often eat high-fat foods not only gain weight, they also experience a disruption of their sleep cycles.
Beware of hidden caffeine
It’s no surprise that an evening cup of coffee might disrupt your sleep. Even moderate caffeine can cause sleep disturbances, but don’t forget about less obvious caffeine sources, like chocolate, cola, tea and decaffeinated coffee. For better sleep, cut down your caffeine consumption and avoid caffeine in the hours before going to bed.
With respect to sleep, if you are going to eat a snack 1-2 hours before bed, a small carbohydrate-based snack that includes some protein and some fat would make the most sense. Snacks to get you snoozing might include: 100% whole grain crackers with a schmear of almond butter.
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Monday, April 20th, 2009
The main causes of obesity are eating too much and exercising too little. But a new study has found a link between child obesity and exposure to certain chemicals found in plastic. Is it possible that there is more to the obesity epidemic than we previously thought? Are there other steps parents should take to help prevent obesity in our children? How can a parent avoid the toxic chemicals in plastic when it seems that plastic is everywhere?
A long-term study of East Harlem girls performed by researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital found that exposure to certain chemicals used in plastic may be linked with childhood obesity. The specific chemicals are called phthalates, which are used to make plastics pliable and in personal care products.
Phthalates are absorbed into the body and affect the glands and hormones that regulate many bodily functions. In this sense, they are considered ‘endocrine disruptors’. Studies have long suggested that these chemicals may cause cancer but this is the first study that suggests that they may promote obesity, as well.
Animal studies also support the notion that these chemicals may cause obesity. Bisphenol A (also used in plastics)and perffluorooctanoic acid (used in non-stick surfaces) have been shown to promote obesity in mice. But this new study from Mount Sinai is the first to show a link between chemicals and obesity in humans.
In this study, researchers looked at the level of phthalates in the urine of 400 East Harlem girls, who range in age from 9 to 11. “The heaviest girls have the highest levels of phthalates metabolites in their urine,” said Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, a professor of pediatrics at Mount Sinai, one of the lead researchers on the study. “It goes up as the children get heavier, but it’s most evident in the heaviest kids.”
Not only were the phthalate levels higher in the heavier children as compared to the leaner kids, but the levels in all of the kids studied were significantly higher than the average levels measured by the CDC for kids throughout the country. This may help explain why children in this neighborhood have a higher overall obesity rate (40%) than kids in the rest of the country (33%).
This study may change how we think about obesity. Perhaps diet and exercise are not the only major players involved. Environmental exposure to toxins, such as these chemicals found in plastic, may be more important than previously recognized.
It is important to point out, however, that this study does not prove that exposure to these chemicals causes obesity. Right now, it just seems to be linked to obesity. It could simply be an accidental finding that has no causal relationship with obesity at all.
This question will be looked at further in a larger study that will monitor 100,000 children across the country.
So what can a parent do now? It is likely best to reduce exposure to pthalates as much as possible. Unfortunately, these chemicals are so widely used that it is impossible to avoid them completely. Further complicating the problem, labels usually don’t identify phthalates.
Phthalates are used in a large variety of products, from enteric coatings of pharmaceutical pills and nutritional supplements to viscosity control agents, gelling agents, lubricants, and emulsifying agents used in products such as adhesives and glues, building materials, personal care products,medical devices, detergents, packaging, childrens’ toys, modelling clay, waxes, cleaning materials, paints, printing inks and coatings, pharmaceuticals, food products and textiles. Phthalates are also frequently used in soft plastic fishing lures, nail polish, adhesives, caulk and paint pigments. Phthalates are used in a variety of household applications (shower curtains, adhesives, perfume), modern electronics and medical applications such as catheters and blood transfusion devices.
The most widely-used phthalates are the di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), the diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and the diisononyl phthalate (DINP). DEHP is the dominant plasticizer used in PVC, due to its low cost.
As of 2004, manufacturers produced about 363 thousand metric tonnes (800 million pounds or 400,000 short tons) of phthalates each year.
The best thing a parent can do is to learn to recognize the abbreviations for the most common phthalates (mentioned above) and to opt for certain kinds of recyclable plastics over others. We also need to urge the FDA to mandate the identification and labeling of products using these chemicals so consumers can make knowledgable choices when selecting these products.
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Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Okay- so I am just like all of you. I have my good days and my bad. I was so on track with the gym until I had to go to DC for a conference last week. Work was so crazy that I skipped the gym three days in a row. And then I got laryngitis. I couldn’t speak at all; my husband was thrilled!  I don’t believe in working out while sick so I gave my body the rest it needed to heal. And now I am healed. Time to get back to the gym…
I think I snoozed 14 times this morning. I really didn’t want to get up. It is amazing how easily you can get out of your usual routine. When I am on a working out regimen, I love it. I actually look forward to sweating all my stress out. But take a few days off and, poof, the desire to exercise evaporates.
That’s what happened this morning. I lay in bed thinking of every possible excuse not to work out. I had work to do. I needed to write another blog post. I needed to return phone calls. I had to run those errands I never have time for. And on and on it went. Until I dragged myself out of bed and into my exercise clothes.
Usually, in this situation, once I get to the gym, I am fine. Not today. Every second of my favorite class was torture. I don’t think my eyes strayed from the clock on the wall. Twice I thought about walking out.
But I didn’t. I stuck it out. And when class was (finally) over, something miraculous happened. I felt great! My endorphins were flowing and my heart was pumping. I was so glad that I had worked out. Even better, I started to look forward to tomorrow’s workout. I don’t see patients on Wednesdays so I have a little extra time for the gym. I am going to take a spin class and then a yoga class. I can’t wait.
Not only that, my desire to eat healthy returned. Yesterday, I couldn’t force myself to eat my usual healthy lunch. I was craving carbs. Today, I grabbed a california roll made with brown rice and some seaweed salad. There was no way I was going to blow my workout by stuffing my body with garbage.
The bottom line: push yourself to get to the gym. I promise that after a workout or two, you will start to look forward to it. Your body will even start to crave the exercise. Give it a chance… you won’t regret it.
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