Posts Tagged ‘nutrition’
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, April 18th, 2011
Our body’s metabolism seems to favor calories from unprocessed foods — such as whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies according to a fascinating study cited in April’s Cooking Light magazine. The study done last year by a professor of nutrition at Kansas State University found that not all calories may be equal: “The body may burn calories from whole foods better than it does calories from processed foods like Twinkies.” Therefore, eating whole foods versus processed foods may actually give your metabolism a nice boost!
The researchers fed people two meals with the exact same number of calories; the only difference was how much the food was processed. Group A was given sandwiches made with real cheese on whole-grain bread; Group B made do with processed cheese on fiber-stripped white bread. The results, published in Food & Nutrition Research, found that the processed meal decreased the rate of diet-induced thermogenesis—the number of calories you burn when eating and digesting—by nearly 50% compared to the meal made with whole foods.
Here’s some whole food or thought: While the calories burned from a single sandwich may be small, this rise in metabolism caused by whole foods might account for about 10% of a typical person’s daily calorie expenditure. In other words, eating whole foods versus processed foods could mean the difference between losing or gaining approximately ten pounds in one year, respectively!
Balancing energy in and energy out is critical to solving the obesity crisis, but calorie counting can be tedious and is most likely not the real answer. A better approach is the whole foods approach, because Americans also need to increase intake of a long list of nutrients, including fiber, potassium, calcium, and vitamin D, which are associated with whole foods. Eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains delivers those nutrients in a form that may also hold a calorie-burning advantage.
Take the lead from Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right, which encourages fruits and vegetables at every meal with an emphasis on choosing whole foods. So, put away those processed chips, and choose an apple or some strawberries instead!
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Thursday, February 17th, 2011
Intuitive eating is following your body’s hunger signals instead of giving in to cravings or eating simply because it is ‘lunchtime’. Intuitive eating is an approach that teaches you how to create a healthy relationship with your food, mind and body.
Principles of Intuitive Eating
Become at peace with food
Forbidding certain foods (aka ‘bad foods’) will form negative feelings towards being healthy and will leave you feeling deprived. If you don’t allow yourself to enjoy food, cravings may start to become uncontrollable which can lead to binge eating. By allowing yourself to occasionally indulge in foods you love, you will have more control of cravings and will create a friendly relationship with these so called ‘bad foods’.
Listen to your hunger
Eat every three to four hours to keep your cravings at bay, but only eat if you are hungry. If you are not hungry and force yourself to eat because ‘it’s time for lunch’ you are not listening intuitively to what your body needs. Also, don’t let yourself get too hungry; excessive hunger decreases your ability to regulate how much you will consume and will lead to overeating. Start to trust your body’s ability to regulate hunger.
Pay attention to fullness
It is equally important to pay attention to your body’s fullness signals. Listen for the body signals that tell you that you are no longer hungry and are comfortably full. Pause in the middle of a meal and ask yourself, “what is my current level of fullness?” If you are still very hungry, continue eating. But if you are starting to become full, take your last bite and put the fork down.
Create a peaceful environment
Eating should be a pleasurable experience. Take your time when eating and enjoy the tastes and textures of your food. Try not to have distractions during meals. Watching TV distracts you from listening to your body’s signals; people who watch TV while eating usually consume 25% more calories. We call this mindless eating. If you only ate when you were being mindful, think about how much you would eat. It would be much less.
Dealing with emotions without food
Emotional eating is eating for reasons other than hunger. The act of eating allows us to focus on our food instead of our feelings. While this may make us feel better in the short-term, it is no long-term fix. In fact, overeating can create an even greater sense of shame and loneliness. Learn how to nurture your needs without food.
Respect your body type
Let’s face it: most of us are not meant to be a size 0. When we put so much pressure on ourselves to be skinny, we often end up feeling defeated. When we try to attain super-low weights, we become destined to fail. At some point, your body will refuse to get any smaller. To fight the ‘famine’, your body will increase your hunger and decrease your metabolic rate. It is for this reason that normal weight people who try to lose weight usually wind up gaining weight in the end. Learn to accept your body type! Once you come to terms with your body, you will have a higher self-esteem and may actually lose weight. Remember, the goal is to live a healthy lifestyle- not to become as super-skinny as possible, so let go of the unrealistic ideals and be comfortable in your own skin.
Get active!
Instead of thinking of exercise as a chore, shift your attention to how exercise makes you feel. It is very difficult to get moving some days, but starting your workout is the hardest part. Once you are moving, take a moment and enjoy how you feel; notice if you are able to breathe better, have more energy or even feel happier. These feelings are what should motivate you to exercise, not because you feel obligated to or because you had a bit too much to eat at dinner.
It all comes down to health
Remembering that to be truly healthy, we must have a healthy relationship with our food, mind, and body. Focusing on only one aspect of health will not be as effective. This does not mean you have to follow a perfect diet to be healthy, but understand the normal give and take of everyday life and adopt the motto “all things in moderation.” We encourage progress, not perfection.
What are the Benefits of Intuitive Eating?
- Gaining body acceptance.
- Learning how to avoid eating for emotional and external reasons.
- Responding to individual body signals and reacting in a healthful manner.
- Being in charge of your choices.
- Honoring your hunger, honoring your body.
- Knowing what your body is asking for and accept when it is full.
- Learning to eat the foods you love and stay healthy.
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Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
The summer is ending and the back to school frenzy is starting up. Moms nationwide are wondering, “What should I feed my kids for snack?”
If your kids are like most, they come home from school and head straight to the kitchen. This is not surprising as many school lunch periods start as early as 10:30 am; these kids are ravenous after 5 hours of “fasting”. Sometimes they even have an after school activity further delaying their next feeding!
So what should you do when your child comes home starving
You first need to answer a few questions. What time is your child’s lunch period? Are they served a snack in school? Kids’ eating schedules vary depending on age. For example, younger kids generally have a mid-morning snack while older kids don’t. Your kids should never go more than four hours without eating something. If your older child isn’t allotted a set snack time, consider sending a portable snack in their backpacks. Many of my patients eat their snacks in between classes.
Next you need to know if they are eating their entire lunch or throwing most of it away. Don’t assume that your kids eat everything you send in with them. If you think your kids are not eating lunch, call the teacher. Don’t be afraid to express your concerns.
Do they go to an after school program that serves snacks? Can you send a snack with them? These answers will help determine how hungry they will be when they get home from school.
What time do you normally serve dinner? If dinner is early (around 5:00-5:30), afternoon snack should be somewhat small. If you serve dinner late, you should offer a large afternoon snack.
Finally, sit down as a family and create a list of healthy snacks. Be sure to discuss portions sizes so your kids understand that even healthy foods have calories. Take your kids shopping with you so they can see all the healthy choices the supermarket has to offer. The more involved your kids are, the more likely they are to eat the healthy snacks you offer. Offer healthy choices instead of dictating which snacks your kids eat.
In summary, your kids should eat every four hours. Figure out their schedules and fit in snacks at appropriate intervals. Ideally, snacks should consist of a combination of protein and fiber. Avoid sugary snacks, like 100 calorie packs, that simply spike blood sugar levels and cause your kids to have a sugar crash.
Here are some snack ideas to get you started.
-Air popped or 94% FF popcorn
-Apple slices and low fat cheese
-Cold grapes already pulled off the stem
-Baked tortilla chips & salsa
-Hummus with low fat pita chips
-Cut up raw veggies with fat-free dip
-Low fat yogurt or cottage cheese with pineapple chunks
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Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
Beans contain a wider variety of nutrients than most foods, including calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium, folate, and alpha-linolenic acid. Beans are also a great source of complete proteins which are necessary for the normal functioning of the body.
Beans are a fabulous source of fiber! In fact, a cup of beans has twice as much fiber as a cup of most vegetables. Beans provide a major source of soluble fiber, which, when passing through the digestive tract grabs and traps bile that contains cholesterol, removing it from the body before it’s absorbed. Eating a cup of beans a day will lower cholesterol and decrease risk for heart disease by as much as 22%. The high fiber also makes you feel full so you eat less throughout the day, helping with weight maintenance. The soluble fiber in beans also helps to decrease insulin resistance, the starting point for Type 2 Diabetes. Beans are also a great source of insoluble fiber which increases stool bulk and decreases the risk of constipation and hemorrhoids.
Beans also contain compounds called isoflavins which help prevent normal cells from turning cancerous. Soybeans contain phytoestrogens which are thought to decrease the risk of breast and prostate cancer.
Beans fill many dietary requirements, including 32%DV of folate, 9%DV of potassium, and are very high in protein and fiber but and low in fat. Dried or canned beans will give you the same benefit, but canned beans are high in sodium so be sure to drain and rinse well.
Parents are sometimes wary of giving their kids beans due to the “gas factor”. Beans cause gas because they contain large amounts of a particular carbohydrate called raffinose. Our GI tract can’t digest raffinose so it travels to the large intestine where it is rapidly fermented by the bacteria that naturally live in our intestines. The end products of this fermentation are gasses, such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The gases accumulate and eventually leave the body as flatulence. Both the absorbance of gas and the composition of intestinal bacteria vary widely among people so some people experience more gas after ingesting beans than others.
Most kids love to eat hot dogs with baked beans. My mom used to chop the hotdogs up and mix them right in with the baked beans. Beans can also be easily served in Mexican dishes, such as tacos or fajitas. Nobody can resist a hot bowl of chili topped with melted low-fat cheese! My kids love to eat hummus. In fact, that is how I first got my kids to eat raw vegetables! Hummus is also delicious with pita bread. There are lots of ways to get kids to eat beans without a fight!
A younger toddler (age 1 – 2) requires 2 oz of meat/beans each day. An older toddler (age 3-4) requires 3 – 4 oz of meat/beans each day. ¼ cup of dried beans is equivalent to 1 ounce.
| FOOD ITEM |
GRAMS OF PROTEIN |
| 1 cup of most beans |
14 – 15 |
| 4 oz ground beef |
28 |
| 4 oz chicken breast |
30 |
| 1 egg |
6 |
| 1 Tbsp peanut butter |
4 |
| 1 oz cheese |
6 – 10 |
| 1 cup milk |
8 |
| ¼ cup almonds or peanuts |
8 – 9 |
| FOOD ITEM |
GRAMS OF FIBER |
| 1 cup beans |
13 – 15 |
| 1 medium apple |
5 |
| 1 cup broccoli |
4.5 |
| 1 cup sweet potato |
6 |
| 1 cup bran cereal |
20 |
| 1 cup whole wheat pasta |
6 |
| 1 slice whole wheat bread |
2 |
| 1 oz almonds |
4 |
| FOOD ITEM |
MILLIGRAMS OF CALCIUM |
| 1 cup soybeans |
261 |
| 1 cup white beans |
160 |
| 1 cup navy beans |
125 |
| 1 cup milk |
300 |
| 1 cup spinach |
272 |
| 1 oz most cheeses |
220 |
| 8 oz low-fat yogurt |
345 |
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Friday, July 16th, 2010
The body can do amazing things and we often underestimate its capabilities, especially when it comes to detoxifying itself. Years of evolution have enabled our bodies to “detox” naturally; those who could not self-detox died out through Natural Selection and “Survival of the Fittest”.
Toxins enter the body through food or water, chemicals used to grow or prepare food, and even the air that we breathe. Luckily, our bodies have the ability to process those toxins through organs like the liver and kidneys and eliminate them in the form of sweat, urine, and feces.
The American diet is low in water and whole grains and too high in refined sugar, caffeine, unhealthy fats and protein. Over consumption of the aforementioned nutrients can create food sensitivities, nutritional deficiencies, bacterial overgrowth, yeast infections, weak hair, skin, and nails, and a host of other conditions.
But does that mean we should all “detox” our bodies from harmful toxins? From my perspective, the whole “detox” craze is just another money-making industry preying on the insecure and teaching faulty eating principles. “Detox” diets aim to eliminate harmful processed foods and refined sugar a few times a year by limiting us to just a certain few foods for a period of time. But our bodies are designed to function best with a healthy, well-balanced diet. I do encourage a diet with minimal processed foods and refined sugar. But we don’t need to fast to accomplish this goal. And further, shouldn’t we aim to eat well all the time? How effective can a few days of restriction really be when we are eating garbage the rest of the time?
Detox diets are designed for short-term use and require fasting. If used for longer periods of time, they may cause health problems. Further, significantly lowering one’s calorie intake during a fast will result in a slowing of the dieter’s metabolism, thus making long term weight loss more difficult.
The Master Cleanse (aka lemonade diet) requires limiting our food intake to water with lemons, laxative tea and salt water in order to “cleanse” the body. Weight loss may occur from this diet but it is mainly from loss of water, not from fat loss. If used over a long period of time, the body will begin to break down muscle mass for energy. So while you may see a drop on the scale, it is from metabolically active (and much-needed) muscle rather than from fat. This diet is nutritionally void and lacking nutrients. Many dieters quickly regain the lost weight upon completion of the Master Cleanse. It is clear that we were not meant to live on lemons and laxatives!
Many detox supplements contain herbs and laxatives designed to make the dieter “eliminate” often. Over-elimination can cause dehydration and mineral imbalances and may permanently affect the digestive system if used for too long. Make sure you read the ingredient list before beginning any cleansing regimen and research each ingredient so you know what you are ingesting. These programs often utilize senna, a known laxative. The other ingredients listed in many cleanse systems are herbs that are not FDA approved and have not been scientifically proven to do anything, let alone “cleanse” the body. Everyone is different and we don’t know how our bodies will react to these untested/unresearched herbs so be very cautious when starting a detox diet. If you want to try one of these cleanses, be sure to get your doctor’s approval!
Detox diets are NOT designed for those who have health conditions. People who have diabetes, heart disease, eating disorders, other chronic medical conditions or are pregnant should avoid these regiments.
Detox diets are also NOT recommended for children or teens. Kids and teens require nutrients, calories and protein to support their development. Eliminating macro and micronutrients, even for a short period of time, may disrupt energy levels cause emotional imbalances.
Instead of following the newest trend or looking for a quick fix, try eating a wholesome diet all year round! Make sure you eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Stick to lean sources of protein. Drink lots of water. And try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. If you are feeling run-down or tired, speak to your doctor. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula for good health or weight loss!
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Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
What child doesn’t love to eat a bag of popcorn, licking the excess salt off of each finger? Many of the foods we love contain large amounts of sodium. Foods with lower levels of sodium often taste bland. But are we once again sabotaging our health for taste? (Yes!) And should the government help save the public’s health by mandating decreased levels of salt in the foods American’s consume? (Yes!)
According to a new statement from the Food and Drug Administration, Americans are eating way too much salt. The FDA has called for the government to impose stricter regulations on how much salt food products can contain. Unfortunately, the government has no plans to institute these suggestions. Instead, the FDA must rely on voluntary salt reductions from food manufacturers. To date, this approach has not worked very well.
How much salt are we eating? The average American eats 1.5 teaspoons of salt a day, more than double the recommended amount. In fact, this amount of salt increases the risk for high blood pressure, strokes, and other medical problems. Don’t think that you are safe by simply forgoing the salt shaker! Putting salt on foods only adds insult to injury. Large amounts of salt are hidden in most processed foods and restaurant meals.
Current government guidelines call for a maximum daily sodium intake of 2,300 milligrams. Health problems appear when intake is above this number. These new statements suggest a recommended maximum daily sodium intake of 1,500 mg a day (and less for adults over age 50). It seems we pay no attention to these guidelines as the average consumption of sodium is more than 3,400 mg a day. Apparently, simply knowing that one’s diet is not healthy is not enough to convince the average American to change his habits.
Rather than calling for a drastic reduction in added sodium, researchers are suggesting a gradual change so the country’s taste buds can adapt and the food industry has time to look for tasty, but healthier, alternatives. Their proposed regulations would ease both food producers and consumers into a healthier way of eating by setting maximum sodium levels for different foods in a stepwise rollback set over a period of years. The final goal is to decrease salt consumption by 0.5 teaspoons per day.
Government officials claim that writing new laws to set limits on sodium levels would take much longer than working with food executives on voluntary reductions. Food executives, however, argue that there are no tasty ways to decrease sodium levels. But brand-to-brand differences in the same foods suggest that’s not so.
The Institute of Medicine, in a statement given this Tuesday, reported that the food industry has made very little progress in voluntarily reducing sodium. What a surprise! You mean companies haven’t been willing to spend large amounts of money to produce a product that, while healthier, will not taste quite as good? Shocking. How can a plan based solely on the good nature of food industry executives not succeed?
Salt leads to real health problems. One in three U.S. adults suffers from high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure. The American Medical Association predicts that 150,000 lives could be saved each year, simply by cutting the sodium levels in processed and restaurant foods in half.
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Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
Children today drink twice as much soda as they did 20 years ago, averaging as much as 20 ounces a day! A large soda not only provides tons of calories and sugar but it also includes at least 100 mg of caffeine. Many parents wouldn’t dream of giving their kids a cup of coffee yet routinely offer them soda, which contains caffeine as well. We also see many families hitting the local café or Starbucks for a café latte or mocha frappuccino loaded with the burst of ‘energy’ we call caffeine.
The truth is, caffeine is everywhere but it is wise to keep kids’ consumption of caffeine to a minimum.
How caffeine affects kids:
Caffeine is a stimulant and a drug that is naturally produced in the leaves and seeds of many plants. Caffeine can also be made artificially. Caffeine is considered a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system. The routine side is a feeling of alertness, but when taken in excess side effects may include:
1) Headaches
2) Difficulty concentrating
3) Jitteriness
4) Nervousness
5) Upset stomach
6) Difficulty sleeping
7) Increased heart rate
8) Increased blood pressure
9) Slight dehydration
10) Anxiety
11) Irritability
12) Muscle tremors
13) Nausea
14) Diarrhea
15) Shortened attention span
16) Increased risk of heart problems
Because caffeine’s effects are dependent on body weight, it does not take a lot of caffeine to produce side effects, especially for younger children. Younger kids are more also sensitive to caffeine because they haven’t been exposed to it as much as older kids or adults and have not yet developed a tolerance to its effects.
Beware of withdrawal:
If you decide to cut caffeine out of your diet all together don’t be surprised if you feel withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches, and irritability, especially if you are used to consuming a lot. When I was in medical school, I relied on coffee to get me through my exams. Every vacation, I wound up in bed with severe headaches. I finally realized that I was suffering from caffeine withdrawal because I didn’t need the caffeine to give me energy to study and so I wasn’t drinking my usual amount of caffeine! I gave up caffeine and my headaches never returned.
Caffeine takes up to 6 hours to be excreted from the body through the urine, so side effects may last until removed from the body.
More reasons to limit kids’ caffeine consumption:
- Obesity: Kids who consume one or more 12-ounce sweetened soft drink per day are 60% more likely to be obese.
- Lack of nutrients: Most caffeinated drinks are loaded with empty calories and are high in sugar, but lack the nutrients kids need when growing. More kids are choosing soda over milk now days and are missing out on calcium which helps build bones and teeth.
- Tooth Decay: Drinking unhealthy drinks like sweetened beverages can lead to dental cavities from the high sugar content and can lead to erosion of the enamel from the high acidity content.
- ADHD: Large doses of caffeine can impact the attention span for children, especially for those diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD).
Recommendations:
The United States has not developed guidelines for caffeine intake because many experts believe because there is not enough data to make any conclusive recommendations. The Canadian guidelines recommend that children 6 and under have no more than 45 milligrams of caffeine per day; 10 to 12 year olds have no more than 85 milligrams per day and adults have no more than 300 milligrams per day.
Foods and Beverages with Caffeine
Here are some sources of caffeine to compare:
| ITEM |
AMOUNT |
CAFFEINE CONTENT |
| BREWED COFFEE |
5 OUNCES |
115 mg |
| COCA BEVERAGE |
5 OUNCES |
4 mg |
| COCA-COLA |
12 OUNCES |
34 mg |
| COFFEE |
8 OUNCES |
115 mg |
| COLD RELIEF MEDICINE |
1 TABLET |
30 mg |
| CHOCOLATE MILK |
8 OUNCES |
5 mg |
| DARK CHOCOLATE |
1 OUNCES |
20 mg |
| DECAF COFFEE |
6 OUNCES |
3-5 mg |
| DIET COKE |
12 OUNCES |
45 mg |
| DUNKIN DONUTS |
16 OUNCE |
206 mg |
| ESPRESSO |
2 OUNCES |
100 mg |
| ICED TEA |
12 OUNCES |
70 mg |
| JOLT SOFT DRINK |
12 OUNCES |
71.2 mg |
| MILK CHOCOLATE |
1 OUNCE |
6 mg |
| MOUNTAIN DEW |
12 OUNCES |
55 mg |
| NO-DOZ |
1 TABLET |
100 mg |
| RED BULL |
8.3 OUNCES |
80 mg |
| SNICKERS |
1 BAR |
60 mg |
| STARBUCKS COFFEE |
16 OUNCE |
320 mg |
| STARBUCKS CHAI TEA LATTE |
16 OUNCE |
100 mg |
| TEA, BLACK |
6 OUNCES |
70 mg |
| TEA, GREEN |
6 OUNCES |
35 mg |
| 7-UP |
12 OUNCES |
0 mg |
There is no reason for children to drink or consume caffeinated products. One of the best ways to cut caffeine out of the diet is by not offering it at all. Eliminate soda all together and instead offer water, skim milk, or flavored seltzer. For an occasional treat try offering soda or tea but make sure it is decaffeinated.
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Monday, June 22nd, 2009
Congratulations! Your toddler is now old enough to sit in a “big boy” chair. You no longer need to strap him into a high chair. I bet you think dining out will now be much easier! Unfortunately, the difficulties are just beginning. Your toddler will now be able to explore restaurants without restraints. How can you get your child to sit at the table with you instead of wandering around on his own? Read on for some tips.
1. Be consistent. Teach your child that she must sit with you at the dinner table every night, whether at home or at a restaurant. Be firm from the beginning and your child is much more likely to follow your rules. Once you set a precedent of allowing your child to wander away from the table, it becomes a difficult habit to break.
2. Do not force your child to eat. If your child isn’t hungry, you do not have to force him to eat. However, the family must sit together.
3. Bring activities. There is nothing wrong with allowing your child to sit and color at the dinner table. When dining out, come prepared with coloring books and crayons.
4. Engage your child in conversation. If the dinner conversation focuses solely on the stock market, your child will quickly tune out and become bored. Be sure to include all the kids in the conversation. Dinnertime is a great opportunity to find out what is going on in your child’s life.
5. Manage your expectations. Do not go out for a five-course meal and expect your toddler to sit still for the duration. Kids have short attention spans so plan your meals accordingly.
6. Use positive reinforcement. Offer your child some type of reward for sitting nicely at the table. Stickers will work wonders!
I would love to hear your suggestions! The best answer wins a pair of Sennheiser PMX 70 Sport Headphones. For more information on them, go to www.SennheiserUSA.com.
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Tags: child diet, child manners, child restaurants, diet, dining out with kids, eating out with kids, manners for kids, nutrition, parenting, restaurants
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Friday, June 19th, 2009
It seems that everybody is talking about the evils of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). But what is fact and what is simply hearsay? Here we will give all the facts about HFCS.
What, exactly, is HFCS?
High-fructose corn syrup is a common sweetener and preservative. HFCS is made by changing the sugar (glucose) in cornstarch to fructose – another form of sugar. The end product is a combination of fructose and glucose. Because it extends the shelf life of processed foods and is cheaper than sugar, high-fructose corn syrup has become a popular ingredient in many sodas, fruit-flavored drinks and other processed foods.
Is HFCS an artificial sweetener or made from chemicals?
No. A little less than one year ago, on July 08, 2008, the FDA clarified that HFCS can be labeled as a natural product. To be classified as natural, a food product must be made from an all-natural product and contain no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives.
How does HFCS compare to table sugar?
HFCS and sugar are virtually interchangeable! They have the same sweetness and composition. Contrary to its name, HFCS does not contain a lot of fructose. The ratio of fructose and glucose in HFCS and table sugar is practically the same. The human body cannot tell the difference between HFCS and sugar. High fructose corn syrup does not provide a sensation of increased or decreased fullness nor is it metabolized differently in the body.
Is HFCS responsible for the obesity epidemic?
Everybody wants to find the root of our country’s obesity epidemic. Many people have blamed HFCS. According the Mayo Clinic, HFCS is NOT to blame!
Statement from the Mayo Clinic:
So far, research has yielded conflicting results about the effects of high-fructose corn syrup. For example, various early studies showed an association between increased consumption of sweetened beverages (many of which contained high-fructose corn syrup) and obesity. But recent research – some of which is supported by the beverage industry – suggests that high-fructose corn syrup isn’t intrinsically less healthy than other sweeteners, nor is it the root cause of obesity.
HFCS itself does not increase the risk of obesity. Obesity is caused by taking in more calories than you burn. Many foods containing HFCS have lots of calories. Therefore, if you eat a lot of these foods, you will gain weight. Sugar is no different. If you eat too much sugar, you will gain weight. HFCS is no more likely to cause weight gain than regular sugar.
Does HFCS have more calories than regular sugar?
No! Both HFCS and sugar have four calories per gram. HFCS should not alarm you more than other sugars.
How else does HFCS affect the foods we eat?
High fructose corn syrup doesn’t simply sweeten food, it enhances and balances its flavors. For example, HFCS in yogurt enhances the fruit and spice flavors and regulates the yogurt’s tartness. HFCS acts similarly in foods such as tomato sauces and other condiments. In beverages, HFCS provides stability and helps keep flavors constant throughout the product’s shelf life.
If you are concerned about the amount of HFCS in your family’s diet, consider these tips:
1) Limit the processed foods you keep in the house.
2) Avoid foods that contain a large amount of added sugar, in any form.
3) Choose real fruit over fruit juice or fruit-flavored drinks. Even 100 percent fruit juices contain a large amount of sugar.
4) Avoid soda and other sweetened beverages!
The bottom line: There is no nutritional difference between HFCS and sugar. They contain the same number of calories and are made up of the same ratio of glucose and fructose. All forms of sugar will cause weight gain if eaten in abundance. Limit all forms of sugar to ensure a healthy diet!
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Tags: artificial sweeteners, child diet, child nutrition, diet, family nutrition, healthy diet, HFCS, high fructose corn syrup, nutrition, sugar, sweeteners
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