Wednesday, September 29, 2010

How Is Your Salt Intake?

 

This summer the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee released their recommendations for revisions to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The report included several areas of change from the 2005 Guidelines but probably the biggest area of change is the recommendation for sodium intake.

Currently the recommended daily intake is 2,300 milligrams per day and the 2010 report calls for 1,500 milligrams per day. The report is currently being reviewed by the departments in the federal government and a final report is expected by the end of the year.

The new recommendation is a result of a review of the science which indicates that Americans continue to consume more sodium than needed. In addition, many subgroups could reduce their risk for stroke by consuming the new recommended intake.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 77% of our sodium intake comes from processed foods and foods we consume away from home. Estimates indicate that the current intake of sodium is 3,466 milligrams per day.

CDC goes on to report that five food categories contribute most of the sodium in our diets, these include.

* Grain mixtures, frozen meals, soups

* Ham, bacon, sausage and lunch meats

* Breads

* Meat, poultry and fish mixtures

* Cakes, cookies and crackers

These five groups make up a large part of many peoples eating plan so shifting sodium intake down will require several changes. One simple first step is to include more whole grains,vegetables and fruits in place of many of these processed foods.

Make changes gradually and the process will be easier and likely a change you can maintain.

Learn more about the Dietary Guidelines Committee report by visiting – http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm

Monday, September 27, 2010

How Is Your Salt Intake?

 

This summer the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee released their recommendations for revisions to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The report included several areas of change from the 2005 Guidelines but probably the biggest area of change is the recommendation for sodium intake.

Currently the recommended daily intake is 2,300 milligrams per day and the 2010 report calls for 1,500 milligrams per day. The report is currently being reviewed by the departments in the federal government and a final report is expected by the end of the year.

The new recommendation is a result of a review of the science which indicates that Americans continue to consume more sodium than needed. In addition, many subgroups could reduce their risk for stroke by consuming the new recommended intake.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 77% of our sodium intake comes from processed foods and foods we consume away from home. Estimates indicate that the current intake of sodium is 3,466 milligrams per day.

CDC goes on to report that five food categories contribute most of the sodium in our diets, these include.

* Grain mixtures, frozen meals, soups

* Ham, bacon, sausage and lunch meats

* Breads

* Meat, poultry and fish mixtures

* Cakes, cookies and crackers

These five groups make up a large part of many peoples eating plan so shifting sodium intake down will require several changes. One simple first step is to include more whole grains,vegetables and fruits in place of many of these processed foods.

Make changes gradually and the process will be easier and likely a change you can maintain.

Learn more about the Dietary Guidelines Committee report by visiting – http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Slurping Down a Smoothie

 

Smoothies continue to be popular choices for fast snacks, tasty treats and sources of hydration but what is their nutritional value?

The nutritional value of smoothies depends on how they are made. If they are made with fruit juice, fruit puree, yogurt and or milk they can be good sources of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. One downside of many smoothies is their large size, with some as large as 40 ounces.

Smoothies on our campus are 16 ounces in size and average about 330 calories, unless you add more fruit or soy protein powder. Smoothies can provide a good pick-me-up between meals but since they generally contain very little protein they won’t keep you feeling full for long.

If you enjoy smoothies remember to count them as a part of your daily fruit intake so you don’t double up on calories. Learn more about the nutrition in our campus smoothies by visiting -  http://www.menus.wustl.edu/label.asp?locationNum=20&locationName=%3CBR%3ECampus+Menu+Favorites&dtdate=9%2F15%2F2010&RecNumAndPort=233018%2A16