A pinch of salt maybe a boost to life but too much salt can trigger problems. Many people know the negatives of salt but few know why we need salt or how much is needed for health.
Salt is a combination of the minerals sodium and chloride and it is the sodium that is the focus of interest when it comes to how much salt is okay to consume. Salt is forty percent sodium and sixty percent chloride. Sodium, along with potassium, acts to regulate fluid balance in the body. Sodium also aids nerve impulse transmission, regulates blood pressure and acts with other minerals to help muscle relaxation. In addition to its role in the body sodium is important to foods.
Sodium acts to bring out the flavor of foods and also provides flavor itself but it plays several other roles in food. Sodium serves as a preservative in foods protecting them from the growth of bacteria, yeast and mold thus preventing food spoilage or foodborne illness. This usage of salt is the reason processed or packaged foods contain sodium. Sodium or salt is also important to texture in baked goods made with yeast. Sodium also affects fermentation in cheese processing and the development of bread dough. And finally sodium helps hold together processed meats like sausage, salami and pepperoni.
The amount of sodium needed from the diet is much below the amount consumed. While there is no recommended daily intake for sodium the minimum amount considered to be adequate for health is 500 milligrams. Currently the average intake of sodium is 4,000 to 6,000 milligrams per day. This excess is excreted by healthy people but can be a trigger for hypertension or kidney disease in those with a genetic predisposition to those diseases.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a maximum intake of 2,300 milligrams per day. Processed foods provide about 80 percent of the sodium in food. Table salt and the sodium that occurs naturally in foods provide the remainder of the sodium we consume. Sodium content is a required listing on all food labels so it is possible to monitor your intake by reading labels. In addition you can detect the presence of sodium by learning to look for the words salt, soda, or sodium. The words cured, brine, smoked and pickled can also indicate a higher sodium content so check the label.
Food labels may indicate that the sodium content is reduced if they meet the guidelines set forth by the Food and Drub Administration. Common terms include the following.
· Sodium or salt-free – Less than five milligrams of sodium per serving
· Low sodium – 140 milligrams of sodium or less per serving
· Reduced or less sodium – At least 25% less sodium in a standard serving
Making the switch to lower sodium intake might take a little time since the taste buds need to adjust to the absence of sodium but reducing intake gradually can help.
Tips for the Week
· Check food labels for the amount of sodium
· Read the online menu for sodium content of menu items
· Limit intake of processed or packaged foods
· Taste foods before adding salt
· Season with pepper or other spices
· Enjoy processed meats like pepperoni, bacon, corned beef and salami less often
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Enjoy A Bite of Chocolate
If you’re searching for a sweet treat but don’t want to throw off your healthful eating plan too much consider adding a small amount of dark chocolate.
Chocolate, more specifically cocoa, has been a part of medicinally treatment for centuries with early usage going back to use for stomach or intestinal complaints to the current interest related to heart disease. Cocoa, like all other plants, contains a wide variety of phytochemicals but is rich in flavanol which seems to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Flavanol’s help keep blood vessels healthy thus allowing for continuous flow of blood preventing blood clots. Other research studies have looked at cocoa and blood pressure reduction with some positive outcomes.
Studies continue to show that inclusion of cocoa may provide positive health benefits but questions remain in terms of how much, how often and do these benefits translate to chocolate. At the current time studies make it clear that the health benefits are found in the cocoa so chocolate would have to contain a high percentage of cocoa to yield any health benefits. Current evidence points to dark chocolate as a preferable choice for potential health benefits.
While chocolate may contain health benefits it definitely contains calories so using it to promote health is not the right idea. Enjoying some dark chocolate and potentially reaping health benefits is the best way to look at inclusion of chocolate in your eating plan. If chocolate is a part of your routine make sure you choose dark chocolate. Choose small pieces to help control quantity and make sure you enjoy your chocolate as a part of a healthful eating plan.
Tips for the Week
· Choose dark chocolate either plain or with nuts or fruit
· Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables for their phytochemical content
· Keep physical activity in your daily routine to offset the chocolate calories
Chocolate, more specifically cocoa, has been a part of medicinally treatment for centuries with early usage going back to use for stomach or intestinal complaints to the current interest related to heart disease. Cocoa, like all other plants, contains a wide variety of phytochemicals but is rich in flavanol which seems to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Flavanol’s help keep blood vessels healthy thus allowing for continuous flow of blood preventing blood clots. Other research studies have looked at cocoa and blood pressure reduction with some positive outcomes.
Studies continue to show that inclusion of cocoa may provide positive health benefits but questions remain in terms of how much, how often and do these benefits translate to chocolate. At the current time studies make it clear that the health benefits are found in the cocoa so chocolate would have to contain a high percentage of cocoa to yield any health benefits. Current evidence points to dark chocolate as a preferable choice for potential health benefits.
While chocolate may contain health benefits it definitely contains calories so using it to promote health is not the right idea. Enjoying some dark chocolate and potentially reaping health benefits is the best way to look at inclusion of chocolate in your eating plan. If chocolate is a part of your routine make sure you choose dark chocolate. Choose small pieces to help control quantity and make sure you enjoy your chocolate as a part of a healthful eating plan.
Tips for the Week
· Choose dark chocolate either plain or with nuts or fruit
· Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables for their phytochemical content
· Keep physical activity in your daily routine to offset the chocolate calories
Monday, March 2, 2009
Fat Facts
If you are like most consumers you know that Trans fats are not a healthful choice but likely you don’t know why that is true or that saturated fats are just as bad.
In order to understand the facts on fats it is best to start at the beginning. Fat is one of the nutrients we need for health and while we refer to fat the real reference is to fats. Fats are a group of compounds made up of fatty acids and glycerol. The fatty acids are the base units of fat and it is there chemical structure that determines if a fat is saturated or unsaturated.
Saturated fats are a type of fatty acid and they are found in animal foods like meat, poultry, whole milk dairy foods and from plant fats including coconut, palm and palm kernel oil. Saturated fats cause the liver to make more of the bad cholesterol, thus increasing the risk for heart disease. In order to reduce heart disease risk it is advised that saturated fats make up less than ten percent of the days calories.
Unsaturated fats are divided into two types; monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats, which are found in canola and olive oils, help reduce the bad cholesterol and can boost the good cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fats lower both the good and bad cholesterol and are found in corn, safflower, sunflower and soybean oils.
Trans fats exist naturally in animal foods but are also made when oils are hardened during the process of hydrogenation. Trans fats increase bad cholesterol and lower the good cholesterol so they are a contributor to heart disease risk. Current dietary guidelines recommend keeping Trans fat intake as low as possible.
Keeping fat intake in a healthy range and from healthier sources requires label reading and portion control. When it comes to portion control a good guide is Mypyramid.gov where you can see which foods are part of the Oils group and how much is healthful. Label reading requires not only searching for the healthier fats but also noting how much fat is in one serving. If the grams of fat don’t mean much to you look at the % of Daily Value which makes it easier to put into perspective how a serving will fit into a daily meal pattern.
Another helpful labeling tool is to look for terms that reference fat content such as the following.
· Fat Free – Less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving
· Low-fat – 3 grams or less of fat per serving
· Reduced or less fat – At least 25% less fat per standard serving size
· Light – 1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat per standard serving
· Trans Fat Free – Less than 0.5 grams per serving
Tips for the Week
· Limit animal sources of protein to 5 to 7 ounces, cooked weight, per day
· Choose olive, canola or soybean oils or margarines made from these oils
· Switch to fat free dairy foods
· Read food labels for fat content of processed foods.
In order to understand the facts on fats it is best to start at the beginning. Fat is one of the nutrients we need for health and while we refer to fat the real reference is to fats. Fats are a group of compounds made up of fatty acids and glycerol. The fatty acids are the base units of fat and it is there chemical structure that determines if a fat is saturated or unsaturated.
Saturated fats are a type of fatty acid and they are found in animal foods like meat, poultry, whole milk dairy foods and from plant fats including coconut, palm and palm kernel oil. Saturated fats cause the liver to make more of the bad cholesterol, thus increasing the risk for heart disease. In order to reduce heart disease risk it is advised that saturated fats make up less than ten percent of the days calories.
Unsaturated fats are divided into two types; monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats, which are found in canola and olive oils, help reduce the bad cholesterol and can boost the good cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fats lower both the good and bad cholesterol and are found in corn, safflower, sunflower and soybean oils.
Trans fats exist naturally in animal foods but are also made when oils are hardened during the process of hydrogenation. Trans fats increase bad cholesterol and lower the good cholesterol so they are a contributor to heart disease risk. Current dietary guidelines recommend keeping Trans fat intake as low as possible.
Keeping fat intake in a healthy range and from healthier sources requires label reading and portion control. When it comes to portion control a good guide is Mypyramid.gov where you can see which foods are part of the Oils group and how much is healthful. Label reading requires not only searching for the healthier fats but also noting how much fat is in one serving. If the grams of fat don’t mean much to you look at the % of Daily Value which makes it easier to put into perspective how a serving will fit into a daily meal pattern.
Another helpful labeling tool is to look for terms that reference fat content such as the following.
· Fat Free – Less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving
· Low-fat – 3 grams or less of fat per serving
· Reduced or less fat – At least 25% less fat per standard serving size
· Light – 1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat per standard serving
· Trans Fat Free – Less than 0.5 grams per serving
Tips for the Week
· Limit animal sources of protein to 5 to 7 ounces, cooked weight, per day
· Choose olive, canola or soybean oils or margarines made from these oils
· Switch to fat free dairy foods
· Read food labels for fat content of processed foods.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Water, Water Everywhere but How Much do You Need?
Water, water everywhere but how much do you really need? The question of how much water is needed for adequate hydration is one that has more answers than many other nutrition related questions. The answer to the question is very simple.
In two thousand four the Institute of Medicine assessed hydration status by reviewing research studies and food and nutrition surveys. The IOM stated that the vast majority of healthy people adequately meet their hydration needs by letting thirst guide them. The IOM did not set exact requirements but set recommendations for women at about ninety one ounces of fluids per day and for men one hundred and twenty five ounces per day. The recommendations also stated that all fluids count so water, milk, coffee, tea and soft drinks count to body hydration. In addition to fluids, the fluid content of fruits and vegetables also count in the day’s intake. The IOM report stated that about 80% of fluid intake comes from beverages and 20% from foods. So how much fluid do you need?
A good place to start is with about eight cups (8 oz each) of water and other water based beverages. Take note of how you feel, are you thirsty, what is the frequency of urination and is your urine color too yellow? If you answered postively to these questions it maybe time to boost your fluid intake. While guidelines recommend fluid intake levels how much you need depends on your body so assessing your intake is the best place to begin the determination of how much you need.
These new guidelines are for adequate hydration so more fluids are needed during physical activity or with weather extremes. As temperatures deviate from the ideal temperature for body functions the amount of fluid needed increases so the hotter or colder it gets the more fluids needed. In addition to these two examples more fluids are needed during pregnancy and lactation or when sick with a fever, diarrhea or vomiting.
Adequate fluid intake is important to the overall functioning of the body with fluids playing a role in regulation of body temperature, transportation of nutrients and oxygen, elimination of waste products, moisturizing body tissues and serving as the main part of all body fluids.
While all fluids count towards your daily need not all fluids are equal in terms of calories or sometimes in terms of nutrition. Water is the best choice for hydration since it supplies no calories, no caffeine, (a stimulant) and it has no sodium or fat. Juice and milk are next best choices since they offer a wide variety of vitamins and minerals but they do contribute calories so they shouldn’t be the source of all your fluid needs.
Tips for the Week
· Take count of your fluid intake to determine if you need more
· Assess how much water you drink versus other beverages to see if calorie beverages need to be reduced
· Drink water before, during and after a workout
· Limit sports drinks to workouts that last longer than 45 minutes in order to keep calories down
In two thousand four the Institute of Medicine assessed hydration status by reviewing research studies and food and nutrition surveys. The IOM stated that the vast majority of healthy people adequately meet their hydration needs by letting thirst guide them. The IOM did not set exact requirements but set recommendations for women at about ninety one ounces of fluids per day and for men one hundred and twenty five ounces per day. The recommendations also stated that all fluids count so water, milk, coffee, tea and soft drinks count to body hydration. In addition to fluids, the fluid content of fruits and vegetables also count in the day’s intake. The IOM report stated that about 80% of fluid intake comes from beverages and 20% from foods. So how much fluid do you need?
A good place to start is with about eight cups (8 oz each) of water and other water based beverages. Take note of how you feel, are you thirsty, what is the frequency of urination and is your urine color too yellow? If you answered postively to these questions it maybe time to boost your fluid intake. While guidelines recommend fluid intake levels how much you need depends on your body so assessing your intake is the best place to begin the determination of how much you need.
These new guidelines are for adequate hydration so more fluids are needed during physical activity or with weather extremes. As temperatures deviate from the ideal temperature for body functions the amount of fluid needed increases so the hotter or colder it gets the more fluids needed. In addition to these two examples more fluids are needed during pregnancy and lactation or when sick with a fever, diarrhea or vomiting.
Adequate fluid intake is important to the overall functioning of the body with fluids playing a role in regulation of body temperature, transportation of nutrients and oxygen, elimination of waste products, moisturizing body tissues and serving as the main part of all body fluids.
While all fluids count towards your daily need not all fluids are equal in terms of calories or sometimes in terms of nutrition. Water is the best choice for hydration since it supplies no calories, no caffeine, (a stimulant) and it has no sodium or fat. Juice and milk are next best choices since they offer a wide variety of vitamins and minerals but they do contribute calories so they shouldn’t be the source of all your fluid needs.
Tips for the Week
· Take count of your fluid intake to determine if you need more
· Assess how much water you drink versus other beverages to see if calorie beverages need to be reduced
· Drink water before, during and after a workout
· Limit sports drinks to workouts that last longer than 45 minutes in order to keep calories down
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Protein Points
Most people know all about protein, or so they think, but in fact how much is needed is often a question that causes much confusion. Protein is essential to growth and repair of all tissues and cells within the body but it is also important to fluid balance, immune health and many other functions. As you might expect more protein is needed during periods of growth or times of healing or repair of cells that are damaged due to activity, surgery or other trauma. While protein has many functions the amount needed is much less than many people expect.
The current guidelines for protein intake recommend 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Since most of us don’t think of our weight in kilograms this recommendation translates to a minimum of 45 grams to as much as 115 grams per day for someone who weighs 250 pounds.
Consuming 45 grams of protein per day is a simple task for most people if you follow the guidelines setout in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, examples of how to meet this are listed here.
· Three ounces of meat, fish or poultry (about the size of a woman’s palm), plus three cups of milk or yogurt equals 45 grams
· One and a half cups of kidney beans plus three cups of milk or yogurt
· Six ounces of tofu and one and half cups of kidney beans
In addition to the health benefits of protein it can help you feel full longer so including some at most meals is a good way to keep control of what foods you choose to eat and how much you eat. Beyond the traditional meat and potatoes or a deli sandwich there are some easy ways to get protein in your meals or snacks including the following.
· A cup of low-fat yogurt with 2 tablespoons nuts
· Two tablespoons peanut or almond nut butter spread on an apple or banana
· One fourth a cup of nuts with one half a cup of dried fruit and one cup of whole grain cereal
· One third a cup of hummus with fresh veggies
· One cup of yogurt combined with frozen fruit for a fast smoothie
If you workout on a regular basis you will need more protein to help repair muscles damaged during activity. If your activity is predominately cardio or aerobic activity your need increases slightly since damage to muscles is less than it is during weight or resistance activity. For regular activity you would benefit from about 0.2 grams per kilogram more protein per day, so about 50 grams minimum per day. Remember that this minimum is based on weight so if you weigh more your minimum would be higher.
For those who lift weights regularly or for competitive athletes the need can go as high as 2.0 grams per kilogram or up to a minimum of 90 grams per day. The best advice for protein intake is to make sure you get enough and to only boost intake if your activity or growth requires it since excess protein ends up as extra body weight.
Tips for the Week
· Choose lean protein like turkey, chicken and fish
· Enjoy plant protein like hummus, beans or tofu in place of animal protein once or twice a week
· Switch to nonfat dairy choices to get your 3 A Day of Dairy
The current guidelines for protein intake recommend 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Since most of us don’t think of our weight in kilograms this recommendation translates to a minimum of 45 grams to as much as 115 grams per day for someone who weighs 250 pounds.
Consuming 45 grams of protein per day is a simple task for most people if you follow the guidelines setout in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, examples of how to meet this are listed here.
· Three ounces of meat, fish or poultry (about the size of a woman’s palm), plus three cups of milk or yogurt equals 45 grams
· One and a half cups of kidney beans plus three cups of milk or yogurt
· Six ounces of tofu and one and half cups of kidney beans
In addition to the health benefits of protein it can help you feel full longer so including some at most meals is a good way to keep control of what foods you choose to eat and how much you eat. Beyond the traditional meat and potatoes or a deli sandwich there are some easy ways to get protein in your meals or snacks including the following.
· A cup of low-fat yogurt with 2 tablespoons nuts
· Two tablespoons peanut or almond nut butter spread on an apple or banana
· One fourth a cup of nuts with one half a cup of dried fruit and one cup of whole grain cereal
· One third a cup of hummus with fresh veggies
· One cup of yogurt combined with frozen fruit for a fast smoothie
If you workout on a regular basis you will need more protein to help repair muscles damaged during activity. If your activity is predominately cardio or aerobic activity your need increases slightly since damage to muscles is less than it is during weight or resistance activity. For regular activity you would benefit from about 0.2 grams per kilogram more protein per day, so about 50 grams minimum per day. Remember that this minimum is based on weight so if you weigh more your minimum would be higher.
For those who lift weights regularly or for competitive athletes the need can go as high as 2.0 grams per kilogram or up to a minimum of 90 grams per day. The best advice for protein intake is to make sure you get enough and to only boost intake if your activity or growth requires it since excess protein ends up as extra body weight.
Tips for the Week
· Choose lean protein like turkey, chicken and fish
· Enjoy plant protein like hummus, beans or tofu in place of animal protein once or twice a week
· Switch to nonfat dairy choices to get your 3 A Day of Dairy
Friday, January 9, 2009
Nutrition Bites
Welcome to the first Nutrition Bites blog entry! Nutrition Bites will appear on a weekly basis and provide insight into the basics of nutrition. Nutrition Bites will sort through the clutter of fallacies about healthful eating and serve-up the facts in an easy to use presentation.
As with any program the best place to begin is at the beginning and the same is true with healthful eating. Healthful eating starts with the right balance of the calorie nutrients – protein, carbohydrates and fat. While the right balance will vary depending on body weight, activity level and growth status the basics are the same for all of us.
The right start for healthful eating is with an intake of carbohydrates of forty five to sixty percent of your overall calories, so carbohydrates are close to or the majority of your calories. The important point in choosing your carbs is to choose those that provide the most nutritional value and those that provide more satiety. The best carbs for health include the following.
· Whole grains – breads, cereals, pasta, rice
· Vegetables – fresh or frozen
· Fruits – fresh, frozen or canned in their own juice
· Beans – dried or canned
A quick look at each category provides a glimpse of the best choices for satiety and nutrition. Whole wheat bread, cereals that list whole grain or oats or whole wheat as their first ingredient, brown and wild rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, barley or faro. Vegetables and fruits that are darkly colored or strongly flavored like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, apricots, cantaloupe, berries and melons provide more health promoting benefits. Beans, of all colors, are excellent sources of fiber, protein, carbohydrates and health promoting compounds and they help you feel full longer. While carbs are essential to overall health, quantity is important; learn the proper portions by visiting Mypyramid.gov.
Next week’s topic will look at protein and how much you need and what are the best sources for overall health.
Tips for the Week
· Read ingredient lists in order to choose cereals, crackers and other grains that are whole grain
· Learn the proper portion size for pasta, rice, cereals and other grains
· Plan to include at least 2 cups of fruit and 2 cups of vegetables everyday
As with any program the best place to begin is at the beginning and the same is true with healthful eating. Healthful eating starts with the right balance of the calorie nutrients – protein, carbohydrates and fat. While the right balance will vary depending on body weight, activity level and growth status the basics are the same for all of us.
The right start for healthful eating is with an intake of carbohydrates of forty five to sixty percent of your overall calories, so carbohydrates are close to or the majority of your calories. The important point in choosing your carbs is to choose those that provide the most nutritional value and those that provide more satiety. The best carbs for health include the following.
· Whole grains – breads, cereals, pasta, rice
· Vegetables – fresh or frozen
· Fruits – fresh, frozen or canned in their own juice
· Beans – dried or canned
A quick look at each category provides a glimpse of the best choices for satiety and nutrition. Whole wheat bread, cereals that list whole grain or oats or whole wheat as their first ingredient, brown and wild rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, barley or faro. Vegetables and fruits that are darkly colored or strongly flavored like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, apricots, cantaloupe, berries and melons provide more health promoting benefits. Beans, of all colors, are excellent sources of fiber, protein, carbohydrates and health promoting compounds and they help you feel full longer. While carbs are essential to overall health, quantity is important; learn the proper portions by visiting Mypyramid.gov.
Next week’s topic will look at protein and how much you need and what are the best sources for overall health.
Tips for the Week
· Read ingredient lists in order to choose cereals, crackers and other grains that are whole grain
· Learn the proper portion size for pasta, rice, cereals and other grains
· Plan to include at least 2 cups of fruit and 2 cups of vegetables everyday
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