Most people who have dieted throughout their life are familiar with the statement that yo-yo dieting causes you to gain more weight and to lose more slowly each time. A new study indicates it isn’t the yo-yo dieting, it is the weight gain.
According to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine the risk of increased weight gain, associated with yo-yo dieting, is due to the weight gain itself not the yo-yoing. The study looked at weight cycling in more than 44,000 women and found that those who lost the most, and did this at least three times in their life, had the highest health complications and the greatest risk of death from the weight gain.
If you want to lose, and keep it off, approach the process with patience, perseverance and a plan. It takes time to change behaviors – some say 90 days – so give yourself the time to learn to eat better and workout more. The best way to plan for weight loss, and maintenance of the loss, is to work with a Registered Dietitian. If you can’t do, that Mypyramid.gov is a good place to start. Mypyramid.gov provides a food plan, sample menus, forms to record your intake and tips to make healthy eating and activity easier.
Remember the goal isn’t just to lose the weight – The goal is to achieve and maintain a Healthy Weight.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Choosing Spreads
Commercials for popular bread spreads talk about the type of fat and quantity of fat they contain but when they throw all those numbers out there it can get confusing. How do you choose which spread to use on your bread?
Margarines are made from oil and other than diet or lite margarines most margarines have about the same amount of fat in one teaspoon – 5 grams. The major difference in stick, tub and squeeze margarine is the saturated, trans and unsaturated fat content.
When it comes to reading labels look for margarines that have a low total amount of saturated and trans fats. Don’t let ads mislead you by only talking about trans fat content since BOTH saturated and trans fats will contribute to the risk for heart disease. Here is an example of what to look for.
Margarines are made from oil and other than diet or lite margarines most margarines have about the same amount of fat in one teaspoon – 5 grams. The major difference in stick, tub and squeeze margarine is the saturated, trans and unsaturated fat content.
When it comes to reading labels look for margarines that have a low total amount of saturated and trans fats. Don’t let ads mislead you by only talking about trans fat content since BOTH saturated and trans fats will contribute to the risk for heart disease. Here is an example of what to look for.
This is the label from a tub margarine and you can see that the trans and saturated fat together equal 1.5 grams.
This next label shows a stick margarine and you can see that the saturated and trans fat together equal 5.0 grams so even though the tub margarine has trans fats it has Less total, harmful fat.
Next time you head to the market to purchase margarine make sure you refer to the nutrition facts panel to see what you are really buying.
* Values derived from 2002 USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 15
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Enjoying Summer Produce
One of the delights of summer is the availability of fresh produce. Heading to a local market or even the chain supermarkets is a treat when you see all of the brightly colored fruits and vegetables but do you know how to pick the best produce?
Choose produce by how it looks feels and smells. Look for produce that is free of cuts and bruises and at various stages of ripeness to allow for consumption over a period of time. Store produce as soon as possible and clean before using to preserve nutrition.
When it comes to selecting the best produce follow these tips from “The American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide”, 3rd edition, 2006.
Blueberries – plump, firm berries with a light-grayish bloom.
Cantaloupe – Slightly oval fruit, 5 inches or more in diameter, with yellow or golden background color. Signs of sweetness include pronounced netting on the rind and a few tiny cracks near the stem end. Smell the melon; it should be noticeably strong and sweet.
Cherries – plump, bright-colored sweet or sour cherries. Sweet cherries have a reddish-brown skim and are not overly soft or shriveled.
Honeydew melons – look for heavy melons with waxy white rind. The blossom end should give to pressure.
Asparagus – firm, brittle spears that are bright green almost their entire length, with tightly closed tips.
Beets – firm, smooth skinned, small to medium in size with deep green and fresh looking leaves.
Eggplant – firm, heavy for their size, with taut, glassy, deeply colored skin.
Peppers – bright, glossy, firm and well shaped.
Salad greens – crisp, deeply colored leaves.
Summer squash – yellow squash and zucchini are medium size with firm, smooth, glossy, tender skin.
Tomatoes – smooth, well formed, firm but not hard. Smell the tomatoes.
If you’re just starting to expand your produce intake consider adding one new choice a week and experiment with usage until you are consuming the recommended daily amount.
Choose produce by how it looks feels and smells. Look for produce that is free of cuts and bruises and at various stages of ripeness to allow for consumption over a period of time. Store produce as soon as possible and clean before using to preserve nutrition.
When it comes to selecting the best produce follow these tips from “The American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide”, 3rd edition, 2006.
Blueberries – plump, firm berries with a light-grayish bloom.
Cantaloupe – Slightly oval fruit, 5 inches or more in diameter, with yellow or golden background color. Signs of sweetness include pronounced netting on the rind and a few tiny cracks near the stem end. Smell the melon; it should be noticeably strong and sweet.
Cherries – plump, bright-colored sweet or sour cherries. Sweet cherries have a reddish-brown skim and are not overly soft or shriveled.
Honeydew melons – look for heavy melons with waxy white rind. The blossom end should give to pressure.
Asparagus – firm, brittle spears that are bright green almost their entire length, with tightly closed tips.
Beets – firm, smooth skinned, small to medium in size with deep green and fresh looking leaves.
Eggplant – firm, heavy for their size, with taut, glassy, deeply colored skin.
Peppers – bright, glossy, firm and well shaped.
Salad greens – crisp, deeply colored leaves.
Summer squash – yellow squash and zucchini are medium size with firm, smooth, glossy, tender skin.
Tomatoes – smooth, well formed, firm but not hard. Smell the tomatoes.
If you’re just starting to expand your produce intake consider adding one new choice a week and experiment with usage until you are consuming the recommended daily amount.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Whole Wheat, Made with Whole Wheat, Whole Grain and Other Confusing Terms
Current guidelines recommend the intake of 48 grams of whole grain per day but since listing whole grain grams on the label is not required how do you know if you are getting that much or even if you are eating whole grains?
The best way to know if you are eating whole grain breads or pasta is to check the ingredient list. When you look at the ingredient list look for the words whole wheat flour, whole grain flour or whole oats.
If the ingredient list indicates the use of wheat or another type of flour the product is not 100% whole grain. A product that lists whole wheat, or another grain, and also the presence of wheat or another type of flour is classified as a product that is made with whole grains.
For more help knowing how to recognize whole grains and how to use them in your daily menus; check out these resources.
http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/files/WhatIsAWholeGrain.pdf
http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/files/WholeGrainsADAFactSheet.pdf
In addition to breads and pasta whole grains like quinoa, barley and spelt can be added to your menus as side dishes or the base for beans, stir fry and other entrees. Start boosting your whole grain intake by adding a new whole grain each week until at least half your grain intake is whole grains.
The best way to know if you are eating whole grain breads or pasta is to check the ingredient list. When you look at the ingredient list look for the words whole wheat flour, whole grain flour or whole oats.
If the ingredient list indicates the use of wheat or another type of flour the product is not 100% whole grain. A product that lists whole wheat, or another grain, and also the presence of wheat or another type of flour is classified as a product that is made with whole grains.
For more help knowing how to recognize whole grains and how to use them in your daily menus; check out these resources.
http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/files/WhatIsAWholeGrain.pdf
http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/files/WholeGrainsADAFactSheet.pdf
In addition to breads and pasta whole grains like quinoa, barley and spelt can be added to your menus as side dishes or the base for beans, stir fry and other entrees. Start boosting your whole grain intake by adding a new whole grain each week until at least half your grain intake is whole grains.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Punch-Up Flavor with More Produce
Do you struggle to meet the recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption? If you answered yes count yourself among the millions of Americans who are consuming less than the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables. The latest information from CDC shows that fewer than 25% of Americans get the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables and in Missouri that number is less than 20%. (1) There is good news, produce is at its peak during the summer and local markets can make trying it more enticing.
If you’d like to work on boosting your intake do three things.
· Develop a plan to boost your intake
· Visit http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/benefits/index.html to learn how many servings of fruits and vegetables you need each day
· Head to the store or a local market to try one new option this week
Including produce in your eating plan is important to your overall health since fruits and vegetables are rich sources of fiber, folate, potassium and vitamins A and C. In addition fruits and vegetables contain water which can help you stay hydrated.
1. http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/index.html Accessed May 22, 2009
If you’d like to work on boosting your intake do three things.
· Develop a plan to boost your intake
· Visit http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/benefits/index.html to learn how many servings of fruits and vegetables you need each day
· Head to the store or a local market to try one new option this week
Including produce in your eating plan is important to your overall health since fruits and vegetables are rich sources of fiber, folate, potassium and vitamins A and C. In addition fruits and vegetables contain water which can help you stay hydrated.
1. http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/index.html Accessed May 22, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Gluten Free, What Does it Mean?
The issue of gluten intolerance is not a new one but lately it is one that has attracted lots of attention. Gluten intolerance is a characteristic of the digestive disorder called Celiac Disease. Celiac disease affects about 1 in every 133 Americans and consumption of gluten leads to damage to the intestine. It is an inherited and chronic disorder that is only managed by the complete avoidance of gluten. Gluten is the general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley and foods made from or containing these items.
A gluten free diet requires that grains like pasta, cereal and bread be avoided unless they are specially made to be gluten free. In addition to these products people with Celiac disease can use potato, rice, soy, amaranth, quinoa, or buckwheat or any of these grains as flour along with bean flour.
Gluten sensitivity or intolerance differs from Celiac Disease in that people with sensitivity do not suffer from the intestinal damage. Understanding of gluten sensitivity is less clear than Celiac disease but for now the recommendation for management is the same as for Celiac disease, complete avoidance of gluten.
Recently gluten free diets have become an area of popular interest which is a good thing if the information is accurate. Improving on the number of gluten free products will help those who have Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance but implying that going gluten free will improve everyone’s health is not grounded in science.
If you suffer from painful intestinal issues talk with your physician about testing for Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity, don’t self diagnose since that could mean you miss out on important nutrients.
A gluten free diet requires that grains like pasta, cereal and bread be avoided unless they are specially made to be gluten free. In addition to these products people with Celiac disease can use potato, rice, soy, amaranth, quinoa, or buckwheat or any of these grains as flour along with bean flour.
Gluten sensitivity or intolerance differs from Celiac Disease in that people with sensitivity do not suffer from the intestinal damage. Understanding of gluten sensitivity is less clear than Celiac disease but for now the recommendation for management is the same as for Celiac disease, complete avoidance of gluten.
Recently gluten free diets have become an area of popular interest which is a good thing if the information is accurate. Improving on the number of gluten free products will help those who have Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance but implying that going gluten free will improve everyone’s health is not grounded in science.
If you suffer from painful intestinal issues talk with your physician about testing for Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity, don’t self diagnose since that could mean you miss out on important nutrients.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Sweet Facts
Are you confused about sweeteners? Do you know whether honey is better than sugar? When it comes to alternative sweeteners do you still worry about safety? And of course the big question is – Is high fructose corn syrup really as bad as they say?
The truths about sweets are just about as simple as the chemical structure of sugar so let’s go through them one by one. Before walking through the facts on all the different sweeteners let’s define the word sugar. Sugar refers to the chemical compounds fructose, glucose, galactose and sucrose.
Sucrose - Chemically table sugar/sucrose is a combination of glucose, about 50%, and fructose, about 50%. Sugar comes from either the sugarcane or from the root of a sugar beet. Table sugar has about 15 calories in one teaspoon.
Fructose – Fructose is a simple sugar and it is found in fruit, honey and root vegetables like carrots and onions. Fructose does not trigger insulin so it is often used as a sweetener in foods designed for people with diabetes.
Galactose – Galactose is a simple sugar found in milk along with glucose making up the compound lactose.
Glucose – Glucose is the main source of energy for the body and it is the end product of carbohydrate digestion.
Honey – Honey is several sugars including fructose, sucrose, glucose and other sugars formed from the nectar by bees. Honey has 21 calories in a teaspoon sine it weighs a bit more than a teaspoon of white sugar. Honey is sweeter than white sugar so you can often use less of it.
Brown sugar – Brown sugar is white sugar that has been flavored with molasses and it has 16 calories in a teaspoon.
High fructose corn syrup – HFCS is a combination of fructose, about 55%, and glucose, about 45% so it is very similar to table or white sugar.
Aspartame – Sugar alternative that is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is made from two amino acids - aspartic acid and phenylalanine. It is not stable when heated so it is used mainly in foods that don’t require baking or cooking.
Acesulfame K – AceK is also 200 times sweeter than sugar and is a common ingredient in soft drinks. AceK is heat stable so it can be used for cooking and baking.
Sucralose – Sucralose is made from sugar but it cannot be broken down in the body so it does not contribute calories. It also does not affect blood sugar levels making it a good choice for those with diabetes.
So the bottom-line is all sugars – including high fructose corn syrup – are absorbed and digested in the same way in the body and all end up as glucose. The issue with all sugars is how much you use with current guidelines recommending that added sugars should only account for up to 10% of our daily calorie intake.
Alternative sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame K and sucralose provide an option for those who want to limit there sugar intake or want to consume fewer calroeis from sugar.
Resources:
Food and Information Council. Backgrounder: Carbohydrates and Sugars. www.ific.org. Accessed on April 16, 2009
The American Dietetic Association. American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 3rd Edition. Wiley and Co. 2006.
American Dietetic Association. Hot Topic: High Fructose Corn Syrup. www.eatright.org. Accessed on April 13, 2009
The truths about sweets are just about as simple as the chemical structure of sugar so let’s go through them one by one. Before walking through the facts on all the different sweeteners let’s define the word sugar. Sugar refers to the chemical compounds fructose, glucose, galactose and sucrose.
Sucrose - Chemically table sugar/sucrose is a combination of glucose, about 50%, and fructose, about 50%. Sugar comes from either the sugarcane or from the root of a sugar beet. Table sugar has about 15 calories in one teaspoon.
Fructose – Fructose is a simple sugar and it is found in fruit, honey and root vegetables like carrots and onions. Fructose does not trigger insulin so it is often used as a sweetener in foods designed for people with diabetes.
Galactose – Galactose is a simple sugar found in milk along with glucose making up the compound lactose.
Glucose – Glucose is the main source of energy for the body and it is the end product of carbohydrate digestion.
Honey – Honey is several sugars including fructose, sucrose, glucose and other sugars formed from the nectar by bees. Honey has 21 calories in a teaspoon sine it weighs a bit more than a teaspoon of white sugar. Honey is sweeter than white sugar so you can often use less of it.
Brown sugar – Brown sugar is white sugar that has been flavored with molasses and it has 16 calories in a teaspoon.
High fructose corn syrup – HFCS is a combination of fructose, about 55%, and glucose, about 45% so it is very similar to table or white sugar.
Aspartame – Sugar alternative that is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is made from two amino acids - aspartic acid and phenylalanine. It is not stable when heated so it is used mainly in foods that don’t require baking or cooking.
Acesulfame K – AceK is also 200 times sweeter than sugar and is a common ingredient in soft drinks. AceK is heat stable so it can be used for cooking and baking.
Sucralose – Sucralose is made from sugar but it cannot be broken down in the body so it does not contribute calories. It also does not affect blood sugar levels making it a good choice for those with diabetes.
So the bottom-line is all sugars – including high fructose corn syrup – are absorbed and digested in the same way in the body and all end up as glucose. The issue with all sugars is how much you use with current guidelines recommending that added sugars should only account for up to 10% of our daily calorie intake.
Alternative sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame K and sucralose provide an option for those who want to limit there sugar intake or want to consume fewer calroeis from sugar.
Resources:
Food and Information Council. Backgrounder: Carbohydrates and Sugars. www.ific.org. Accessed on April 16, 2009
The American Dietetic Association. American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 3rd Edition. Wiley and Co. 2006.
American Dietetic Association. Hot Topic: High Fructose Corn Syrup. www.eatright.org. Accessed on April 13, 2009
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