Five Truths About Cooking Healthier

Does your plate look like MyPlate?

I recently did a presentation on how to make recipes healthier. I thought I would share some key points. I hope they are insightful!

1. To Cut Calories, Cut Portions
I took the standard Libby’s Pumpkin Pie recipe and substituted Sucralose (Splenda) for the sugar, egg substitute for the eggs, a lower fat crust, and non-fat evaporated milk instead of the regular. It saved a meager 40 calories per serving. But take the original pie recipe and cut the pie into 12 pieces instead of 8 (still a decent piece of pie) and calories drop from 303 to 202 saving you 100 calories and the trouble of buying Splenda and egg substitute.

2. Healthy Ingredients Equals Healthy Food
It’s pretty simple: if your food has healthy ingredients, it’s healthy. Do you make food that has a lot of butter, meat, and refined flour and grains? Or does your food have more whole grains, beans, vegetables, and healthier oils? Look at your food after you make it or plate it: does it look like the MyPlate portions? If not, what changes could you make so that it looks more balanced?

3. Make a Difference With Small Changes
If you change the ingredients too much, it ceases to be the original food. Pumpkin pie still needs a sweetened filling and a crust to be pumpkin pie and meatloaf still needs lots of meat to be meatloaf. However, you CAN make small changes (that you probably won’t even notice) that make your recipes healthier. You can add nearly 2 cups of mashed beans or chopped vegetables to a pound of ground beef and still make patties, meatloaf, or meatballs. You can cut the sugar in recipes by a quarter to a third. You can cut the fat in recipes by 25% or try substituting with fruit puree. You can usually substitute up to half the flour in a recipe with whole wheat flour and you can experiment with different kinds of whole grains or pasta instead of white pasta or rice. Leave additional salt out of recipes, use more herbs, and taste before seasoning. For the most part, these changes won’t drastically improve the nutritional value of a single food or meal. However, if you consistently make small improvements to all your meals, you probably will substantially improve your diet while preserving the recipes you are already making.

4. Recipe Authors Want to Sell Their Recipes, Too
One of the attendees asked if ‘Hungry Girl’ recipes were good. I had no idea who she was talking about, but she kindly filled me in and we looked up the glitzy website. The recipe we looked at was a low-cal version of cream puffs or something like that. I’m sure it had a lot less calories than the ones you buy in the store, but it was made with coolwhip, purchased dough, and packaged jell-o and pudding; not exactly powerhouse foods. We also looked at recipes from Cooking Light and Eating Well. Although these sites (and many others) have some truly healthy recipes, they also have some that may be ‘healthy’ because of tiny portions or when compared to original versions. Make sure you evaluate the ingredients, the number of servings, and the nutrition information before you decide whether it’s healthy or not.

5. Allow Yourself to Evolve
Years ago I found an amazing peanut butter cookie recipe. The cookies were buttery, peanut buttery, and they melted in your mouth after an initially crispy, crumbly bite. As I became savvier about eating and nutrition, I experimented with other recipes that had more healthful ingredients. There are millions of cookie recipes: do I really need to make the one that literally has cups of Crisco and peanut butter in them? There are perfectly tasty cookie recipes that have oatmeal, whole wheat flour, dried fruits, nuts, pumpkin, and other healthier ingredients. Food and tradition are undoubtedly intertwined, but don’t be afraid to try something new – you may find something that you (and others) like better and is more healthful. That peanut butter cookie recipe eventually made its way to the trash, but I don’t miss it one bit.

Is the First Step Towards Better Health a Nap?

Source: sxc.hu

Saying that it’s important to get a good night’s sleep almost goes without saying. It’s one of those universal truths in life like taxes or gravity. From personal experience, most of us know we feel tired, cranky, or sick and don’t function well if we don’t get enough rest. However, I’ve been seeing more and more reports lately on the links between poor sleep and serious health conditions. Although the relationships are complex, poor sleep is associated Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression.

It didn’t take me long to discover why it’s on the public health radar. The CDC analyzed data from the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and found that 37.1% of U.S. adults reported regularly sleeping less than 7 hours a night. (Recommendations for adults are 7-9 hours a night.) The CDC also measures sleep habits through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BFRSS) by asking the question “During the past 30 day, for about how many days have you felt you did not get enough rest or sleep?” A similar number of respondents answered 14 days or more. Besides being associated with chronic diseases, sleepiness contributes to motor vehicle and machinery-related accidents resulting in substantial injury.

Being somewhat of a sleep enthusiast (I agree with Ernest Hemmingway who said, “I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I’m awake. You know?”), I’m surprised that a full third of Americans aren’t getting enough sleep. In terms of a health behavior, you would think getting adequate sleep is a no-brainer. What’s the difficulty in sleeping? It doesn’t require physical exertion. It’s relaxing. It’s an ‘activity’ that most people enjoy. It makes us feel good and we know it’s good for us, even without the research.

Perhaps if we could manage to get more sleep, an arguably ‘easy’ and likeable health behavior, it would be the first step in changing more difficult behaviors such as smoking and eating unhealthy (but good tasting) foods. So what’s holding us back from getting more sleep? The answers are different for everyone; work, kids, reading, talking, TV shows, cleaning, etc. However, if you’re frustrated because you can’t seem to get enough sleep and you’d like to change it, there are some steps you can take to help you work on getting more sleep regardless of your reasons.

Is getting enough sleep a priority for you?
There is a book called “1,000 Places To See Before You Die.” The first time I saw it, I was in my mid-30’s and couldn’t help but do some math: statistically I’d live another 40 years, 1,000 ÷ 40 = 25 which roughly comes out to about 2 locations a month. It was disappointing to realize that it was literally impossible for me to ever see all those places. On the other hand, I knew my life could be complete without ever having seen The Ring Road in Iceland, whatever that is. (I put the book back.) We all have dreams and lists of things we’d like to do if only we had more time. But time is finite and so are we, so we must decide what is most important and let the rest go. (It’s ok if your heart breaks a little.) Clearly, sleep is important to your health, but if it’s not important to you, find out what is and work on that instead.

What are you doing that keeps you from getting enough sleep?
A time log is a great tool to help you discover what it is that you’re doing when you want to be doing something else. (See link below for a free downloadable form I found.) Keeping a log for even a few days creates awareness of what you are actually doing with your time. Once you have a record of your activity, you can decide if your current activities are more important than sleep. Do you get caught up on the internet, in a TV show, or movie? Do needy family members or friends engage you in long phone calls? Do you do ‘just this one quick thing’ for work? Imagine your life 10 years from now – how will those activities have impacted your overall quality of life?

Make a Plan
Once you’ve made sleep a priority and you know what’s keeping you from getting it, make a plan. Setting a goal to fall asleep at a certain time is obvious but it may not be the first or most important. More likely than not, other things will need to change before that time is available. For example, if your time log shows that you spend more time than you would like to on meal preparations, you may need to find faster recipes, plan meals ahead, or enlist the help of family members to reduce the time spent on that. Other activities that currently use up time will need to be eliminated or revised. Those changes are often unexpected and thus more difficult to make. It might be a good idea to set a date several weeks from now to ‘start’ getting more sleep to mentally and physically prepare for those changes.

Take It Day by Day
Remember that the tortoise beat the hare with steady effort. If you miss your start date, or you miss your goal more often than not the first week or month, be not dismayed. Tomorrow is another day to try again. Any change you make is better than no change at all. Every day you try gives you the opportunity to celebrate a success or learn something new about what doesn’t work. Either way, you win.

Here's a link to a free downloadable time log:
http://lauravanderkam.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/168-Hours-Log.pdf

Here are 10 tips from the National Sleep Foundation to help you get more sleep - any or all of these would be great for your plan:
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/healthy-sleep-tips

How are people in your state sleeping? Insufficient sleep statistics by state: 
http://www.cdc.gov/sleep/publications/factsheets.htm

Beyond Bologna

Well, hello there!  It’s the craziest time of the year – beginning of school! My job is back in full swing and my mind is busy thinking about various work projects. Hardly a moment to mind the little things like dishes, laundry, cooking, and writing blogs!

A few weeks ago my sister asked me to give her suggestions for packing a cold lunch. She was starting a different phase of her job that required eating on the go, and as she said, “You can only eat so many turkey and cheese sandwiches, you know?” Yeah, I know.

Packing a truly cold lunch (no reheating allowed) is limiting. There are more options if you have access to a microwave or well-appointed breakroom. Yet, packing a truly cold meal can be useful for school lunches, road trips, picnics, and after-school events. You can save a significant amount of money and avoid the not-always-healthy-but-always-convenient meal ‘pickup’, i.e. fast food, deli, convenience store, ice cream, etc. Besides, if your food is waiting for you at lunch, you may have a few moments to take a mental break; read something, take a walk, or call a friend.

I’m sharing with you what I shared with my sister, including links to recipes. I hope you get some great ideas and are inspired to make an effort to pack lunch more often. A home packed lunch instead of a prepared meal will most likely be healthier, cheaper, and tastier.

Wraps & Pitas
All you need is a whole-wheat tortilla or pita and stuff to put inside. As long as the filling is not too wet, nearly anything can be put into a wrap. Try whole grain rice or quinoa, canned beans, leftovers, leafy greens, chopped or sliced veggies and fruit, meats, hard boiled eggs, etc. Be creative and try to use what you have on hand.

Smoked-Turkey and Fruit Wrap with Curried Aïoli on Epicurious.com
I have made these in the past and they are really good. The aïoli is so simple and delicious that you’ll wonder what else you can use it on! I have apples in my home more often than pears so I usually use them instead.

Spinach and Artichoke Wraps on MarthaStewart.com
I enjoy artichokes so this recipe looks simple, healthy, and flavorful. I might use marinated artichokes instead of plain for added flavor. Take a look at the other recipes in this Wrap & Burrito gallery from Martha Stewart and see what appeals to you. Several seem simple enough to make in terms of time and ingredients, such as the Taco Salad Wraps, Bean and Cheese Burritos, Prosciutto and Gruyere Wraps, and the Southwestern Chicken Wraps.

Sandwiches
Even with a basic sandwich, a variety of dressings, flavors, and ingredients can keep them from being boring. Try the garlic aïoli from above instead of plain mayonnaise, search the grocery store aisles for a new mustard or sandwich spread (like an olive tapenade), use sliced apples for crunch and sweetness, pre-cook bacon and add a piece or two for flavor, and try a variety of meats.

Salad sandwiches, like tuna and egg, are a good choice because they store for several days. You also have the added option of eating them with whole grain crackers or chips instead of the bread, which is a nice change.

Egg Salad from MarthaStewart.com
This is the egg salad recipe that I use, although I don’t usually include the celery because it’s not something I usually have on hand. Use a fat free mayonnaise to reduce calories.

Salmon Salad on EatingWell.com
Although I have not made this recipe, I have made similar recipes and it’s worth including because canned salmon is typically inexpensive and a good source of protein, omega-3s, and calcium. Canned salmon can be wet, so if you have time to let it drain for a while, do so. You’ll notice this recipe is part of Eating Well’s “Quick Light Lunches” slideshow that has many other recipes you might want to review.

Tuna Salad
Below is the tuna salad recipe I use. I often make it with whatever I have on hand and usually that means skipping the shallot/green onion and celery, but it’s still good. Dice the apples pretty fine so that it’s more spreadable.

Tuna Waldorf Salad
1/2 c fat-free mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp curry powder
6 oz can tuna
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored & diced
1/4 c chopped walnuts
1/2 c diced celery
1 tsp sweet pickle relish
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients.

Salads
A salad can is a great way to get multiple servings of leafy greens or vegetables. You can construct a salad much in the same manner as any of the sandwiches above. All 5 food groups can be included in a salad and leafy greens don’t need to be the only vegetable. I make a salad with broccoli and apple chopped into bite-sized pieces, sunflower seeds (1½ tablespoons is a serving of protein), raisins, and blue cheese dressing. Regarding dressings, a high quality full fat dressing tastes better (in my opinion) and the fat helps your body absorb certain nutrients in the salad and will keep you feeling fuller longer. Use a reasonable portion of a rich dressing guilt free!

Besides the green salad, you can use pasta or grains as a base. I like to have cooked rice on hand (which also freezes quite well, by the way) and combine with cooked chicken, canned beans, chopped veggies and/or fruit, and salad dressing.

Southwestern Corn Black Bean Salad on EatingWell.com
This salad looks like something I’d like to try. I like that it uses cabbage, which is full of powerful antioxidants and something I don’t eat often enough. I would skip the pine nuts (only because they are quite expensive and something I don't normally use) and use canned corn. I think topping with grilled chicken would be tasty, too.

Antipasto-Style or “Random” Lunch
You don’t always have to ‘put something together’ to make a meal. Open your fridge or pantry and see what you've got in there. Remember that a balanced meal should include 3 of the 5 food groups, but within that your options are unlimited. A sensible lunch could include a piece of fruit, cooked or canned meat, cheese, a handful of nuts, whole-grain crackers, whole grain roll, bell pepper, broccoli florets, carrot sticks, etc. It might not seem like a meal if you are accustomed to eating a larger meal at lunch, but it is a good way to save on calories.

Why Bother?

Recently the husband of an acquaintance died. He was diagnosed with leukemia in late May and was gone within the first days of August. From what I hear, he ate right, led a healthy, active lifestyle, yet passed away at 41 leaving a wife, two small children, and a shocked and grieving community.

A colleague and I were discussing this tragedy and she remarked, “It burst my bubble; that if I ate right and exercised I would be fine.” I have heard people use similar logic to excuse attempts to be healthier. “I’m going to die of something,” they say, or “I could give up all food I love and die in a car accident tomorrow.” These are true statements, but there is a flaw in using that logic as an excuse to ignore your extra weight, your daily Big Gulp or French fries fix, your smoking, excessive drinking, or refusal to eat vegetables. Leading a healthier lifestyle is not necessarily about living longer (although that usually is a side effect), it’s about living better – feeling your physical best on most days. If you don’t take care of your body, your quality of life will suffer.

The CDC states “Heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems in the U.S.” They list four health behaviors that are responsible for much of the “illness, suffering, and early death” related to chronic diseases; lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, smoking, and excessive drinking. It goes on to say that, according to 2005 data, nearly 50% of Americans have at least one of these chronic diseases and about one-fourth of people with a chronic condition have one or more daily activity limitations. Daily activity limitations. That could, and does, mean different things – what daily activity would you miss the most?

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among adults and diabetics are 40-60% more likely to develop glaucoma and cataracts, two other leading causes of blindness. Over half of all amputations are diabetes related, many of them being lower extremity amputations; toes, feet, and legs. The demands of diabetes management; scheduling and planning what you eat, monitoring blood glucose, determining and administering insulin or medication, are often overwhelming and stressful. Depression is more common in diabetics.

Being overweight or obese can make life difficult in many ways; it may be hard to find clothes that fit or a comfortable seat. It may be difficult or even painful to get in and out of a car, walk up stairs, or carry groceries. Many people who are overweight report feeling bad about themselves and their ability to be successful. This may affect social circles and work performance. These bad feelings are often reinforced as many people negatively judge those who are overweight.

Heart disease includes various problems, mostly related to atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the walls of arteries. Heart attack, stroke, and heart failure (inefficient heart function) are types of heart disease. Suffering any of these ‘cardiac events’ will result in life changes. At the very least there will be daily medications and required lifestyle changes. At worst, you may have to relearn daily activities such as walking and speaking, or limit the amount of physical activity you can do (walking, traveling, moving around your home).

The good news is that lifestyle changes DO help. A 10% reduction in body weight can significantly reduce your risk of developing diabetes. Replacing just 5% of the saturated fat in your diet with healthier oils (same amount of calories!) can result in a meaningful reduction in the risk of developing heart disease or type 2 diabetes. A sodium study found that the risk of having a cardiovascular event dropped 21%-41% on a reduced sodium diet. Another report found that a 400mg/day reduction of sodium intake in the average American Diet (currently 3,436mg/day, nearly THREE times recommendations) will result in 20,000 fewer heart attacks, 13,000 fewer strokes, 17,000 fewer deaths and a $7 billion savings in public health costs. Other researchers found that for each additional gram of daily fiber eaten by those studied, there was a ½ pound reduction in body weight and .25% decrease in body fat. In a 14-year study of whole grains, the group that ate the most whole grains had a 10% reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

A saying by author Kobi Yamata asks, “If you do not take care of your body, where will you live?” The honest answer to that question is you'll still have to live in your body. Your choices today will determine whether it is a body that serves you well; can see, has legs, allows you to get in and out of your car, play with your children and grandchildren, and participate in the world around you, or if it is a body that confines you and keeps you from living; slowly leading you along a downward spiral of disease and a long, slow death. Without a doubt, the death of my acquaintance’s husband was untimely. However, had he been 81 instead of 41, and able to participate in life with few limitations up until the last few months, it likely would have been viewed as a good life; the kind of life we should be so lucky to have.

Resources
http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/index.htm#2
http://www.aoa.org/x6814.xml
http://besthealth.bmj.com/x/topic/392727/further-information/12941.html
http://www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/diabetes_leamp.html
http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/health_risks.htm
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dgas2010-dgacreport.htm
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-consequences/health-effects/index.html

Making Breakfast Happen

If there was a list of the top ten over-used sayings about food, “Breakfast: it’s the most important meal of the day!” would definitely be on it. Besides the research in support of eating breakfast (breakfast eaters tend to live healthier lifestyles and have lower risk of chronic diseases), it makes common sense. Of all the energy your body uses in a day, roughly 80% of it is used to support basic bodily functions* which, thankfully, don’t stop when we are sleeping. It is natural to eat after ‘fasting’ overnight.

Perhaps another reason breakfast is such a big deal is because people seem to skip it more often. Morning is the time when we are most rushed, stressed, or likely to be thinking about the upcoming day instead of the current moment. I often hear “I’m not hungry in the morning” or “I don’t like breakfast foods” as a reason to not eat breakfast. Eating a good breakfast is a healthy habit and if you think your current breakfast routine could be improved, read on.

Consider how eating breakfast might improve your day. Would you prevent the 10am vending machine run? Maybe you would plan to get up a little earlier and enjoy a more relaxed start to your day? Would you save money? Might you feel better or less hungry? Could you share breakfast with your spouse or family? Will you eat better or less at lunch? (In our minds we think “Oh I skipped breakfast so I can eat a lot for lunch.” Experts call this ‘compensatory eating.’ It also happens with foods labeled ‘fat-free’, sugar-free’ or otherwise labeled healthier in someway.) Imagine what the benefits of eating breakfast could be for you.

Now that you’ve thought a little about what you’d gain from eating breakfast, what might be a first step? As I mentioned in a previous post, we must be scientists in our own eating, so start experimenting! You may start by eating something (anything) if you currently don’t eat breakfast. Or you may want to change what you eat for breakfast. Below are some ideas and recipes to get you started; which ones might work for you? If you see something that you might like to try, here or somewhere else, make it for dinner one night as a trial run. You'll likely save dinner calories for the evening and get a sense for how it will work in the morning.

GRAB-N-GO
A good rule of thumb is to eat from 3 of the 5 food groups at a meal. Here are some foods that don’t require cooking or morning prep; you can eat them in the car or at your desk.
Ready-to-eat cereal: Cereal that you can put in a snack bag or container and eat with your fingers (no milk!) is great for on the go. Here are some guidelines for choosing cereals, but make sure you get something you like: look for cereals with whole grain, bran, or rolled/flaked oats as the first thing in the ingredient list, 3 grams of fiber per 100 calories, less than 1 gram of saturated fat per serving, and an ingredient list that doesn’t read like a chemistry test. Quaker Oat Bran and Shredded Wheat are ones to consider.
Hard-boiled eggs: If you like hard-boiled eggs, they can be a handy breakfast option. They keep well in the refrigerator and count as a one-ounce serving of protein.
Fruit: Apples, bananas, plums, and cut, sliced or peeled whole fruit are super-handy and taste great. Consider cutting up fruit one evening for the next three mornings.
Vegetables: Why not? Keeping washed and cut up vegetables in the refrigerator is handy for grab-n-go as well as for cooking meals. Celery or carrots with peanut butter or cherry tomatoes are a refreshing way to start the day and get a serving of vegetables.
Breakfast Bars: Look for bars with whole grains, lower sugar, and a short ingredient list. There are many breakfast bar recipes out there, too. I haven’t found one I like yet, but I will certainly share if I do!
Cheese or Yogurt: Grab a piece of string cheese, a serving of your favorite cheese, or a yogurt cup and head out the door – easy to eat on the run!

FIVE MINUTE BREAKFASTS
Smoothies: Use fresh or frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, and ice. Use it to wash down a granola bar or piece of whole wheat toast to include a third food group. My favorite smoothie is: ½ c milk, ½ c plain yogurt, 1 banana, 1 T peanut butter, and 1 T chocolate syrup.
Peanut Butter Sandwich: One slice of whole wheat bread, 1 T of peanut (or other nut butter), and banana slices, honey, or jam. Combine with a piece of fruit, milk (in winter, hot chocolate is an exceptional pairing), or yogurt. Keep in mind that the honey, jam, hot chocolate, and possibly the yogurt are/have added sugars that count towards discretionary calories.

FIFTEEN MINUTE BREAKFASTS
If you have a little more time…
Egg, potato, cheese pancake: I’m not sure why this works because the potato should not be cooked after such a short time, but it works. Grate one small potato into a bowl (skin and all), add an egg, salt, pepper, or other seasonings and whisk together. Pour into a hot pan (high) and spread with the back of a fork to a ¼ to ½ inch thickness. Cook until browned (about 2-3 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium-low and flip the ‘pancake.’ Now you can put some cheese or vegetables on top (spinach leaves, or leftover vegetables would work) and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Fold in half so the filling is on the inside. This can be wrapped in foil and eaten on the run; like a taco. (I know because I’ve done this.)
Scrambled Eggs or Omelet: Eggs cook very quickly. Whip an egg or two with salt and pepper or other seasonings. Add a little oil or cooking spray to a pan over medium heat. Pour in the egg(s) and swirl until they cover the entire bottom of the pan. Once it begins to set but before the top is too firm, use a spatula to lift up the sides of the omelet and tilt the pan to let the uncooked eggs run underneath. Reduce the heat to low. You can add leftover cooked vegetables, fresh spinach leaves, or cheese to the top and cook until set. Getting the omelet shape takes practice (and luck, I’m convinced) so be willing to accept scrambled eggs on those days. You can eat the eggs as is or put them in a tortilla or between two pieces of bread for a sandwich.

*Such as breathing, circulation, digestion, etc.

Perspectives on Portions

If you’re paying attention to what you eat, you’ve probably heard about ‘portion control.’ It is being aware of the difference between a portion (the amount you choose to eat or are served) and a serving size (the amount of food recommended for nutrition purposes). Although the term “serving size” is used on nutrition facts labels, it may or may not coincide with the recommended serving size. Additionally, to practice effective portion control you must know the recommended serving sizes and what they look like, e.g. a ½ cup of chopped vegetables or an ounce of grains. Because portions are typically much bigger than recommended serving sizes, it is well worth the effort to learn the general basics of serving sizes. Just being aware of the discrepancy can help you eat less and lose weight. 

According to the CDC the average 30-something woman is 5’4” and 163 pounds. I created a profile in the SuperTracker tool on the My Plate website using these dimensions and named the profile “Suzy.” I was informed that Suzy’s Body Mass Index (BMI) fell above the healthy range. Nevertheless, I selected to “maintain current weight” meaning Suzy will not lose weight at the given recommendations. Here are her recommended daily food intakes and what they mean:

6 Ounces of Grains, Make Half of them Whole Grains 

Grains and protein foods are measured by weight (ounces) whereas fruits, vegetables, dairy, and oils are measured in volume (cups, teaspoons). It is useful to remember that 28 grams = 1 ounce as many bread products like cereals and crackers list their serving sizes in portions of food (“Six Crackers” or “1 cup”) but will note the grams afterwards. For example, I have a box of Quaker Oatmeal Squares that lists the serving size (which is actually a portion) as “1 cup (60 g).” This would actually count as TWO recommended servings, or 1/3 of Suzy’s grains for the day. What else counts as 1 ounce of grains:

• One, 1-ounce slice of bread (check the package, many slices are larger)

• ½ cup cooked pasta, rice, or cereal

• 1 ounce uncooked pasta or rice (useful to have a scale for this)

• 1 tortilla (6 inch diameter)

• 1 pancake (5 inch diameter)

• 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal (about 1 cup cereal flakes)  

2 ½ Cups of Vegetables and 2 Cups of Fruit

Vegetables and fruits are measured by volume (cups) making the serving sizes easier to visualize. One serving is one cup of raw or cooked vegetables or fruits. One cup is about the size of a baseball or you can visualize a 1-cup measure that you use in your kitchen. Double up on leafy greens, as 2 cups of leafy greens counts as a 1-cup serving. The opposite is true for dried fruit; ½ cup of dried fruit counts as a 1-cup serving. One cup of 100% vegetable or fruit juice also counts. There are also weekly recommendations for dark green, starchy, red, and orange vegetables as well as beans and peas to emphasize eating a variety.

3 Cups of Dairy, Choose Fat-Free or Low-Fat

Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, pudding, ice cream, and cottage cheese are measured in cups; cheese is measured by weight in ounces. One serving of ‘natural’ cheese (a.k.a “Real Cheese” in Wisconsin!) is 1½ ounces and is about the size of 4 dice; the serving size of processed cheese (e.g. American) is 2 ounces. TIP: When you bring cheese home, immediately divide the block into 1½ oz portions; cut an 8-ounce block into 6 equal pieces that will be just under 1½ ounces. Note that it takes two cups of cottage cheese and 1½ cups of ice cream to equal to a 1-cup serving. Remember to choose fat-free or low-fat and use caution with puddings, ice creams, and yogurts as they can have a lot of added sugar. (FYI, my current favorite frozen yogurt is Blue Bunny All Natural Vanilla– 100 calories per ½ cup and a short ingredient list.)

5 ½ Ounces of Protein Foods

Because the protein foods group includes meats, fish, beans, nuts, and eggs, servings are measured both in weight and volume. Remember that 1 pound = 16 ounces; therefore a ¼ pound beef patty will count as 4 of Suzy’s allotted 5 ½ ounces per day. I'm surprised that recommendations include half-ounces since that is such a small amount, but it must have mattered enough to do it. What else counts as one ounce of protein:

• 1 ounce lean meat, poultry, or seafood

• 1 egg (great to keep on hand – FYI hard-boiled eggs keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator)
• 1 Tablespoon peanut butter (or any nut butter)

• ½ ounce nuts or seeds (1/2 ounce of sunflower seeds is about 1½ T)

• ¼ cup cooked beans or peas

6 Teaspoons of Oils

 Oils are not a food group but are necessary for good health and so are included in the guidelines. This includes oils used for cooking and foods high in oils such as dressings, olives, and avocados. In general, you want more mono-unsaturated fats like olive and canola oil and less solid fats like butter and lard. Since trans-fats are doubly detrimental to cardiovascular health by both lowering HDL (good) cholesterol and raising LDL (L for lousy) cholesterol, it is recommended to eliminate ALL artificial trans-fats. Alert: foods can list “0 grams of trans fats per serving” and actually have trans fats in them. (If it has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, they can round down.) You must check the ingredient list for partially hydrogenated oils, which indicate that trans fats are present. Did you know that 20%-35% of all our calories should come from fats? Fats perform essential functions in our bodies and help us feel more satisfied with our food – so don’t be afraid of good fats!

258 Discretionary Calories

The folks at the USDA and HHS aren’t all work and no play, so they do allow for a reasonable amount of calories (about 13% of total calories) for foods that don’t fit in any of the food groups. This includes foods such as chips, desserts, baked goods, alcoholic beverages, sodas, and candy. Unfortunately, these foods are usually rich in calories so a little goes a long way. Check food labels and familiarize yourself with the calorie content of the foods you like to splurge on.

Things To Keep In Mind

Remember that the food serving recommendations are simply a tool to help you eat a variety of foods and "not too much," as Michael Pollan says. It is not reasonable, or necessary, to measure and count all of the food you eat all the time. However, being aware of the recommendations and their respective servings sizes, especially if you want to lose weight, can be extremely useful. I personally re-visit my own recommendations from time to time as I too slip back into less-than-healthy eating habits. Spending a week or two following the recommendations can be an eye-opener and help keep healthy eating habits on track.

Additional Resources:

A guide to serving sizes: http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/servingcard7.pdf

See more detailed food groups serving size information at http://www.choosemyplate.gov; hover over the “My Plate” link on the left of the green menu bar and you can click on any of the 5 food groups for more serving information.

Get a personalized eating plan on SuperTracker at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/supertracker-tools/supertracker.html.

The Paleo Diet

Thanks to everyone who took a look at my site! I’m looking forward to this new venture and the journey on which it takes me. :)

A friend and her husband are considering the Paleo Diet and asked me what I thought. As I was researching it, I thought it would make a fine second blog entry so here goes.

The Paleo Diet, also referred to as the Caveman Diet, Stone Age Diet or Hunter-Gather Diet was created by Dr. Loren Cordain, a professor at Colorado State University. The basic idea behind the diet is that humans are genetically adapted to function best when consuming a diet of foods that could be found or hunted before agriculture or the domestication of animals. This tends to be a higher protein diet focusing on lean meats, nuts, fresh vegetables, fruits, and berries. The diet excludes dairy and all processed or cultivated foods like grains, beans, potatoes, sugars, bakery, sodas, beer, etc.

I did find some academic research on the Paleo Diet. A 2009 study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition fed 9 healthy, sedentary volunteers the Paleo Diet for a period of 10 days. They found reductions in blood pressure, insulin levels, and improved lipid profiles (cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL levels in the blood). There was no change in weight. Another study published in Nutrition and Metabolism in 2010, compared the Paleo Diet to the Mediterranean Diet in terms of how satisfying the diet was. The study was comprised of 29 males with pre-diabetes or diabetes and increased waist circumference (a risk factor for heart disease). The group on the Paleo Diet reported feeling more satisfied, in spite of consuming fewer calories, than those on the Mediterranean Diet. At the end of the 12 weeks, both groups showed lower levels of leptin (a hormone associated with energy metabolism) but those with lower levels of leptin in the Paleo Group were more likely to have lost more weight and inches relative to those with lower levels of leptin in the Mediterranean Group. Both studies noted an intake of Calcium below the recommended levels.

Although these examples show some potential for benefits of the Paleo Diet, we should keep in mind the context of the studies. Both groups were very small, the first group’s meals were prepared for them (nice!), one study excluded women, exercise was not a factor in either, and both studies were carried out during short time periods. There have not been any large, long-term studies of the diet. Note that blood pressure, insulin levels, and lipid profiles can all be positively influenced with other diets and regular exercise. I will also note that Dr. Cordain’s higher education is in Exercise Physiology, which is the study of how exercise and physical activity alter the structure and function of the body. Certainly nutrition is important in the study of exercise and physical activity, but the extent of his nutrition education is not clear.

From a professional nutrition standpoint, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) published by the USDA and the US Department of Health and Human Services are the key recommendations based on extensive, quality research. The My Plate icon is based on the Dietary Guidelines. The recommendations include eating food from all five food groups every day (Grains, Vegetables, Protein Foods, Dairy, and Fruit) while limiting the amount of sodium, saturated and trans fats, and refined grains. The Paleo Diet aligns with the recommendations of reducing refined grains and sodium (of which processed foods are a major source), and consuming lean meats. The Paleo Diet excludes whole grains, dairy, and legumes, which are rich sources of essential nutrients.

Many diets create weight loss by eliminating entire food groups and the Paleo Diet fits into this category. Many of them also work, at least in the short term, because dieters usually consume fewer calories when they exclude entire groups of food from their meals. These diets are also usually hard to stick to over time for the same reason. People like the idea of prescribed diets because it seems like it would be simple to find a plan and then carry it out. As if eating better is like a road trip from point A to point B, guaranteed to be without incident, via a single freeway. The truth is that our eating habits are constantly changing and being influenced by our environments. That is why, over time, we tend to slip away from these kinds of diets.

I hesitate to make broad diet recommendations because every individual circumstance is different. However, there are certain ideas that I like to use because they are simple, align with recommendations, and make sense. I love Michael Pollan’s philosophy of “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” This phrase means to eat real food, not highly processed, in moderate amounts, making sure you eat plenty of vegetables and fruits. Although Mr. Pollan’s formal education is also not in nutrition (he’s a professor of journalism at Berkeley) his philosophy conveys a common-sense wisdom and allows for personal flexibility. I also think that it’s crucial to listen to your body above all else. Awareness is becoming a focus area in obesity research. We often eat for reasons other than hunger, and we may ignore hunger cues or subtle adverse reactions to certain foods. Be a scientist in your own eating. Be willing to learn and make changes to what you eat based on what you notice. How do you feel after eating certain foods? How little food can you eat and still be satisfied? Take time to notice your food before and while you are eating it.

If you want to try the Paleo Diet, in the spirit of being a scientist in your own eating, go ahead and try it! You will likely discover something new that will be useful to you. I would caution that there is not enough research on the long term effects of the diet and the positive outcomes it promises can be achieved by following the Dietary Guidelines. Be aware of potentially low intakes of Calcium and Vitamin D. (It may make sense to take a multi-vitamin.)

Related Links and Readings

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans PDF download:

http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2010/DietaryGuidelines2010.pdf

My Plate Recommendations, you can get a personalized eating plan and see what your recommendations are:

http://www.choosemyplate.gov

Michael Pollan’s ‘In Defense of Food’, an informative and pleasant read:

http://michaelpollan.com/books/in-defense-of-food/

WebMD review of the Paleo Diet:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-review-the-caveman-paleo-diet

HBO Weight of the Nation

HBO partnered with the Institute of Medicine to produce a documentary about obesity in American. The link below is to one of the 4 main films. You have the option to select chapters; chapter 3 is titled “Why Diets Don’t Work Over the Long Term.”

http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/watch/main-films/Choices

Welcome! And Hello!

“I heard that white cheese is better than yellow cheese.”

“Isn’t coffee bad for you?”

“Ugh. They are always changing that food pyramid!”

 “It’s so expensive to eat healthy!”

These are all things I’ve heard from clients or people I meet when they find out that I’m a “nutrition person.” For some people, eating has become a major source of confusion, frustration, and anxiety. And no wonder! There is more scientific information than ever before about the molecular components in foods; the polyphenols in grape juice, the lycopene in tomatoes, the resveratrol in wine, to name a few. Because science is always coming out with new information, eating has become much more confusing than it needs to be.

Don’t get me wrong, the science is useful and I will surely refer to it on this blog. But ultimately, eating is much more than the intake of molecules for cellular fuel. How healthy we are is the result of a complex equation, which includes food choices, eating habits, genetics, lifestyle, and a nearly infinite list of factors; and they are different for every individual. Even ‘healthy’ has a different meaning for everyone.

My hope is that this blog will inform and inspire those of you that want to be healthier, whatever that means to you. You may want to feel better, lose weight, or ‘WOW’ your doctor on your next cholesterol test. I will share information, stories, recipes, and ideas that you might want to use in your own daily routine. I look forward to your questions, comments, and suggestions and providing you with the information you most want to know.

Thanks for visiting and I look forward to seeing you soon!