Five Fall Faves

Even though I live in Florida, I can still appreciate the fall. We had our own little cold front come through earlier in the week and it was in the 40's overnight and 60's during the day. That cool air felt so good! I love the "crisp" feel in the air and the sound of fallen leaves under my feet.

When the weather cools, I often think of my fall favorite foods. My friend brought me a little dish of pumpkin ice cream the other day. Mmmmmm. So rich and creamy, it was a sinful little indulgence that I enjoyed every bite of.

Speaking of crisp, don't you just love apple season? Apples are so good when they are crunchy and sweet. You can eat them raw, baked them with a sprinkle of cinnamon, or slice them up into an apple crisp.

One of my true favorites at this time of year is winter squash. I love the sweet and almost creamy taste of squash. It is actually quite easy to prepare. My favorite is butternut squash (see picture), and I simply poke a few holes in the skin with a fork and stick it in the microwave for 15 minutes. It is really HOT when it comes out, so be careful. Cut it open, scrape out the seeds, and dive into the yummy fleshy part of the squash. I eat it as is, but you can add a pat of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon or brown sugar if you like.

Since this is a nutrition blog, let me tell you a few of the benefits of my "Five Fall Fave" foods:

1. Apples: Vitamin C, fiber, and phytochemicals quercetin, beta-carotene, and chlorogenic acid
2. Pumpkin: Fiber, potassium, selenium, Vitamin A, and carotenoids beta-carotene, alpha carotene, lutein
3. Pumpkin seeds: Omega-3 fats, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, Vitamin K
4. Winter Squash: Vitamin C, potassium, fiber, Vitamin B6, magnesium, Vitamin A, beta-carotene
5. Cranberry: Vitamin C, fiber, phytochemicals and phenolic antioxidants

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Nutrition Trends

I just returned from the American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference in Chicago! What a wonderful conference full of all kinds of information! I will probably post blogs about different things I learned for the next few days.

One session I found especially interesting was a report on a Nutrition Trends Survey that the ADA conducts every few years.

Here are some highlights:

• Importance of Nutrition: 67% of people surveyed said diet and nutrition is "very important" to them.
  
• Whole grains: The message is definitely getting out about whole grains. 56% of people surveyed said they are eating more! 94% of respondents knew that whole grain bread is healthier than white bread.
  
• Fruits and veggies: Almost half of the respondents said they were eating more fruits and vegetables
• Trans fat: 56% of people said they have cut back on foods that contain trans fat
• Meats: 41% and 33% of people are cutting back on beef and pork, respectively
• Sugar: 20% said they were cutting back on sugar
• Omega-3's: 38% said they have increased consumption

Where do people get their nutrition information?

1. Television
2. Magazines
3. Internet
4. Newspapers
5. Family/friends
6. Doctor

Registered Dietitians were considered by 78% of the respondents to be the most credible source of nutrition information, followed by 61% saying doctors were a credible source as well.

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Chicago Chocolate

We made 6 different chocolate stops, and some of them were in places you would not expect. I loved this tour because I thought we would stop at 6 chocolate shops and maybe view how chocolate was made, but that is NOT what we did! We did stop at a few traditional chocolate shops, but we also "found" chocolate in some everyday places.





If you are in Chicago and in the mood for Chocolate (who isn't?), check out Chicago Chocolate Tours!

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Caffeine and Breast Cancer

Since we are still in Pink Month (Breast Cancer Awareness) I thought I would write another blog about a new study in Archives of Internal Medicine on caffeine and breast cancer risk.

Many women who have fibrocystic breast disease have noticed that their symptoms got better when they removed caffeine from their diet. So it makes sense that someone should study whether caffeine consumption is related to risk of breast cancer.

The findings from a study of over 38,000 women found that consumption of caffeine was not associated with overall risk of breast cancer. Among those women with benign (non-cancer) breast disease, there was a positive association in the women who were drinking more than 4 cups of coffee per day.

Overall breast cancer risk was not found to be a statistically significant association. However, there were positive associations for certain types of breast cancer (those that have tumors that estrogen and progesterone do not bind) and with tumors larger than 2 centimeters.

Bottom line
Caffeine is fine in small to moderate quantities. Coffee has the highest concentration of caffeine than any other beverage. Limit consumption to no more than 16 ounces of coffee daily. This is good for men and women alike. Caffeine has other side effects that can be unpleasant and unhealthy in doses more than about 350 mg per day (about 16 ounces of coffee). Find out how much caffeine you are drinking by learning caffeine content in common beverages.

Photo courtesy of dreamstime.com

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Vote for Healthier Fast Food

Long John Silver's announced yesterday that they are rolling out a new menu that includes fish that is grilled and not deep fried. The new menu will be called "Freshside Grille" and will be lower in fat and calories than the fried offerings. They will have grilled Pacific salmon, grilled tilapia, shrimp scampi, mixed vegetables, and seasoned rice. Expect to see it near the end of this month. The salmon has 150 calories while the tilapia and shrimp have only 110 calories each. The veggies weigh in at only 60 calories while the rice has 270 calories.

Vote
I know we are only 15 days from electing a new US President, but there are more ways to vote than just on November 4.

Vote with your food dollars. Restaurants hear from their customers all the time that they would like healthier options. They work very hard developing new healthier options and roll them out to you. But for some reason, we just don't seem to buy those healthier items when we get to the drive through window.

If you want to continue to have healthy options at restaurants, you need to "vote" for them by purchasing them. Healthier food is often costlier for the restaurant to make, and they are not going to continue to offer it if people are not buying it.

If you dine out frequently, look for these healthy options and give them a try. Many restaurants offer fresh fruit, yogurt, and salads as alternatives to burgers and fries. Vote for those options, and enjoy the many years of good health you will gain in the process!

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Eating Out May Get Pricier

We all know the state of the economy in the US (and world), and some things are expected to get worse. Restaurants are already seeing fewer patrons and less money coming in. Food costs are up, which means restaurants are raising their prices.

The price of commodities like beef and chicken are up, not to mention varying fuel prices. Many chains are taking certain foods off of their "dollar" menus or 2 for $3 promotions (why you need two double cheeseburgers is also something you want to ask yourself).

"This is the most challenging environment for restaurant operators regarding food price inflation on the wholesale level for almost 30 years," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research at the National Restaurant Association.

Increase in food prices:

• 2006: Less than 1%
• 2007: 7.6%
• 2008 (through August): 8.7%

Restaurants have no other choice than to pass on the higher food prices to you. Menu prices for restaurants have only averaged a 4.2% so far this year.

Since economics is all about supply and demand, think about why prices are going up. The price of feed is going up, so more farmers are either going out of business or reducing their production. When the supply goes down, the prices go up. Beef and chicken are expected to go up between 5 and 9% in 2009.

While I do want to support the restaurants, it is difficult when money is tight for everyone. Eat at home, shop grocery store sales, but eat out for special occasions instead of habit. If you do eat out, split a meal to reduce portions. This will help your waistline and your pocketbook!

Photo courtesy of thismamacooks.com

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Get Ready to Welcome Stevia

Have you heard of Stevia? If not, you are about to start seeing it on grocery store shelves and very likely in soft drinks very soon.

Stevia is a natural , very powerful sweetener that is calorie-free. The plant has been used in Latin America and Asia for many years. In the US, it has been available, but it was labeled as a "dietary supplement" instead of a sweetener. But that is all going to change. The FDA is currently reviewing research submitted to them to try to see if they will approve stevia to be in food products. A decision is expected to come soon from the agency.

Stevia is already 40-50% of the sweetener market in Japan where it is in some well-known brands like Diet Coke and Wrigley's gum. Both Coke and Pepsi are partnering with different stevia producers so that they are ready once the FDA's decision comes across. Some market analysts predict that once stevia is approved as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) to be used in food it will grow to at least 20% of the calorie free sweetener market.

Safety
The World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that stevia is not harmful and has approved it for use in food. Stevia is a plant, and the sweet taste needs to be extracted from teh plant. Some companies use methanol or ethanol and some use "freshwater brewing" extraction. People looking for a safe and calorie free alternative for sugar or artificial sweeteners may just be in luck!

You will see some new brands of Stevia with the names PureVia, Truvia, and SweetLeaf on grocery store shelves now. They are allowed to be sold as "dietary supplements" currently but not in food. Expect to see it in foods and beverages as soon as the FDA rules it as GRAS.

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More Vitamin D for Kids

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced today that they are recommending an increase in the amount of Vitamin D for all children.

Vitamin D is an important nutrient that works together with calcium in the formation of strong bones. Rickets is a disease that is characterized by "soft bones" and was more common in children before milk was fortified with Vitamin D. Recent research has linked Vitamin D deficiency to increased risk of numerous other diseases such as high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and cancer.

Vitamin D is available through exposure to sunlight, but since we limit sunlight exposure with sunscreen and our kids don't spend as much time outdoors, we are seeing a generation of children who are Vitamin D deficient. This pictures shows kids in the 1930s getting strong light to treat their Vitamin D deficiency.

The previous recommendation was 200 IU, but the AAP has doubled the number to 400 IU for all children from birth through adolescence.

AAP recommendations:

1. If infant is breastfed, the child should receive a 400 IU supplement of Vitamin D because breastmilk does not contain enough Vitamin D. The supplement should begin in the first few days of life.
2. If infant is formula fed and taking in at least one liter (1000 ml) per day, then that child is getting enough Vitamin D. All infant formula in the US is fortified in Vitamin D.
3. Children and adolescents who do not obtain 400 IU of Vitamin D though Vitamin D-fortified milk or Vitamin D-fortified foods should receive a Vitamin D supplement of 400 IU.

Food sources

• Each 8 oz glass of Vitamin D-fortified milk contains 100 IU. You need 4 glasses per day if you are just getting it from milk.
• 3 ounces of salmon contains 200 IU or more
• Egg yolks contain 20 IU
• A serving of fortified cereal contains 20-40 IU (read labels)
• Certain yogurts, cheese, and cereal bars may contain some Vitamin D. Read labels carefully.

If your child needs a supplement, look for a liquid vitamin for infants and a chewable children's vitamin for older children who are able to chew.

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Nuts During Pregnancy and Risk of Asthma

Now that I have a little boy (see picture of Basil, 15 months), I am always interested in studies that look at diet during pregnancy. A recent study in the Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine looked at the diet of women when they were pregnant and the risk of asthma in their children. The researchers followed almost 3,000 expectant mothers and their children for 8 years.

Women's consumption of allergenic foods during pregnancy may increase the risk that the baby will become sensitized to certain allergens. The only consistent association these researchers found was consumption of nuts and asthma.

Women who consumed nuts or nut products on a daily (or almost daily) basis increased their children's risk of developing asthma by more than 50% vs. women who rarely or never consumed nut products during pregnancy. This is an association, not a definitive cause and effect.

No PBJ while pregnant? Oh, no! If you are a peanut butter and jelly sandwich fan, don't worry. You can still have your PBJ occassionally, but I would limit consumption of peanuts and other nuts to a few times per month to be safe. Peanuts are a really potent allergen, but further studies will hopefully give us more clues as to how dangerous it is to eat while pregnant and nursing. Some doctors tell women to avoid all peanut and other nuts during pregnany and nursing and to feed a child any peanut containing foods until they are over 2 years of age. If you have food allergies in your family, be more prudent. If not, use caution and look carefully for signs of allergic reactions to nuts in all children.

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Full Disclosure in California

New York City led the charge in requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information on menus and on indoor menu boards. Now the entire state of California is following suit. Starting January 1, 2011, all restaurant chains with 20 or more locations need to post the calorie count for their food and beverage items. Starting July 1, 2009, the restaurants will be required to have brochures containing the nutrition facts in them.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said, "This legislation will help Californians make more informed, healthier choices by making calorie information easily accessible at thousands of restaurants throughout our state."

In related news, Yum! Brands (KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's, and A&W) will begin voluntarily posting calorie information on menu boards in company-owned restaurants nationwide. You may see this change happening before the end of the year. Franchisees will be encouraged to provide the same information on their menu boards as company-owned restaurants.

I am so happy to see companies and government both stepping up to improve the health of our nation. By making the nutrition information easily accessible, consumers are able to make informed choices about what they are eating!

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Seeing Pink

Are you seeing pink ribbons everywhere? Well, it is October....which means it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Prevention
Cancer is such a difficult disease to think about prevention because we really don't know the cause and we definitely don't have a cure. The best advice I can give on prevention from a nutrition perspective is to eat a plant-based diet. This does not mean that you need to become a vegetarian (although that would be OK), but it does mean that meat and other animal protein (dairy) should not be the majority of your diet. I like to think of it as an accessory to the base which is whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. We know that the antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals that are in these plant-based foods work in synergy to help prevent disease.

Going through treatment
If you have cancer and are going through treatment, make sure you are keeping your strength up with good foods.

1. Focus on protein for healing. The cancer itself and the treatments to fight it all increase your body's need for protein.
2. Keep yourself well hydrated. Chemo can be especially hard on the kidneys. Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. Regardless of your treatment plan, hydration is a must.
   
3. If you are nauseous, try some ginger and snack on bland complex carbs like dry toast, crackers, and pretzels.
4. Do not lose weight. Even if you have been trying to lose weight for years, now is not the time to say good-bye to extra pounds. Your body needs nutrients to fight off the disease, and not getting enough food could leave you sicker and more weak.

Last but not least, ladies.....do your Breast Self Exams every month and get your mammograms as advised by your physician!

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Sweet Morning

Consumer Reports just released a comparison of children's breakfast cereals and offered a ranking of them. The cereals were examined based on calories, sugar, sodium, fat, and nutrient quality.


You can read the part of the report here. I did read the entire report and a few things I found interesting:

1. 58% of "children's" cereals are consumed by adults. The leprechaun is obviously charming more than just the kids. For those of you who haven't been charmed, look at your own "adult" cereal and see how much sugar it has. You may be surprised that is has the same or more than the kid's cereal.
2. The average American consumed 134 grams of added sugar daily in 2000, a 40% increase from the 1950's. Most cereals contain between 1 and 16 grams of added sugar per serving.
3. When researchers watched kids pour their bowl of cereal, kids were pouring 50-65% more than the serving size suggested most often.
4. These exact same brands of cereal are sold in Europe, but they contain 40% less sugar than the cereals in the US. Our taste pallets in the US are becoming accustomed to a lot of sugar, fat, and salt in our food. The companies add these ingredients to make their product taste better than the competitor's, but we as consumers are suffering.
5. Two cereals had more than 50% sugar and 9 cereals had 40% sugar. That means that of all the ingredients in the cereal, a good percentage is just plain sugar.
6. Many cereals have very little fiber. The 4 cereals that got the "Very Good" rating from Consumer Reports were Cheerios, Kix, Life, and Honey Nut Cheerios and all had at least 2-3 grams of fiber.

A cereal I don't mind is Frosted Mini-Wheats because it has 6 g of fiber. It got a "good" rating but not the "very good" from CR, but I would rank it very good for the fiber content.

What's for breakfast?
Half the battle with children is to get them just to eat breakfast and if their cereal will help them eat breakfast, let's give them cereal. However, instead of just giving into some of these really high sugar varieties, try mixing a lower sugar/higher fiber cereal with the one they like most that contains a lot of sugar.

Cereal is a great way to get milk into your kids, and you can easily throw some blueberries or sliced banana in the bowl, too. Look for cereals that contain whole grains, less than 12 grams of sugar, and at least 3 or more grams of dietary fiber. Limit portion size for children that are tending toward being overweight. Encourage drinking more milk or eating a piece of fruit to fill up instead of pouring more cereal.

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