Diet – Nutrition Myths

There is quite a bit of information out there about what makes up a healthy diet – and quite a bit of misinformation as well! And, it’s tough – every time you put together a new diet plan, you either read something, or hear from a friend, that some aspect of your new diet is going to be bad for you. The problem is, sometimes the information you get is accurate, and other times – it’s a nutrition myth. So, here’s a few nutrition myths to help you separate “truth from fiction”.

Nutrition Myth #1 – That white potatoes are bad for you, and you should eat sweet potatoes instead. This myth probably came about because white potatoes are what are commonly used in really unhealthy processed versions of snack foods, such as potato chips or French fries. The reality is, they compliment each other. White potatoes have more essential minerals like iron, potassium and magnesium, and sweet potatoes have more fiber and Vitamin A. So, what’s important to remember is that both can be healthy for you to eat, just make sure the form you eat them in is healthy (i.e. – don’t deep fry them, or smother them in cheese, butter or sour cream!)

Nutrition Myth #2 – Salt Causes High Blood Pressure. Nope – not really. Large scale scientific studies have shown that there’s no reason healthy people need to cut back on salt. Keep in mind that if you already have high blood pressure, your sensitivity to salt may mean you do need to cut back on your sodium intake. But, if you’re worried, just eat more foods with potassium such as fruits, veggies, and beans. The issue is more that we need a balance between sodium and potassium, and we normally get about 1,600mg less that the 4,700mg of potassium we need daily.

Nutrition Myth #3 – High Protein Diets Damage Your Kidneys. The story behind this myth is that researchers found out back in the mid 80’s, that increased protein in your diet increases the amount of blood your kidneys filter. And from that came the assumption that this increases the stress on your kidneys. Yet, those same Dutch researchers also found that there were no adverse effects on the kidneys from the increase protein in ones diet. Keep in mind that the more of anything you ingest (whether it’s protein, carbohydrates or fat) – if you take in more than you burn, you’re body will convert it to fat stores. Your goal for daily protein intake should be around a gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.

Diet – What Are Healthy Foods?

A healthy lifestyle is more than just working out, it’s about eating right as well. But, it can be difficult at times to remember what foods out there are the best for you. And, even if you have a favorite group of “healthy” foods, sometimes aren’t as good for you as you first thought.

One criteria for a “healthy” food, is that the food should be “nutrient-dense”. This is a measure of the amount of nutrients a food has, compared to the number of calories it has. When the level of nutrients is high, compared to the caloric count, then that food is considered “nutrient” dense. Your goal should be to get the highest amount of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids, and fiber, for the least number of calories.

Another criteria is that the food should be a “whole food”. No, this doesn’t mean you have to shop Whole Foods, but it does mean that have not had all of their nutrients processed out of them. They shouldn’t contain synthetic, artificial, or irradiated ingredients either. Organic foods are a great way to help make sure the foods you are eating are “whole foods”.

Another way to find healthy foods is to keep in mind that most healthy foods are ones that you already know, but sometimes forget to think about. These include lean meats & fish, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts & seeds, olive oil, herbs and spices.

Finally, one last thing to remember, is that healthy foods taste good! Sometimes it’s hard to remember that - so when the temptation to eat food that isn’t on your nutrition plan comes along…remember that not only is eating healthy good for you, you’re not sacrificing taste for health!

Looking for a good resource for healthy eating choices? Visit http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php

Nutrition – Start Your Day Out Right

by Bob Lachniet
President - Fitness 4 Home Superstore

What do you have for breakfast? We’ve all had those days where breakfast might be a cup of coffee and a bagel or donut. Many of us have grown up with the standard bowl of cereal & milk. Yet, this is not the way to eat healthy, to loose weight, or keep the weight off.

So, when you’re planning your breakfast menu, ask yourself, “Where’s the protein & healthy fats?”. The typical breakfast fare of cereal, fruit, toast, pastries, and juice – provide you with a large load of carbohydrates, often in the form of sugar. And the result of this is, you get a blast of morning energy (thanks to the carbohydrates / sugars), which spikes your insulin level. Your body processes this quickly, resulting in a quick energy drop and feeling of hunger – plus, if your body can’t burn this sugar quickly enough, it stores it as…fat.

Yet, by adding high-quality protein, such as the protein found in meat, eggs, and dairy – and combining it with a little healthy fat, helps slow the absorption of carbohydrates into your bloodstream. Now, you have a more energy, you avoid the “after breakfast sugar crash”, and you also get one other important benefit.

That’s right – FAT LOSS!!! By keeping you full longer, the protein / fat combination means your body has time to process your meal and burn it for immediate energy, rather than storing it. In a recent study, Louisiana State University found that those people that ate eggs for breakfast, ate 250 fewer calories during the day than if they had just had bagels for breakfast.

So, add that egg to your breakfast, a scoop of cottage cheese, or some Canadian Bacon. (Sausage has a bit too much saturated fat, so avoid it). Or, add a scoop of protein powder to your morning yogurt. Even try a can of tuna mixed with a little (low-fat) mayo & balsamic vinegar on some whole-grain toast! And, you can even add some protein to your pancakes! Try this recipe for Protein Pancakes – nice and fluffy!

Protein Pancakes
¾ cup Quaker Oatmeal or Spelt Flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
1 cup cottage cheese
2 eggs
½ stick butter, melted
½ cup milk
In a blender, mix the dry ingredients together, and run on High until not only well blended, but if using oatmeal, that the final mix has a dry, powder-like finish. In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs, cottage cheese, butter and milk together, and add the dry ingredients – blending until just mixed. Grease griddle with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Put a large scoop of batter on the griddle, and use the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly. When you see small bubbles form, in about 3-4 minutes, flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Makes about 12 4 inch pancakes

Nutritional Info (estimated)
Per Pancake: 97 Calories, 5g Protein, 8g Carbohydrates, (1g fiber, 2g sugar), 5g fat (3g saturated)

Healthy Protein Bars - Make Them At Home!

Protein Bars, aka Energy Bars. They end up making a great post workout snack, and are definitely much healthier than junk food for that quick energy boost.

But, not only are they expensive, but many of them make you feel like you're chewing on shoe leather! Here's an easy-t0-make protein bar recipe, which is much healther than the store-bought versions (as well as much more inexpensive). High protein, low fat, low carb, and the flaxmeal also gives you all important Omega 3's. And, a bonus - they also won't leave you feeling like your jaw got a workout eating them!

Ingredients
-6 scoops vanilla whey protein power
-6 egg whites (or, 1/2 of an 8oz. carton of egg whites)
-1 cup vanilla soy milk
-2 cups flax meal (you can find this in the natural foods isle)
-1 cup Splenda (or Stevia)
-1 tbs baking powder
-1 tbs vanilla extract
-Cinnamon to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except the soy milk, adding soy until the batter is the consistancy of pancake batter. Pour into greased baking pan, and bake for about 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool, and cut into bars. Keep cut bars refrigerated - and they'll keep for up to a week!

Nutritional Information (estimated)
Serving Size: 1 bar
Servings per recipe: 16

Fat: 14g
-Saturated Fat: 1g
-Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g
-Monounsaturated Fat: 4g
Carbohydrates: 15g
Protein: 29g
Fiber: 11g

Diet – Eating Myths, and how to avoid them.

With all the food choice available to us, how do you tell the “good from the bad”? Well, based on what the top US nutrition experts have to say, here’s a number of ways that we make bad food choices, and how we can make better ones.

“If you ‘feel’ hungry – you must be hungry” - Truth is, if you don’t know when you’re hungry, you won’t know when you’re full…and you won’t know when to stop. Too many times, we “guess” we’re hungry, and go from there. A better solution is to rate how hungry you think you are (try a scale of something like 1 to 10) – then, eat slowly and as you eat, think about how your hunger changes. If you use a 1 to 10 scale, try to stay between 4 and 7. You don’t want to be too hungry when you start, nor too full when you stop.

“Supersize Me – is a value!”- We always seem to look for a “value” when we’re eating out, and that creates the false impression that if we supersize a restaurant meal, that we’re saving money. Yet, in doing so, we’re loosing our health. A better way to look at meal size is by judging with your palm, not your pocketbook. A good rule of thumb for serving size is, if it fits into the palm of your hand – that the right size. Make sure that your serving has one protein, one starch, one veggie, and one fruit, based on the serving that fits in the palm of your hand.

“Fat is Bad” - We have a mentality that fat is bad, which isn’t true. What is more important, according to the American Heart Association, is telling the difference between saturated and trans fats (the bad fats), and eat the good, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. You can find these fats in fish, nuts, avocados, soybean and canola oils. If you track total calories, you don’t have to worry about how much fat you eat, just what kind of fat.

“If it’s liquid, it has no calories” – Most sugared drinks – including soda’s and juices -have a high concentration of high-fructose corn syrup as it’s sweetener. But, fructose contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals and also interferes with the heart’s ability to use key minerals vital for a healthy heart. So, instead of sugared drinks, try drinking water or tea. Tea is calorie free, promotes heart health, strengthens bones & teeth, protects the skin – and may help you avoid several types of cancer!

“Frozen Entrees are healthy” – Many times, with our hectic schedules, it seems as though throwing a frozen entrée in the microwave seems the best way to take care of a meal. But, eating too many processed foods like the types you find in the frozen food isle of your nearby supermarket may leave you short on fiber and important antioxidants such as vitamin C. So, if you do find yourself in a situation where having a frozen meal is your only choice, compliment it with a green salad, a whole wheat roll, and some fruit for dessert.