Nutrition Tips

Issue 134
Potato Chips and Cancer
Worried about news that acrylamide, a chemical in fried and baked starchy foods, causes cancer? Here is what you need to remember: So far, acrylamide is known to cause cancer only in animals, not in humans, and only at levels far, far higher than the levels in food. Every slice of bread is not going to give your cancer. Foods with the most acrylamides are also the least nutritious. Use that knowledge to cut way back on these highest-acrylamide - and fattening - snacks:
French Fries
Potato Chips
Cookies

Issue 135
Carbohydrate Blockers - Lots of Promise, Controversial Results
With low-carbohydrate diets still popular, supplements called carb blockers - such as Carb Trapper, Carb Cutter and Carb-X, are suddenly everywhere. The claim: One or two tablets with a meal can block the absorption of about 400 calories' worth of bread, pasta or potatoes. But do they really work? The main ingredients are bean and wheat germ extracts thought to stop carbohydrate absorption by inhibiting a digestive enzyme that breaks down starch. If starch passes through you undigested, you should lose weight. Sadly, the truth is that there is little evidence to support this claim. Previous studies showed that the bean extract had no effect on calorie absorption or body weight. But recently, researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that higher doses of bean extract (4,000 to 6,000mg) and wheat germ extract (4,000mg) slowed carbohydrate digestion. These higher doses are not available in commercial carb blockers, plus no one knows whether slowing carbohydrate digestion actually causes weight loss over time.

Issue 136
Organic May be Healthier
Fruits and vegetables grown without herbicides and pesticides may have a leg up on those that are grown conventionally, suggests new research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society. When researchers compared the antioxidant levels between the two different types of produce, those grown without herbicides and pesticides had 19 to 58 percent higher levels of antioxidants - flavonoids and other phenolic compounds - than produce that was grown conventionally with chemicals. The researchers say these antioxidant compounds protect the plant against pests and other environmental stressors and seem to be reduced when synthetic agents are used.

Issue 137
Cracked Wheat versus Whole Wheat
When buying bread, we always get a brand that lists whole wheat as the first ingredients. But some bread has cracked wheat as the first ingredient. What is the difference? When you see whole wheat, it means the bread flour is ground from whole-wheat kernels and retains the nutritious bran and germ components of the kernel, or wheat "berry". Cracked wheat also comes from whole-wheat kernels, except that the berries are broken into coarse, medium and fine fragments. Some people prefer cracked wheat bread because of this grainy texture. Since the nutritional content of the bread is similar, with whole wheat having a slight edge in fiber content (1.9g versus 1.4g per slice), buy the one that best suits your tastebuds.

Issue 138
Tomato Season
It's tomato season, and Organic Gardening magazine has delicious ideas on how best to enjoy nutrition-rich the harvest. Store fruits no more than two deep to avoid bruising and rotting.

1. Tomatoes taste best at room temperature but can be refrigerated for up to five days.
2. To retain flavor, process them into fresh sauce or salsa, which will keep for seven to ten days in the refrigerator. Slice tomatoes from top to bottom, not through the center, to retain seeds.
3. A tomato sauce cooked longer than 30 minutes will begin to lose flavor. Meat based sauces are an exception - the longer they cook, the better.
4. For tomato towers, layer tomato slices, your choice of cheese and herbs on a slice of heavy-duty bread., Heat the tottering creation in the toaster oven and enjoy.

Related Resources:  BellyBytes.com - Tomato Information and Recipes!
BellyBytes.com Good Eats: Tomatoes

Issue 139
Fats Are Not All Equal
Want to be heart-healthy? You have more choices than you might think. Everyone knows to stay away from saturated fats, but studies now indicate a diet high in monounsaturated fats from olive oil, peanut oil, peanuts or peanut butter can give you the same favorable results as a low-fat diet. All the diets tested had the same effect on low-density lipoproteins, or LDLs, the so-called bad cholesterol that needs to be held in check if your cardiovascular system is to remain in good shape. The study was the first to evaluate and compare LDL susceptibility to oxidation when the test subjects ate an average American diet, a low-fat diet or a higher monounsaturated fat diet. The study appears in the Journal of Nutrition.

Issue 140
Soluble and Insoluble Fiber -- What is the difference?
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve, but holds onto water. By adding bulk and softness to stools, insoluble fiber keeps bowels moving smoothly. And scientists believe it lowers risk of colon cancer by moving potential cancer-causing agents more quickly through the digestive tract and diluting their concentration with bulk. You get insoluble fiber from whole-wheat products, wheat bran, corn bran, many vegetables, certain fruits and dried beans. Soluble fiber dissolves to a rather gummy substance. By binding fatty substances in the digestive tract, it helps lower blood cholesterol, and it helps control blood sugar by slowing carbohydrate absorption. You get soluble fiber from oats, barley, dried beans and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Interestingly, while many people think of lettuce as a source of "roughage," it is not a good source of either type of fiber, so make sure to include a wide variety of other vegetables and fruits every day. Both types of fiber are important to good health.
See also: Fiber: A Non-Nutritional Vital Nutrient

Issue 141
The Russian Cold Cure
Many Russians consider black tea, orange or lemon juice, a collection of spices and sugar, to be the first line of treatment when a cough or cold strikes. The reason this mixture may relieve cold symptoms is because black tea and cinnamon are rich in compounds that reduce congestion. Lemon juice thins mucous secretions and makes them easier to shed. In place of orange juice, powdered Tang contains 100-percent of the Daily Value of vitamin C, which can help combat viruses by boosting immune function. Cloves deaden dental pain; in tea, they can block sore throat pain. Black tea, cinnamon and cloves are also antimicrobial and capable of inhibiting any bacteria that may be in your throat. The following recipe is the supermarket shelf variation on the same theme.
Russian Tea
1-1/4 cup sugar
3 /4 cup instant black tea
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup Tang mix
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 packet (2 quart) lemonade mix
Combine the ingredients, and mix thoroughly. Store in an airtight container. Shake well before using. Add three to four teaspoons per cup of hot water. Drink four to six cups a day, as needed.

Issue 142
New Culprit in Diabetes
Eating a lot of store-bought foods like cookies, pies, cakes and crackers can greatly increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Researchers say the trans fats used in these foods are at least partly to blame. These fats are created when vegetable oils are hydrogenated, or hardened. Trans fats are also found in margarine and shortening. This type of fat has already been linked to heart disease. Replacing trans fats with other types of fats - including olive and canola oils (monounsaturated) and fish (polyunsaturated omega-3 fats) - could reduce the incidence of diabetes in this country as much as 40-percent, researchers say.
See also: Trans Fats and Diabetes in Women

Issue 143
Gas Free Beans
The secret is in the soaking!

1. In a large pot, cover beans with filtered water. Soak overnight.
2. Drain beans, rinse thoroughly, and add four cups fresh water for each cup dry beans. Place in a large pot with a tight lid.
3. Add a 3 to 4-inch strip of kombu (a sea vegetable) to make beans easier to digest.
4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 4 hours, depending on variety. Cook beans until they are soft.
5. Short-soak method: Cover beans with water and boil five minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and set aside for two to three hours. Drain and rinse, then cover with fresh water and cook as above.

See also: Using the Ol Bean

Issue 144
Preventative Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is healthy for your heart. Start at the table; eat a diet low in fat in general and low in saturated fat in particular. Choose foods low in cholesterol; eat more fibers and eat more fruits and vegetables.
If your doctor has recommended a diet for specific risk factors, talk with a registered dietitian to develop a personal eating plan to fit your lifestyle. Meanwhile, maintain or lower your weight if it is too high and live an active lifestyle.

Issue 145
Walnuts May Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Eating walnuts may help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering levels of "bad" cholesterol. Researchers studied volunteers who had high levels of cholesterol in their blood. Walnuts are rich sources of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are known to lower blood cholesterol levels. When volunteers included two to three walnuts per 1,850 dietary calories to their normal daily diets, they reduced blood levels of "bad" cholesterol by 27 percent. "Bad" cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, can form harmful deposits in blood vessels that can block blood flow and increase heart disease risk. Walnuts also lowered blood levels of "bad" cholesterol when accompanying low-fat diets, by roughly 7 percent. None of the volunteers gained weight during the walnut diets. The researchers presented their findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
See also: Eat Peanuts!
BellyBytes.com: The Nut Case

Issue 146
Study Shows Bulky Foods May Aid Weight Loss
In a study presented last week at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, Penn State researchers found that eating a low-calorie salad before a meal could decrease the total calories consumed at that meal. The findings are part of a growing body of research that shows that the energy density of foods contributes to weight gain. Foods with lower energy density have fewer calories relative to weight and tend to be bulked up by fiber and/or water v for example: Fruits, vegetables, salads and soups. A similar study found that individuals are satisfied with a certain volume of food, regardless of whether those foods are energy-dense or not. Therefore, adding bulk from low energy-dense foods may help decrease overall caloric intake, while retaining the volume of food to which consumers are accustomed.
See also: Prep, Cook and Dress Up Greens
Tips for Great Salads

Issue 147
Fruit Juices and Fruit Drinks
Fruit juices and juice drinks can be refreshing and are very good for you. They contain varying amounts of vitamins A and C, two vital nutrients. The percentage of juice has minimal effect on the nutrient value. All of the juice products available to us contain both water and sugar. Fruit juice has natural fructose, while fruit drinks have added sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup. Some fruit juices tend to be high in calories - watch labels! A notable difference between fruit juice and fruit drinks is that fruit juices contain other significant nutrients such as folate in orange.

Issue 148
What the Colors in Fruits Mean to Your Body
Red brings the phytochemical lycopene in the form of tomatoes, red grapefruit, watermelon, and guava. These foods may help prevent hormone-related cancers such as breast and ovarian cancer. They may also further reduce the risk of heart disease. Orange contains beta-carotene in carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and papaya. These cholesterol-lowering foods act as antioxidants, combating free radicals in the body. Not only do they protect against cancer and heart disease, but they also reduce the risk of cataracts. Yellow contains lutein and zeaxanthin in yellow peppers, spaghetti, squash, and yellow zucchini. Health benefits include the prevention of skin, lung, breast, esophageal, and bladder cancer and they may lower the risk of macular degeneration and slow the progression of heart disease.
Blue is for blueberry, eggplant, and grapes, which all contain the phytochemical anthocyanin. It acts as an antioxidant, inhibits LDL cholesterol, and protects against heart disease.
See also for more information on the above foods:
BellyBytes.com: Beneficial Bytes
BellyBytes.com: Good Eats
See also for more information on nutrients: BellyBytes.com: Vital Nutrients

Issue 149
Phytochemical Health Promises
Vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains are packed with phytochemicals that promote good-health and fight disease. Although different, each phytochemical produces several health benefits:

• They possess antioxidant properties essential for combating cellular damage caused by free radicals.
• They can regulate hormone levels and prevent harmful effects such as breast tumors.
• They help destroy carcinogens.
• They fight heart disease.

The following tips will turn every meal into a phytochemical fiesta:

• Choose most of the foods you eat from plant sources
• Keep fruits and vegetables on hand at all times--frozen and canned!
• Use the power of produce--reach for juice, not soda or coffee
• Add fresh green herbs to whatever you are cooking
• Variety is key--keep your taste buds interested by varying the manner in which you get your fruit servings.

Your health begins and ends with what you ingest to fuel your muscles and mind.

Issue 150
Sweet Enough?
Thanks to our consumption of more soft drinks and fruit drinks, our diets are getting sweeter all the time. Worldwide, the percentage of total calories that came from sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and other caloric sweeteners in 2000 was 32 percent higher than in 1962. One of the big problems is that people are eating more processed foods high in sugar. Another problem is the continuing supersizing of portions. For example, once 4-ounces of fresh-squeezed orange juice was considered to be an adequate serving. Now it is not uncommon for a serving of processed orange juice to be 20 ounces or more.
See also: Portion Sizes

Issue 151
The Ease of Chocolate
How many of use associate chocolate cravings to times of stress? The cause for this is the fact that the hormone cortisol levels increase. The production of cortisol is the way our bodies tell us it needs additional glucose in the bloodstream. Candy, mainly chocolate, satisfies the need for that sugar quickly.
However, as with most good things there is a down side. Cortisol- induced fat is the "deep belly" fat that increases health risks. Fat produced under stress settles in the midsection where it puts more strain on our hearts than fat on the arms and/or thighs.
The ultimate solution to this problem is to reduce stress. This will aid your body in reducing the amount of cortisol production and consequently, will decrease your desire for sweets.
Exercise, yoga and meditation are all great stress busters. Also certain foods help stabilize your blood sugar levels when they rise due to stress. These foods include apples, carrots, celery, cheese, and crackers. If you really crave that sweet, take a small serving and indulge - then relax.

Issue 152
Healthy Holiday Tips
Use plain, lowfat yogurt in traditional salad and dip recipes. Try lowfat or fat free milk with your holiday treats. They provide the same nutrients with fewer calories and you don't miss out on the dunking. Snacking Saves the Day. Eat a small meal or snack before you attend parties to help reduce your chances of over-indulging.
A Little Cheese Goes a Long Way! Enjoy seasonal cheeses in a cheese course, pairing it with fruit, nuts and whole grain breads.
In an effort to reduce calories, be sure to enjoy lowfat and nonfat dairy often.
See also: Healthy Holiday Recipes

Issue 153
Yes, You Can Enjoy Beef!
Small portions of lean beef add flavor without a lot of artery clogging saturated fat. The lean "round" cuts of beef do require slow roasting to tenderize the meat and to make it easy to chew. For those who do not wish to cook an entire beef roast just to have a portion, there is an alternative now available that will not harm your diet or your arteries! If you are working to reduce heart disease risk, research has good news for you -- you can now enjoy lean beef in your diet with no guilt. Those who follow a low-fat diet show the same reductions in bad LDL and increases in good HDL cholesterol whether they have eaten lean red meat or poultry and/or fish. In addition, beef contains more B6, B12, folate, iron and zinc than chicken. One 3-ounce serving of beef has as much zinc as 5-1/2 chicken breasts.
Like cheese and nuts, three or four strips of beef can make vegetable meals fabulous. You may find yourself inspired to eat more vegetables by upping their flavor with a bit of beef! If you include three or four beef strips (about 1.5-ounce) you only add 55 calories and 2g fat to an otherwise vegetarian meal. The bonus comes in the flavor. So go ahead and enjoy some beef -- just be sure it is lean.
See also: BellyBytes.com: Healthy Beef Recipes

Issue 126
The Yo-Yo Dieting Effect
Ever heard of a negative energy balance? That's what diets do to you -- they lower your caloric intake below the basal metabolic rate which creates a negative energy balance. You will lose weight, but it will be a muscle loss. Food gives you energy. When you have less energy than is required, your body think its starving and burns muscle to fuel its energy requirements. In doing so, it actually slows down its metabolism (the rate at which you are burning calories). When going through a process of starvation, the body will store whatever it can as body-fat to protect itself. It will also respond to a threat of starvation by increasing the fat-depositing enzymes which in turn store more fat.
So why do you gain weight after you've lost it? By lowering the metabolism, your body requires fewer calories. When you get off a diet, your body craves all it was missing and your calorie consumption increases and you gain back more fat than lean muscle mass. Even if you eat the same amount of calories as you did before the diet, you will not maintain your weight, because you've lost your lean muscle mass. In fact, because your caloric needs decrease, you will end up gaining weight! This explains the yo-yo dieting effect.

Issue 127
Why We Eat
We need food every day. It supplies us with energy. It also gives us the essential vitamins and minerals needed to sustain life. These three sentences briefly sum up why we eat. We can also choose to eat. Food can become a drug. It can cure depression and relieve stress, or so we are mistakenly led to beleive. In this case, food acts like a placebo to our minds, and the problem remains unanswered deeper within ourselves. Figure out when you have "snack attacks" and try to get down to the problem, instead of putting on those pounds! This is called the emotional side of eating. You need to be able to recognize, examine and cure it. A good idea would be to keep a log of why you ate and how you felt while doing so. Later you will see the pattern and it will help you uncover the reasons why you overeat.

Issue 128
Lean Toward Beef
Looking to eat lean? Turn to beef! America's beef producers are launching a new advertising campaign aimed at persuading consumers to make a move toward beef and away from, say, chicken. The ads point up information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's database listing nutrient compositions for foods. According to the site: Six of beef's leanest cuts have, on average per 3-ounce serving, just one more gram of saturated fat but eight times more vitamin B12, six times more zinc and three times more iron than chicken's leanest cut: Skinless chicken breast. Those cuts are eye round roast, top round steak, top sirloin steak, and boneless shoulder pot roast, round tip roast and shoulder steak.
See also: BellyBytes.com: Healthy Beef Recipes

Issue 129
What a Single Binge Does
Scientists have found that even one high-fat meal can cause your arteries to stiffen, upping your risk for cardiovascular disease. In the study, volunteers ate a meal that contained about as much fat as a fast food burger, a shake and fries. Just three hours later, their arteries were actually 25 percent less elastic. Even worse: The effect lasts at least six hours. Most fast food chains post nutritional information online, so check out the statistics before you drive through.

Issue 130
Maintaining an adequate level of fluids in your diet is important.
The water in your body regulates temperature, removes waste, carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells, helps moisturize the skin, cushions and lubricates joints and helps promote regularity. Most experts agree that we should try to consume eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. However, your needs can increase depending on your age and level of physical activity. The important thing to remember is that adequate hydration is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Issue 131
Herbs- They Offer a Lot More Than Flavor!
Use herbs in your diet in place of sugar, salt or fat to help provide a health benefit, especially for people with diabetes. Herbs such as rosemary, parsley, tarragon, basil, thyme and dill are plants that contain phytochemicals and are currently being studied for cancer-fighting potential similar to ingredients found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. In addition, some herbs may contain antioxidants. Oregano and rosemary are herbs known to be high in antioxidants. Rosemary has also been used as a natural food preservative to help keep fats, oils and meat products from going rancid. Other herbs with antioxidant properties include basil, marjoram, sage, thyme, spearmint and peppermint.
Easy Ways to Add Herbs to Foods You Eat

• Sprinkle pizza with oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme or parsley
• Add a mixture of herbs (oregano, basil, and marjoram) to marinara sauce
• Steam fresh vegetables with rosemary
• Add chopped mint to fresh fruit
• Mix herbs into a favorite casserole or salad for extra flavor
• Make herbal teas using spearmint or peppermint
• Top seafood with dill and parsley.

See also:
Herb Blend Recipes
Compliment Your Cooking with Herbs and Spices

Issue 132
Changing Your Diet
Are you having trouble making healthy changes in your diet? If so, the Journal of American Dietetic Association recommends that people wanting to add fruits and vegetables to their diet use the "Stages of Change" model. Find your stage and you'll learn what to do.
Here are the stages:

1. Pre-contemplation: Don't go to the produce department yet. Instead, learn about the benefits of healthy eating.
2. Contemplation: To move forward, the "pros" of diet change need to outweigh the "cons". Think of the reasons you don't want to change your diet, then find ways around those barriers such as new menu ideas, foods that do not need much preparation time, etc.
3. Preparation: You intend to change within the next month. Set small, achievable goals, such as eating a piece of fruit at lunch instead of a cookie.
4. Action: You're eating more fruits and vegetables. Try to get support from other healthy eaters. Make your environment conducive to healthy eating by stocking easy to grab healthy snacks.
5. Maintenance: You've kept up the change for six months. Now work out the kinks. If you made diet mistakes, figure out how to avoid them next time.

Issue 133
Delicious and Worry Free Grilling
Buy the right burger and bring back the barbecue! If you feel the need to give up the tangy pleasure of grilled food for fear of carcinogens, you've missed the point. It is true that grilling meat creates cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines. However, grilling is not the problem, the meat juices sizzling on open heat is what causes these carcinogenic culprits. A safe alternative is vegetable burgers instead of beef burgers. No meat, no meat juices! Here are three of the best of the best on the market:

• Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean
• Gardenburger Savory Mushroom
• Boca Burgers Roasted Garlic