Saturday, January 26, 2013
Studies show the benefits of adding apples, tomatoes and cranberry juice to your diet.
How is your produce intake? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that at least one half of your plate should contain fruits and vegetables, but for many Americans this desirable balance is still a goal and not a reality. Three recent studies might push you to achieve the goal a bit sooner. The first study appeared in the journal Neurology and it looked at the lycopene content of tomatoes related to reduction of stroke risk in men. Lycopene is an antioxidant that works in the body to counter act free radicals which contribute to aging and disease risk. Lycopene is found in reddish colored fruits and vegetables like watermelon, grapefruit and guava but the content in tomatoes, especially cooked tomatoes, is higher. The study of …
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Our Washington University columnist shares tips for cutting down on sodium intake by watching six foods with high salt content.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends keeping sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams or less each day, yet most Americans are consuming a little more than 3,400 milligrams each day. Reducing sodium intake requires cutting back on salt used in cooking and added to your food but the AHA says six foods might be the real source of sodium in your diet. These foods are: In the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for American's breads and rolls, cold cuts, pizza and chicken and chicken dishes were all listed as top contributors but the other two top items were pasta and pasta dishes, along with condiments. If a part of your New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier, paying more attention to your sodium intake is a good task to add to your “To Do” …
Saturday, November 24, 2012
WUSTL obesity prevention experts offer tips to navigate the holidays.
There’s nothing wrong with a cookie or a glass of eggnog at the holidays, says Debra Haire-Joshu, PhD, director of the Center for Obesity Prevention and Policy Research and the Center for Diabetes Translation Research at Washington University in St. Louis and associate dean for research at the Brown School. The key, Haire-Joshu said, is balance. “The holidays are a great time of the year—time spent with family and friends—and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t enjoy them,” Haire-Joshu said. “But the key is to balance those treats with healthy habits and choices. “Drink more water. Reduce portions. Limit TV viewing and keep moving. All these things can add balance and ensure that 2012 is the year of the healthy holiday,” she said. Haire-…
Saturday, November 3, 2012
A new study finds that fish oil pills make little difference in heart disease incidence over a placebo.
For the last several years research studies have looked at the health benefits of consuming more fish. As the studies progressed, researchers were able to identify components of fish that seemed to be associated with the heart disease prevention benefit and possibly the mental health benefit. A new study now questions whether fish oil pills are a benefit to disease prevention. According to a large scale, randomized, clinical trial that compared fish-oil pills with a placebo for more than six years, the study found little difference in heart disease incidence between the groups. The study, of more than 12,000 individuals with diabetes or prediabetes, and an average age of 64, found that incidence of heart attack, stroke and heart failure …
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Our nutritional columnist looks at flavored milk during National School Lunch Week.
This week we celebrate the nutrition program that feeds more than thirty million children each day–School Lunch. School Lunch dates back to 1946 when President Truman signed it into law as a way to safeguard the health of the nation’s children. School lunches have seen big changes this year with the enactment of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This year there are more whole grains, fruits and vegetables on the menus. School milk served with the meals is now lowfat and fat free white milk and fat free chocolate milk. I’ve worked on some educational projects with milk processors and learned that over the past several years they’ve lowered the calories and sugar in school flavored milk, giving kids the taste they love while still …
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Children who ate a good meal in the morning have different levels of brain activity than those that did not eat.
Last week I was privileged to attend the Learning Connection Summit, a follow-up summit to a report that former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher released in 2004. This summit, which was chaired by Dr. Satcher and Alexis Glick, CEO of GENYOUth Foundation, provided an update on the science of food, learning, activity and weight. Researchers discussed how students who go to school without breakfast fail to learn as well as those who have breakfast. One study presented, showed how brain activity varied in kids who had breakfast before school versus those who did not. Brain scans showed a clear difference in brain activity in those who had breakfast before going into the classroom. Another session looked at the benefit of physical …
Saturday, August 25, 2012
New federal guidelines will impact what your child eats at school for breakfast and lunch.
As another school year begins, school lunch will have a very different look in most schools. This fall new guidelines for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program took effect. These changes mean familiar items like pizza and fries may still be on the menu but they will likely have a different look and they definitely have a different nutrient profile. In an attempt to help teach children about good nutrition and to develop palates that enjoy healthier options, school lunch and breakfast meals must provide more fruits, vegetables and whole grains while offering low-fat or fat free milk and fat free flavored milk only. In addition to these changes the amount of saturated fat, found predominately in animal foods, must be limited as …
Friday, August 10, 2012
Utilize fruits and vegetables while they are in season.
Do you struggle to meet the daily recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption? If you answered yes, count yourself among the millions of Americans who are consuming less than the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables. The latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that fewer than 25 percent of Americans get the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables and in Missouri that number is just over 11 percent of adults and only 8 percent of adolescents. There is good news, produce is at its peak during the summer and local markets can make trying it more enticing. If you’d like to work on boosting your intake do three things. Including produce in your eating plan is important to your …
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Dietary guidelines for whole wheat.
The focus on overweight Americans—and the desire to turn the trend around—has resulted in many theories about the cause of the overweight and obesity trend. Suggested triggers for being overweight have ranged from sugar sweetened beverages to the latest “hot-button” gluten or wheat. With all of these “theories” what does the evidence show? The U.S. Department of Agriculture tracks the wheat crop both in terms of acres planted and in wheat consumption; data indicates that wheat consumption is on the decline. Wheat consumption fell from an estimated 146 pounds per person in 2000 to a low of 134 pounds in the mid-2000s. In 2008 consumption patterns showed a slight increase to 136.6 pounds but this per person intake is a 10.2 pound per person…
Friday, July 13, 2012
Choosing the best toppings for your ice cream treat.
Trying to beat the heat often involves looking for cool beverages, but frozen treats like popsicles, ice cream cones and sundaes can also provide a cool taste and a bit of variety. In fact, July is National Ice Cream Month. If you’re choosing frozen treats just remember to monitor the portions you choose. Ice cream cones, single serve cups and frozen treats that come on bars are good ways to know how many calories you are consuming and to make it easier to limit portions but sundaes, especially with several toppings can often lead to large portions and a larger number of calories. If you enjoy sundaes consider a few of these ideas to help you “have your ice cream and eat it to.” First, decide if you want full fat ice cream or yogurt or if…
