So What About Calcium Supplements?

One of the most recommended supplements by physicians is Calcium.  Personally I’ve never been a fan of calcium supplements.  They are not well absorbed and they increase constipation – enough of a reason not to recommend them.

This past week The British Medical Journal published a review of different studies looking at the outcome of women taking calcium supplements.  They were looking at the risk of fractures, bone density, etc. 

Surprisingly, they discovered women taking calcium supplements had an increased risk of heart disease, or more specifically heart attacks.  In addition, they did not seem to be of any benefit.

This study did not address calcium coming from foods, just supplements.

Bottom line:  get your calcium from food – organic yogurt, cheese, cottage/ricotta cheese and milk.  Calcium-containing foods are much better absorbed than supplements, and the best part is - a happier stomach.

So What's the Real Story on Frommage?

As part of a nutrition consult one of the questions I ask clients is “what are your favorite foods?”  Invariably many will state “I love cheese but I know I’m not supposed to eat it.”  Cheese has a bad rap in America – too much fat, makes you constipated, only have the low fat kind.  The list goes on and on.

For the record I love cheese and eat it almost daily.  The more the better – fresh ricotta, Emmentaler, Gouda (especially goat Gouda) are some of my favorites.  Where did America get the idea that cheese is a bad food?  The French eat it every day and don’t have a problem with it.

In the 80’s it was widespread that one was to avoid fat at all costs to be healthy.  As a result many low fat foods emerged on the market including many types of low fat or nonfat cheese.  Unfortunately this left over mentality and altered food products have not gone away, perpetuating the idea that one is “sinning” if enjoying cheese.

Cheese contains fat and protein and calcium.  Many need a dietary calcium source which cheese provides.  Eating 2 ounces of cheese a day (2 nice sized chunks) can be a great snack along with a piece of fruit.

Cheese does contain saturated fat.  However, studies show the real villain is trans fat, which increases heart disease by at least 35%.  Trans fat is in processed packaged foods, a far cry from great cheese.  Consuming 10% of your diet as saturated fat will not break your health bank and provides pleasure and satisfaction with your food.

In addition, if you choose European cheese or cheese that comes from grass-fed cows it contains higher levels of omega 3 fats which is good for your health.

If you like cheese, eat some daily.  Have a reasonable portion and savor the taste of the real thing.  Just like processed food, the low or nonfat cheeses have been altered in some way and in my opinion are not worth the bite.  Having a little bit of France every day might not be such a bad thing.

The Power Breakfast

Many of my clients ask me "what do you eat on a typical day?"  Since I hear that more often than not, I thought I would share over the next few weeks some of my favorite meals and how they break down nutritionally for balance and health.  We always hear breakfast is the most important meal of the day so why not make it power packed with nutrients?  Why not have something to jump start your metabolism for the day and make it delicious and enjoyable at the same time?  Here's my favorite breakfast:

Susan’s Power Breakfast:

½ cup of 2% low fat organic cottage cheese

½ cup of low fat plain organic yogurt

3 tablespoons of part-skim ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds

1 tablespoon of raw cashews

½ cup of mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

1/3 medium banana (on the greener side)

Sprinkling of Cinnamon

Organic breakfast tea with 2-3 tablespoons of organic 1% milk

The nutritional breakdown of this breakfast is:

400 calories

31 grams of protein

36 grams of carbohydrate

7.5 grams fiber

15 grams of fat

450 mg. of calcium

Beginning your day with a strong breakfast is important to maintaining a healthy metabolism.  A protein-based breakfast not only jump-starts your metabolism but stabilizes blood sugars and appetite throughout the day.  This breakfast contains approximately 4 ½ ounces of protein, a moderate amount of healthy carbohydrate from the fruit, nuts, and dairy products and monounsaturated and omega 3 fats coming from ground flax seeds and cashews.

One-third of the recommended needs for calcium are provided.  The berries are powerful antioxidants known as flavonoids which are known to lower inflammation in the body and help prevent cancer and heart disease.  The less ripe banana contains resistant starch which is now thought to play an important role in intestinal health.  Lastly, it contains one-third of the recommended amount of fiber also important for proper digestion and gut health.

It is quick, easy and satisfying and meets many nutritional needs in just one meal.

What is the Truth about Activa?

You’ve seen the ads.  Dannon would have you believe their yogurt with active cultures in the greatest thing since sliced bread.  I am on a road trip to Colorado launching my book for dietitians at the annual American Dietetic Association conference.  This morning while having breakfast at the hotel I had the chance to see what Activa actually contains and here is the ingredient list:

Cultured grade A reduced fat milk, strawberries, fructose syrup, sugar, whey protein concentrate. corn starch, modified corn starch, kosher gelatin, natural flavor, carmine, sodium citrate, malic acid and active cultures

One serving is four ounces and contains 110 calories, 19 grams of total carbohydrate (more than a medium slice of bread), 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat and approximately 150 grams of calcium.

Let’s compare a regular Greek or plain yogurt – the same serving contains 70 calories, 4 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of fat and approximately 200 grams of calcium. 

Here is the ingredient list from a plain yogurt:

Grade A pasteurized skimmed milk, live active yogurt cultures.  2 ingredients, the same cultures, 75% less carbohydrate and more calcium.

Why the hype about Activa?  Marketing.  Why choose an alternative plain yogurt? Less sugar including fructose corn syrup, corn starch, and additives and the same great cultures to help with healthy gut flora for less cost and more nutrition.  If you need the sweetness add some fruit, a little honey or some raw nuts for crunch.  Your gut and your body will thank you!

Plain Yogurt?

Since breakfast can be challenging, here is one more easy option that takes less than 5 minutes to prepare and can hold you for 3-4 hours or until lunch. Plain yogurt is a great food to have on a daily basis since it contains 400 mg. of calcium per cup serving besides providing healthy bacteria for your gut.

As opposed to European yogurts, most plain American yogurts are bitter and tasteless, at least until recently. A few years back this pattern started to change with several companies selling European-style yogurts with a thick creamy consistency.

One of my favorites is from Greece called Fage. The plain Fage 2% contains the best nutritional mix with high levels of protein, a little fat and a moderate amount of carbohydrate. It comes in large containers, and small ones that travel well.

Another favorite is Strauss plain yogurt. Strauss is a small company that carries all organic products including plain low-fat yogurt and whole milk yogurt. Both are good options that come in large containers only.

Spega La Natura is an Italian yogurt that comes in small glass jars which are handy for re-use around the house. This yogurt is easy to take to work for a snack or small meal.

All of these brand mix well with fruit and nuts or seeds, or the Healthy Nut Mix (see blog 4/1/09) from my upcoming book A Recipe for Life by the Doctor's Dietitian which will be available in September.