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.

Healthy Carbohydates in the Womb

Since it is Mother’s Day how does a Mother’s diet affect the genetics of what happens in the womb?  Is it really all that significant?  Recent research shows processed foods can do more harm than once realized.

Processed refined carbohydrates are those that are altered from their original form.  Most things you buy in a package fit the definition of a processed carbohydrate – chips, crackers, cookies you buy in the grocery store.

These are “foods” manufacturers alter to make a profit.   Companies add sweeteners, additives, and other ingredients to allow the high markup.

Almost all processed foods come with a price of added sugars, trans fat and other things your body would rather avoid.  These foods are not healthy for anyone, especially not pregnant women.

Recent studies show the blood triglyceride level (fat in the blood) of a pregnant woman is closely tied to the birth weight and body fat of the infant.  Infants born to women with high triglyceride levels have double the body fat of a normal infant.

Even more alarming is high maternal cholesterol and triglyceride levels are associated with a greater risk of fatty streak formation in infant’s arteries, and a high risk of heart disease during childhood.

Eating a balanced diet of healthy protein and fats and unprocessed carbohydrates can keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Healthy carbohydrate-containing foods are those that are in their natural forms – fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, avocado, yams, etc.

What better Mother’s Day gift to give to yourself and your future child than the gift of health?

An Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

A current popular topic for medical research is inflammation.  We all know what happens when you sprain your ankle or hurt some part of your body – it becomes inflamed and swollen.  But, there are also things going on inside the body that the naked eye can’t see. That’s similar to what happens when you eat something unhealthy.

What happens internally when you eat something harmful? 

Most think nothing happens, which may be true in some instances.  However, even one fast food meal can cause inflammation.  For example, if you ate a fast-food hamburger, fries and a coke, here’s what would happen:

1.  Insulin levels rise to accommodate high glucose levels

2.  Levels of trans fat in your blood can trigger free radicals or oxygenation (i.e. rust on an old car), and constriction in your blood vessels

These changes are short lived and can be turned around with a healthy meal, but what happens if you consume these foods meal after meal?

Inflammation is manifested in many forms, and triggers many health issues such as:

• high blood pressure
• heart disease
• fatty liver
• diabetes
• cancer
• gastrointestinal reflux (GERD)

One blood test used to measure inflammation in the body is called C-reactive protein. This measures when inflammation is high, like when the body is experiencing infection and stress, but can also be elevated due to obesity, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes.  A measure greater than 3.0 mg/l puts someone in a higher risk category than having levels below 3.

Is there a type of eating that can lower inflammation?  Over the last several years, multiple studies have shown certain foods can increase or decrease inflammation as well as the balance of what one eats.

Since this topic is a whole blog in itself let’s wait till tomorrow to discuss anti-inflammatory eating so stay tuned.

The Coconut Oil Controversy

Is coconut oil the evil villain of a tropical oil from years past, or can it be a healthy part of your diet?  For years we told people to avoid coconut oil since it was thought that saturated fat was the villain.  However, when the research finally panned out, the real villain all along has been trans fat – another whole blog subject.

Coconut oil has some great properties to know about.  Besides being quite stable for cooking, coconut oil, it contains a type of MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil that is called lauric acid.  The only other place you would find lauric acid is in mothers’ breast milk.  Lauric acid is a powerful stimulant to the immune system, which may be helpful in preventing sickness.

Saturated fats are the most stable to cook with, since they are not sensitive to becoming damaged when they are heated.  Therefore, when cooking things at high temperatures coconut oil is a great choice.  It contains no cholesterol since it is a vegetable product.

Can coconut oil help with weight loss?  The studies to date are not conclusive.  In the meantime, use coconut oil when you cook at higher temperatures.  The taste is clean and adds a nice flavor to foods.

Label Reading 101

The following excerpt is from my upcoming book and gives you a quick guide to reading labels.

If something is designed to make our lives easier, why do we feel more confused? This is how many people feel after looking at food labels. Plain and simple – food labels are not user friendly. You almost need an interpreter to figure out what information is being conveyed and how to apply it to your life. It is similar to someone who has never attempted a crossword puzzle– where do you begin?

Many things on the label are optional. For starters, we are not scientists and need only to look at key pertinent information. Percentages, numbers on the bottom are comparisons to an average male adult of a certain weight, which may or may not apply. A good starting point is to read the list of ingredients on the label or side of the box. Questions to ask are:

How many ingredients does the food have? If there are more than 5 or 6 ingredients, consider re-evaluating your food choice, since the more ingredients the more processed the food will be.

Are any of the ingredients other names or components for sugar or starches– such as sucrose, dextrose, maltose, glucose, mannitol, sorbitol, molasses, monosaccharides, polysaccharides, maple syrup, maple sugar, date sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, turbinado sugar, high fructose corn syrup? If the product contains any of these names it is very likely it is a high sugar product.
Does the product contain MSG, or other ingredients that may contain components of MSG such as aspartame, broth, glutamate, hydrolyzed, autolyzed yeast, monosodium glutamate, HVP, yeast extract, malted barley, rice or brown syrup? MSG is a flavor enhancer for foods but also can increase appetite and allergic reactions in some individuals.

How many preservatives or stabilizers does the product contain? Sometimes one or two are okay for a week or two of extended shelf life, but many preservatives ensures the “food” would be there next year if you came across it in your cabinet.

Is there anything you do not recognize or can’t pronounce? (one clue it may not be a healthy food choice).

If a product contains less than 5 or 6 ingredients and does not have extras sugars or other preservatives you can now check the label. Look for serving size as many manufacturers make it small, (serving sizes are one of the hidden keys on a label) to make their product look healthier than it actually is. Look for “total carbohydrates” which will tell you how much carbohydrate/starch/sugar the product contains. 15 grams is equal to about a serving or a slice of bread. A product containing 45 grams of total carbohydrates is similar to consuming 3 slices of bread.

Trans fat is one major consideration. Unfortunately many manufacturers make the serving size so small it falls under the “do not need to report” guideline. If the serving size has less then .5 grams of trans fat a manufacturer can state “contains no trans fat” on the label. Do not rely on what the front of the package states. If you ate several servings of a food with “no trans fat” on the label of a packaged/processed food it could add up to well over 2-3 grams of trans fat per day, which is the most dangerous type of fat.

Researchers at Harvard, including Dr. Walter Willet, warn against consuming greater than 2 grams of trans fat per day since it can increase your risk of heart disease by 37 percent, well above any risk of consuming saturated fat. How much trans fat does processed foods contain? Check it out before purchasing. Examples:

· a medium size order of French fries has approximately 8 grams of trans fat
· a small bag of potato chips has 5 grams
· a donut has approximately 5 grams
· a regular sized candy bar has 3 grams

If you eat even small amounts of processed foods, eating 2 or more grams of trans fat easily adds up.

How much sodium does the product contain? The average consumer eats about 6000 mg. per day. The American Heart Association and many health organizations including the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine recommend keeping your sodium intake below 2300 milligrams per day. If you consume several products which contain more than 500 mg. per serving of sodium, it quickly adds up.

Summing up label reading

Start by looking at the list of ingredients. If the list passes the litmus test, then read on to see if the product is moderate in carbohydrate, sodium, and trans fat. If it has some protein, some monounsaturated fat (healthy fat) and fiber listed on the label, all the better for a balanced meal.
Otherwise, stick with fresh unprocessed foods which do not have labels and limit your exposure to foods in a package. The more ingredients a food contains, the longer it may take your body to process the food. Furthermore, if there are items you cannot pronounce or recognize on the label it might be wise to leave it on the shelf. Your body will thank you!