6 Rules: How to Eat Right on the Job
by CBS MoneyWatch.com
Other than getting a good night’s sleep, there’s probably no other thing that impacts your productivity and mood at work more than what you eat. Yet you probably give little thought to what you consume before and during work, defaulting instead to what’s convenient, cheap, and tasty. And when you do think twice about what you eat, it’s usually in the context of a diet that’s focused on losing weight rather than improving your cognitive functioning and energy levels. Fortunately, there are a few basic food rules that go a long way towards achieving these latter goals. Here are the best of them.
Things you will need:
A new food attitude: Carbs are not the enemy. Neither is fat. Eliminating certain food groups may help your waistline, but it will hurt your brain functioning.
A stash of snacks: To keep your brain well fueled, you can’t let yourself get too hungry. Have a ready supply of trail mix, peanut-butter crackers, or Snickers bars at work. The combination of carbs and protein in these snacks will stabilize your blood sugar, fill you up, and keep you energized.
Some willpower: Big meals actually reduce the supply of energy to your brain and leave you feeling sleepy for hours. Eat half of what you order, and take the rest home.
1. Balance What You Eat, Whenever You Eat
In 1956, the United States Department of Agriculture produced its “Basic Four” guide promoting the daily consumption of foods from four main groups — meat, dairy, grains, and vegetables. But today, nutritionists talk about a different set of food groups —proteins, carbohydrates (which produce glucose), fats, and fiber — and a different way to combine them. Instead of having a few helpings from each group every day, they recommend having something from each of the four groups every time you sit down to eat. And, yes, that includes carbs, which certain popular diets restrict. Why? Because the combination of carbs and protein (and to a lesser extent, fats and fiber) regulates your glucose levels and keeps your mood and mental ability on an even keel.
Moreover, each food group brings unique brain-boosting benefits to the table. “Research suggests that meals with more protein and fats are associated with better-sustained attention, focus, and concentration,” says Tufts research psychologist Kristen D’Anci. “Meals that have a higher carbohydrate content seem to be more calming and have fairly consistent positive effects with memory.” Cut back on either group and you’re missing half the benefits that food can offer.
2. Neglect Carbs at Your Own Peril
The research here is clear: Cutting carbs may shrink your waistline, but doing so will shrink your brainpower, too. “The popular low-carb and no-carb diets have the strongest potential for negative impact on thinking and cognition,” says Tufts psychology professor Holly A. Taylor. In a 2008 study Taylor conducted, dieters who lowered their blood-sugar levels by cutting carbohydrates from their meals immediately performed worse on memory-based tasks than those who simply reduced total calories by the same amount. When they started eating carbs again, their memory skills quickly rebounded.
Brain cells require twice the amount of energy needed by other cells in your body because they never rest. And high-carb foods like pasta, bread, fruit, and rice produce the brain’s favorite fuel — glucose. “Your brain only wants to burn glucose,” says Shawn Talbott, a nutritional biochemist and author of A Guide to Understanding Dietary Supplements: Magic Bullets or Modern Snake Oil. It can burn protein if it has to, Talbott adds, “but it’s like trying to run a gasoline engine on diesel.”
If you are on a low-carb diet, we’re not suggesting you go out and eat a loaf of Wonder Bread. There are plenty of “good” carbs (such as fruit, vegetables, and brown rice) that will supply your brain with all the fuel it needs.
3. Pack in the Protein
Proteins such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, beans, and nuts slow the absorption of glucose so your brain gets a long and steady flow of fuel, rather than the brief blast you get from eating carbs and sugary foods (fats and fiber also help with this). And protein also brings its own set of brain boosters to the party. The amino acids found in meats, poultry, fish, and eggs help produce the neurotransmitters — serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine — that keep us focused, energetic, and upbeat.
Studies also suggest that certain minerals typically found in high-protein foods also enhance memory. A 2005 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that adding zinc — found in meat, seafood, eggs, and milk — to the diets of middle-school kids improved their memories and attention spans. After receiving 20 milligrams of zinc a day, five days a week, for 10 to 12 weeks, their reaction time decreased by 12 percent, their word recognition rose 9 percent, and their ability to sustain attention on a task increased 6 percent.
4. Eat Smaller Amounts, and Eat More Frequently
If you want to keep up your energy and performance levels, the last thing you need is a three-course lunch (or a three-egg cheese omelet for breakfast). The same thing goes for big dinners if you’re working late. Too much food — even if it’s well balanced — is going to make you drowsy because it introduces too much glucose for your body to handle at one time. When that happens, your liver reacts by storing the glucose, and your brain actually gets less fuel than it needs. “If you eat too much, you’re going to get sleepy, and there’s really no way to recover from that,” says Talbott. “Five to six small meals tend to make people perform much better than three squares.”
5. Fat Is Beautiful ... for Your Brain
You probably know that omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart. But they’re great brain food, too. The fats found in salmon, walnuts, and kiwi improve learning and memory and help fight against mental disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and dementia, according to a 2008 report from the Brain Research Institute at UCLA. The fats support the synapses in the brain where much of our cognitive functioning occurs.
6. How to Keep Things in Proportion
In addition to controlling your carb intake, portion and proportion play a big role in regulating glucose. Talbott recommends a highly sophisticated tool for measuring food amounts — your hand. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, he says the portions are the same: “Your fist is the size of the carbs; your palm is the size of the protein. Make an OK sign with your thumb and index finger, and that’s how much fat you should have. Open your hand as wide as it can go; that’s the amount of fruits and vegetables. That’s going to be a well-balanced mix.”
For more diet information, go to http://www.diettimecookies.tv
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
The Dangerous Side of Sugar
The Dangerous Side Of Sugar
By Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.
As if you needed another good reason to kick your soda habit, a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that a diet heavy in added sugar is linked to elevated triglyceride levels and may increase your risk for a heart attack.
Added sugars such as cane sugar, beet sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, and honey are used to sweeten packaged foods like sodas and fruit drinks, cereal, candy, cookies, and baked goods. In the study published this week, researchers at Emory University found that individuals who consume large amounts of added sugar have lower HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and higher triglyceride levels than individuals who eat less of the sweet stuff. Among women only, high added sugar intake was also linked to increased LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels. All of these red-flag numbers-low HDL, high triglycerides, high LDL-are independent risk factors for heart disease, which means that guzzling sugary coffee drinks and chomping down cookies may be putting your ticker in harm's way.
Research has already shown that regular consumption of foods high in added sugars is associated with weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cavities, but this is the first study of its kind to link sugar intake to cholesterol levels in humans. And that's bad news for Americans, who now consume about 16% of their daily total calories as added sugar. Soda is the number one source of added sugar, contributing about a third of all added sugar in the American diet.
Unfortunately, guidelines for added sugar intake are all over the map and hardly user-friendly. Last year, the American Heart Association released new recommendations advising that women consume fewer than 100 calories from added sugar daily and men consume fewer than 150 calories. While I'm glad the organization called attention to our population's growing sugar problem, these guidelines are very difficult to put into practice, especially since "added sugars" aren't specifically listed on nutrition labels. (The Nutrition Facts Panel lists "Sugars" under "Total Carbohydrate", but this refers to total sugar in the product. Total sugar is a combination of added sugars and naturally-occurring sugars found primarily in fruit and dairy products. While added sugars don't provide anything but empty calories, the natural sugars in fruit and dairy products come packaged with healthful nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals and don't need to be strictly limited.)
Plus, in order to see if you're staying below the American Heart Association calorie cutoffs, you need to know that every gram of added sugar contributes 4 calories, and then do a little arithmetic. Complete hassle!
If you don't feel like tabulating your exact added sugar intake each day, follow my 4 guidelines and you'll automatically cut back on the added sugar in your diet.
Eliminate soda and sugary drinks (including sports drinks, sweetened waters, juice drinks, and caloric cocktails). Choose plain water or naturally flavored seltzer instead.
Use sugar (and other sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave, and molasses) sparingly. Add no more than 1 to 2 teaspoons in coffee, tea, or oatmeal.
Choose packaged foods with minimal added sugar. For example, cereals should have no more than 8 grams of sugar per serving.
Be selective with sweet splurges. Either allow yourself a daily sweet treat around 150 calories, or indulge in a more decadent dessert no more than once or twice a week. My favorite sweet treats are foods that balance sugar with something healthy, such as a scoop of ice cream or pudding-both high in calcium; 1 oz dark chocolate-has tons of antioxidants; or a dollop of whipped cream with berries-loaded with fiber and vitamin C.
For more diet information, go to: http://www.diettimecookies.tv
--------------------
By Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.
As if you needed another good reason to kick your soda habit, a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that a diet heavy in added sugar is linked to elevated triglyceride levels and may increase your risk for a heart attack.
Added sugars such as cane sugar, beet sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, and honey are used to sweeten packaged foods like sodas and fruit drinks, cereal, candy, cookies, and baked goods. In the study published this week, researchers at Emory University found that individuals who consume large amounts of added sugar have lower HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and higher triglyceride levels than individuals who eat less of the sweet stuff. Among women only, high added sugar intake was also linked to increased LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels. All of these red-flag numbers-low HDL, high triglycerides, high LDL-are independent risk factors for heart disease, which means that guzzling sugary coffee drinks and chomping down cookies may be putting your ticker in harm's way.
Research has already shown that regular consumption of foods high in added sugars is associated with weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cavities, but this is the first study of its kind to link sugar intake to cholesterol levels in humans. And that's bad news for Americans, who now consume about 16% of their daily total calories as added sugar. Soda is the number one source of added sugar, contributing about a third of all added sugar in the American diet.
Unfortunately, guidelines for added sugar intake are all over the map and hardly user-friendly. Last year, the American Heart Association released new recommendations advising that women consume fewer than 100 calories from added sugar daily and men consume fewer than 150 calories. While I'm glad the organization called attention to our population's growing sugar problem, these guidelines are very difficult to put into practice, especially since "added sugars" aren't specifically listed on nutrition labels. (The Nutrition Facts Panel lists "Sugars" under "Total Carbohydrate", but this refers to total sugar in the product. Total sugar is a combination of added sugars and naturally-occurring sugars found primarily in fruit and dairy products. While added sugars don't provide anything but empty calories, the natural sugars in fruit and dairy products come packaged with healthful nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals and don't need to be strictly limited.)
Plus, in order to see if you're staying below the American Heart Association calorie cutoffs, you need to know that every gram of added sugar contributes 4 calories, and then do a little arithmetic. Complete hassle!
If you don't feel like tabulating your exact added sugar intake each day, follow my 4 guidelines and you'll automatically cut back on the added sugar in your diet.
Eliminate soda and sugary drinks (including sports drinks, sweetened waters, juice drinks, and caloric cocktails). Choose plain water or naturally flavored seltzer instead.
Use sugar (and other sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave, and molasses) sparingly. Add no more than 1 to 2 teaspoons in coffee, tea, or oatmeal.
Choose packaged foods with minimal added sugar. For example, cereals should have no more than 8 grams of sugar per serving.
Be selective with sweet splurges. Either allow yourself a daily sweet treat around 150 calories, or indulge in a more decadent dessert no more than once or twice a week. My favorite sweet treats are foods that balance sugar with something healthy, such as a scoop of ice cream or pudding-both high in calcium; 1 oz dark chocolate-has tons of antioxidants; or a dollop of whipped cream with berries-loaded with fiber and vitamin C.
For more diet information, go to: http://www.diettimecookies.tv
--------------------
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Gaining a Pound a Year After 20 Nearly Doubles Women's Breast CAncer Risk
Gaining a Pound a Year After Age 20 Nearly Doubles Women's Breast Cancer Risk 7 ways to keep your weight steady as you age.
By Deborah Kotz
Gaining a pound or two a year after age 20 is the norm for most Americans, which explains why two-thirds of us are overweight by the time we hit our 50s. Not only does that put us at increased risk of heart disease and diabetes, but it can also increase a woman's chances of developing postmenopausal breast cancer. A new National Cancer Institute study of 72,000 women found that those who had a normal body mass index at age 20 and gained through the decades to become overweight--an increase of at least 5 BMI units, which is equivalent to a 30- pound gain for a 5- foot, 4- inch woman--had nearly double the risk of developing breast cancer after menopause compared to women who kept their weight steady as they aged. (The average 60- year-old woman's risk of developing breast cancer by age 65 is about 2 percent; her lifetime risk is 13 percent.)
"Weight gain is a major risk factor for breast cancer," and could play as much of a role as other known risk factors, like family history of cancer, or the age at first menstruation or childbirth, says study coauthor Regina Ziegler, an epidemiologist at NCI. That's probably because the accumulation of excess body fat over time increases the level of estrogen in the body, which is thought to fuel the growth of most postmenopausal breast cancer tumors. Interestingly, the study also found that women who started off overweight or obese at age 20 didn't have any increase in breast cancer risk, which contradicts other research showing that obesity increases the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer as well as several other cancers including colon, endometrial, kidney, and esophageal, according to the NCI's website.
Unfortunately, few women are able to maintain their post-college dress size, a testament to how tough it is to prevent that mid-life bulge. (Nearly 57 percent of the study participants failed to do so.) "As you progress through mid-life, you'll find your metabolism naturally slows down," says Jana Klauer, a New York City physician and nutritionist specializing in obesity treatment and author of How the Rich Get Thin. In other words, if you maintain the same Big Mac habits you had in college, you'll pack on pounds. So what does it take to keep the scale steady? "A lot of effort," says Klauer. Here are her 7 steps for beating the odds:
1. Cut back on calories. "Your metabolic rate peaks in your 20s," says Klauer, because your body is still adding bone mass and churning out a lot of hormones to keep you fertile. After age 30, your metabolism slows by about 5 to 7 percent per decade. That means if you were eating about 2,500 calories per day to maintain your weight in your 20s, you'd have to eat about 125 to 175 fewer calories each day to keep the scale from inching upward. By the time you hit your 50s, you'd need to cut back by 300 to 500 calories a day to keep the same waistline you had in your 20s.
2. Sweat, sweat, sweat. If you don't want to cut your food intake too much, increase your calorie-burning activities. Those who aren't counting calories probably need to exercise for about an hour each day, every day of the week to truly keep the pounds off, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers looked at 34,000 nondieting women (average age 54) and found that those who worked out for an hour a day--the equivalent of a brisk walk--kept themselves slim through the years. While those who worked out less gained weight, they still benefitted from lower risks of heart disease and diabetes, compared to their sedentary counterparts.
3. Lift weights. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so building muscle helps keep your metabolism revved up as you age. Unfortunately, your body begins to shed muscle in your 40s if you don't do anything to maintain it. Doing resistance training with free weights or weight machines at the gym three or four days a week can go a long way towards helping you retain muscle and boost your metabolism. Klauer recommends hiring a personal trainer for three or four sessions to learn the proper form and prevent injuries.
4. Be wary of hormonal birth control. Birth control pills, intrauterine devices that release progesterone, and especially the progesterone-only shot, Depo-Provera, can cause weight gain in some women. A 2009 study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that women who used the Depo shot gained an average of 11 pounds over three years compared to an average gain of 3 to 4 pounds among women who used other forms of contraception. But the study also found that only 25 percent of Depo users gained a significant amount of weight, and Klauer says the same holds true for other forms of hormonal contraception. For example, some women gain 15 pounds on a particular brand of pill, while others don't. "It's extremely individual and probably related to genetics," she adds. If you're taking hormones and have noticed recent weight gain of five or ten pounds with no obvious explanation, she says, you might want to try switching to a different formulation to see if that helps.
5. Get an optimal amount of sleep. Research has shown that getting too little or too much sleep increases a person's risk of heart disease and metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes. Getting an adequate amount of sleep, says Klauer, ensures that your body produces enough leptin, a hormone released during deep sleep that regulates your hunger drive. That's why sleep deprivation tends to lead to overeating. While most adults need about 7 to 8 hours of shut-eye each night, some of us require a bit more or a bit less. How to tell how much you need? Go to bed a few nights in a row without an alarm clock and see what time you naturally wake up the next morning. (Best to try this when you don't need to make an early flight or work meeting!)
6. Eat six mini-meals a day. Klauer recommends eating one small meal every three hours to help curb those hunger pangs that trigger overeating. Research also suggests that eating mini-meals at regular times throughout the day boosts metabolism and balances blood sugar levels. Mini-meals should be about 250 to 300 calories consisting of a mixture of carbohydrates, protein, and a dollop of fat. Some nutritious ideas: two slices of turkey breast with lettuce and tomato on whole-wheat bread; a mixed-green salad topped with strawberries, sliced pears, and a serving of sliced almonds; one bowl of high-fiber cereal and a cup of light yogurt.
7. Weigh yourself regularly. While you don't want to be a slave to your scale, weighing yourself a few times a week can help you keep track of weight gain and reverse course before you find you can't button your favorite jeans. Need proof? A 2006 study from Cornell University found that college freshmen who were told to weigh themselves every morning gained almost no weight during the school year compared with a 7-pound gain for those who weren't given a scale.
For diet information, go to http://www.diettimecookies.tv
By Deborah Kotz
Gaining a pound or two a year after age 20 is the norm for most Americans, which explains why two-thirds of us are overweight by the time we hit our 50s. Not only does that put us at increased risk of heart disease and diabetes, but it can also increase a woman's chances of developing postmenopausal breast cancer. A new National Cancer Institute study of 72,000 women found that those who had a normal body mass index at age 20 and gained through the decades to become overweight--an increase of at least 5 BMI units, which is equivalent to a 30- pound gain for a 5- foot, 4- inch woman--had nearly double the risk of developing breast cancer after menopause compared to women who kept their weight steady as they aged. (The average 60- year-old woman's risk of developing breast cancer by age 65 is about 2 percent; her lifetime risk is 13 percent.)
"Weight gain is a major risk factor for breast cancer," and could play as much of a role as other known risk factors, like family history of cancer, or the age at first menstruation or childbirth, says study coauthor Regina Ziegler, an epidemiologist at NCI. That's probably because the accumulation of excess body fat over time increases the level of estrogen in the body, which is thought to fuel the growth of most postmenopausal breast cancer tumors. Interestingly, the study also found that women who started off overweight or obese at age 20 didn't have any increase in breast cancer risk, which contradicts other research showing that obesity increases the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer as well as several other cancers including colon, endometrial, kidney, and esophageal, according to the NCI's website.
Unfortunately, few women are able to maintain their post-college dress size, a testament to how tough it is to prevent that mid-life bulge. (Nearly 57 percent of the study participants failed to do so.) "As you progress through mid-life, you'll find your metabolism naturally slows down," says Jana Klauer, a New York City physician and nutritionist specializing in obesity treatment and author of How the Rich Get Thin. In other words, if you maintain the same Big Mac habits you had in college, you'll pack on pounds. So what does it take to keep the scale steady? "A lot of effort," says Klauer. Here are her 7 steps for beating the odds:
1. Cut back on calories. "Your metabolic rate peaks in your 20s," says Klauer, because your body is still adding bone mass and churning out a lot of hormones to keep you fertile. After age 30, your metabolism slows by about 5 to 7 percent per decade. That means if you were eating about 2,500 calories per day to maintain your weight in your 20s, you'd have to eat about 125 to 175 fewer calories each day to keep the scale from inching upward. By the time you hit your 50s, you'd need to cut back by 300 to 500 calories a day to keep the same waistline you had in your 20s.
2. Sweat, sweat, sweat. If you don't want to cut your food intake too much, increase your calorie-burning activities. Those who aren't counting calories probably need to exercise for about an hour each day, every day of the week to truly keep the pounds off, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers looked at 34,000 nondieting women (average age 54) and found that those who worked out for an hour a day--the equivalent of a brisk walk--kept themselves slim through the years. While those who worked out less gained weight, they still benefitted from lower risks of heart disease and diabetes, compared to their sedentary counterparts.
3. Lift weights. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so building muscle helps keep your metabolism revved up as you age. Unfortunately, your body begins to shed muscle in your 40s if you don't do anything to maintain it. Doing resistance training with free weights or weight machines at the gym three or four days a week can go a long way towards helping you retain muscle and boost your metabolism. Klauer recommends hiring a personal trainer for three or four sessions to learn the proper form and prevent injuries.
4. Be wary of hormonal birth control. Birth control pills, intrauterine devices that release progesterone, and especially the progesterone-only shot, Depo-Provera, can cause weight gain in some women. A 2009 study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that women who used the Depo shot gained an average of 11 pounds over three years compared to an average gain of 3 to 4 pounds among women who used other forms of contraception. But the study also found that only 25 percent of Depo users gained a significant amount of weight, and Klauer says the same holds true for other forms of hormonal contraception. For example, some women gain 15 pounds on a particular brand of pill, while others don't. "It's extremely individual and probably related to genetics," she adds. If you're taking hormones and have noticed recent weight gain of five or ten pounds with no obvious explanation, she says, you might want to try switching to a different formulation to see if that helps.
5. Get an optimal amount of sleep. Research has shown that getting too little or too much sleep increases a person's risk of heart disease and metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes. Getting an adequate amount of sleep, says Klauer, ensures that your body produces enough leptin, a hormone released during deep sleep that regulates your hunger drive. That's why sleep deprivation tends to lead to overeating. While most adults need about 7 to 8 hours of shut-eye each night, some of us require a bit more or a bit less. How to tell how much you need? Go to bed a few nights in a row without an alarm clock and see what time you naturally wake up the next morning. (Best to try this when you don't need to make an early flight or work meeting!)
6. Eat six mini-meals a day. Klauer recommends eating one small meal every three hours to help curb those hunger pangs that trigger overeating. Research also suggests that eating mini-meals at regular times throughout the day boosts metabolism and balances blood sugar levels. Mini-meals should be about 250 to 300 calories consisting of a mixture of carbohydrates, protein, and a dollop of fat. Some nutritious ideas: two slices of turkey breast with lettuce and tomato on whole-wheat bread; a mixed-green salad topped with strawberries, sliced pears, and a serving of sliced almonds; one bowl of high-fiber cereal and a cup of light yogurt.
7. Weigh yourself regularly. While you don't want to be a slave to your scale, weighing yourself a few times a week can help you keep track of weight gain and reverse course before you find you can't button your favorite jeans. Need proof? A 2006 study from Cornell University found that college freshmen who were told to weigh themselves every morning gained almost no weight during the school year compared with a 7-pound gain for those who weren't given a scale.
For diet information, go to http://www.diettimecookies.tv
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Dangerous Side of Sugar
The Dangerous Side Of Sugar
By Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.
As if you needed another good reason to kick your soda habit, a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that a diet heavy in added sugar is linked to elevated triglyceride levels and may increase your risk for a heart attack.
Added sugars such as cane sugar, beet sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, and honey are used to sweeten packaged foods like sodas and fruit drinks, cereal, candy, cookies, and baked goods. In the study published this week, researchers at Emory University found that individuals who consume large amounts of added sugar have lower HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and higher triglyceride levels than individuals who eat less of the sweet stuff. Among women only, high added sugar intake was also linked to increased LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels. All of these red-flag numbers-low HDL, high triglycerides, high LDL-are independent risk factors for heart disease, which means that guzzling sugary coffee drinks and chomping down cookies may be putting your ticker in harm's way.
Research has already shown that regular consumption of foods high in added sugars is associated with weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cavities, but this is the first study of its kind to link sugar intake to cholesterol levels in humans. And that's bad news for Americans, who now consume about 16% of their daily total calories as added sugar. Soda is the number one source of added sugar, contributing about a third of all added sugar in the American diet.
Unfortunately, guidelines for added sugar intake are all over the map and hardly user-friendly. Last year, the American Heart Association released new recommendations advising that women consume fewer than 100 calories from added sugar daily and men consume fewer than 150 calories. While I'm glad the organization called attention to our population's growing sugar problem, these guidelines are very difficult to put into practice, especially since "added sugars" aren't specifically listed on nutrition labels. (The Nutrition Facts Panel lists "Sugars" under "Total Carbohydrate", but this refers to total sugar in the product. Total sugar is a combination of added sugars and naturally-occurring sugars found primarily in fruit and dairy products. While added sugars don't provide anything but empty calories, the natural sugars in fruit and dairy products come packaged with healthful nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals and don't need to be strictly limited.)
Plus, in order to see if you're staying below the American Heart Association calorie cutoffs, you need to know that every gram of added sugar contributes 4 calories, and then do a little arithmetic. Complete hassle!
If you don't feel like tabulating your exact added sugar intake each day, follow my 4 guidelines and you'll automatically cut back on the added sugar in your diet.
Eliminate soda and sugary drinks (including sports drinks, sweetened waters, juice drinks, and caloric cocktails). Choose plain water or naturally flavored seltzer instead.
Use sugar (and other sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave, and molasses) sparingly. Add no more than 1 to 2 teaspoons in coffee, tea, or oatmeal.
Choose packaged foods with minimal added sugar. For example, cereals should have no more than 8 grams of sugar per serving.
Be selective with sweet splurges. Either allow yourself a daily sweet treat around 150 calories, or indulge in a more decadent dessert no more than once or twice a week. My favorite sweet treats are foods that balance sugar with something healthy, such as a scoop of ice cream or pudding-both high in calcium; 1 oz dark chocolate-has tons of antioxidants; or a dollop of whipped cream with berries-loaded with fiber and vitamin C.
For diet information, go to http://www.diettimecookies.tv
By Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.
As if you needed another good reason to kick your soda habit, a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that a diet heavy in added sugar is linked to elevated triglyceride levels and may increase your risk for a heart attack.
Added sugars such as cane sugar, beet sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, and honey are used to sweeten packaged foods like sodas and fruit drinks, cereal, candy, cookies, and baked goods. In the study published this week, researchers at Emory University found that individuals who consume large amounts of added sugar have lower HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and higher triglyceride levels than individuals who eat less of the sweet stuff. Among women only, high added sugar intake was also linked to increased LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels. All of these red-flag numbers-low HDL, high triglycerides, high LDL-are independent risk factors for heart disease, which means that guzzling sugary coffee drinks and chomping down cookies may be putting your ticker in harm's way.
Research has already shown that regular consumption of foods high in added sugars is associated with weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cavities, but this is the first study of its kind to link sugar intake to cholesterol levels in humans. And that's bad news for Americans, who now consume about 16% of their daily total calories as added sugar. Soda is the number one source of added sugar, contributing about a third of all added sugar in the American diet.
Unfortunately, guidelines for added sugar intake are all over the map and hardly user-friendly. Last year, the American Heart Association released new recommendations advising that women consume fewer than 100 calories from added sugar daily and men consume fewer than 150 calories. While I'm glad the organization called attention to our population's growing sugar problem, these guidelines are very difficult to put into practice, especially since "added sugars" aren't specifically listed on nutrition labels. (The Nutrition Facts Panel lists "Sugars" under "Total Carbohydrate", but this refers to total sugar in the product. Total sugar is a combination of added sugars and naturally-occurring sugars found primarily in fruit and dairy products. While added sugars don't provide anything but empty calories, the natural sugars in fruit and dairy products come packaged with healthful nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals and don't need to be strictly limited.)
Plus, in order to see if you're staying below the American Heart Association calorie cutoffs, you need to know that every gram of added sugar contributes 4 calories, and then do a little arithmetic. Complete hassle!
If you don't feel like tabulating your exact added sugar intake each day, follow my 4 guidelines and you'll automatically cut back on the added sugar in your diet.
Eliminate soda and sugary drinks (including sports drinks, sweetened waters, juice drinks, and caloric cocktails). Choose plain water or naturally flavored seltzer instead.
Use sugar (and other sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave, and molasses) sparingly. Add no more than 1 to 2 teaspoons in coffee, tea, or oatmeal.
Choose packaged foods with minimal added sugar. For example, cereals should have no more than 8 grams of sugar per serving.
Be selective with sweet splurges. Either allow yourself a daily sweet treat around 150 calories, or indulge in a more decadent dessert no more than once or twice a week. My favorite sweet treats are foods that balance sugar with something healthy, such as a scoop of ice cream or pudding-both high in calcium; 1 oz dark chocolate-has tons of antioxidants; or a dollop of whipped cream with berries-loaded with fiber and vitamin C.
For diet information, go to http://www.diettimecookies.tv
Monday, April 5, 2010
Easy Calorie Cutters That Fight Fat
Easy Calorie Cutters That Fight Fat.
By Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, Prevention
There's more than one way to cut a calorie. Yes, you can look at labels or choose restaurants that list calories on the menu, but there are other not-so-obvious ways to trim calories without a lot of thought or effort. Here are six that work surprisingly well.
1. Trim Down Portions at Home
Restaurant servings aren't the only ones growing. According to a study of 18 recipes published in The Joy of Cooking since it was first released in 1936, home-cooked meals have 63% more calories per serving today. One of the reasons is a 33% increase in serving sizes since 1996. Halve recipes, or assume you'll have leftovers and store half the food as soon as it's cooked.
2. Skip Oversweetened Drinks
People who eliminated just one sugar-sweetened beverage from their diets a day lost more weight over 6 months than those who reduced the same number of calories from solid food, found a Johns Hopkins University study. Researchers speculate that liquid calories are less satiating, leaving you hungrier.
3. Eat Protein at Every Meal
In a European study of 205 slimmed-down men and women, those who ate about 25% of their daily calories from protein (about 100 g for a 1,600-calorie diet) had an easier time maintaining their weight loss. Protein may help because it keeps you feeling full longer and uses more calories during digestion than carbohydrates and fat do, concluded the researchers. Good choices: 3 ounces of chicken (26 g protein), 3 ounces of tuna (22 g), 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese (14 g), 1/2 cup of soybeans (11 g), 1 cup of quinoa (8 g).
4. Begin with Broth
Research shows you'll eat about 20% fewer calories if you start a meal with soup instead of diving right into the main course. Just skip high-calorie cream-based varieties.
5. Have a V-8
Vegetable juice may help quell your appetite and control calorie consumption. When University of California, Davis, researchers had a group of men and women follow a low-calorie, heart-healthy diet, those who drank at least 8 ounces of low-sodium vegetable juice daily lost 4 times more weight than those who skipped the healthy beverage.
6. Make Your Own Snack Packs
Dieters actually ate more when given prepackaged 100-calorie snack packs than when they received larger packages, reports a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research. These products may be perceived as low-cal "diet" food, but in reality, they tend to be sugary and nonfilling so you may not stop at just one, explains Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, director of sports nutrition at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. A better (and cheaper) option: Buy a big bag and portion out your own sensible servings.
For more diet information, go to: http://www.diettimecookies.tv
By Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, Prevention
There's more than one way to cut a calorie. Yes, you can look at labels or choose restaurants that list calories on the menu, but there are other not-so-obvious ways to trim calories without a lot of thought or effort. Here are six that work surprisingly well.
1. Trim Down Portions at Home
Restaurant servings aren't the only ones growing. According to a study of 18 recipes published in The Joy of Cooking since it was first released in 1936, home-cooked meals have 63% more calories per serving today. One of the reasons is a 33% increase in serving sizes since 1996. Halve recipes, or assume you'll have leftovers and store half the food as soon as it's cooked.
2. Skip Oversweetened Drinks
People who eliminated just one sugar-sweetened beverage from their diets a day lost more weight over 6 months than those who reduced the same number of calories from solid food, found a Johns Hopkins University study. Researchers speculate that liquid calories are less satiating, leaving you hungrier.
3. Eat Protein at Every Meal
In a European study of 205 slimmed-down men and women, those who ate about 25% of their daily calories from protein (about 100 g for a 1,600-calorie diet) had an easier time maintaining their weight loss. Protein may help because it keeps you feeling full longer and uses more calories during digestion than carbohydrates and fat do, concluded the researchers. Good choices: 3 ounces of chicken (26 g protein), 3 ounces of tuna (22 g), 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese (14 g), 1/2 cup of soybeans (11 g), 1 cup of quinoa (8 g).
4. Begin with Broth
Research shows you'll eat about 20% fewer calories if you start a meal with soup instead of diving right into the main course. Just skip high-calorie cream-based varieties.
5. Have a V-8
Vegetable juice may help quell your appetite and control calorie consumption. When University of California, Davis, researchers had a group of men and women follow a low-calorie, heart-healthy diet, those who drank at least 8 ounces of low-sodium vegetable juice daily lost 4 times more weight than those who skipped the healthy beverage.
6. Make Your Own Snack Packs
Dieters actually ate more when given prepackaged 100-calorie snack packs than when they received larger packages, reports a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research. These products may be perceived as low-cal "diet" food, but in reality, they tend to be sugary and nonfilling so you may not stop at just one, explains Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, director of sports nutrition at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. A better (and cheaper) option: Buy a big bag and portion out your own sensible servings.
For more diet information, go to: http://www.diettimecookies.tv
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