Too Low Carb, Not so Smart? (Part 1)

As an outpatient Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I meet people on all sorts of diets and meal plans. Even if they think they are not on a diet, they are. Their diet may not be the most optimal, but it could be “the fast food diet” or “the eat food only if it is convenient diet” or the “no-time-to-cook-so-everything-is-from-a-package diet”.  No matter.

I always look at what people are doing now, and try to help them move in a more healthful direction.

One of the more common types of diets people try on their own is the low-carbohydrate diet. They may be trying this diet because the Dr. told them their blood sugar is creeping up. Or they heard it would help them lose some weight. Or their neighbor told them to “cut out everything white”.

There is a lot of misinformation out there about eating low-carbohydrate. There may be grains of truth in the misinformation, which makes it sound like it could be true to many folks.

In order to learn more about carbs, pretend you are in one of my classes. First, I have 10 questions to test your knowledge about carbs. Answer them to the best of your ability, and in about a day, and I will give you my answers. No need to send me your answers. I’m not grading you.  Here we go:

1. Low carbohydrate eating will help you lose weight. T or F

2. Low carbohydrate eating will help your blood sugar. T or F

3. Everyone needs carbohydrate. T or F

4. How much carbohydrate (in grams) is a minimum needed for adults?

5. Athletes do better on a high-carbohydrate diet. T or F

6. You need extra carbohydrate after exercise. T or F

7. Carbohydrate helps you think. T or F

8. The carbohydrate in white rice and white bread is worse for you than the carbohydrate in brown rice and grainy bread. T or F

9. It is better to divide your carbohydrate intake throughout the day (rather than eat it all at one time). T or F

10. Natural carbs (such as honey, pure maple syrup, fruit, and 100 percent fruit juice) don’t count toward your carbohydrate for the day. T or F

Tidbits: Two Quick Ways to Reduce the Sodium

Happy Heart Month! Does anyone need reminding why a person should aim for a lower sodium intake? Ok, here's a reminder list. Low sodium eating helps your heart, lungs, blood pressure, puffy feet and ankles, puffy fingers, puffy face, kidneys, and so on. Some of the sodium you eat is difficult to avoid (restaurant food, fast food, dinner at a church potluck, etc.) But when you cook your own foods, you have some control over the amount of sodium in the dishes you make.

That's why I am so excited with this new product I found at the grocery store. It is worth trying for anyone trying to reduce the sodium in family meals.

I think most everyone knows about the original Mrs. Dash products; they are herb and spice blends in shakers that can add flavor to foods without adding sodium.  I have heard a few complaints (from people who are trying to follow a low-sodium eating plan) that the original Mrs. Dash was too plain (not spicy enough). But recently, the company has added a number of spice blend flavors that fit more recipes. I like the Chicken Grilling blend (I use it for baked chicken), the Steak Grilling blend and the Lemon Pepper (for fish).  These new Mrs. Dash packets are a new twist on the idea.

Instead of buying packets of taco seasoning that contain 2400 milligrams of sodium per packet, why not buy the Mrs. Dash version, and get the flavor without the sodium?  I found these in the same section of the store as the other flavor packets.

If you think about it, 2400 milligrams of sodium is the same amount as in one teaspoon of salt.  (That's supposed to be the target of sodium eaten in one day by one person, by the way).

If you used one of these Mrs. Dash flavoring packets and found that your taco meat or chili needs some salt to taste good to you, you could add a little salt (one-quarter teaspoon at a time) to your dish. You might be pleasantly surprised that the food tastes great with less sodium.  

A second way to reduce sodium is to drain your canned vegetables before adding them to a dish, or before eating them.  The drained vegetable contains half the sodium that is listed on the Nutrition Facts label (the label assumes you would be drinking the fluid, I guess).

This can of green beans from Del Monte now lists the sodium percent when the product is both drained and undrained. You can readily see that the sodium is half when drained.

One recipe I make, Seven-Can Soup, is made lower in sodium when I drain and rinse the can of corn, the black beans and the chicken. I don't rinse the diced tomatoes or salsa, so you still get some sodium in the soup, but it is much less than if you poured all of the liquids into the soup pot (and way less than if you opened a can of ready-made soup).

Healthy Happy New Year

I thought this “Happy New Year” article was a clever look at habits that can keep you healthy throughout the year. (Adapted from Alice Henneman MS RD, Extension educator at the University of Nebraska, Lancaster. Click HERE to see her expanded version.)

H=Health.   Make health a priority, rather than what you do after everything else is done for the day.

A=Attitude.  A positive attitude can help you deal with whatever comes your way, both good and bad.

P=Physical activity.  Aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. This can be broken into 10-minute increments (such as walking on a lunch break) or 5 sessions, 30 minutes each.

P=People.  Keeping up face-to-face social networks (i.e. church, clubs, friends, etc) can keep a person less vulnerable to ill health.

Y=Your body.  Schedule your medical, dental and eye exams regularly so if there is something amiss, it will be caught early.

N=No.  Learn to say “no” without feeling guilty. That can give you more time to do what you really want to do. (If you said “yes” to an obligation and then felt regret or anger with your decision, that’s a sign you should have said “no”).

E=Eat healthy.  There are lots of places to look for healthy eating advice, but be sure the plan you choose has lots of variety of food types, food colors, and does not eliminate entire food groups (that’s a recipe for malnutrition).  And if you happen to have one or more health problems that require a special diet, consider consulting a Registered Dietitian for help in combining all your health needs into one plan (Check out “Find a Dietitian” HERE.)

W=Wisdom.  Choose your health goals with your own body in mind. Don’t jump in with someone else’s goal (unless it really is your goal, too, such as running at 5 a.m. each morning). 

Y=Your hands.   Keep your hands clean to help avoid passing germs and getting germs from others.

E=Enough sleep.   Most people feel they do their best when they get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Not getting that?  Click the following link for tips for better sleep, from the National Sleep Foundation.  

A=Avoid portion distortion.  Restaurants and other generous folks tend to serve portions that could feed at least two people. If you are working on your weight, the portion size matters as much as what you choose to eat.

R=Reading materials.  “Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint” (Mark Twain).  When looking for advice about a new way of eating, beware of those that: 1. Promise quick, dramatic results; 2. Rely solely on testimonials; and 3. Seem to be the opposite of more mainstream advice.  Remember, just because something is in print or published on the internet, it is not necessarily true.

Tidbits: Safe Eggnog!

Did you know that safe eggnog begins with happy eggs (see photo above)?

Well, not really.  But if you are planning to make your world-famous homemade eggnog, you are probably going to want to make it safe for your guests and family. No sense ruining a nice party with a trip to the Emergency Room.

Here are commonly made statements about eggnog that I have heard over time, disguised as a quiz for  you, with my answers:

Yes or No: Putting lots of alcohol in the eggnog kills the salmonella or other bacteria that may be in the eggs. 

(No.) The bacteria may be happy, but they don’t go away.

Yes or No: Fresh and/or organic eggs are more safe than regular grocery eggs.  

(No.) Bacteria love protein, and that’s what an egg is made of.

Yes or No: Freezing eggnog, then thawing before serving kills bacteria. 

(No.)  The freezing just slows down the bacteria’s growth, but they are still there.

There are three ways to have safe eggnog (from a food safety perspective). 

• First, you could buy ready-made eggnog. The word “pasteurized” on the label means the eggnog has been brought up to a certain temperature for a certain amount of time to kill potential bacteria, then is quickly cooled. (Click the word pasteurized to learn more; the science majors can click here to learn even more.) 
• Second, if making homemade eggnog, you could use a pasteurized egg product such as Egg Beaters, or check brands in your store that say “pasteurized”. 
• Third, and a little more work, is making your own eggnog, but using the methods from the American Egg Board for “Classic Cooked Eggnog”.  See their recipe below: 

Classic Cooked Eggnog  from the American Egg Board 

6 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups milk, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

Step one: BEAT eggs, sugar and salt in large heavy saucepan until blended. STIR IN 2 cups milk.

Step two: COOK over low heat, stirring constantly but gently, until mixture is just thick enough to just coat a metal spoon with a thin film and temperature reaches 160°F, about 15 minutes. Do not allow to boil. REMOVE from heat immediately.

Step three: STIR IN remaining 2 cups milk and vanilla. REFRIGERATE, covered, until thoroughly chilled (several hours or overnight).

Makes 12 servings. Nutrition information per serving: 94 calories, 4 grams fat, 6 grams protein, 8 grams carbohydrate, 100 milligrams cholesterol, 122 milligrams sodium. 

Visit the American Egg Board’s Eggcyclopedia for A-to-Z information on eggs and cooking with eggs. It’s my go-to spot for any questions about eggs.

What's For Dinner: Quick White Chicken Chili

There are many recipes for white chicken chili around, but I like this simple one that calls for ingredients I always keep on hand. It’s tasty enough for company, but we usually make a double batch for ourselves once the weather turns cold (leftovers are good, and half the batch goes in the freezer for a later meal).

RECIPE:  Quick White Chicken Chili

1 48-ounce jar of great northern beans, rinsed

2 14-ounce cans of reduced sodium chicken broth (or 1 can broth, 1 can water)

1 8-10 ounce jar of chunky salsa

1 12.5 ounce can of either white meat chicken or turkey, rinsed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

In a large Dutch oven, add the beans, chicken broth, salsa, chicken, cumin and garlic powder and stir.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors (it tastes even better the next day).

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips or crackers.  Makes about 10 cups.

Nutrition information per 1 cup:  192 calories, 16 grams protein, 1 gram fat, 28 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams fiber, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 227 milligrams sodium.

           

Cook’s notes:  

• You can always use leftover chicken or turkey in the soup; measure about 1.5 to 2 cups or so of chicken chunks (or more if you want). 
• You also could use fresh chicken breasts instead of the canned. Cut into chunks 2 large breast halves or 3 small halves. Sauté chicken in 1-2 teaspoons olive oil until chicken turns from pink to white. Add to soup.  (If using minced garlic, sauté it along with the chicken.) 
• Choose a salsa that is one step hotter than you normally use, because the beans tone down the hotness, especially by day 2. 
• The cumin is a must. If you are out of cumin, don’t make this recipe until you get some from the store. Seriously.

Tidbits: Top 10 Superfoods for Diabetes

One of my patients, new to diabetes, had done some research before coming in to see me. She told me she found a top 10 diabetes superfoods list, and had been enthusiastically eating these foods.

I am a skeptic at heart, but I do look into that people tell me about. Sure enough, the American Diabetes Association had a superfoods list on their site that bears repeating.

I am not a fan of the word “superfood”, simply because nutrition is a young science; researchers are learning new things about foods, seemingly everyday. People sometimes take that as a negative, with comments such as “why are they changing their minds about nutrition all the time?” I take it as a positive, that new things are being learned regularly about the benefits of the foods we eat.

Here are the American Diabetes Association’s Top 10 Superfoods for Diabetes:

DRIED BEANS (any color)

Dried, cooked beans are loaded with fiber, protein, and some carbohydrate, and this combination of nutrients makes beans very easy on blood sugar. If you use the canned beans, rinse them first to reduce the sodium content.

DARK GREEN LEAFY

Any dark green leafy vegetable is a powerhouse of nutrients. If you don’t care for kale or turnip greens, give baby spinach a try. They can be eaten as desired.

CITRUS FRUIT

People with diabetes can be scared to eat fruit because of the natural sugars. But fruit is a good carbohydrate, and citrus has lots of soluble fiber and vitamin C. It’s the portion size of fruit that matters.

SWEET POTATOES

These potatoes are full of vitamin A (beta carotene) and fiber, and may have less of an effect on blood sugar than white potatoes. But portion size matters here, too.

BERRIES

Berries of all types are packed with antioxidants. No need to purchase exotic fruit for antioxidants; blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and cranberries have plenty. Try fresh or frozen berries with yogurt or in smoothies.

TOMATOES

Either raw or cooked in sauce, tomatoes are full of vitamin C, iron and lycopene, with minimal effect on blood sugar.

FISH

Fish is heart healthy, especially the ones high in Omega 3 fatty acids (salmon, tuna and herring).  Aim for at least 2-3 servings a week.

WHOLE GRAINS

This is another category of food that people sometimes skip. Why? They are afraid their blood sugar will go too high. But whole grains offer lots of benefits, such as fiber for intestinal health, magnesium, chromium and folate.

NUTS

Nuts and seeds are good sources of healthy fats, but if weight loss is one of your goals, you will need to substitute the calories in nuts for the calories in another snack. Don’t just load up on nuts, or you’ll wonder where that 10 pounds came from.

FAT-FREE MILK AND YOGURT

The benefits from milk and yogurt start with calcium and vitamin D for healthy bones and teeth. Calcium also helps muscle contractions (so you won’t get cramps).  But portion size matters here, too, because milk contains natural carbohydrate that could raise blood sugar if you have too much.

Now that you know about the diabetes Superfoods, you may be wondering how to put them all together. Here are a couple of good diabetes cookbooks to check out.

What Do I Eat Now?  AStep-by-Step Guide to Eating Right with Type 2 Diabetes

By Patti Geil MS, RD, CDE and Tami Ross RD, CDE

Contains good general information, plus diabetic diet meal plan ideas.

Healthy Calendar Diabetic Cooking, 2^nd Edition, by Lara Rondinelli, RD, CDE and Chef Jennifer Bucko

This cookbook a full year of menus and easy recipes, based on the season.

What's for Lunch: Nancy's Fruit Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

This recipe is for the poppyseed dressing part of the fruit salad. The original recipe, which Nancy clipped from a Denver newspaper many years ago, called for pineapple, strawberries and cantaloupe as the fruit.

But any fresh fruit would work, especially now that so many fruits are in season. Nancy used mostly farmer's market finds in her fruit salad:

• Mango
• Peaches
• Nectarines
• Blueberries
• Raspberries

Recipe: Nancy's Poppyseed Dressing for fruit salad

3/4 cup corn oil

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup white vinegar (Nancy used lime juice)

1 tablespoon poppyseed

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add all ingredients to blender. Blend 20 seconds at medium speed. Pour into jar with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate.  Makes about 1-1/3 cup dressing. 

Nutritional information per 1 tablespoon: 80 calories, 8 grams fat, 0 grams protein, 3 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 49 milligrams sodium, 0 milligrams cholesterol.

Note: Nancy used about one-third of the above recipe to dress her fruit salad, which contained about 4 to 5 cups of diced fruit.

And Rocky kept us company while we ate and chatted.