Volume Eating

Research shows that people tend to eat the same volume of foods each day. Most Americans do what I like to call "power packing" where they pack the most amount of calories into that volume each day (think fast food, bakery items, high fat meats and dairy products). From a health and weight loss standpoint, you would be better off increasing the amount of low calorie foods to increase the overall volume of your meals. Sheer volume is what does the most in making you feel full. Your stomach is distended quicker which causes hormones to be sent to your brain that you have eaten and are full. Compare one pork sausage link for 100 calories to 3 cups of a mixed vegetable salad with 1/2 to 1 tbsp low calorie dressing for the same 100 calories. Which is going to actually fill you up? The salad right, on volume alone.

I talk a lot in class about focusing on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains to increase the volume of food without increasing calories. I have an example below to explain what I mean. I have adjusted this recipe for a "Tuna Noodle Bake" (totally made up, don't know if you actually want to try it!) to cut calories by 1/3, cut fat grams by 90% (which is particularly important since most of the fat was coming from saturated fat) and cut the sodium in half.

Original Recipe
480 calories (235 from fat)
26 grams fat
1,100 mg sodium

8 oz egg noodles
2 tbsp butter
2 cans tuna, packed in oil
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter, melted

Modified Recipe
295 calories (45 from fat)
5 grams fat
640 mg sodium

8 oz whole-wheat egg noodles
2 cans tuna, packed in water
1 cup plain non fat yogurt
3/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/2 cup chopped carrots, 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper, 1/2 cup sliced zucchini, 1/2 cup sliced squash, 1/2 cup peas, 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp onion flakes
1/4 tsp each of paprika and tarragon
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

So you can see that I exchanged whole wheat egg noodles which will add protein and fiber. The tuna packed in water will decrease the fat as will the yogurt and skim milk in place of the sour cream and whole milk (especially saturated fat as well as cholesterol). Adding veggies is what really increases the volume here not to mention the added vitamins, minerals and antioxidants! Focusing on alternative herbs and spices add flavor while decreasing the added salt. Getting rid of the bread crumbs and butter on top also help to slash the calories.

Remember, when you eat smart, you can eat more! The key to becoming a volume eater is to focus on those high volume, low calorie foods to round out meals. Have any of you found this helpful to do at home? How have you done it?

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

Lean Body Mass Preservation

A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition as well as one released from the Agricultural Reserve Service (ARS - the USDA’s chief scientific research agency) have concluded that plant based foods can help to preserve lean body mass and reduce the extent of sarcopenia, the natural muscle wasting that occurs with age. Maintaining lean body mass is important in aging to prevent falls and fractures as well as increasing metabolic rate.

The studies find that metabolic acidosis occurs when individuals consume a diet high in acid producing foods such as cereal grains and proteins. The typical American diet is very high in protein so the study diets were modified to include more fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are high in potassium and are alkaline when digested so the idea was that they would neutralize the acidity of the protein and cereal grains. The results show that the study participants that ate diets that were rich in potassium (high in fruits and vegetables) could expect to have 3.6 pounds more lean body mass than study participants with only half the amount of potassium.

This information is beneficial since we see 4.4 pounds of lean tissue lost per decade of life in most Americans, especially over 65 years of age. In order to see this benefit, aim for the upper end of the recommended range of 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Those fruits and vegetables that are particularly high in potassium are bananas, potatoes, avocados, raisins, apricots, kiwi, melons, spinach, tomatoes, oranges and prunes.

So add this to your already long list of reasons to eat more fruits and vegetables!

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

Re-Thinking Organic

There are so many myths surrounding the term "organic" and I think this article I found recently does a good job of dispelling those. Keep in mind this is one viewpoint, and not found in any peer-reviewed journal, but I do think the author makes some valid points. It challenges some of the ideas surrounding organic food and since we live in a society that glorifies buzz words like "organic", it is good to have an opposing view to help us be more level-headed about our food decisions.

While I think buying organic food can be a great addition to a healthy eating plan, I think most Americans see the term organic and immediately feel like the product must be good for them or superior to other brands. For example, a box of crackers can be an organic product, but made of organic refined white flour (remember to look for the word 'whole' in the first ingredient listed!), organic oils, and/or organic sugar or juices. In other words, it isn't a whole grain, low in fat or low in sugar, which are the recommendations we really need to look at. Furthermore, as far as fat and calories are concerned, you have to watch portion size and I think many people think they can eat unlimited amounts of foods that are "all-natural", "organic", "range-fed", "hormone free", etc. That clearly isn't the case so don't be fooled by tricky labeling or preconceived ideas about nutrition.

The bottom line is focusing 90% on whole foods (organic if you wish) and 10% of the time treating yourself to the foods that you love. Be sure to be aware of what you are buying by reading the nutrition facts labels and ingredient lists rather than relying on the terms manufacturers paste on the box.

Click here for a previous post on buying organic and here for a previous post on reading nutrition labels.

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

Fast and Healthy Cookbooks

I have had a few requests from guests for a list of fast and healthy cookbooks. I have put together a list of my favorites. All of these, with the exception of Cooking Light, are written by dietitians and one or all of these will appeal to almost anyone one. Clicking on the title of each will link you to a website to read more about the book as well as allow you to purchase it if you wish.

American Dietetic Association Cooking Healthy Across America
American Dietetic Association 365 Days of Healthy Eating
The Healthy Beef Cookbook
The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes
Quick and Healthy Recipes and Ideas
The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook
The Food You Crave

I also love to find new recipes on the internet. My favorite sites are Eating Well, Cooking Light, Food Network and All Recipes.

Investing in a good cookbook is a great idea. I know that not many of you have time to cook every night but you will be more likely to do so if the recipes are fast and healthy. Also, find some recipes that you want to try and prepare them when you do have the time (maybe on the weekends?) and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer to enjoy all week. This will eliminate take-out, fast food or other unhealthy options.

What are some cookbooks you love!? I would love to hear about them!

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

Vending Machines

You have all heard me say how important it is to plan ahead for eating healthy. Eating healthy foods doesn't just happen, you have to plan for it. However, sometimes you are left in a lurch if you just didn't have time. A lot of you probably have access to a vending machine and they can be a convenient place to look for a snack. But beware, the choices are often laden with fat (especially saturated fat and trans fat), cholesterol, sodium and sugar. So what should you choose? Here are the best and worst choices when vending as well as a few guidelines for using vending machines.

Best Vending Choices

• Dried fruits (or fresh if you are lucky enough to find them!)
• Nuts
• Skim milk
• Whole grain cereal bars
• Pretzels
• Baked chips or crackers
• Bottled water
• 100% fruit juice
• Tea (unsweetened)

Worst Vending Choices

• Cookies
• Candy bars
• Chips
• High fat and refined crackers
• Sausage meats
• Cheeses
• Sandwich crackers
• Soda
• Punch
• Whole milk

Vending Machine Guidelines

• Make your own "vending machine" drawer at work. Keep healthful, shelf-stable items such as bottled water, raisins and other dried fruits, dry whole grain cereal boxes, trail mix, popcorn, whole-grain crackers, applesauce, canned fruits in light or no syrup and cans of low sodium soup on hand.
• Some vendors are offering better choices. Know what is available in machines that are near you. It is best to take a look at them when you are not hungry so you can make a better decision when your stomach begins to grumble and you are caught without a snack.
• Keep a log of when you use the vending machine and what you eat (include calories too!). This will help you be aware of what you are consuming. It may also help you plan ahead better if you see the same times and days being logged.
• Give yourself a vending budget, and stick to it...both money-wise and calorie-wise! Try not to keep loose change around or limit the amount that you carry.

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

Information adapted from www.foodandhealth.com