Author: Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

What’s a moderate intake for non-caloric sweeteners?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Sugar_substitutes1Even before we knew that artificial sweeteners like Splenda promote the growth of gut bacteria linked to obesity, I’ve always advocated for moderation in the use of noncaloric sweeteners.

Even though they don’t contain sugar or calories, artificial sweeteners usually don’t promote healthy eating patterns. They tend to encourage consumption of foods without much nutritional value, such as diet sodas and sugar free desserts.  Ironically, the use of artificial sweeteners can actually lead people to consume more unhealthy foods (the “Give me a diet Coke and supersize the fries” syndrome.)

Finally, it’s really hard to develop an appreciation for the subtler pleasures of fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods if your taste buds are constantly bathed in the intense hyper-sweetness of non-caloric sweeteners.

For all these reasons, I’ve always suggested that you consume artificially sweetened foods and beverages with the same restraint that you’d use with sugar-sweetened versions.   But what exactly does that mean? Continue reading “What’s a moderate intake for non-caloric sweeteners?” >

Whole milk yogurt vs. fat free Greek

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Can Yogurt Reduce Risk of FluLarry writes with an interesting dilemma:

“I eat yogurt pretty regularly as a mid-day lunch/snack. I usually add nuts, hemp seeds, a bit of granola and cinnamon. My ideal choice would be full fat plain Greek yogurt but my local store only has fat-free Greek. If I have to choose between fat free Greek and full fat regular yogurt, which would you recommend?”

Here’s the salient nutrition info on both options (for an 8 ounce serving) followed by some considerations for each point.

yogurt comp

Calories: We shouldn’t always assume that fewer calories better! If you eat small frequent meals, for example, or you’re trying to lose weight, you might be looking for lower calorie options. But if you eat fewer, more widely spaced meals, or you’re extremely active, a higher-calorie meal may be preferable. Either way, however, a difference of 35 calories is pretty trivial in the context of your total daily intake (much less in the context of a yogurt, nut, hemp seed, and granola snack).   So I think I’d have to call a draw for this criterion. Continue reading “Whole milk yogurt vs. fat free Greek” >

Are avocado pits nutritious?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Avocados for Healthy Weight GainAmanda writes:

“I’m seeing a lot of  claims about health benefits of eating avocado pits, but I’m having a terrible time finding solid nutritional information for them. Have you got any data?”

Amanda’s note was the first I’d heard about eating avocado pits. (My first thought was: How on earth do you eat one?) But a quick Google search reveals that adding avocado pits to smoothies is indeed a trending topic among the nutritionally ambitious.

None of the the standard nutritional databases I rely on include nutrition information on avocado pits, which are traditionally regarded as “inedible refuse.” However, I was able to dig up a couple of obscure papers on the nutritional value of avocado pits. (Thanks to my friends at the Hass Avocado Board for the assist.)

A lot of the excitement has to do with the fact that the antioxidant activity  of the pit is much higher than the antioxidant capacity of the part you usually eat. More antioxidants = more better, right? Actually not so much. Continue reading “Are avocado pits nutritious?” >

Maple syrup and diabetes: a reality check

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

maple syrupMark writes:”There are a lot of articles on the internet about how real maple syrup contains has phytochemicals that help prevent diabetes. As a type 2 diabetic but also someone who considers myself well able to discount the latest  “miracle cures,”  I’m wondering whether there’s any research to back this up. Is there any benefit for people who are already diabetic?”

The buzz about maple syrup and diabetes does in fact have some published research to back it up. There are a series of studies, all done by the same researcher (and funded in part by the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers), which have identified a variety of antioxidants and polyphenols in maple syrup that have a variety of potential effects on human health. Continue reading “Maple syrup and diabetes: a reality check” >

How exercise DOES help with weight loss

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

mouseResearchers released results today of a study that helps explain why it’s so hard to lose weight by exercise alone. Turns out that when we increase our activity level, our bodies adjust our metabolism to compensate. Those “calories burned” estimates in our fitness trackers or on the treadmills at the gym? Wishful thinking, apparently.

How Exercise Sabotages Weight Loss

There are  other ways that exercise doesn’t help with weight loss.  Exercising can make you hungrier, leading you to eat extra calories. Even worse, exercising can lull you into a false sense of security: You figure you can get away with a second (or third) cookie, because of all the calories you’re burning at the gym. Continue reading “How exercise DOES help with weight loss” >

Kale craze raises heavy metal concerns

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

heavy metal warningJeff recently sent me a link to an article in Harper’s Bazaar, warning that our recent obsession with kale may have a sinister side-effect: heavy metal poisoning.

We’re not  talking about kale that’s being grown on industrial waste sites, either. Even organically managed soil contains a variety of naturally-occurring heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, and thallium. These metals are absorbed by plants grown in the soil, and leafy greens like kale and collards are particularly good sponges. Continue reading “Kale craze raises heavy metal concerns” >

Book Review: Always Hungry by David Ludwig

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

always hungryIn general, I’m not a big fan of diet books. Even the best ones tend to be larded with hype and gimmickry. Basic nutrition principles are embellished into elaborate metabolic wizardry. Simple guidelines are obscured by unnecessarily complicated schedules, lists, programs, and templates.

Otherwise, how would you fill 300 pages? Because the basic tenets of any decent dietary philosophy can be communicated in a few paragraphs.  (Or as few as 7 words.)

 

But if you need a little more structure (and mythology) to get you motivated and keep you on track, the program outlined in David Ludwig’s new book Always Hungry is not a bad choice. Continue reading “Book Review: Always Hungry by David Ludwig” >

Could cutting back on salt lead to thyroid problems?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

salt-shakerIodized salt was introduced in the 1920s as a way to prevent iodine deficiency. It worked! But now, some experts worry that if people really start cutting back on salt, thyroid problems and birth defects could be an unintended consequence.

Your body needs iodine in order to produce thyroid hormone. Iodine deficiency is especially dangerous (and especially common) during pregnancy, when it can cause problems with the infant’s neural development and lead to mental retardation. Some researchers are investigating whether low iodine levels during pregnancy might increase the risk of ADHD.

Sodium is intake up but iodine intake is down

Iodized salt is the primary source of iodine in the American diet. But even though average salt consumption is twice the recommended level, iodine intake has actually declined about 50% over the last 30 years.  How can that be?  Well, we used to cook at home, using iodized salt. Today, most of the salt we consume comes from packaged and processed foods–which are not necessarily made with iodized salt.

As long as we’re bossing around the food industry and requiring them to reduce the sodium in their products, perhaps we ought to require them to use iodized salt.

Alternate sources of iodine

In the meantime, if you don’t use iodized salt at home (or you don’t cook much), be sure you have an alternate source of iodine.  Seafood and edible seaweeds, such as wakame, are particularly rich in iodine.  You also get some iodine from vegetables, depending on the iodine content of the soil in which it is grown.  According to the Linus Pauling Institute, iodine is added to feed for dairy cows in the U.S., which makes dairy products a fairly good source of iodine.

Even though iodine intake has declined, most people are still getting the recommended amount. But if you are pregnant (or planning on it) a multivitamin with the daily recommended amount of iodine (150 mcg) would be a good back-up.