Several of you have written with questions about oats and oatmeal—in particular, whether steel-cut (or Irish) oats are healthier or more nutritious than regular oats. I think some of you will be surprised by the answer. Read or listen to this week’s podcast here.
Thursday marks the unveiling of a new icon to replace the USDA’s much-maligned 20-year-old food pyramid. I’ve been getting media inquiries all week, asking about my thoughts on the move. I haven’t yet seen the new icon–it’s been kept under close wraps. (Last minute tweaking?) But from the rumors everyone has now heard, the new plate-shaped icon sounds like a step in the right direction.
The food pyramid should have been retired long ago. It wasn’t clear, it wasn’t helpful, and, most importantly, it obviously hasn’t improved the nation’s eating habits. The 2005 revamp was even worse than the 1992 original on all counts. The new plate-shaped graphic sounds much more intuitive and easy to interpret. It answers the simple question, “What should my plate look like at any given meal?” Continue reading “No Tears for the Food Pyramid”
I’m sure you saw the headlines this week about a new report from the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund. The report covered a variety of factors that appear to increase risk of colorectal cancer, including alcohol, processed meat, and excess belly fat, as well as things that appear to decrease the risk, including exercise, garlic, milk (but not cheese), calcium, and foods containing fiber. However, most of the headlines I saw were along the lines of “It’s Official: Red Meat Causes Cancer.”
As long-time followers know, I’ve long been suspicious of the science on “red” vs. “white” meat. See, for example: Red Meat: Not so Bad After All?
Having now read the latest report in its entirety, I want to highlight a few nuances that may help you decide how–or whether–to change your eating habits based on this latest indictment of red meat. Continue reading “Red Meat and Colon Cancer: Beyond the Headlines”
For many years, we’ve been told that eating small, frequent meals is a good strategy for weight loss. In part, this was based on a body of research showing an inverse relationship between meal frequency and BMI. In other words, studies found that people who reported eating more times per day were less likely to be overweight.
I’ve always been confused by this. In my observation, people who eat more frequently usually end up eating more calories overall–and eating more calories generally leads to higher body weight.
In a new paper in the Journal of Nutrition, Megan McCrory and colleagues explain why the research data don’t seem to line up with reality: the research data were wrong. Continue reading “A Chink in the Small, Frequent Meal Theory”
Pickling is a time honored way to preserve foods with no refrigeration. But what happens to the nutritional quality of vegetables when you pickle them? It depends on the method. Find out which kinds of pickles are super good for you and which aren’t in this week’s episode of the Nutrition Diva Podcast.
Do you really need to avoid sushi, cheese, or peanuts when you’re pregnant? Rules for what is safe to eat during pregnancy are different in various parts of the world. How seriously should women should take bans on various foods? Read or listen to this week’s podcast here.
Serves 4
You’d never guess that this elegantly creamy soup is completely dairy-free! For a more substantial dish, add 3 or 4 peeled cooked shrimp to each bowl before serving. The hot soup will warm the shrimp without overcooking them.
2 shallots or 1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound very slender asparagus spears, tough ends discarded
2 14 ounce cans low sodium chicken stock, or 3 1/2 cups homemade stock
1 bay leaf
1 spring fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
6 ounces (1/2 package) extra firm silken tofu Continue reading “Silken Asparagus Soup”