August 31, 2011

How Nutritious is 100% Fruit Juice? Not Very.

Q. What should I look for when buying fruit juice? For example the “100% pure and natural orange juice” says it contains 0% Vitamin C. How is that possible? Another one provides 100% Vitamin C but from the list of ingredients we see that Vitamin C is actually added.

A. The USDA considers a half cup of fruit juice equivalent to a serving of fruit but I have my doubts. Processed fruit juice–even 100% juice–is a distant second to fresh whole fruit in terms of its nutritional value. For one thing, fruit juice is a very concentrated source of sugar and calories. All the fiber, which slows the absorption of the sugars in whole fruit, has been removed.

Secondly, many (most?) of the naturally-occurring nutrients are lost during processing, pasteurization, and storage. As you found, manufacturers may compensate for this by adding nutrients back to the juice after the fact. You could get the same benefit from taking a vitamin C capsule.

Juice and Diabetes Risk

Nutritionally, I’d rank processed fruit juice only slightly higher than soda and other sweetened beverages. In fact, a large study conducted in China found that people who drink two or more servings of juice a week are 25% more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes compared to those who rarely drink juice. This is consistent with another large 2008 study, which also found that increased juice consumption led to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes–but that eating more whole fruit decreased diabetes risk.

My Advice?

Eat Fruit; Drink Water. (Same for your kids!)

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My newest book, Secrets for a Healthy Diet: What to Eat, What to Avoid, and What to Stop Worrying About is my essential guide to all the food choices you make every day. Read a sample chapter here.

August 29, 2011August 28, 2011

Potassium-enriched salt?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Q. You recently pointed out the importance of balancing potassium and sodium intake. They already add iodine, fluoride and/or iron to table salt. Why is there no potassium-enriched table salt?

A. Actually, there is (sort of). Low-sodium salt substitutes are usually made with potassium chloride, a mineral salt formed from potassium instead of sodium. Potassium chloride tastes salty, but can have a bitter or metallic aftertaste. On the plus side, a quarter teaspoon contains 650 mg of potassium!

How much is an International Unit?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Q. Most nutrients seem to be measured in mg but some are shown as mcg or I.U. How do I convert these measurements into mg?

A. To convert micrograms (mcg) to milligrams (mg), divide by 1,000–or move the decimal point 3 positions to the left. 1000 mcg = 1.000 mg. But generally, you won’t need to convert between these two. We use micrograms for nutrients that occur in very small amounts (folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and vitamin K, for example). Instead of writing that a food contains 0.125 mg of vitamin K, it’s less confusing to write that it contains 125 mcg. You generally wouldn’t find milligram amounts of vitamin K in foods or supplements.

Converting International Units (I.U.) isn’t so simple–because it’s a different conversion for each nutrient. The I.U. is an arbitrary amount based on the amount of a given nutrient needed to produce a biological effect. Here are the conversions for the most common nutrients.

Nutrient	Amount in 1 I.U.
Vitamin A	0.3 mcg
Beta-carotene	3.6 mcg
Vitamin D	0.025 mcg
Vitamin E	0.67 mg

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August 23, 2011August 24, 2011

Shop Smart: Finding the Healthiest Options

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Q. We just moved to Texas from Ireland. I am trying to find a bread in local markets that has no sugar and low salt. I am also trying to find canned/jars of plain crushed tomatoes with no salt as I make my own sauce. I am shocked at the amounts of salt and sugar in everything here in the USA.

A. When you eat foods that are high in salt and/or sugar, you get accustomed to a greater degree of saltiness and sweetness. I guess the selection of processed foods you’re finding in American grocery stores shows what we’ve become accustomed to. (The good news? It works both ways: You can retrain your tastebuds to prefer less salt and sugar by gradually decreasing the amounts.)

Will More Chewing Help you Lose Weight?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Many magazine and internet articles recommend chewing each bite of food 30, 40, even up to 80 times as a weight loss strategy. And it’s true: Chewing your food more thoroughly can improve digestion, promote weight loss, and affect the nutritional value of foods—but there is a surprising twist to this story. Find out more in this week’s episode of the Nutrition Diva podcast.

July 16, 2011July 21, 2011

What Kind of Olives Are Healthiest?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

This week, answers to some listener questions about olives and olive oil. Grace asks whether all the different kinds of olives are the same nutritionally or whether some types are particularly good for you. Meanwhile, Tania wonders how olives compare to olive oil in terms of health benefits. I’ve got these answers and lots more olive lore in this week’s Nutrition Diva podcast. Read or listen to it here.

July 9, 2011April 26, 2017

Why Carbs Don’t Always Have 4 Calories per Gram

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

If you’ve dabbled around in nutrition, you’re probably familiar with the 4-4-9 rule, which says that carbohydrates and proteins each contain 4 calories per gram, while fats contain 9 calories per gram. However, this is really only a rough approximation. Making matters worse, manufacturers are legally allowed to fudge the calorie counts on their labels in certain situations. If you’ve ever wondered why the calories on the label don’t seem to add up to the carbs, proteins, and fats listed there, this week’s podcast explains it all. Read or listen to it here.

June 19, 2011June 15, 2011

Do Herbal Supplements Really Work? | Podcast

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

A listener recently wrote with a question about herbal supplements such as St. John’s wort, which is sometimes recommended as a natural treatment for depression. “I know you aren’t a big fan of vitamin supplements,” she writes, “but what about herbal supplements for specific disorders?”

Generally speaking, herbal supplements aren’t used as a source of nutrition but as a concentrated source of bioactive compounds or chemicals that affect the body’s function. I think you need to use herbal supplements with as much care and caution as you would use a drug. In this week’s episode, I have three questions you should ask before taking any herbal supplement. Read or listen to it here.