Tag: vegetarian

Six Ways to Make Your Diet Healthier (for the Planet)

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Earth DayHappy Earth Day!

These days, we’re more conscious of how our dietary choices affect the health of our planet. But it gets complicated.  Sure, buying organic products helps reduce the amount of pesticides and artificial fertilizers that are applied to the ground.  But what about the environmental impact of transporting organic produce thousands of miles from its source to your table? How about all the energy it takes to process, package, and transport the organic convenience foods and all-natural junk food that fill the freezers and shelves of high-end whole-foods grocers? And to bring the conversation back to nutrition for a moment, how nutritious do you think those organic sugar-frosted corn flakes really are?

In honor of Earth Day, here are six ways to make your diet healthier for your body and the planet. Continue reading “Six Ways to Make Your Diet Healthier (for the Planet)” >

Is Tofu a Good Source of Calcium?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Karen writes: “How would you rate tofu as a source of calcium? Is it bioavailable?”

Calcium sulfate is often used as a coagulant in the tofu making process. It’s added to the soymilk to get it to set into a solid form. The more coagulant you add, the firmer the tofu gets. As a result, firm tofu will contain more calcium per serving.

The exact amount of calcium per serving varies considerably by brand, so check those nutrition facts labels.

Calcium sulfate is also a bioavailable form of calcium which can rival milk as a source.

A cup (8 oz) of milk contain about 300 mg of elemental calcium, about a third of which is absorbed from the digestive tract, providing about 96 mg of calcium.  A three ounce serving of firm tofu can also provide 300 mg of calcium. Despite a slightly lower absorption rate, you’d still get about 93 mg of calcium out of it.

Note that the recommended intake of calcium (1000 to 1200mg per day) is based on the amount of calcium in the food and not the amount of calcium that you absorb. In other words, the recommendations take into consideration the fact that calcium absorption varies from food to food and are based on typical dietary patterns.

Here’s more on calcium absorbability from different foods.

Should I stop being vegetarian to reduce my risk of diabetes?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

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Q. I am a healthy, normal weight woman in my early 20s. I am also a vegetarian. Because there is a strong family history of type 2 diabetes (both parents and all four grandparents), my doctor suggested I adopt a relatively low-carb diet to reduce the risk of getting the disease myself.  But does going low-carb require me to give up my vegetarian lifestyle? Can a plant-based diet also reduce my risk, even if it’s high in complex carbs like whole grains and beans?

A.The good news is that being a vegetarian does substantially reduce the risk of getting Type 2 diabetes, despite the fact that vegetarians diets tend to be higher in carbohydrates than omnivorous diets.  Much of this risk reduction has to do with the fact that vegetarians are less likely to be overweight.

However, does this still hold true when diabetes runs in the family? Keep in mind that genes aren’t the only things that are passed down from generation to generation.  We also tend to inherit lifestyle habits and eating patterns. Continue reading “Should I stop being vegetarian to reduce my risk of diabetes?” >

This week: how to get the most nutrition from watermelon, frozen yogurt, and when to eat your carbs

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

We finally got some relief from the heat here on the East Coast.  But cooling foods were definitely top of mind while we sweated it out.  This week’s Nutrition Diva podcast focuses on frozen desserts.  Find out whether frozen yogurt contains the same beneficial bacteria as regular yogurt.   Chilled watermelon is another great way to re-hydrate and beat the heat. On this week’s What’s Cooking blog, I’ve got some clever watermelon recipes, along with a surprising tip on how to increase the nutritional content of your melon.

Meanwhile, readers had questions about carbs this week. In the Nutrition Diva newsletter, I discuss whether a low-carb diet is a good idea for vegetarians. And on the Quick and Dirty blog, I review some research on the best time of day to eat your carbs.

Finally, I was tickled to learn that an article on spices that I wrote last winter for Food and Nutrition Magazine was awarded the Gold Hermes Creative Award for Feature Writing! I have to give most of the credit to Liz Spittler, my awesome editor at Food and Nutrition. This is the third time we’ve been honored for articles we’ve worked on together. Thanks, Liz!

Silken Asparagus Soup

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

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” >