Weekend Trip

I'm heading to Monterey for the weekend so I won't be posting a blog tomorrow unless I get back at a decent time.  So I thought I'd just share my thoughts on how I am going to try and stay healthy on my mini vacation.

• Watch serving sizes and portions - maybe share a dish
• Avoid saturated fat - opt for olive oil instead of butter for my bread
• Fill up on fruits and vegetables
• Eat less salt and added sugars - skip dessert? or maybe just share one : )
• Enjoy fresh seafood - protein and omega-3s
• Choose whole grains
• Stay active - do some sightseeing, go for a hike, a walk on the beach or visit the hotel gym
• Enjoy red wine instead of beer and sugary liquor drinks
• Drink plenty of water
• Get good sleep

Jicama

Jicama is known as Mexican potato or Mexican turnip.  The flesh of jicama is made up of nearly 90% water.

Look for brown jicama that are smooth, firm, and feel heavy for their size.

One cup of sliced jicama is an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C.

Always peel jicama before eating.  Sprinkled sliced jicama with lime juice and chili powder for a light snack.

Add jicama strips to your favorite vegetable stir fry or salad.

Jicamas are available year round.

Store them in a cool, dry place for up to four months.  Keep sliced jicama sealed in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Project Lunch Box

I came across this website on Pinterest.

http://www.familyfreshcooking.com/2011/09/16/project-lunch-box-30-day-challenge/

It is a thirty day challenge to pack healthy lunches rather than grabbing food on the go or skipping lunch all together.  I thought it was a great idea and had to share it.

It is very appropriate because today is National What's on Your "MyPlate" Day?  MyPlate is the new MyPyramid from the USDA.  Go to www.choosemyplate.gov to learn how to build a healthy plate.

The goal is to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables and the other half of your plate with whole grain carbohydrates and lean protein.  Try it tonight then post a picture of your dinner on Facebook.  I bet you won't be the only one.



National Cereal Day

Do you start your day with a bowl of hot or cold cereal?  Most Americans do, as cereal is the most popular breakfast today.  Approximately 294 million Americans enjoy cereal for breakfast on a daily basis.  The breakfast of choice used to be eggs with bacon or sausage.  Cereal offers a healthy alternative to the past popular breakfast of the 19th century.  In 1877 brothers John and Will Kellogg created what we know now as Kelloggs Corn Flakes by accident and the rest is history.

Today we are surrounded by rows and rows of cereal choices and of course, like most foods there are some that are healthier than others.  Whole grain cereals are the ones to look for as these offer a variety of nutrients and health benefits.  These cereals are an excellent source of iron, fiber, and B vitamins.  Research shows that individuals who choose whole grains have lower risks of heart disease and diabetes.

So what are the most important things to look for in order to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to cereal and your health?

* Fiber - Steer clear of cereals made with refined grains; instead look for whole grains and bran with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.  Cereals with bran typically have the most fiber.  Bran is linked with weight loss and heart health.

* Avoid sugar - Some cereals are so full of sugar that you might as well eat a bowl for your dessert. Look for cereals with less than 10 grams of sugar per serving.  Also, don't just look at the grams of sugar on the nutrition facts label; check out the ingredient list for added sugars.

"The U.S. Government's Dietary Reference Intakes recommend that added sugars not exceed 25% of total calories (to ensure sufficient intake of micronutrients). And while there isn't a specific guideline for cereal, it makes sense to aim for a cereal that gets 25% or less of its calories from sugar. (If the cereal contains dried fruit, this could be a pinch higher.)

To calculate the percentage of calories from sugar in your cereal:

• Multiply the grams of sugar per serving by 4 (there are 4 calories per gram of sugar).
• Divide this number (calories from sugar) by the total number of calories per serving.
• Multiply this number by 100 to get the percentage of calories from sugar.

While you can find plenty of cereals with 5 grams of fiber per serving or more, some of them go a little bit over the "25% calories from sugar" guideline. But if the percentage of sugar calories is still below 30%, the first ingredient is a whole grain, and the cereal tastes good, it may still be a good choice overall.

 Here are two examples:

Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats Strawberry Delight, with 5 grams of fiber and 12 grams of sugar per serving (about 27% calories from sugar). The first three ingredients are whole-grain wheat, sugar, and strawberry-flavored crunchlets (sugar, corn cereal, corn syrup are the first three ingredients for these). A pleasant surprise: The strawberry coating creates a strawberry-flavored milk when you pour milk in your cereal.

Kashi GoLean Crunch, with 8 grams of fiber and 13 grams of sugar per serving (27% calories from sugar). The first three ingredients are Kashi Seven Whole Grains; Sesame Cereal (whole oats, long grain brown rice, rye, hard red winter wheat, triticale, buckwheat, barley, sesame seeds); textured soy protein concentrate; and evaporated cane juice. This is basically a kashi-fied version of granola, and 3 grams of the 8 grams of fiber is from soluble fiber (thanks to the oats and barley)."

My favorite healthy cereal is Post Shredded Wheat and Bran.  I can bet I am one of the only people that will say that, but I truly love the flavor and simplicity of this cereal.  I enjoy it even more with chopped bananas!  Adding fresh or dried fruit to plain high fiber cereals is a great way to boost flavor and sweetness without added sugar.  You could also use unsweetened vanilla soy or almond milk for a hint of flavor and natural sweetness instead of cow's milk.

Yes, dried fruit can be a healthy addition to cereal.  A quarter of a cup of raisins has about 1 1/2 grams of fiber plus 4% of the Recommended Daily Value for vitamin E and about 6% each of the Daily Value for vitamins B-1, B-6, and iron, magnesium, and selenium. The sugar from raisins is natural and not added like the sugary raisins you would find in cereals such as Post Raisin Bran. 

My favorite not-so healthy cereal is Cinnamon Life.  Unfortunately this cereal is low in fiber and contains added sugar.  Additionally it contains dyes such as Blue1 and Red40.  So that is why I choose an all natural cereal to satisfy me all morning. 

Here is a list of healthy cereals from Web MD

1. Post Grape-Nuts Trail Mix Crunch: 5 grams fiber, and 22% calories from sugar. The first three ingredients are whole grain wheat, malted barley, and sugar, followed by raisins and wheat bran.
2. Fiber One Bran Cereal: 14 grams fiber, 0% calories from sugar. First three ingredients are whole-grain wheat bran, corn bran, and cornstarch. This cereal only appeals to some people. I would suggest enhancing the flavor with cinnamon, fresh or dried fruit, and/or roasted nuts.
3. Fiber One Honey Clusters: 13 grams fiber, 15% calories from sugar. The first three ingredients are whole-grain wheat, corn bran, and wheat bran.
4. Quaker Oatmeal Squares: 5 grams fiber, 19% calories from sugar. The first three ingredients are whole oat flour, whole-wheat flour, and brown sugar.
5. Shredded wheat: 6 grams fiber, 0% calories from sugar (for a generic brand). The only ingredient is 100% whole grain cereal. I enjoy this with added fresh or dried fruit and nuts. If you opt for the frosted variety, it has 6 grams fiber and gets 23% of its calories from sugar.
6. Frosted Mini Wheats: 6 grams fiber, 24% calories from sugar. The first three ingredients are whole-grain wheat, sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup.
7. Raisin Bran: 7 grams fiber, 40% calories from sugar (in Kellogg's brand). The first three ingredients are whole wheat, raisins, and wheat bran). Sugar is listed fourth in the ingredient list, but many of the calories from sugar come from the raisins.
8. Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Toasted Oat Cereal: 5 grams fiber, 18% calories from sugar. The first three ingredients are whole oat flour, oat bran, and evaporated cane juice. This is a higher-fiber alternative to Cheerios. I think they taste better, too. But that may be because there is more sweetener added (the evaporated cane juice).

In my opinion shredded wheat (not frosted) and Kashi cereals seem to be the healthiest.  And don't forget about oatmeal and cream of wheat.  Both of these hot cereals are full of nutrients to promote good health.

Reference: WebMD

BPA is in what???

Have you ever heard of the chemical Bisphenol A? It may be more familiar if I referred to it as BPA. This is often found in clear plastic bottles. That is why today you will see plastic products labeled "BPA free".

Some US states and all of Canada restricts BPA due to potential health effects. Some studies have linked BPA exposure to reproductive abnormalities and a heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease.



Did you know that BPA is also found in canned foods?

You may find a canned good that states it is BPA free. Don't get too excited because Consumer Reports found that even canned goods with this label still contained some BPA.  Consumer Reports also found that almost all of the 19 name-brand canned foods tested contained some BPA. Additionally the canned organic foods did not always have lower levels of BPA.

 Federal guidelines made the daily upper limit of safe exposure at 50 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight. Unfortunately that level is based on experiments from the 1980s!


So what can you do to avoid BPA in canned goods?

Well one would be to limit the amount of foods you consume from canned goods. Many people turn to canned goods because they are inexpensive and convenient. So if this is the case, look for the same foods but in different packaging, such as the cardboard boxes of soup and chicken broth, the pouches of tuna, and bags of dried beans.  Also frozen foods are often very convenient and inexpensive as well.


Check out this article from the New York Times for more information:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/bpa-lurks-in-canned-soups-and-drinks/

Diets to Avoid

Something I'd like to share....

Check out this great article from Yahoo.  It is written by a registered dietitian who is the nutrition editor for Eating Well magazine and it is about four popular weight loss diets that celebrities follow but these diets are lacking in key nutrients. 

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/4-celeb-diets-avoid-164900197.html

If you are the type of person that NEEDS a diet to follow in order to lose weight then create your own "diet" by limiting portion sizes and choosing healthy foods you enjoy. 

First make a list of healthy foods you love and categorize them by food group - Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Proteins, Dairy and Fats/Extras.  Then shop for those items and each night plan the next day's meals by including those healthy food choices. 

Try to keep portion sizes in check but also try to aim for the appropriate number of servings each day.  Here is a general guideline though it does vary for each individual.

Fruits - 2 to 3 servings/day
Vegetables - 3 to 5 servings/day
Grains - 6 to 8 ounces/day
Proteins - 5 to 7 ounces/day
Dairy - 2 to 3 servings/day
Fats/Extras - limit, choose healthy fats and limit added sugar

Or you can check Out Eating Well's website for great 7 day and 28 day meal plans for weight loss.

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/weight_loss_diet_plans/diet_meal_plans

THE THREE P's:
The key to "dieting" or following a healthy lifestyle is portion control, planning and physical activity!

Beat Blood Pressure Blues

Hypertension is high blood pressure.  I’ve talked about it before in my blog and thought I’d mention it again because it is so important.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that almost one of every three people in the United States over the age of 20 has hypertension!!  Uncontrolled blood pressure puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke, the first and third leading causes of death in the US.

If you suffer from high blood pressure then enjoy these foods regularly, as well as limiting fat, sugar and salt intake and engage in exercise most days of the week.

Calcium: almonds, herring, greens, canned sardines with bones, milk, calcium-fortified soy or almond milk, fat-free yogurt

Potassium: Swiss chard, yellowfin tuna, acorn squash, sweet potatoes, edamame, cooked spinach, bananas, fat-free yogurt, orange juice, dried apricots, baked potatoes with skin, beans, cantaloupes, low-sodium V8 juice

Magnesium: brown rice, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, Brazil nuts, cashews, dark chocolate, spinach, Swiss chard, high-fiber cereals, lentils, whole grain bread

Soy protein: edamame, soy milk, tofu, unsalted soy nuts, calcium-fortified tofu

Omega-3s: fatty fish (salmon, tuna, halibut, mackerel), walnuts, soybeans, flaxseeds, chia seeds