Chocolate’s popularity, particularly dark chocolate, is soaring. Women especially feel that they’ve been given permission to pamper and indulge themselves with something they love without so much guilt. I bet you’ve heard that chocolate can be good for you. You may not why, you just know it is.
Research indicates that the flavanols in cocoa may have heart health benefits which include improved blood flow, reduced blood pressure and lowered production of the lousy or LDL cholesterol. In addition to the flavanols found in cocoa, dark chocolate also contains other nutrients including iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and fiber. The caveat here is that the nutritional profile can be significantly hindered by the addition of less healthy ingredients such as trans fat or hydrogenated fat, butter oil, coconut or palm oil, or even milk fat. It’s up to you to be the label sleuth and read both the Nutrition Facts label and the ingredient list closely. The longer the ingredient list, the more likely it is that added items will take away from cocoa’s potential health benefits.
Have you noticed that the packaging on dark chocolate often includes a percentage of cocoa? For example, the wording might say ‘dark chocolate, 65% cocoa content’. It’s currently assumed that the higher the percent of cocoa in chocolate, the darker the chocolate and the better for you from the standpoint of the flavanols. Although the percent of cocoa in the chocolate is often marketed on the label, the percentage is not a true measure of flavanol content.
In cocoa, the flavanol level depends on both the flavanol content of the cacao plant and the procedures used for making chocolate. Traditional processing often destroys many of the flavanols. So unless the flavanol content is truly measured and indicated on the package, the percentage of cocoa in chocolate remains speculative as it relates to flavanol content. More companies are starting to do just this. CocoaVia brand is an example. Until the flavanol content is measured routinely, the best bet you have is to choose dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa and fewer added ingredients that are less healthy.
Do you think diet and nutrition are a ‘one size fits all’? Most popular diets would have you think so. Remember when you first learned about the food pyramid? The pyramid and dietary guidelines were created to help people make healthier food choices. Yet even with the food pyramid one size does not fit all.
Depending on your age, sex and what may be going on in your life health wise, your diet and health needs may vary. Let’s take kids from ages two to five. When it comes to eating good foods such as fruits and vegetables….this is a tough crowd. Wouldn’t it be great if cheesy puffs were a major food group? Here’s a way you can personalize the diet for your preschooler. Log on to MyPyramid.gov and you will see a link to MyPyramid Plan for Preschoolers. You can plug in your child’s name, gender, age and daily amount of physical activity and receive a personalized recommended diet. Terri, my publicist, used the tool to make a personalized plan for her five year old daughter. The plan is colorful, your child’s name is on it and the plan tells you the amount of each food group to consume daily. Kids require smaller portion sizes yet often eat the same amount as adults. Plus, you can click on each food group, say grains for example, and find out serving sizes and foods within that group which are smart choices. Then print out the plan for your child and post it where he or she can see it. It’s a great teaching tool and kids love that their name is on it.
If you’re having trouble getting your kids to eat a certain vegetable or fruit, try another one. Take them with you to the grocery store and let them play an active part picking the food. Introduce one fruit or veggie a week. When it comes to fruits and veggies, there are so many colors, textures and shapes. Terri told me that in her daughter’s preschool, the class would pick a fruit or veggie every week. They would talk about the color, shape and texture of the fruit and whether it was salty, sour or sweet. Then there was the taste test. It usually corresponded with whatever letter they were learning about that week such as A for Apple. You can do this at home. The MyPyramid.gov site has creative resources to help you build strong eating habits from a very young age.
Okay, I think we covered the toughest crowd. Another group with specific nutrition needs is moms-to-be. If you are in this group, there is also a MyPyramid for you. Plug in your age, weight, height, due date and daily exercise and you will receive a recommended diet for each trimester along with guidance on how to choose the healthiest foods. Your doctor may also prescribe a pre-natal vitamin or mineral supplement in addition to eating a healthy diet.
Moms-to-be, you have several nutrients personalized for your diet including iron and folic acid. Remember that the nutrient folic acid helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. You can find folate (the form of folic acid in food) in vegetables such as spinach, turnip greens and fresh beans or peas, fortified breakfast cereals and orange juice. Iron helps in the formation of hemoglobin and carries oxygen to the tissues and organs of the growing baby. The most absorbable form of iron, called heme iron, is found in red meat. Other food sources of iron include beans, spinach, and fortified cereals (fortified means added to the product). Here’s a tip for you. Be sure and include a food source of vitamin C such as fruit with your food containing iron. Vitamin C partners with iron to increase its absorption in the body.
OK seniors, listen up. As we all age, our bodies have different needs. Researchers at Tufts University came out with a Modified Pyramid for older Adults in 2007. This pyramid continues to emphasize nutrient-dense food choices and the importance of getting plenty of water. It also adds foods that are especially important for older adults. These foods are rich in often deficient nutrients including calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Did you know that it’s more difficult to absorb vitamin B12 as you age? Vitamin B12 is found in animal foods only and as absorption decreases, supplements are often needed.
Current research has shown that people of all ages have low blood levels of vitamin D. Many doctors are now checking B12 and vitamin D blood levels during routine lab tests. Dairy sources, fortified soy milk, and calcium fortified foods such as orange juice and cereal are easy ways to add calcium to the diet. Vitamin D is found in few food sources among them salmon, tuna, cheese and egg yolks and fortified foods (vitamin D is added to the food). Additionally supplements are often recommended. Be sure and discuss your need for B12, calcium and vitamin D at your next visit with your health care professional.
Be sure and check out mypyramid.gov and personalize your diet. Another site with nutrition information, tips, recipes, resources, videos and more is the University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension services for Lancaster County. Both of these websites contain extensive information written in user-friendly language to help you get started with links to other resources as well.
Hi everyone…thanks for checking in this week. Does diabetes run in your family? Have your blood sugar level and your weight seen an increase? Maybe you’ve been told by your health care provider that you have pre-diabetes…meaning that your blood glucose is above normal but not quite high enough to be classified as diabetes. I’ll bet you didn’t know that more than 70,000 people die of diabetes every year, making it the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
As our population becomes heavier, new cases of diabetes continue to climb. What if you could follow a tasty diet that includes better for you carbs and fats…even dessert…and potentially lose weight and bring down your blood glucose aka blood sugar? Today’s diabetic diet is just that. It’s kind of like a BOGO…buy one get one free…which we all love. You lose weight and your blood glucose drops as a result. Did you know that the foods you choose to eat everyday impact on your chances of developing diabetes? If you already have diabetes, making some simple changes to your diet can mean fewer complications and less medication or perhaps none at all.
From a broad perspective, three of the smartest tweaks to your current diet for diabetes defense include:
Switch from fruit drinks and soft drinks to tea, water, unsweetened flavored water and coffee.
Cut out trans fat and reduce saturated fat as much as possible and switch to unsaturated fat sources such as nuts, avocado and vegetable oils.
Go very easy on processed meats including hot dogs, bacon, ham and sausage and instead reach for poultry, seafood, soy foods and beans.
The November issue of Family Circle magazine has made it easy for you to go on diabetes defense. The issue includes their eat-to-beat-diabetes plan which works in two ways. Margit Ragland, senior editor at Family Circle joins me on my podcast this week to talk all about it.
First, the plan is designed to help you lose weight. Here’s the great news. A weight loss of just five to seven percent of your body weight can sharply lower your diabetes risk (that’s like dropping 8 to 12 pounds if you weigh 170). Second, the eat-to-beat-diabetes plan is also loaded with nutrients to help defend against diabetes and it’s workable for your entire family. The Family Circle eat-to-beat-diabetes plan has two calorie options to choose from. Variety and portion size are key elements to your success. Be sure and pay attention to the Nutrition Facts panel on food items for information on portion size, total carbohydrate and fiber.
Foods that are high in fiber are a big part of the plan. Try the red lentil soup recipe that was just posted at the Nutrition & Health Center on WDBO.com. Remember to use a low sodium vegetable broth to reduce the sodium content per serving.
Are you a health-seeker who would like to cross over from a “dieting” mentality to a positive “living naturally thin” attitude? Do you want to make weight control second nature? My guest on the podcast this week is author Susan Burke March. Susan is a certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian who holds a masters degree in nutrition education from Queens College. Previously Susan was vice president of nutrition services of ediets.com. Her newly released book is Making Weight Control Second Nature.
Susan talks about her personal struggle with weight and how being a rebel helped her to make weight control second nature. She explains what she means by ‘second nature’ in relationship to dieting and helps you understand the concept of ‘Living Thin Naturally’. Plus Susan shares insight into dining out in all types of venues including movie theaters!
If you want more information on Susan or her new book, Making Weight Control Second Nature, check out her website at susanburkemarch.com.
This podcast was pre-recorded, Dr. Mitchell is on vacation this week so there will be no written article
to accompany it. Please enjoy the podcast by clicking play below and be sure to come back next week for the regularly scheduled article.
Chocolate’s popularity, particularly dark chocolate, is soaring. Women especially feel that they’ve been given permission to pamper and indulge themselves with something they love without so much guilt. I bet you’ve heard that chocolate can be good for you. You may not why, you just know it is.
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