Nuts!

I was having a hard time trying to think up what I was going to blog about this week and then I serendipitously got a text from my mother and it all just came together! Nuts! To be fair, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and the stuff my brothers and I did growing up was enough to drive anyone crazy. Not sure about you all, but we enjoyed playing Smart Mop and pouring all sorts of stuff on the floor to clean up…except for we didn’t have the Smart Mop...so it didn’t work out so well.

Anyways, I thought I would take this week’s blog to capitalize on this thought and blog about nuts.

I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that you all know what a nut is and that you can probably name a few of them off the top off your head. What most people probably don’t know is some of the health benefits of nuts, so I will help you out.

What’s so special about nuts?

As a vegetarian one of the questions that I get without fail, is how I get enough protein. Well it just so turns out that nuts are a great source of protein! In addition, depending on the nut, they are good sources of certain micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). For example, Brazil nuts contain an entire day’s worth of selenium in just one nut. Since there are a ton of different types of nuts, I am just going to leave this little infographic here…

One of the other points of interest with nuts, is that they do contain fat...

Now before you swear off nuts just because they contain fat, the type of fat they contain is a good type of fat. Some nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, are actually even a good source of omega-3s (which yes, is a good fat).

Wait…are they going to make me fat?!?

No. Eating too many calories and not exercising makes you fat.  Yes, you could gain weight by eat 10,000 calories a day of nuts, but you could also do so by eating 10,000 calories a day of carrots (unless you are an ultra-marathon runner).  If you want more info on this, check out this previous blog post of mine on how eating fat does not make you fat. 

What about flavored nuts?

They can be delicious, but watch out for high amounts of sodium and added sugar.

How can I incorporate them into my diet?

Now, I am not really the type to wake up early to allow myself time to sit and eat breakfast in my house, so I usually end up grabbing something to eat in the car. That being said, I usually keep a bag/huge container of trail mix in my car, which is chock full of nuts.  Other ways include adding them to cereal, yogurt, salads, pasta dishes, Asian dishes, etc. Yes, you could put them in desserts, such as cookies, to make them a little bit healthier, but at the end of the day a cookie is still a cookie.  

Breaking it down

Nuts are healthy. They are a good source of protein and other vitamins and minerals. They do contain fat (the good fat)...

so don’t eat a whole five pound bag in one sitting. Well I am off to think up new ways to irritate my mother. Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,

Keep it Green,

Beth

Eggs

Now I know TBT usually refers to throwback Thursday but I am going to bend the rules a little bit because it is Tuesday. For this week's blog, I wanted to throw it back to a pervious blog that I did on eggs. I mean with easter approaching, it just makes sense to refresh everyone's memory on eggs. Without further ado, I give you Beth's Egg Manifesto!

With this past weekend being Easter, the question of, “which is better for me egg whites or eggs,” emerged just as I was entering my happy place enjoying the delightful goodness that is Reese’s peanut butter eggs. I know what you are thinking, “GASP! You are a dietitian and you eat candy!” Yes, I eat candy, preferably dark chocolate, but I make sure its in the shape of fruits and veggies to make myself feel better about it. Anyways, back to the question at hand. Obviously, the answer here is false, Reese’s peanut butter eggs are better for you. 

I suppose there is no time like the present to talk about eggs. Now eggs tend to get a bad rap mainly because of their fat and cholesterol content. Case in point...

Headlines like this just make me roll my eyes. I mean come on! Eggs are almost as bad as smoking?!? Well, then I should just light up then, right? Then there is this guy...

You know what is bad for you? Steroids. Despite these "credible" sources, many leading health agencies can vouch for me on this one; eggs can be part of a healthy diet.

Types of Eggs
While Easter may have us thinking of Reese’s eggs, Snickers eggs, Cadbury eggs, and any other candy filled chocolate egg you can imagine, that’s not what I am going to write about today. While there are actually quite a few different types of animal eggs that you can eat, such as chicken, duck, quail, ostrich, and fish, for all purposes pertaining to this blog we are going to talk about chicken eggs.

Anatomy of an Egg
Since this is not a science class, I am going to simplify the anatomy of an egg for you to focus on what is pertinent for this topic. The three parts I am going to cover are…
Shell: I would hope that you could identify what part of the egg that the shell is.
White: The clear-ish liquid that surrounds the yolk, comprised mostly of protein and water.
Yolk: The yolk is the yellow part of the egg where all of the fat and cholesterol is, half of the protein is, and where other important vitamins and minerals are.

Egg Whites v. Whole Eggs
The ever so incredible edible egg is a great source of protein and various vitamins and minerals, but what happens when we separate the whites from the yolk, thus giving you egg whites? Below I have a chart for you that outlines the main differences between the two for you. (Info based on a large egg)

	Whole Egg	Egg White
Calories	72	17
Protein	6	3
Fat	5	0.6
Cholesterol	186	0

Other things that I noticed while looking this up but did not put on the chart to spare you having to look at any more of that number jibberish include: (All of these are higher in whole eggs)
• Calcium: helps your bones and muscles
• Choline: helps support the nervous system and important for pregnant women
• Fe: helps with fatigue
• Folate: important for pregnant women
• Vit A: helps your eyes
• Vit D: helps with bone health and mood
• Zinc: helps your immune system and wound healing

So you may have noticed that egg whites are a lot lower in fat and cholesterol. Does that mean we should all switch to egg whites since fat and cholesterol are "bad" for our heart? No. Eating foods with cholesterol does not raise your blood cholesterol. Additionally, research is starting to suggest that fat not only makes food taste good, but also helps with satiety.

What about Egg Beaters?

Egg Beaters and egg whites are essentially the same thing. The only difference is that Egg Beaters have a ton of things added to them such as coloring, thickeners, and some vitamins and minerals. 

“What about the color of eggs”
The color of the egg has no effect on the nutritional value of the egg or on the taste of the egg. Dorky fact of the day #1: You can tell what color of egg a chicken will produce by the color of its ear lobe. Dorky fact of the day #2: Chickens have ear lobes. For example, a chicken with a blue ear lobe will produce blue eggs. Dorky fact of the day #3: Yes, blue chicken eggs do exist. So next time you are at the store, don’t be duped into paying $1 more or whatever more they charge for the “healthier” brown eggs.

“What about the USDA Grading?”
The USDA grades eggs by the interior quality of an egg and the appearance and condition of the eggshell. The higher the letter (AA, A, and B) the better quality egg you are getting. Does this have any relevant bearing on nutrition? Nope. The size of the egg (Jumbo, Extra Large, Large, Medium, Small, and Peewee) does have some impact on the nutrition, but have you ever seen a weight loss tip telling you to select a smaller egg size? My guess would be no since there is not a huge difference in calories, protein, fat, etc.

Egg Buzz Words
Cage Free: This just means that the hen has not been confined to a cage for its whole life. They are able to walk around and stretch out, but this does not mean that they necessarily are outside chatting it up with Wilbur.
 

Free Range: This takes cage free a step further, by providing them access to the outdoors. To be labeled as free range, the USDA stipulates that the hens must be given continuous access to the outdoors. Yes, the hens can eat bugs and grass like they would in they would in the wild, but this does not mean that they are not fed grain. 

Omega-3: Usually this just means that the hens were fed grains/feed with omega-3s in them. Does this mean the resulting egg is magically super high in omega-3s? Does anybody love Kanye more than Kanye? No.

Organic: This just means that the hens were fed an organic feed, were not given antibiotics or growth hormones, lived in cage free environment, and had access to the outdoors. 

Bottom Line
Are you pregnant or breastfeeding? If you answered yes, then you should probably go for whole eggs. If you are unsure if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should probably figure that out before worrying about eggs. Breakfast wise, eggs are better than that pop tart, muffin, and sugar cereal you are eating. In the battle of whole eggs versus egg whites my thoughts are this.

1. Eggs contain fat and cholesterol just like every other animal product, so I am not so sure why eggs are being stigmatized to the extent that they are. Ounce for ounce, chicken contains more calories and fat than eggs.

2. Everybody needs fat in their diet, would you rather it come from a doughnut or eggs?

3. Eggs are not what caused the obesity epidemic.

4. Does anyone actually like the taste of egg whites over a whole egg?

If you are concerned with animal cruelty then go for free range and/or organic eggs, but be advised that does not ensure the hens have not faced some form of animal cruelty. If you are really concerned about animal cruelty, go to your local farmers market, get fresh eggs, and shake the hand of the person who raised the hens themselves. Now if you will excuse me, I have some Reese’s peanut butter eggs to tend to. Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,
Keep it Green,

Beth
 

Being Healthy Doesn't ALWAYS Mean Being Healthy

I hope you all are enjoying your spring break…and I am not saying that just to say it. I sincerely mean for you to enjoy it because when you become a “grown up” like myself, there is no such thing as spring break.

Yay for being a “grown up” right?!?  This is how I will be “celebrating” my spring break…

Anyways, instead of giving myself the week off from blogging, I remain resolute in bringing you credible nutrition information! Ok well,  maybe I am just going to defer you to a blog post of one of my colleagues, but I still put some effort in the opening to this blog. Back to my colleague's blog post, I found it to be pretty legit and insightful. What is the topic you ask?!? Well in this blog post, she talks about how being healthy doesn’t always mean being healthy (aka its ok to eat cake and pizza occasionally and in moderation without having to beat yourself up over it). It is pretty insightful; I mean we are human after also why beat yourself up if you have a little slip up and accidentally indulge in some pizza?!? Without further ado…Being healthy doesn’t ALWAYS mean being healthy by Fannetastic Food.

 My advice, don't be afraid to treat yo self every now and then.

Oh and don't grow up...

Until next time! 

Keep it Fresh,

Keep it Green,

Beth

Nutrition Bite: I would have to do what?!?

How are those resolutions coming along? I have managed to keep my resolution...

Just kidding, please don't kid yourself like that. You do have to admit that is funny though. Anyways, I wanted to take the opportunity for this week's blog to help those with resolutions to eat better or to lose weight by providing some visuals. I recently came across this article that shows you how long you would have to complete various types of exercise to burn off some of the popular not as healthy foods.

One of the one that jumps out at me is the infamous psl (pumpkin spice latte).

While I am not sure what size they are referring to, it would take roughly 40 minutes of swimming to burn one off. Now, I am not sure about you, but I am no Michael Phelps. After about 15 minutes of swimming I am exhausted. I would then usually prefer to take those extra 25 minutes to lay by the pool and work on my tan.

If you are a little late to the resolutions boat and want some tips on how to make one that you just might actually stick to, check out this blog post.  For those of you who are starting to waver in your resolutions or have already abandoned ship here is a little motivation for you...

I also find upbeat music to be motivational. So when you are on the struggle bus with your resolutions turn up some music, whether its Jessie J or you are odd like me, The Lion King Sound Track (Frozen doesn't have anything on Lion King), and go for it! Well I am off to the Jim. Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,
Keep it Green,

Beth

Hidden Fruits & Vegetables in Baked Goods: Putting Lipstick on a Pig

I was at a meeting recently where some big whigs in the Charlotte food scene met to discuss how to increase healthy eating in the Charlotte area. Does this mean that yours truly is a big whig? Totes. I mean I do have this blog and all…

Anyways, the discussion came to a point where we were discussing how to get kids to eat healthier, in which the concept of black bean brownies emerged. While it was a comment that was not even given the time of the day for the rest of the discussion, I found myself a little irritated, which leads me to today's blog topic of sneaking fruits and vegetables into baked goods. 

Now, when I said black bean brownies, most of you were probably thinking that I had made a typo because that sounds disgusting. However, it was not. The idea of sneaking fruits and vegetables into desserts is all the rage these days, with tons of recipes on Pinterest. In addition to black bean brownies, we also have chocolate zucchini cupcakes and brownies made with applesauce, banana, or avocado as well. Sounds weird right? In most cases, the predetermined fruit or vegetable is used to replace the fat (oil or eggs) in a recipe; occasionally it is added just for giggles but not often. 

I will admit that I have played around with black bean brownies just to see how they were. They surprisingly weren't bad...even the batter tasted good (don't judge me). Anyways, back to my irritation of black bean brownies and getting people to eat healthier. My thought during that meeting was, “What do black bean brownies have anything to do with getting kids, or adults for that matter, to eat healthier?” Yes, brownies made with black beans instead of oil and eggs are lower in fat and higher in protein, but are they going to magically inspire you to eat more fruits and vegetables? My guess would be no. I mean when I tried them it only made me want ice cream, but that’s just me. All you are essentially doing by sneaking these fruits and vegetables into baked goods is putting lipstick on a pig. 

To help get me point across on this one, I am going to use a gem provided by none other than the always credible Dr Oz. He has a recipe on his website for butt busting brownies. To give you the full effect, I am just going to just copy a little excerpt about these little gems.

“If you think brownies are off-limits when you’re trying to get fit, think again! This no-bake brownie is not your typical dessert. The cayenne revs up your metabolism to get your body moving and the cinnamon helps process sugar intake, which helps keep fat from being absorbed into your bottom. It’s a win-win!”

I really wish that I was making this stuff up. Without even addressing the misleading information about cayenne and cinnamon, WHY WOULD ANYBODY EAT A BROWNIE IF THEY WANTED TO GET FIT? If you really want to get fit and bust your butt how about you try this new thing called exercise and eating these things called fruits and vegetables. Pretty radical I know.

I have no idea if these "butt busting" brownies are good or not, but at the end of the day they are still brownies, regardless of what fruits and vegetables might be snuck in them. I mean I can put my dog in a cat costume and she is still a dog. Even if I put kale in brownies they are still brownies, which are not and never will be a "health" food.

Don’t get me wrong I love me some kale (shocker I know right?), but I do not want kale in my brownies, I would rather have caramel thank you. You really are not doing yourself any favors by sneaking in fruits and vegetables into your baked goods; you are really only sacrificing taste. The next time you treat yo self…

make sure it at least tastes good. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go to Sonic for this milk shake made specifically for health nuts and hipsters.

Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,

Keep it Green,

Beth

Nutrition Bite: Eating Fat Does Not Make You Fat

We have all heard it. “Don’t eat that, it’s fattening.”  Which is usually followed by either a slap on your hand making you drop that cookie or a judgmental look.

Then we have heard that all of these foods are “fattening" and that you should not eat them...

Let's not forget one of my personal favorites…

Obviously, all of the above are wrong because the real culprit is spoons...

As a Dietitian this is especially frustrating, but I was delighted to come across an article that helps shed some light on this misconception.

No Single Food Can be Blamed for Health Woes

Note: I have not read this book and am not endorsing this book in any way

As this article illustrates…

Eating fat or certain "fattening" foods will not necessarily make you fat. The same goes for carbs as well. Weight gain and body fat does occur over night, but is based on your long-term diet and physical activity habits. Are there some foods that are healthier than others? Certainly. Does that mean you should never eat those "unhealthier" foods? No, life is too short not to enjoy whatever "unhealthy" food that you love every once in a while. Well, I am off to ban spoons on campus. Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,

Keep it Green,

Beth