Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day?

True or false: breakfast is the most important meal of they day? Most important? Well, it is pretty important but, being one of four children that would be like my mother publically admitting that I am her favorite (which is true, however for the sake of my brothers egos, let’s just say that we are all special). Anyways, yes breakfast is an important meal.

Probably one of the better pieces of nutrition advice would be to eat breakfast, however that does not give you free range to just eat anything for the sake of saying that you eat breakfast…

And you of course do not need to do this everyday either…

The key is to eat a good breakfast.

So what constitutes a “good” breakfast?

Breakfast, as for any meal, should incorporate some fruits and/or veggies, whole grains, and protein. Now, this could take on a variety of looks depending on your food preferences. Yes, this could include bacon..

…just don’t make it an everyday thing.

This could also be oatmeal, smoothies, cereal, granola bars, yogurt, trail mix, pb & j, leftover lasagna, turkey sandwich, or whatever your little heart desires. Hey, not all people like breakfast foods so don’t judge.

Why is breakfast important?

The reason why breakfast is important is not because there is something magical about eggs, bacon, or lucky charms (despite what that little leprechaun says)…

…rather it is the timing of breakfast. To help explain this, think of your body as a car. You need to fill up your gas tank (or plug in your car for those of you with hybrids) to give it the energy to run, otherwise you will end up stuck along side of the road in the middle of nowhere. I think you know where I am going with on this, but I am going to continue to ramble on. Your body has to “run” on whenever you last ate, be it dinner or a snick snack, until the morning. If you miss your morning "fill up" you are not going to make it far. Not only can this lead to overeating when you actually do eat, it slows down your metabolism. This will slow you down energy wise and if you are like me, you get hangry and can't focus.

What about juice?

Everybody thinks that juice is healthy and then proceed to fill up an entire glass. Juice, like olive oil, has some good qualities to it, but that doesn't mean you should eat/drink a ton of it. Yes, there are some vitamins and minerals (and fiber if you take pulp in your oj) in juice, however it contains quite a bit of sugar. Juice, like other beverages that contain sugar are best in moderation, and by moderation I mean 1/2 cup a day if at all.

The truth about muffins, pancakes, doughnuts

My thoughts about all of the above can be summed up by the image below…

The same could be said for panCAKEs. I mean just because we put the word pan in front of cake does not make it not a cake.

Case in point, angel food cake. Do all angels eat angel food cake? Well, despite being my mother’s favorite, I am no angel.  However, for the sake of this blog, let’s just say I am an angel. Angel food cake would not be the food of choice and I don't know what is so angelic about it. To really just round out your education today, here is a grammar tip for you. Grammar tip of the day: angel is the thing with wings and angle is found in squares and triangles. Anyways, the same could be said for muffins. To quote Jim Gaffigan again, "muffins are just bald cupcakes."

Breaking it down

EAT BREAKFAST! Even if you aren’t hungry or you don’t typically eat breakfast, just appease me and nibble on at least something! Shoot for something with fruits and/or veggies, whole grains, and protein. Take it easy on the bacon and other breakfast meats because they are high in saturated fat and don’t fall for the whole pancake, muffin, doughnut thing. Now if you will excuse me, I need to see where I can get a pair of those fab dishwashing gloves Lady Gaga wore to the Oscars...

Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,

Keep it Green,

Beth

Kombucha

Last week I was given some samples of kombucha to try. The person who gave it to me figured I would like it because I am a Registered Dietitian, and am therefore a health nut. Ok so maybe those assumptions are fair. Anyways,  I have had kombucha before, but I was not entirely sure of  all the “health benefits” of drinking it, so being the dork that I am, yours truly did a little research on this for you!

What is kombucha? (kom-boo-cha)

Essentially, kombucha is fermented black and/or green tea. Usually producers add fruit and/or herbs to add more flavor.

What does it taste like?

Well, it is acidic and sour. You could describe it as a little vinegary. The taste of kombucha varies between producers and if any fruits and/or herbs are used. For example, I have a goji ginger one sitting on my desk. Also of note, it is naturally fizzy from the fermentation process.

How is it made?

Take black or green tea then dump in some sugar, yeast, and bacteria, and let it ferment. As I mentioned before, fruit and/or herbs can be added to give more flavor.

Yes, you can be a real Susie Homemaker and make your own, however, I would be very careful if you attempt to make this at home because it could go down hill very fast leaving your house smelling like vinegar or something even worse. Oh and not to mention you could grow the “bad” bacteria and give yourself food poisoning. I mean even though it is February and not very pleasant to be outside, I would rather not be spending my time in the bathroom.

What are the Health Benefits?

Well, there have been several health claims for kombucha, such as cancer fighter, reverses aging, and prevents disease...please don't get your hopes up THAT high.

Pretty much all of the claims made in the picture above are unproven. There really isn’t much evidence at all on how kombucha affects the body. Is there some benefit to drinking it? Maybe, but you definitely won't drop 10 pounds overnight or cure cancer with it. Could it boost your energy? Maybe, but it could also be a placebo effect.

Some of the more plausible claims would be helping the digestive system and strengthening your immune system. Kombucha does contain live cultures (read: bacteria) like yogurt and kefir do. Some of these cultures are probiotics. Probiotics aid digestion and  there is some evidence that suggests that they may strengthen the immune system. Oh and they keep you regular...thanks Jamie Lee Curtis...

Don’t let the whole regularity thing and bacteria get you grossed out. Bacteria not all bacteria are bad. We have bacteria all over our bodies and a ton of them within our digestive system. The ones in our digestive system help us breakdown food particles that we cannot digest on our own. 

Kombucha does have a very miniscule amount of alcohol in it but even if you drank a ton of it, you don’t need to worry about it.

Should I drink it?

If you like it and feel that it provides some sort of benefit to you, whether it be more energy or it "detoxifies you", then have at it. Could it be the komucha? Maybe, but it could very well just be a placebo effect as well. Moral of the story: it isn’t going to hurt you and chances are it isn’t going to save you either. It does contain some sugar in it, so as with any sugar sweetened beverage, don’t over do it. 

Now if you will excuse me, I need to go hide from Bumble...

Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,

Keep it Green,

Beth

Bless Your Heart: Heart Healthy Foods

February is National Heart Awareness Month, which is why you may have noticed these red dresses all around campus and Charlotte, that is if you haven’t been in a daze due to your seasonal depression…

If you were like me and were wondering why we should only go red for women and not men, it is because heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S., not because men don’t have hearts.

What is heart disease?
The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type is coronary heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack, angina (chest pain), heart failure, and death. The only good thing about heart disease is that it is both preventable and controllable. I guess maybe the second good thing is that heart disease, unlike ebola, it is not contagious so don’t sweat it the next time the person on the bus next to you coughs on you; you will be fine…in terms of not catching heart disease anyways.

How can I prevent heart disease?
I am sure that is the burning question on your mind right now…well unless you are a fellow Kardashian fan such as myself.  Anyways, I can only help you out with the heart disease question. Now prepare yourself for this “groundbreaking” news on how you can prevent heart disease. Are you ready for it?!? Here goes…eat healthy, exercise, and avoiding tobacco products! Mind blown?

Ok so probably not, but you may be wondering what foods you can eat to help out the old ticker. Well, it is your lucky day!

Heart Healthy Foods…
Contrary to popular belief, there is more to this than just eating your fruits and vegetables. Some of the qualities that make food heart healthy include: low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and salt/sodium. Also, foods high in fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3s are good for the heart as well.

…In Lay Terms

Now I don’t expect most people to automatically know what foods to eat based on the above paragraph so let me lay it out for you.

• Salmon and Tuna: Good source of omega-3s and lower in saturated fat than red meat. 
• Chicken: If you are going to have meat and are not fond of seafood, you could swap out red meat for chicken. Chicken is leaner, containing less fat than red meat.
• Legumes (aka beans):If you wanted to really take it to heart (yes, corny pun I know) you could swap meat for legumes, which contain no fat and are high in fiber. 
• Whole Grains: Oatmeal, whole wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, etc. Whole grains are a good source of fiber, which helps the old ticker deal with cholesterol.
• Fruits & Vegetables: This shouldn’t be much of a shocker to you. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. With the exception of the avocado, they contain no fat. . Yes avocados do contain fat, but it is the good type of fat and packs some omega-3s.
• Nuts & Seeds: Nuts, especially walnuts and almonds, are a good source of fiber, protein, and omega-3s. Side bar: Flax seeds do contain omega-3s but your body cannot digest the seed (read: you do not absorb any of the omega-3s) so make sure you grind them.

Foods to Avoid

• Salty Foods: Processed foods, deli meats, canned vegetables and soups, frozen meals, and pizza are just a few of the usual suspects that contain a lot of sodium, which can increase your blood pressure.
• Red Meat: Red meat is higher in saturated fat and cholesterol so opt for seafood or poultry. Perhaps you could even be a “hippy” for a meal and skip the meat!
• Alcohol: Not only can alcohol lead to poor food (and life) decisions, but can also increase your blood pressure, which makes your heart work a little harder
• Caffeine: Have you ever downed one too many cups of coffee, espresso, or energy drinks and started having chest pains, making you feel like your heart is going to beat out of your chest? Yeah, that’s not good. Needless to say lots of caffeine is not the best thing for your heart.

“I read that chocolate is good for your heart”
Before you dig into that chocolate cake or candy bar, let me enlighten you. While there have been some recent studies that have shown benefits to eating chocolate and heart health, it is not that simple. To start with, it is not just any type of chocolate, but dark chocolate with about 70% cocoa content. The cocoa adds more antioxidants, which are the main players in chocolate that benefits the heart. You know what else is high in antioxidants? Fruits and vegetables. Anyways, chocolate, even dark chocolate, does contain sugar and fat so it is best to consume in moderation.

“What about olive oil?”
Olive oil is good for your heart in that it contains the good type of fat and omega-3s. Does that mean you should add a ton of it to whatever dish you are making? No! Along those same lines, just because olive oil is added to something does not make that product any better/healthier. Case in point (see below): Yes, this mayonnaise has olive oil in it but it is still mayonnaise, which is high in fat (not the good kind of fat either).

Until next time! Oh and…

Keep it Fresh,
Keep it Green,

Beth

How to Not do a Superbowl Commercial

 Let me very clear, the only reason I watch the Superbowl is for the commercials and the halftime show, not actually to watch the game. Its not that I hate football, I just prefer college football. Anyways, I must say that I was very underwhelmed the halftime show with Katy Perry about to be attacked by dancing sharks…

Only to be saved by none other than Missy Elliott…

After Missy snapped me out of the twilight zone filled with dancing beach balls and surf boards, I was back to reality and more commercials. Out of all of the commercials, I did find one that intrigued me, and by intrigued I mean annoyed...I found one that annoyed me as a Dietitian. (Warning: I am about to step on my soapbox.)  What commercial you ask? That commercial would be this commercial from McDonald's called the Unapologetic Big Mac:

Now, I am no marketing whiz, but I am not sure what McDonald’s was trying to accomplish with this commercial besides shoot themselves in the foot. Yes, I believe that just about everybody and their grandma knows that McDonald’s does not offer the healthiest of foods, despite their feeble attempts at adding salads and apple slices to the menu.

Personally, as both a foodie and a vegetarian, I was slightly offended. Do I eat soy, quinoa, kale, and greek yogurt? Yes I occasionally do, but that doesn’t mean those are the only things I eat and no, I don’t feel cool just because I do eat those things. 

Setting my own personal dietary preferences aside, the reason this bothers me is because how it influences society and our food norms. This commercial feeds into the somewhat negative stereotypes that foodies and vegetarians are weird hipsters that only eat soy, quinoa, kale, etc. They are "health nuts."

We are a country that is in the midst of an obesity epidemic, which costs us somewhere in the ballpark of $192 BILLION a year, and you spend millions to in effect shame those who are trying to eat a little better. Really McDonald's really?!? Is McDonald’s solely to blame for obesity? Was the Superbowl halftime show good? No, but McDonald's can be a part of the solution.

Staying on this soapbox, this commercial also incites some level of food neophobia. Don’t act like you are not impressed with my use of the word neophobia J Anyways, food neophobia is the fear of trying new, unfamiliar foods. In the weird little world that is inside my head, this is how this commercial affects people. After seeing McDonald’s knock kale and quinoa, when people are offered kale and/or quinoa that have never had it before, they laugh and turn it down. I mean, kale and quinoa is obviously only for hippies. 

Now I am going to flip this situation and really just blow your mind. Let’s pretend we all live on a far away planet called, oh I don’t know, Utopia. Now on Utopia, everybody eats kale and quinoa, not many people eat burgers. One day a food company, McKale, advertises how great its kale and quinoa is, and bashes burgers and people who are burger eaters. People who eats kale and quinoa, would feel more justified and better about their food choices than those weird burger eaters. Burgers are definitely for weirdos.

So what is your point Beth?

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to say that McDonald’s should start serving kale and quinoa, they are after all a burger joint. However, I don’t think they should stigmatize people who are trying to eat healthier. As a billion dollar company, they have the means to positively affect our dietary habits and food norms. We need to make eating healthy the cool, sexy thing to do, which we can do through advertising and marketing. I mean kale anyone?

Can I personally change McDonald’s or any other fast food place? Nope, but what I can do is “vote” with where I choose to spend my money when eating out. Not that I eat a ton of fast food, but when I do, I will gladly pay a little more for a better quality product and for a company whose practices I agree with. (Steps off soapbox)

Well I am off to start a petition to bring Beyonce back for next year’s Superbowl halftime…I mean home girl broke the Superdome and I bet that Beyonce eats kale. Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,

Keep it Green,

Beth

Calories on Menus: Useful or Useless?

The FDA finally released their new menu labeling law. I know you all have probably been anxiously awaiting them for the past five years, just as the Northeast is anxiously awaiting Snowmageddon 2015...

What will this look like?

Basically, if you visit a restaurant or similar retail food establishment that is part of a chain of 20 or more, they will now be required by law to list calorie information on the menu starting in fall of 2015.  You may have noticed that some places have already been doing this for a while now, such as Starbucks. Here is what theirs looks like...

Why did they make a law about this?

Well, in case you have been living under a rock for the past 10 years, we are facing an obesity epidemic in the US. The rates of overweight and obesity have tripled in the past three decades. The factors for this rise in overweight and obesity is due to a variety of reasons but most can be attributed to eating too much and not exercising enough. That being said, this is one of the tactics developed to help combat the eating too much part. The thought process behind this if we provide people with information on how many calories are in the food they are eating, they might eat a little healthier.

How many calories do I need?

A very generalized number for the average adult is 2,000 calories a day. Again, this is a very generalized and does not account for sex, physical activity, age, etc. If you would like a more accurate picture of how many calories you specifically need in a day, I would recommend using MyFitnessPal. 

Does labeling actually work?

Research has bounced back and forth between helping people eat fewer calories and people wanting to “get their moneys worth” and actually eating more calories. 

What are your thoughts Beth?

Regardless of whether this will make people eat less calories or not, it is at least educating people and making them think a little bit more about what they are eating.  This may also make restaurants rethink some of their dishes that contain thousands of calories and maybe offer at least slightly healthier options.

On a personal level, when I go to a pizza place, I am not usually too worried about calories. I mean I did go there to eat pizza after all, which is not quite the healthiest thing. When presented with calorie information on the menu, I might be swayed to get the veggie pizza rather than the bacon weave crust pizza…

For me going out to eat at a restaurant is a treat for lack of a better word, so I typically will not eat as much the rest of the day because I know that I will be indulging a little more than usual when eating at a restaurant. However, those who eat out at restaurants frequently will obviously be impacted more so it may be more helpful.

Breaking it down

It is up to you if you actually want to use the information or not, but at least you now have to face the facts that those calories you eat on the weekend do count…

Is this going to magically fix the overweight and obesity epidemic? No, but it is a baby step in the right direction. It is helping people get to know their food better and (hopefully) understand nutrition at least a little bit.

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

Resolutions

Now that everyone is done posting on Facebook what they are thankful for everyday for the last month, now come the equally entertaining New Years resolutions.

While we all may want to lose ten pounds, floss our teeth everyday, eat healthier, or stop procrastinating, it is way easier said than done. It is pretty safe to say that most New Years resolutions never come to fruition. Now there are plenty of reasons as to why these resolutions don’t work out, but if I had to guess as to why, it is probably because they are unrealistic and not very clear.

Just this morning someone wanted me to work with her to help her lose some weight (20 pounds) by New Years Eve. Doing my best to stay positive and not come across as a jerk, I smiled and said, “Well we might need a little more time then that, but come see me later.”

Not that losing 20 pounds is unattainable, but unless you plan on catching the flu for the remainder of December, it is not very realistic. Yes, you can definitely lose some weight by then, which would be a success, but you may be disappointed you didn’t hit that 20-pound mark.

By now you are probably thinking that you will either just not make a New Years resolution or…

Fret not though; I am going to walk you through some tactics on how you can make a resolution that is both realistic and attainable.

Think Baby Steps
So you want to lose 20 pounds. That is a great resolution, but realize that those pounds won’t just melt off over night. It is recommended to lose one to two pounds per week, so make that your short-term goal. By setting these short-term goals, it makes your ultimate goal seem more manageable. Set up a routine of weighing yourself once per week to monitor your progress. Some hints on weighing yourself:

• Use the same scale: Scales tend to fluctuate from scale to scale but using the same one eliminates that.
• Weigh yourself first thing in the morning after using the restroom: Your weight fluctuates during the day depending on the amount and type of food and beverage you drink and bathroom habits.
• Wear the least amount of clothing: If you weigh yourself wearing tennis shoes, jeans, and parka one day and your birthday suit the next day, there is bound to be a difference due to the weight of the clothes/shoes. Try to wear the same thing every time you weight yourself to be consistent. Remember, we are talking one to two pounds of weight loss per week, which your clothes could add up to.

Have an Action Plan
Believe it or not, just because you make a resolution to lose weight does not mean that pounds will magically just melt away or that there is a magic pill to help you shed the pounds. You will actually have to eat healthy AND exercise to lose weight.

Now you may be thinking, “Beth, is one more important than the other?” Well, this is kind of a tricky question to simply answer yes or no; however let me give you a scenario. The average person burns around 100 calories when they walk/jog/run a mile. A single serving bag of chips contains about 240 calories. Which would be easier for you to do, run a mile or to forgo the chips? Obviously, exercising AND passing on the chips would be the best choice, but typically it is easier to forgo the less healthy food options.

Now is the time to put your money where your mouth is. HOW are you going to eat healthy and exercise? This is where type A people like myself thrive. You get to make an action plan and lists (in alphabetical order of course)! Your action plan should look something along these lines…

• I will go to yoga (or whatever fitness class) 2 times a week
• I will eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day
• I will eat breakfast everyday
• I will switch from white bread to 100% whole wheat bread
• I will drink more water
• I will only drink soda two days a week

Notice, I did not say, “I will run five miles everyday.” When making your goals, you will not want to go from 0 to 60. Think of your body as more of a Smart car trying to go from 0 to 60 rather than a Porsche; remember, baby steps. Yes it would be great to run five miles everyday but if you don’t even run right now, that goal is pretty unrealistic.  Instead, start with running a mile or two a couple times a week at first and gradually increases the number of days you run and/or the distance you run.

If you are going to focus on eating healthier and start tracking how many calories you eat, MyFitnessPal is a good tool to have. It creates a plan based on your height, weight, and gender that provides you with your daily calorie needs and lets you record what you eat and your physical activity. A basic rule of thumb to use is that one pound of fat is 3,500 calories, so to lose a pound a week you will need to create a deficit of 500 calories a day (by exercising or watching what you eat). If you are really gung ho on developing a plan and want some professional help you are in luck! The Student Health Center has a Registered Dietitian, who can help you and her services are FREE! If you are interested, shoot her an email at mkpowers@uncc.edu.

Commit to It

Now for all you commitment phobes out there, relax; its not like you are marrying it forever. Typically what happens is that you have your action plan, but then life has other plans for you. Classes start up again, you get in a fender bender, work gets hectic, etc.  and your action plan goes down the tubes! However, if you slip up one day (or a couple of days), don’t get discouraged…

If you want to lose those 20 pounds you need to stay motivated and make the time for it. You make time for your favorite tv shows, such as but not limited to Keeping up with the Kardashians, don’t you? Well as entertaining and educational as the Kardashians are, don’t you think your health is just a little more important?

So how can you stay committed and keep motivated you ask? Get your friends and/or family involved. One of the things I plan on doing over the break is having my mom do yoga with me, mostly because it will be entertaining but also because I will need a good stretch after the nine hour drive back to blustery Ohio. Instead of meeting up with your friends for coffee, go check out a yoga or spin class. Are you the type that needs to be held accountable? Make your resolution (and progress) public by using your social media. This way your family, friends, and random people that you do not know but added you as a friend can support and cheer you on to keep you motivated.

Well this wraps up my blogs for the semester! Best of luck on your resolutions and I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season! Until next semester!

Keep it Fresh,
Keep it Green,

Beth