About Nutrition

• Lettuce & Fruit are carbs?
• Why would you go on a “low carb” diet? What is wrong with lettuce & fruit…nothing!
• What people really mean is that they are on a
“low-simple carb” diet. This makes sense because the average American should be eating/drinking a lot less soda, juice, candy and other desserts

• Today, children are the biggest consumers of fruit juice. Children (as well as adults) should only consume 6 oz. per day.
• “100% Juice” juices should be consumed in moderation (why not eat the apple instead of drinking apple juice?)
• The more pulp a juice contains the healthier it is
• Don’t fall for the “enhancements” like Vitamin C or
E added to juices. Are you really deficient
(especially if you already consume a multivitamin)?
• If the product does not say “100% juice” on the front of the label, it does not have much (or any) juice in it. These type drinks typically contain about 10% juice. The rest of the ingredients are sugars & other sweeteners, colors and flavors

Source: What To Eat by Marion Nestle p. 277

• I think you know the answer to this questions but in case you don’t, the answer is NO!
• The calories and added sugars in sodas encourage weight gain
• Sodas also contain phosphorus (phosphorus can also be found in baked goods). Too much phosphorus decreases calcium absorption. If you decrease the amount of calcium being absorbed, you increase the risk for osteoporosis.
• I find it humorous that 7-UP has calcium added to it. Did the calcium even get absorbed (b/c of the phosphorus)? Can’t you find a better source of calcium that is lower in calories and sugars?

• Nutrition is about where you are now & how we can make it better
– If you currently do not eat fruit regularly & can only stand “fruit cocktail”, then eat it regularly.
– If you currently eat fruit cocktail, rinse the fruit with water before consuming to get rid of the sugary syrup.
– If you do this already, try eating the fresh fruit

Source: What To Eat by Marion Nestle p. 308

• White bread
– Has fewer nutrients (almost all of which get added back by law), more calories (from processing), has a greater shelf life and typically taste better
• Wheat Bread
– Contains more fiber, does not spike insulin levels, fewer calories and sometimes more nutrients
– Not all brown bread is wheat bread. It must say
“whole wheat” as the first ingredient
Source: What To Eat by Marion Nestle p. 310

• The average American needs no more than about 40 g of sugar per day
• This is equal to one soda!
• Typically, processed “snacks” have a high percentage of added sugars.
• For example: Shark’s Fruit Snacks contain 52% of it calories from sugar
• You must get into the habit of reading food labels
• If you see these words in the 1 st five ingredients, it has a high amount of sugar
– Sugar, high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, corn syrup, fructose, corn syrup solids, honey or dextrose
• Check out the 1 st five ingredients in
• Kellog’s Nutri-Grain Honey Oat & Raisin Granola
Bars

• Yogurt is the fastest growing dairy product in the
U.S.
• The bacteria in yogurt are thought to replace harmful bacteria in the large intestine
• Track the calories from sugar in your favorite yogurt. It is better to consume plain yogurt & add your own fresh fruit or tsp of sugar. There will still be a significant decrease in sugar when compared to flavored yogurt.
– 55% of the 80 calories in Go-GURT (kidfriendly slurpable yogurt in a tube) comes from sugar
– 67% of the 90 calories in Danimals Drinkable come from sugar
– Sugar constitutes 53% of the 120 calories found in YoBaby organic yogurts

• Almost all fast foods have high amounts of fat
& calories. If you want to cut back on these
– Eat more fruits & veggies instead
– Carry food with you so you won’t be tempted to binge on these foods
– Be aware of the caloric content of the foods you eat. Ask for the nutritional analysis & read food labels

Wendy’s
Subway
Arby’s
Burger King
McDonald's
Frosty, med.
Tuna
Sweet Onion Teriyaki
Veggie Del.
226
Market Fresh Roast Beef
Roast Chicken Club
Regular Roast Beef
Ice Cream Shake, med.
Double Whopper
Whopper w/ Cheese
Whopper
Large Fries
Chicken McGrill
374
350
440
450
400
Big Mac
520
540
590
810
760
760
850
1060

Calories Total Fat
Saturated
Fat
% fat calories
McDonald's
Big Mac
Chicken McGrill
Large Fries
Burger King
590
400
540
Whopper
Whopper w Cheese
Double Whopper
760
850
1060
Ice Cream Shake, med.
760
Arby
Õs
Reguar Roast Beef 350
Roast Chicken Club
Market Fresh Roast
520
810
Beef
Subway
Veggie Delight
Sweet Onion Teriyaki
Tuna
Wendy Õs
226
374
450
Frosty, med.
440
34
17
26
46
53
69
41
16
28
42
3
5
22
11
1
2
6
6
7
11
3
9
15
22
27
29
13
7
52
38
43
54
56
59
49
41
48
47
12
12
44
23

www.calorieking.com
(You will be shocked!)

• 20% of the daily value for saturated fat, leave it on the shelf
• Less than 5%, it is considered low fat
• Any trans fat, consume very little of it or consider leaving it in the store

• Soy products offer good alternatives to meat for those who want protein.
Did you know that kidney beans are a close second?
• Eggs are a good source of protein. The protein in an egg is found only in the egg white, not the yolk (mostly fat & cholesterol). There is no difference in protein or nutrients between a white and a brown egg.
• Red meat is also a good source of protein. Unfortunately, it contains large amounts of saturated fat
• Fish
– Some fish like shark, swordfish and canned albacore tune contain more methylmercury and should not be eaten often.
– Almost all fish contain some level of PCB’s (chemicals released mainly from industrial waste) that cause skin, reproductive, developmental and behavior problems
– Visit http://www.environmentaldefense.org/home.cfm or www.oceansalive.org
for “fish advisory cards” to help guide you to healthier fish choices

• In order for a food to be organic it MUST be
“certified organic” . You will see a seal on organic foods that state this.
• It tells you
– that the grower has been inspected (and has paperwork)
– did not use synthetic pesticides or herbicides
– did not use genetically modified seeds
– did not use fertilizers derived from sewage sludge
– Did not treat foods or seeds with irradiation

• Cons
– Methods are unreliable
– Higher prices
• Pros
– Certification from an independent organization (instead of the FDA which may have a conflict of interest) is reassuring
– Lower pesticide levels in humans
– Better for the environment

• Many products are advertised as
“All Natural”, “Free Range”, “Cage
Free” or “Vegetarian Fed”
• These products are NOT organic
• They must have an organic seal on the package to be organic

• Genetically modified foods
(GM foods): Foods whose basic genetic material (DNA) is manipulated by inserting genes with desirable traits from one plant, animal, or microorganism into another one to either introduce new traits or enhance existing ones

• Crops are genetically modified to make them resist disease and extreme environmental conditions, require less fertilizers and pesticides, last longer, and to improve nutrient content and taste
• GM foods could help save billions of dollars in more productive crops and help feed the hungry in developing countries around the world

• Concerns over the safety of GM foods have created heated public debates
– Genetic modifications may create “transgenic” organisms that have not previously existed and that have potentially unpredictable effects on the environment and on humans
– GM foods may cause illness or allergies in humans and crosspollination may destroy other plants or create “superweeds” with herbicideresistant genes

• The following “super” foods that fight disease and promote health should be included often in the diet
Avocados
Bananas
Beans
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Butternut squash
Carrots
Grapes
Kale
Kiwifruit
Flaxseeds
Nuts (Brazil,
Walnuts)
Salmon (wild)
Soy
Oats and oatmeal
Olives and olive oil
Onions
Oranges
Peppers
Strawberries
Spinach
Tea (green, black, red)
Tomatoes
Yogurt

• Provide nutritional base for a healthy diet
• Daily fruits and vegetables should include
– One good source of pro-vitamin A or carotene
(apricots, cantaloupe, broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, dark leafy vegetables)
– One good source of vitamin C
(citrus fruit, kiwi fruit, cantaloupe, strawberries, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, green pepper)
• The recommended 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily has no substitute

• Fruits and vegetables are the sole source of phytochemicals
• Show promising results in the fight against cancer
• Their actions are so diverse that, at almost every stage of cancer, they can block, disrupt, slow down, or even reverse the process

• Functional foods:
Foods or food ingredients containing physiologically active substances that provide specific health benefits beyond those supplied by basic nutrition

• Created by the food industry by adding ingredients aimed at treating or preventing symptoms or disease
• In most cases only one extra ingredient is added (a vitamin, mineral, phytochemical, or herb)

• An example is calcium added to orange juice to make the claim that this particular brand offers protection against osteoporosis
• Food manufacturers now offer cholesterollowering margarines (enhanced with plant stanol), cancer-protective (lycopene-fortified) ketchup, memory-boosting (ginkgo-added) candy, calcium-fortified chips, and kava-kava – containing corn chips (to enhance relaxation)

• Most Americans really do meet their water intake on a daily basis. This is because drinks like sodas and tea & food contain water
• Unless you are vigorously exercising or sweating a lot for more than 90 minutes, there is no need for sports drinks. Drink water instead.
• Sports drinks contain calories & sugar. Read the 1 st few ingredients!

• Target fruits & veggies over added sugars
• Reach for nuts, seeds and beans over foods that contain added saturated and trans fats
• Low-fat dairy is a better choice than whole milk and whole-milk foods
• Eat whole grains
(typically brown) with fiber instead of refined grains (typically white)
• Lean meats, poultry & fish should be consumed in moderation
AND in place of high-fat meats and cold cuts
• Limit contact with highly processed foods.
Instead, eat more unprocessed or minimally processed foods

• What factors in your life and the environment have contributed to your current dietary habits?
• Do you need to make changes?
• What may prevent you from doing so?