Hiding veggies doesn’t make them less nutritious

Recently, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study about the health benefits of hiding veggies. The verdict? Adding pureed veggies to dishes helped reduce calories consumed and increase nutrient intake. For those (adults and children) who don’t like veggies, this seems like a win-win, right?

While there are dietitians who say they disagree with hiding veggies, I am not one of them. Don’t get me wrong… I encourage adults to venture outside of their comfort vegetable zone and try exotic (or even just new) veggies and fruits. And, parents can (and very well should) introduce their children to new veggies as is, meaning without pureeing or grating into recipes. But if you (or your children) refuse to eat a delicious side of sauteed kale with roasted garlic and walnuts, why not add some pureed kale to your pasta sauce or soup?

When I was pregnant, I pictured feeding my son exotic purees and, later, bite-sized pieces of delicious and nutrient-rich vegetables and fruit. Ha… I was way off the mark! Sure, I offered him colorful fruit and veggie purees, but my son wanted nothing to do with them. Now a toddler, my son continues to launch broccoli, green beans and sweet potatoes off his tray and instead reach for cheese, bread or [sigh] anything processed.

In light of reading this article, I decided to “sneak” some veggies into an Israeli couscous dish. (Oh, and I should add that he liked Israeli couscous last time I made it.) I lovingly diced (and I’m talking TINY dice!) organic zucchini, squash, broccoli and mushrooms (along with some white beans), sauteed them in olive oil and a little peach juice, mixed it all in with the couscous and topped with diced peaches.

The bottom line…. Most of the time we know what we should be eating (or feeding our kids), we just have trouble doing it. So if sneaking some carrots, zucchini, mushrooms or broccoli into your casserole helps whittle your waist and up your nutrient intake, I say do it… while, of course, continuing to eat and/or offer delicious veggies in their non-pureed form.

Oh, and how did my “sneaky veggie” couscous go over with the toddler? Well, not so great… he ate a few bites, discovered the chopped white beans and quickly chucked the rest of his couscous onto the floor. My husband, however, declared it “Delicious!” and asked for seconds.

We’d love to hear from you. Do you “sneak” veggies or fruits into dishes, baked goods, etc.? What are some of your favorite ways to disguise them? Please share with us!

Chat with an Inspiring RD: Toast to heart health

Wine gets all the love in conversations about the nutritional benefits of adult beverages. And make no mistake, I enjoy a juicy glass of cab. But sometimes a cold brew better suits my mood—a preference I apparently share with Hermosa Beach, CA registered dietitian, Andrea Giancoli, MPH, RD.

A spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA), Andrea wrote a fun piece for ADA Times about the nutritional benefits of beer (“A Toast to Good Health”, Winter 2011). The article caught my eye and inspired me to call Andrea for more scoop on suds.

My notes from the conversation below, and just in time for St. Patty’s Day!

RK: Since beer has more ingredients than wine, I’m wondering to what extent do these ingredients contribute to the health benefits of beer.

Dietitian Andrea Giancoli dishes on suds nutrition

AG: Beer confers many nutritional benefits, such as B vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. The basic ingredients of beer are water, yeast, barley and hops. These ingredients provide the nutrients. The more hops in a beer, the greater the phytochemicals. The more malt—or germinated barley—the more B vitamins.

Some craft brewers throw in additional ingredients to impart unique flavors, which may or may not lend to a greater nutrient profile. And, some lager breweries add adjuncts to their beer. Adjuncts, which are unmalted grains like rice or oats, are another source of fermentable sugars, and typically result in lighter-colored and lighter-tasting beers.

RK: Does the color or ABV (alcohol by volume) impact the health benefits of beer?

AG: Before researching beer for the [ADA Times] article, I originally assumed that darker beers had higher alcohol content. But, that’s not the case at all. Look at Guinness, a really dark beer with a pretty average alcohol content.

The first couple of steps in the brewing process involve steeping the barley and then heat-drying (or roasting) in an oven. This is called “making the malt.” For how long and at what temperature the grain, or malt, is roasted dictates whether the beer is light or dark colored. There may be some benefits of color. According to researchers in Spain, dark beers contained more fiber than lighter beers, but more research is needed to confirm their findings.

The higher ABV the more grams of alcohol in the beer, and thus calories—alcohol has 7 calories per gram. Alcohol content is actually determined by the fermentable sugars in the malt. The higher the fermentable sugar content, the greater the alcohol content.

RK: We know that most people don’t compensate for calories consumed in sodas, coffee drinks or energy drinks. Do you find that most people also ignore the calorie-factor of beer?

AG: Anecdotally, I find people do tend to overlook how many calories they consume when imbibing. However, one benefit I find about darker beers is that people feel fuller sooner, as compared to other beverages. And because beer contains more water than other alcoholic drinks, say wine or mixed drinks, people report becoming water-logged sooner and tend to stop drinking when they’ve had enough beer. Still, there are a lot of calories in beer, as there are in any alcoholic beverage, and the calories add up quickly. If you drink three 150-calorie beers in one sitting, you’ve just consumed 450 calories, the number of calories needed in a meal for some people.

RK: What’s your favorite food and beer pairing?

AG: Lager and lentil soup. At this one Italian restaurant I frequent, I love to pair their lentil soup with a cold lager. Makes a great meal!

RK: So, you think beer can enhance the taste of a meal? Do you think a beer can ever enhance the nutritional profile of a meal?

AG: Beer is more complex than wine and those complexities can greatly enhance the flavor of a meal. So, there is more potential for a greater tasting meal when eaten alongside a beer.

As for the nutrition benefits… Yes, enjoying a beer or two with dinner may offer some health benefits—beer can help improve lipid profile by increasing HDL and lowering LDL cholesterol and can improve blood flow. But, five beers at dinner negates those health benefits. So while we do gain nutritional benefits (like vitamin B12) from beer, we derive those benefits only when beer is consumed in moderation, which means that ladies stick with one 12-ounce beer and men with two 12-ounce beers a day. That being said, enjoying a beer with a meal can potentially improve our health and our meal.

Of course, no dietitian’s blog on alcohol would be complete without mentioning that beer, like all alcoholic beverages, is higher in calories than other carbohydrates, and health benefits can be negated if consumed in excess. To reap health benefits and maintain your weight, stick to one drink max per day for the ladies and 2 drinks or less per day for men.

What satisfies your beer craving? We’d love to hear from you!

Chat with an Inspiring RD: Hope Warshaw

As part of my National Nutrition Month “Chat with an Inspiring RD” series, I sat down with Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE at a local coffee shop in Alexandria, VA.

Based in metropolitan DC, Hope has been a dietitian for more than 30 years and has owned her own business, Hope Warshaw Associates, LLC, for 20 of those years. She is an expert on diabetes and passionate about healthy restaurant eating, and she has authored nine books. To me, this is a pretty impressive resume and I was curious to meet this inspiring RD.

Since Hope has written four books on dining out healthfully (including Eat Out, Eat Right: The Guide to Healthier Eating Out and Guide to Healthy Fast Food Eating), I thought it’d be fun to pick Hope’s brain for her favorite healthy restaurant tips, her view on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and, of course, how she gets her food “fix”.

RK: You write a lot about healthy restaurant eating. What are your top three tips for eating restaurant foods, especially for the “corporate road warrior” or for people who travel a lot?

HW: Number 1, think about the analogy of not bringing unhealthy foods into the house. It’s the same thing when you’re eating out. If you order less, you’ll have less food in front of you. And, you’ll likely eat less.

Number 2, it’s important to be aware of, and minimize, fats. It’s the butter and gravies, sauces and cheeses. Controlling salad dressing is a big one; always order it on the side. Use 2% or fat-free milk in your coffee instead of whole or half and half.

Apply the notion that every little way you can shave off calories helps. It’s not the one big thing, but it’s the five small steps you can take that will add up to a big impact. So, if you’re eating less and controlling fat, you’ll be negative in the calories column.

Third, is the high sodium count of restaurant foods. They’re sodium count can be astounding. You can eat your daily allotment of 1500 mg of sodium in one restaurant meal!

RK: What’s your food weakness and how do you get your “fix”?

HW: I like sweets as much as the next person, but I don’t waste calories because I can’t afford to. If I’m going to have some ice cream, it’s going to be Haagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s and a favorite flavor, but the serving will be one half cup. I was chuckling the other day… thinking that my daughter is going to grow up and think that half a cup of ice cream is everyone’s serving size of ice cream. She’s going to serve someone half a cup and they’re going to say, “Gee, thanks for the tasting.”

RK: With regard to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, do you think anything is missing or were you surprised by any of the guidelines?

HW: I was following the development of the guidelines very closely. I listened in to several of the meetings and I went to the hearings after the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Report came out. It was interesting to see the interactions and dynamics. I was disappointed in the January 31^st press conference. There was little substance to something that should have been substantive.

Sometimes I get angry that the importance of nutrition is, almost, laughed at, particularly the concern about childhood obesity. I don’t think parents understand how important the issue of feeding children healthfully really is. Excess pounds on children isn’t just innocent blubber. I want to say to parents, “Let me paint a picture for you and tell you what’s going on in a child’s body who is packing on pounds in their youth. You are setting them up for a life of weight challenges and weight-related diseases.” Parents need to take the job of teaching children to eat healthfully and feeding children healthfully very seriously. I fear that many parents have abdicated this important responsibility.

We’d love to hear from you. How do you get YOUR healthy restaurant “fix”?

Celebrating food

Happy National Nutrition Month®!

March is National Nutrition Month®, designated by the American Dietetic Association to celebrate food and living an active, healthy life. Sure, most Americans don’t need a month dedicated to celebrating food… we love and talk about food year round! But, National Nutrition Month® makes food chatter just a little more special.

Join me this month as I interview some special Registered Dietitians (such as Hope Warshaw, MMSC, RD, CDE), who will share with us their tips for healthy eating. And, we’ll discuss easy ways to make healthy eating convenient and tasty. Because let’s face it: Taste and time control our busy lives.

The theme this year is “Eat Right with Color.” And, what better time to celebrate colorful food? Spring will soon make way for irresistibly delicious fruits and veggies, like asparagus, peaches and berries.

To kick-start this National Nutrition Month®, here are a few ways to add color to your diet and help you meet the 2010 Dietary Guidelines.

• Add a mixed greens salad or piece of fruit to your brown bag, frozen or fast food lunch. This automatically ups the antioxidant and nutrient content of your lunch. BONUS: potassium-rich veggies and fruit help counter high-sodium packaged and restaurant foods.
• Grow a windowsill herb garden. Fresh herbs–such as basil, cilantro and mint–enhance the taste of entrees, salads, fruit, grains and even water. BONUS: Herbs and spices pack a lot of antioxidant punch.
• Swap out one starch with quinoa, brown rice, bulgur or barley every week. Even if we’ve gotten good at replacing white breads and pastas with whole wheat, we tend to eat a lot of wheat and forget about those lesser-known grains. BONUS: Other whole grains, like barley, are also rich in dietary fiber and can add some zing to a stand-by weeknight dish.
• Go for the pink (or white) fish twice a week. A great source of protein, fish are easy to cook. Brush with a little olive oil and sea salt and throw on the grill or broil until it flakes easily. BONUS: Fatty fish, like salmon and trout, contain heart-healthy essential omega-3 fatty acids.

How do you add more color to your diet? We’d love to hear from you at info@kleinernutrition.com.

And stay tuned for more National Nutrition Month® celebrating!

Six easy tips for dining out well (and meeting the Dietary Guidelines)

The new 2010 Dietary Guidelines were unveiled earlier this week. Basically, we Americans eat too much and move too little. And, on top of that, we eat too much processed (think: peeling open a foil package) and too little whole (think: peeling an orange) foods. So while there weren’t any surprises, there were a few welcome changes, such as eat more fish and seafood and specific recommendations for pregnant women.

My top 4 take-away messages from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines

• Enjoy food, but eat less of it
• “Produce up” half the plate
• Eat more fish/seafood
• Focus diet on whole foods (versus processed) foods

So now, you may be wondering… Okay, great, new guidelines. Is that yet another thing I am supposed to consider when choosing food?

Or, maybe you’re thinking… How am I supposed to FIT MORE FOOD RULES INTO MY ALREADY-BUSY LIFESTYLE?

Then, I did an interview for a piece on Celebrate Chinese Year with a Bang: Tips for making healthy choices when ordering take out for NBC Washington this week, which got me thinking about how the Guidelines can come in useful during one of our favorite pastimes–eating out at restaurants. Here are some ways I’m going to order better and eat well while incorporating the new Guidelines.

Six easy tips for dining out well with the new Guidelines

1. Start with soup. Studies have found that eating a cup of soup before a meal helps you eat fewer calories in one sitting. Researchers aren’t sure why, but think it has to do with the warmth of the soup. But, stick to tomato- or broth-based veggie soups (which tend to have fewer calories and fat than cream-based soups.) And order the cup–not the bowl–as a starter, to control sodium.
   TRY THIS: Eat a cup of garden vegetable or lentil soup before your meal.
2. Order  fish. The new Guidelines are big on adding fish and seafood to your diet. The reason? If we’re eating more fish, we’re likely eating less high-saturated fat and high-cholesterol protein sources (like beef or pork). Fatty fish (like salmon, herring, lake trout, sarding) is a great source of omega-3 fats, which help to prevent heart disease. Leaner fish (like tilapia, cod) contains less omega-3 fats, but are still a great lean source of protein. Avoid breaded or fried fish; the cooking processes negate the healthful benefits of fish.
   TRY THIS: Order grilled salmon, drizzle with a little lemon juice and top with a fruit salsa or diced fruit.
3. Hold the cheese, mayo, butter and other high-calorie, high-fat, high-sodium additions. Cheese is a great source of protein, but can rack up the calories quickly if you’re eating it on top of an already high-calorie, high-fat and high-sodium entree or sandwich. Plus, cheese, mayo, butter and sauces tend to be high in sodium. (The Guidelines advise us to consume less sodium every day.) Bottom line… If you’re ordering a meat- or poultry-based entree, hold the cheese, mayo and sauce. If your source of protein at that meal is cheese, opt for low-fat or nonfat cheese and still hold the mayo and sauces. This also helps reduce sodium.
   TRY THIS: Ask for avocado instead of full-fat mayonnaise and spread the avocado on your bread.
4. Add a side salad, steamed veggies or cup of fruit. The Guidelines advise making half your plate fruits and vegetables. While I’m all for this, even just ordering an extra dish of veggies or fruit will “up” our antioxidant, vitamin, mineral (think: potassium) and fiber intake. Fiber helps keep us feeling fuller longer (which may help us eat less). And, potassium helps counter the SUPER HIGH SODIUM content typically found in restaurant and packaged foods.
   TRY THIS: Nosh a salad full of leafy greens topped with olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice before your meal and finish your meal with a plate of delicious fresh fruit.
5. Eat smaller portions. Okay, you knew this one was coming. But, Cornell researcher Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating: Why we eat more than we think, has found over and over again that portion sizes truly dictate how much we eat. The Guidelines explicitly state to avoid oversized portions (which are what we usually get when eating out).
   TRY THIS: Ask for a box when you place your oder. Take your knife and cut your entree in half when the order arrives. Box that portion up for lunch tomorrow. Saves you calories and $$.
6. Drink water. The Guidelines advise drinking water instead of other beverages. While we can enjoy non-water drinks sometimes, drinking water with your restaurant meals help to keep you hydrated. And since we sometimes mistake thirst for hunger, staying hydrated may also help prevent us from eating when we’re not hungry.
   TRY THIS: Spice up your water with fruit slices (think outside the lemon box and try orange or berries), crushed herbs (like lavender or mint-yum!) or iced herbal tea (like chamomile or passion fruit).

Oh, yeah… and I’ll walk to the restaurant when I can. Walking burns calories, stimulates the metabolism and forces me to enjoy the fresh air.

I’d love to hear from you… How will the 2010 Dietary Guidelines impact your life? What changes will you make to eat less and eat better? Please comment or email me.