By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD
February 10th, 2012
Seeing an article in Today’s Diet and Nutrition titled “What Nutrition Pros Eat for Breakfast”, made me think, “do health professionals eat the same as what they recommend to their patients?” The article also reminded me of a recent conversation I had with my MD.
To give my doctor credit, she is someone who follows current research and was well aware that eggs are not with heart disease and elevated serum cholesterol. However, she did agree that she noticed when she eats cereals or granola for breakfast she finds herself pretty hungry, at about 10am and needs a snack. Well, long story short, when I visited my doctor again this year for my physical I learned she now eats 2 eggs every morning for breakfast and skips her previously required 10 a.m. snack.
So are you a health professional that practices what you preach?
To see the article:
What Nutrition Pros Eat for Breakfast
Don’t skip breakfast! Nutrition professionals agree that starting your day with a nutritious meal is essential to weight management and overall health. We asked three registered dietitians to share their morning favorites to help you find the right options for your healthful lifestyle.
Tags: eggs, Health Professionals, nutrition, Today's Dietitian
By Anna Shlachter, MS, RD, LDN
November 16th, 2011
By: Kasia Ciaston
Today’s blog post is from guest writer Kasia Ciaston. Kasia is a Dietetic Intern at Loyola University and is ENC’s first intern!
Today is National Fast Food Day. Should we be celebrating or criticizing this day of readily prepared foods? The assortment of additives, preservatives and fat contents make these energy-dense foods controversial, but there’s no debating their popular reputation here in the United States. Whether you’re a supporter of the $110 billion fast food industry or a fan of foods with more pronounceable ingredients (monosodium gluta-what?) today is the day to observe and maybe even take part in a fast-food meal at your favorite hot spot.
For those of you frequent-fast-foodies out there who are always on-the-go or don’t have time to cook – there are ways to make healthier choices at the fast food establishments you enjoy. Share my top 10 savory fast food swaps and your clients will see a savings….in their waistlines!
- Instead of the jumbo double-decker cheeseburger (440 calories, 25 grams of protein), opt for grilled chicken (300 calories, 28 grams of protein) instead - lean protein may lead to a lean body!
- Drink water or unsweetened iced tea instead of sugar-sweetened sodas or juices for caloric savings in the hundreds. A large Coke contains about 310 calories and 86 grams of sugar – that’s almost half a cup of pure sugar!
- With salads or subs – choose an oil based vinaigrette dressing instead of anything with the word ‘creamy’ in the name. Using less dressing than you usually do adds to the caloric savings.
- Mayonnaise on the side please! – Approximately 2 tablespoons of mayo adds up to 200 added calories or more. Use ketchup or mustard, which have zero grams of fat.
- Instead of fries, onion rings, or tater tots – go for a side salad, baked potato, fruit parfait, or even pack your own healthy snack!
- Blended or iced coffee drinks are calorie and sugar bombs! Ask for no whipped cream, non-fat milk, or sugar-free syrup to ease the blow to your insulin levels.
- Watch out for higher fat toppings like processed cheese and bacon.
- When possible ask for extra vegetable toppings! The added fiber will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
- Choose brown over white (whole wheat) bread that is. The USDA recommends making half of your grains whole grains. Don’t forget to stay active!
- Walking for only 20 minutes a day may add up to a pound of weight loss per month!
Tags: fast food, healthy eating, nutrition
By Anna Shlachter, MS, RD, LDN
July 22nd, 2011
Family meals seem to be becoming more popular again; however they have a new face. Many families are sitting together, but not at home. They are dining out in restaurants. New measures are being taken to help the consumers make better choices. “Kids LiveWell” was released this past week by the National Restaurant Association (NRA). It is a new nationwide initiative that provides parents and children with a growing selection of healthful menu options when dining out.
Registered Dietitians assisted the restaurants in creating the choices for the kids menu and the restaurants are offering and promoting a variety of items that meet the qualifications. The qualifying criteria are based on leading health organizations’ scientific recommendations, including the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines.
Kids LiveWell Nutrition Criteria for Full Kids’ Meals (entrée, side option and beverage):
- 600 calories or less
- ≤ 35% of calories from total fat
- ≤ 10% of calories from saturated fat
- < 0.5 grams trans fat (artificial trans fat only)
- ≤ 35% of calories from total sugars (added and naturally occurring)
- ≤ 770 mg of sodium
- 2 or more food groups (see below)
Kids LiveWell Nutrition Criteria for Side Items:
- 200 calories or less
- ≤ 35% of calories from total fat
- ≤ 10% of calories from saturated fat
- < 0.5 grams trans fat (artificial trans fat only)
- ≤ 35% of calories from total sugars (added and naturally occurring)
- ≤ 250 mg of sodium
- 1 food group (see below)
Entrees must include two sources & sides must include one source of the following:
- Fruit: > ½ cup = 1 star (includes 100% juice)
- Vegetable: > ½ cup = 1 star
- Whole grains: contains whole grains = 1 star
- Lean protein (skinless white meat poultry, fish/seafood, beef, pork, tofu, beans, egg whites/substitute): > 2 ounces meat, 1 egg equivalent, 1 oz nuts/seeds/dry bean/peas = 1 star (lean as defined by USDA)
- Lower-fat dairy (1% or skim milk and dairy): > ½ cup = 1 star (while not considered low-fat, 2% milk is allowed if included in the meal and the meal still fits the full meal criteria)
Healthy Dining Finder has listed the “Inaugural Leaders” and new restaurants are going to be added weekly. There are a variety of options for children. Admittedly, it would have been nice if more eggs were included. Packed full of nutrients and affordable, eggs would be a great option for restaurants and parents. Upon review, I only noted one restaurant had a regular egg option at breakfast. The majority had egg white or substitute as related to the criteria of lean protein. It is possible that a restaurant could include an egg if they were able to meet other criteria, but it could be difficult based on the food selection that a particular restaurant may have.
I personally see some benefits to this program. Often the caloric content of adult meals is underestimated, as are kids meals. I think this awareness is a step in the right direction. However from my previous experiences in working with families, I know that it often does not work for one person in the family to eat differently that the rest. Will this help others in the family choose healthier choices? If the adults or older teens are eating the high calorie, high fat options; what does this say to the child? Perhaps more adults will utilize the Healthy Dining Finder website, not just for their kids but for themselves.
Tags: children, eggs, Kids LiveWell, National Restaurant Association, nutrition
By Mitch Kanter, Ph.D.
May 23rd, 2011
The International Food Information Council (IFIC) 2011 Food and Health Survey was recently published. The survey is produced yearly, and it contains a wealth of information on the buying habits and attitudes of consumers toward food, health, and food safety. This year’s survey was conducted during March and April 2011, involving 1000 consumer responses.
Of particular interest was the participants’ response to the importance of cost when making food purchasing decisions. Seventy nine percent of those queried said that the cost of food greatly impacts their buying decisions. This represented a 15% increase over the response to the same question in 2006. Issues such as taste, convenience, and healthfulness still greatly impact buying decisions, but it was the large jump in the cost of food as a deciding factor in purchasing decisions that caught my eye.
Undoubtedly the economy has had a huge impact on shopping habits, as this response clearly points out.
In these trying times, the search for good tasting, healthy, and affordable foods becomes an even bigger and more important challenge. At only $0.14 per egg, with 7 grams of high quality protein and only 70 kcals, the egg is a great staple food to consider for any meal occasion.
Tags: eggs, healthy foods, nutrition
By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD
March 31st, 2011
I recently returned from a vacation in Sydney, Australia where as a dietitian/foodie I enjoyed studying the many culinary similarities we share with people so far away. I was drawn to articles in almost all publications from the most local community newsletter to the biggest city newspaper that discussed nutrition and it’s relation to health. It definitely seems Australians are as interested in fitness and health as Americans seem to be, although there seems to be less regulation on claims that foods and advertisements can make about their products.
Supermarkets seem to be screaming with products that claim to be packed with nutrients that insure health, although I’m not sure how a consumer can know which claims have scientific substantiation and which are marketing. I purchased eggs which were not refrigerated because I’m assuming they vaccinate their hens to prevent the growth of Salmonella. The variety of eggs available is dumbfounding. There were many free range eggs and others that were caged but the ones that I purchased were from a producer called “Happy Hens” egg farm. I found it interesting that these eggs specify that they are naturally grain fed eggs and are locally produced in Victoria and carry the National Heart Foundation approved check or tick “because they are a nutritious food”. I can’t imagine how anyone has the time or interest to weigh the pros and cons of all those issues before choosing which eggs to purchase. I suspect that most consumers like me looked at the price and at $4.75/doz decided these lowest cost eggs were the best choice. I wonder if this is an example of getting what we wish for.
Do we really want the burden of deciphering an arm’s length of different claims on all our food before we purchase the most basic pantry items? I’m also wondering how consumers can prioritize which nutrition claims are the most important and which are less important for health?
~Marcia
Tags: Australia, cage free eggs, conventional eggs, Fitness, Health, nutrition
By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD
January 13th, 2011
Welcome to Nutrition Over Easy, a new blog where seasoned health and nutrition professionals will give their perspective on current nutrition issues of the day. My name is Marcia Greenblum, and – in addition to being a Registered Dietitian for 30 years – I am the Senior Director of Nutrition Education at ENC. My role is to communicate somewhat complex scientific research findings into language that is understandable and actionable. A large part of my role is to monitor developments in the field of nutrition including food and health trends, government policy and regulations, research conclusions or misunderstandings and bring that information to health practitioners. The health practitioner; dietitian, nurse practitioner, physician or physician assistant, is often asked to offer dietary guidance and I try to supply the information they need and clear up misperceptions especially concerning foods like eggs. It is my hope that no one is given inappropriate advice or told to avoid foods that are natural sources of healthy nutrients and everyone is able to make informed choices.
In the coming months, I’ll be posting on Nutrition Over Easy about many different topics, including:
Nutrition in context: How to fit recent scientific findings into a long term healthy diet and lifestyle. What makes sense and what seems like a passing fad, what are the risks vs. the benefits of adhering to certain dietary patterns? I’ll offer the perspective of someone who has participated in experimental research, clinical practice, academia and industry in addition to raising 3 children while working full time.
In addition to enjoying scientific meetings and healthcare professional conferences both for my role with ENC and for professional development, I have always enjoyed cooking and felt comforted when involved with food and its preparation. My husband and I travel extensively and enjoy exploring the best in traditional cuisine as well as the latest in restaurant innovation.
I’m excited to be a contributor to this blog, and I’m looking forward to your feedback and questions!
Tags: eggs, Health Professionals, nutrition
