Nutrition Unscrambled

School Meals Boost Nutrition and Learning

By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD
August 5th, 2011

Hi Readers!  Today we have one of our Registered Dietitian Advisors, Neva Cochran, blogging.  Enjoy!

~Marcia

I recently read an article online from the UK Daily Mail titled, “Jamie Oliver health crusade leads to fewer pupils eating school meals.” It seems the popular British chef and TV personality has not achieved the desired result from his campaign to improve the nutritional quality of England’s school meals that he deemed unhealthy.

According to the article, more than half of primary and two-thirds of secondary school students are rejecting Oliver’s “healthier” menus. Participation in school lunch is below the level it was prior to his intervention: 44.1% of English primary school kids and 37.6% of those in secondary schools ate school meals this year compared to 44.9% for both in 2004. His attempt to bring his crusade to this side of the Atlantic has been met with resistance from school districts. And, in my opinion, that’s a good thing because school meals in the U.S. are one of the best nutritional bargains around.

In July, I attended the annual national conference of the School Nutrition Association, working in an exhibit booth for one of my clients. This meeting in Nashville attracted over 3,000 school nutrition professionals ranging from registered dietitian directors of large metropolitan school district nutrition programs to women and men who work on the front lines, preparing and serving meals to kids in big city and small town schools across the country.

These are some of the most dedicated, passionate and caring individuals I’ve met in all of the many areas of dietetics practice I’ve encountered in 30+ years as an RD. And what they do is amazing. School meals must meet strict USDA nutrition guidelines for calories, fat, sodium, vitamins and minerals as well as standards for food safety. Average reimbursements rates of only about $1.60 for breakfast and $2.75 for lunch must cover food, labor, supplies and equipment costs. This is no easy feat and they do it with a positive attitude and great concern and care for the students they serve.

School meal programs increasingly serve more nutrient-rich foods and beverages, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean proteins according to the “Position of the American Dietetic Association, School Nutrition Association, and Society for Nutrition Education: Comprehensive School Nutrition Services” published in November 2010. So rather than being the problem, school nutrition programs are the solution to providing nutritious meals and combating childhood obesity, as the results of several recent studies attest:

  • Consumption of school meals is positively related to children’s intakes of key food groups at lunch and breakfast
  • School meal program participation is associated with reduced prevalence of nutrient inadequacy.
  • School lunch participants eat fewer calorie-dense foods than nonparticipants. In fact, calorie density is highest when kids eat at locations away from home and school.
  • Participating in a school breakfast program improves daily nutrient intake and better nutrient intake is associated with significantly improved academic performance and decreased hunger.
  •  School breakfast programs improve attendance rates and decrease tardiness and, among the most undernourished children, school breakfast improves academic performance and the ability to learn.
  • There is no evidence that school breakfast or lunch programs contribute to rising rates of childhood obesity. In fact, school breakfast participation was associated with a significantly lower BMI. School breakfast participation may be a protective factor, by encouraging students to consume breakfast more regularly.

Bottom line: school meals are a great deal for kids both nutritionally and economically. They go hand-in-hand with promoting a healthy body and healthy mind that helps students feel, perform and learn better.

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Taking Sodium with a Grain of Salt

By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD
June 10th, 2011

Hi Readers!  Today we have one of our Registered Dietitian Advisors, Amy Campbell, blogging.  Enjoy!

~Marcia

Has sodium been getting a bad rap?  A new study would have you believe so. As a dietitian who has worked with hundreds of people who have diabetes and/or heart disease, I’ve probably talked myself blue about the importance of cutting back on sodium.  The reality is that it’s hard to eat less. Wouldn’t it be great if we could start shaking salt on our foods again or reach for a handful of potato chips without feeling twinges of guilt?

 To be fair, sodium isn’t all that bad.  After all, it’s needed to help regulate fluid balance in the body.  And our kidneys do a great job of controlling how much sodium we keep in our bodies, excreting any in the urine.  But in the even that your kidneys aren’t working so well (maybe due to diabetes, for example), sodium tends to stick around, making it harder for your heart to pump and raising blood pressure. 

 The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans tell us that we’re supposed to reduce our sodium intake to less than 2300 milligrams (mg) per day – that’s about a teaspoon of salt. Most of us consume at least 3400 mg per day.  If you happen to be over the age of 51, and or African American or have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease (which is about half of the American population) your goal is no more than 1500 mg per day.  Most of our sodium comes from processed foods such as cold cuts, hot dogs, canned soup, cheese and pizza.  Even some cereals, salad dressings and desserts are surprisingly high in sodium.

 A study published in the May 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association begs to differ with the whole notion that too much sodium can cause problems. The authors of this study followed almost 3,700 European men and women for eight years, measuring urine sodium excretion, blood pressure and cardiac events, such as heart attack, heart failure and stroke. The results? The people who excreted the lowest amount of sodium in their urine were 56% more likely to die from heart disease compared to those excreting higher amounts of sodium.  (Keep in mind that the more sodium you consume, the more you lose in your urine). And the amount of sodium excreted seemed to have little effect on blood pressure. 

 These findings go against the grain of what dietitians, physicians and other health professionals have been telling us for years: too much sodium may raise blood pressure, which in turn, may increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.  But, as with many studies, there were some weaknesses with the study, including a small sample size and the fact that other factors weren’t considered, such as physical activity and calorie intake. 

 What does this mean for you?  It’s hard to ignore the many other, well-designed studies linking a high sodium intake with high blood pressure.  And since one in three Americans has high blood pressure, it makes sense, at least at this time, to cut back on sodium, along with reaching a healthy weight and fitting in more physical activity. So, as tempting as it may be to reach for the salt, my advice is to keep the salt shaker in the cupboard and grab the pepper mill instead!

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Nutrition Unscrambled Welcomes New ENC Staffer Anna Shlachter

By Anna Shlachter, MS, RD, LDN
June 9th, 2011

My name is Anna Shlachter and I am a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and the newest member of the ENC staff.  I am the Program Manager, Nutrition Research and Communications.   I previously worked in a public health setting as the Nutrition Education Coordinator/Senior Dietitian for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.  For those of you who may not know WIC is a breastfeeding and education program that serves low income individuals.   Supplement foods are also a part of the program and eggs are a part of the food packages.

 One of my many goals is to be an active member and hold leadership roles in professional groups.  I have held multiple positions but at current I am the Immediate Past President for the Illinois Dietetic Association. In addition, I am the American Dietetic Association’s Let’s Move Liaison for Illinois. As you can see, I have a passion for educating professionals and the public.

 I have spent the last week becoming acquainted with the Egg Nutrition Center and the American Egg Board and its partners.  I think this will be an amazing experience.  I look forward to working on projects promoting our high quality affordable protein source, the EGG, and the evidence based research we have to show its benefits. 

 I’ve already gotten a variety of egg questions and puns from family, friends and peers.  One common question was “How much can there be to know about an egg?” and I can tell you that this week I’ve gotten to know some of the endless opportunities of egg.  I even have an Eggcyclopeida at my fingertips.   I found the cooking equipment interesting .  I’m sitting here thinking I may have to go home and use our omelet pan for a yummy omelet full of veggies!

 Although “blogging” is an area I am just starting to explore; I have been active on other social media arenas. I am egg-cited to network with other professionals through blogging.

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2010 DGA Consumer Tool and Icon

By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD
June 7th, 2011

I’ve had the opportunity to think about the new USDA MyPlate icon. I saw it a couple of weeks ago and again when it was released to the public. At first I didn’t appreciate how it would succeed in committing people who eat on the run to consider the message of balance and portion control. However, I now appreciate that a change was needed and using a plate may actually help people to reflect on their eating habits.

 Like the Food Guide Pyramid which morphed into the MyPyramid, the shape did not instruct one on how to construct a meal. The pyramid focused on the concept of a daily intake which resonated only within the dietetics world. A public communication tool should relate to nutrition on a meal basis which is why a plate is more appropriate. My concern is that we have stopped eating on plates.  Perhaps seeing our meals laid out, so we get a visual of portion adequacy, will help us to tame the out of control eating patterns we’ve developed. Too many times our meals are consumed in a cup or from a bag while in a car or at a desk.

 When I asked Dr. Robert Post who directed the MyPlate.gov launch, how the public would be able to use this plate concept when they eat on the run, his response was that it is meant to be a reminder. An icon which reminds people that foods need to fit into a meal pattern and when accompanied by a relevant message which doesn’t grow stale, it can educate. He also pointed out that the icon is just a tool which directs one to the website where there is a wealth of information waiting to be accessed. In my humble opinion, this is a great improvement and a major step in the right direction. It will be interesting to see how well the tool communicates the desired messages.

 To learn more about the new MyPlate icon:

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ADA Times Highlights the Egg

By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD
February 15th, 2011

It was a pleasant surprise last week when I browsed through my most recent issue of the ADA Times and found the Love Food 2 page spread on eggs.  Eggs have had quite a wild ride with dietitians, first being used clinically in beverages to boost nutrient intake when patients couldn’t or wouldn’t chew or needed a ready source of high quality protein. Then the egg’s reputation went into a tailspin both because of the misunderstanding regarding an association between egg intake and cardiovascular disease risk compounded by the fear of Salmonella Enteritidis which although is a concern, only affects 1 in 20,000 eggs and can be completely prevented if care is taken to avoid temperature abuse and prepared correctly.  At long last the egg appears to be making a comeback, although the ADA Times authors seem to qualify their enthusiasm.

I’m hoping that the newly published data from USDA finding that a large egg now has 14% less cholesterol, 186mg in fact, will help dietitians to overcome their skepticism about recommending eggs again. The contributing author Tejal Pathak MS,RD, LD makes the point that for individuals at risk for CVD or T2D including an egg in their daily diet is difficult. Hopefully, this will now appear to be less problematic and the many valuable nutrients one consumes when eating an egg yolk make it a highly worthwhile 70 calories. In addition, the author mentions that genetics should be considered when discussing egg intake. In fact, only 1/3 of the population responds at all by increasing blood lipids following egg intake. Those hyper-responders increase both LDL and HDL particles so there is no increase in CHD risk. (Fernandez  ML and Webb D, Am Coll Nutr, 2008, 27 (1) 1-5)

Carol White MS,RD offered some nice suggestions about the versatility of eggs and the amazing functionality of eggs in baked and cooked dishes and Amorette Hinely Reid a recent graduate of Johnson and Wales University discussed eggs used in food service. It is appropriate to use pasteurized eggs when serving vulnerable populations but to the extent that eggs can be thoroughly safe if thoroughly cooked, I don’t think it is necessary to suggest using pasteurized eggs for the average consumer. It is good to have the egg back in our arsenal of healthy foods and to have ADA recognize their value in the ADA Times publication.

-Marcia

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Incredible Launch of Lower Cholesterol and Vitamin D News

By Mitch Kanter, Ph.D.
February 11th, 2011

 

Just returned from a great couple of days in New York City, where AEB/ENC hosted a luncheon event for editors of many of the major health magazines located in NY, as well as a promotional event at Grand Central Station in Manhattan. The primary reason for hosting these activities was to announce the new USDA results indicating that eggs have 14% less cholesterol than previously reported. But, as often happens at these sorts of gatherings, we discussed a number of other topical issues as well with the editors and with consumers at the Grand Central Station event.

The Editors Luncheon consisted of presentations by Dr. David Katz from Yale Griffin Hospital and me. Dr. Katz discussed issues pertaining to diet, cholesterol intake and cardiovascular health. His presentation helped to dispel many of the myths surrounding dietary cholesterol intake and CHD. My presentation focused more on protein needs, and some of the newer literature linking protein intake to satiety and food intake. I also discussed our emerging understanding of macronutrient intake in general, and how former recommendations for carbohydrate intake vs. protein and fat needs were being challenged a bit by newer data indicating a greater need for protein throughout the day, and particularly at the breakfast meal.

At the Grand Central Station event, commuters on their way to and from work stopped by to eat a free egg meal, to participate in a program in which egg farmers donated eggs to the needy, and to meet with egg farmers and nutrition specialists from The Egg Nutrition Center. A lot of insightful questions were posed by the attendees about chicken feed, humane treatment of animals, and dietary needs in relation to health conditions.

All-in-all, a rewarding and fun couple of days. A great way to share new news about diet and health.         

 - Mitch

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New USDA Analysis: Egg are 14% Lower in Cholesterol

By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD
February 8th, 2011

There are many who think our food supply is unhealthy and getting more so. But, according to new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition data, www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata many of our naturally produced foods are actually healthier than during our parent’s childhood. Beef and pork cuts are leaner, lower fat choices of milk and cheese are widely available and now the egg, already low in saturated fat, has been found to be lower in dietary cholesterol and qualifies as a good source of vitamin D. The USDA recently reviewed the nutrient composition of standard large eggs, and results show the average amount of cholesterol in one large egg is 185 mg, 14 percent lower than previously recorded.   The analysis also revealed that large eggs now contain 41 IU of Vitamin D, an increase of 64 percent.

This is wonderful news, since for a long time public health organizations have been continuing to advise people to restrict their dietary cholesterol based on old, less sophisticated research techniques than those used by scientists today. Unlike most countries around the globe who have looked at the science and decided that the evidence is lacking to continue to confuse people with guidance which restricts dietary cholesterol , the US continues to include a 300mg dietary cholesterol restriction in its dietary guidelines. The good news is that it is so much easier to include the many beneficial nutrients that an egg supplies in your diet daily without having to consider your dietary cholesterol intake. Unless of course, you often consume foods containing a great deal of solid fats and added sugar which unlike eggs and seafood that are naturally low in unhealthful fats and added sugars, can complicate your heart disease risk.  One look at the nutrition facts panel, and it’s easy to see why eating an egg daily is a healthy practice that our grandparents understood and valued.

-Marcia

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2010 Dietary Guidelines: Focus on High Quality Protein

By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD
February 2nd, 2011

On January 31st, the USDA and HHS presented the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and thereby upheld their Congressionally mandated responsibility to provide science-based nutritional and dietary guidance to the general public in a document that serves as the foundation for federal nutrition education and promotion programs. This was the first time the dietary guidelines were based on an evidence based body of scientific knowledge, reviewed by an elite group of scientific advisors, and written to suggest best practices for the many stakeholders that produce and deliver food to the American public. This is no small task and those who participated should be widely commended.

A main focus of the guidance is to consume nutrient dense foods. Nutrient density, possibly an unfortunate term, defines a food by its nutrient content for the amount of calories it provides. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, individuals should “increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed” and “replace protein foods that are higher in solid fats”. Choosing foods that supply high quality protein with minimal solid or unhealthful fats would be an example of nutrient density. If seafood and fish were plentiful and affordable it would be easy to “increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed” as recommended. Milk, meat, poultry, and eggs in addition to seafood supply high quality protein along with many valuable nutrients in natural combinations that have supported life on earth and allowed mankind to evolve. Therefore, for optimal health it is important to vary lean protein foods including lean meat, poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds to get a full complement of all the needed nutrients.

Although the 2010 Dietary Guidelines are correct in stressing the importance of incorporating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains into the American diet, it is still important to remember that high quality protein foods supply many nutrients such as heme iron, vitamin B12, calcium and zinc which are in short supply in fruits/vegetables and whole grains. If there are foods to be avoided, I would suggest the grain based desserts (pie, pastry, granola bars) which from the tables and charts within the guidance document appear to supply substantial amounts of both solid fats and added sugar without a sufficient nutrient balance.

- Marcia

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Nutrition Unscrambled  is written by nutrition experts with the Egg Nutrition Center, which is funded by the American Egg Board. It is monitored and maintained by the public relations agency of record. The mission of the Egg Nutrition Center is to be a credible source of nutrition and health science information and the acknowledged leader in research and education related to eggs. For more information, click here.

About the Bloggers

Mitch Kanter, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of the Egg Nutrition Center. For more information about
Mitch, click here.
Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD is the Senior Director, Nutrition Education at the Egg Nutrition Center. For more information about Marcia, click here.
Anna Shlachter, MS, RD, LDN is the Program Manager, Nutrition Research and Communications at the Egg Nutrition Center. For more information about Anna, click here.

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All information provided within this blog is for informational and educational purposes only and it is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. Please consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health or before making changes to your diet or health behaviors.

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