National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, an educational campaign sponsored by the American Dietetic Association. The blogs this month will focus on nutrition topics.

The 2011 campaign slogan is "Eat Right with Color." For each meal you eat, try to include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. The different colors provide us with different nutrients. For example, dark green veggies have vitamin A, vitamin K, potassium, calcium, and fiber.

Here are some ways to add color to your plate:

• Make a side salad with a variety of vegetables and even fruit pieces. Try spinach or romaine lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, and mandarin orange pieces. Top with olive oil and vinegar for the dressing.
• Add strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or banana to your cereal, oatmeal, or yogurt. Use frozen berries if fresh is not available.
• Instead of grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and corn, top your grilled chicken with fresh salsa, try mashed sweet potatoes, and asparagus.
• Add tomato and spinach to your plain turkey sandwich. Try sliced carrots, celery or green or red pepper strips as a side dish instead of potato chips.
• Have baked or grilled fish with broccoli, cauliflower, and peaches or sliced apples for dessert.
• Instead of a brownie or cookie for dessert, try some sliced fruit such as cantaloupe, watermelon, or mango.
• Buy fruits and vegetables in season for the best offerings and best prices. Frozen or canned fruit can be an option as well.
• Try to move toward filling half your plate full of veggies, and then 1/4 with lean protein, and 1/4 with a whole grain. Add a piece of fruit and milk or yogurt for a nutritious and filling meal.
  

What do the new Dietary Guidelines mean to us?

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines were released at the end of January and are updated every 5 years to reflect the latest research on healthy eating, physical activity, and food safety. They are scientific in nature and provide key recommendations for the public to control the epidemic of overweight and obesity.

The 4 key recommendations in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines are:

1. Balance calories to maintain a healthy weight.
2. Foods and nutrients to reduce.
3. Foods and nutrients to increase.
4. Build healthy eating patterns.

Here are some ways to meet the recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines:

• Control calorie intake from foods and beverages. For weight loss, consume less calories.
• Increase physical activity, reduce sedentary behaviors.
• Reduce sodium intake. Those who are ages 51 and up, African Americans, or those who have hypertension, kidney disease, or diabetes need to consume no more than 1,500 mg daily. Processed foods and restaurant foods are big sources of sodium.
  
• Cut back on saturated fats and replace them with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats/oils.
• Decrease trans fat consumption to as low as possible or none at all. Trans fat is found in many fried foods, as well as some bakery items.
  
• Limit solid fats and added sugars. Refined grains, high fat meat, full fat milk products, and processed foods have these in them. Use oils in place of solid fats.
  
• Consume alcohol in moderation.
• Increase fruit and vegetable intake (especially dark green and orange vegetables, beans and peas).
• Eat whole grains for at least half of your grain recommendation. Oats, 100% whole wheat breads, cereals, pastas, and brown rice can help meet this goal.
  
• Choose low-fat and fat-free milk products.
• Eat lean protein and include seafood, beans, eggs, unsalted nuts, and soy products.
• Choose seafood in place of some meat and poultry.
• Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free milk products have more potassium, fiber, calcium, and vitamin D. These nutrients are of concern in American diets.
• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, follow the specific recommendations for your group.
• If you are over 50 years old, consume foods with fortified vitamin B12, such as cereals or a supplement. The body doesn't absorb natural vitamin B12 as well as we age but does from a fortified source or supplement.
• Assess how all foods and beverages fit into a healthy eating pattern.
• Follow food safety recommendations.

These edits to the Dietary Guidelines should come as no surprise to many. The Dietary Guidelines are developed by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) and the USDA. Visit the US Dept of HSS website for more information or to read the guidelines in full.

Energy drinks

A study in the journal Pedatrics about children and energy drinks has been highlighted in the news recently. Energy drinks are those that provide large amounts of caffeine and other ingredients, not to be confused with sports drinks such as Gatorade. Monster, Red Bull, Nos, and Rockstar are examples of common energy drinks.

The FDA regulates the amount of caffeine in sodas to 71 mg in a 12 ounce serving. However, energy drinks and their caffeine amount are not regulated by the FDA. Energy drinks typically have three to five times the amount of caffeine as a soda (77 mg of caffeine in 8 ounces of Red Bull vs. 28 mg of caffeine in 8 ounces of Mountain Dew). Eight ounces of coffee contains between 60 and 120 mg of caffeine, but the health benefits of coffee are well-documented and the ingredients are all safe. The problem is that most energy drinks come in 12 or 16 ounce containers and most individuals who consume them usually drink more than just one.

Taurine and guarana are two other ingredients in energy drinks. The safety of those two ingredients is not well-known because research is very limited in this area.

Caffeine in moderation can have cognitive, attention, and athletic performance benefits in adults. Is it not known if caffeine has the same benefits in children. The safety of caffeine consumption in children is controversial.

Overconsumption of energy drinks for children and young adults can lead to many health problems such as stroke, high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, seizure, anxiety, and possibly even death.

The combination of the high amounts of caffeine and unknown ingredient safety information about energy drinks makes them dangerous to consume for people of all ages. Children and teens should not consume energy drinks at all. Adults should consume energy drinks in very limited amounts or not at all.

The recent study challenges pediatricians to ask their patients and parents about energy drink consumption and to advise against children drinking them.

For more information on energy drinks, you can read this article on Missouri Families or this article on eXtension.

Life's Simple 7

February is heart health month and the American Heart Association is promoting their Life's Simple 7 campaign. The goal of this project is to help improve health by educating Americans. These simple steps can be done by anyone, are not expensive, and can make a big difference in your health.

Start by taking the My Life Check Assessment to help you personalize the steps you can take to improve your health. After the assessment, you will also receive a customizable action plan focusing on these 7 areas of health.

1. Get active - Simply put, being active for at least 30 minutes daily can reduce your risk of heart disease. Find an activity you enjoy and do it!

2. Control cholesterol - Everyone should know their cholesterol levels, so have a cholesterol panel done if you don't know. Both genetics and your eating habits affect cholesterol levels.

3. Eat better - Focus on nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and fat-free and low-fat dairy products. Eat fish at least twice a week. Cut back on foods with trans fat or hydrogenated oils, added sugars, cholesterol, and sodium. Eat less processed food.

4. Manage blood pressure - High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for heart disease. Eating healthy, exercising, cutting back on sodium, managing stress, having a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, and quitting tobacco all help keep blood pressure levels normal.

5. Lose weight - People who are overweight and/or obese are at higher risk for heart disease. Too much abdominal fat also puts you at higher risk for other health conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol). The most effective way to manage weight is by controlling eating habits and exercising.

6. Reduce blood sugar - Adults with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to have heart disease. If you have diabetes, eat to control your blood sugar levels. Work with your physician if you need to have your blood glucose level tested.

7. Stop smoking - Smoking increases risk for heart disease and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Look for assistance or smoking cessation programs available in your area.

To read more about Life's Simple 7, visit the American Heart Association's website.

Healthy Super Bowl

Super Bowl XLV will be here on Sunday with lots of gatherings, parties, and events with a big focus on food and eating. Healthy recipes and foods can be enjoyed for the Super Bowl.

Here are some tips to keep your Superbowl healthy this year.

• Make a fruit or veggie tray with whatever is in season. Carrots, celery, cucumbers, and green peppers are inexpensive and easy to prepare. Apples are inexpensive and simple too. To make a tasty and healthy veggie dip - compare 16 ounces of plain low-fat or fat free Greek yogurt with one package of Ranch dressing powder. The consistency will be similar to sour cream dips, but with added nutrients, less fat, and less calories.
• Use whole wheat pizza dough to make a veggie pizza.
• Serve grilled or baked meat instead of fried meat. You can bake or grill shrimp, wings, chicken breast, or steak.
  
• Try hummus instead of other dips. Hummus is made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans) so it's full of protein. There are different flavors available and it can be served with veggies, pita bread, or crackers. You can also find a recipe and make your own.
• Make your own trail mix. Nuts, pretzels, dried fruit, and cereal can make an easy and healthy snack.
• Don't eat while standing next to snacks or at the buffet. Put your food on a plate and move away from from where it is served. The distance helps prevent overindulging.
• If there is a big selection of foods that you want to try, serve yourself very small portions.
• Look online for healthy Super Bowl recipes or ways to make your recipes healthier.
• Drink low-calorie or calorie-free beverages. The calories from alcohol and regular soda can add up. Choose water, coffee, and unsweetened tea as your primary drinks.
  
• If you know you are going to overindulge that evening, make sure you do some physical activity earlier in the day.
• Eat small regular meals before Super Bowl festivities. Try not to skip meals before the event, that can lead to overeating later.

Changes in 2011

Nutrition, physical activity, and health information is constantly evolving. New research is promising and many people are trying to live healthier lives. Here are some changes that we will see in 2011.

1. The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans will be released on Monday, January 31, 2011. A press conference will be held at 9:00 a.m. and the Dietary Guidelines website will be updated shortly after with the new information. The Dietary Guidelines for American are updated every five years and based on current research related to nutrition, physical activity, and health.
   
2. The Mypyramid graphic may be updated after the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Whereas the Dietary Guidelines are scientific in nature and not worded for the general public, Mypyramid is the consumer-friendly graphic based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
3. Nutrition labels may become easier to read. "Nutrition Keys" will be on the front of packages, will be simple to read, and show how key nutrients fit into your overall eating plan. They will be phased in by the end of the year and the foods will continue to have the current nutrition labels on them as well.
4. Wal-Mart will make and sell healthier foods. Their plans are to reduce sugars and sodium in some foods, reduce produce prices, build stores in limited income areas that don't have stores, and develop a logo for healthier items.
   
5. Availability of local produce, community gardens, and greenhouses will keep improving. We are already seeing more Farmer's Markets as well as grocery stores and restaurants that use local fresh produce.
   

Why should you care about whole grains?

A whole grain food goes through less processing and still retains the three parts of the grain seed. The three parts that are retained from the entire grain seed are the bran, endosperm, and germ.

Refined grains have only the endosperm, whereas the bran and germ (which contain most of the nutrients) have been removed. Some nutrients are added back in when a grain is enriched or fortified, but still will not contain all the nutrients that a whole grain does.

A whole grain provides fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Some of the nutrients in a whole grain are B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, protein, magnesium, and iron. When a grain is processed, it loses 25% of the protein and seventeen other nutrients.

Color or name is not an indication of a whole grain. Brown bread or wheat bread are not necessarily whole grains. You must read the ingredient list to determine if a food is 100% whole grain. The first ingredient should have the word "whole" in it.

It can get confusing because some foods have whole grains added to them, but are not 100% whole grain. These foods may have a little more fiber and a few more nutrients, but is not as good as 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat. It can be a good choice for those who want more nutrients than an enriched grain, but aren't ready for a 100% whole grain.

Another confusing whole grain is white whole wheat. It is milder in flavor but similar nutritionally to the whole wheat we are used to. It's sort of an albino wheat. Even though it has the word "white" in it, it has not been processed like other non-whole grains (or what we sometimes called "white" grains). Many breads are made from white whole wheat, but make sure you read the food label and look for the first ingredient to have the word "whole" in it. If the first ingredient is enriched or refined flour, then it is not whole wheat.

You can also look for the Whole Grain stamp on some foods to tell how much of the food is whole grains. There is a 100% stamp and other stamps indicating 8 grams of whole grains per serving and up.

Some well-known and readily available whole grains include:

• whole grain/whole wheat bread
• whole wheat pasta
• whole wheat crackers (Wheat Thins are not necessarily a whole grain, you should read the food label)
• oats
• whole grain cereals
• whole grain, brown, or wild rice
• corn
  

Some lesser known whole grains that you could try include:

• barley
• bulgur
• quinoa
• buckwheat groats (kasha)
• millet
  

These may not be available at all grocery stores, you may have to purchase them from a specialty health store or large grocery store, like HyVee.

You should aim for half of your total grains to be whole grains. For most people, this would be about 3 to 5 servings of whole grains. Children need about 2 to 3 servings of whole grains. A serving of whole grains should contain about 16 grams of whole grains.

Try to add more whole grains to your healthy eating plan slowly. You can mix whole grains with refined grains if you aren't used to eating any whole grains. Or, try a new whole grain listed above.

To find out more information about whole grains or for some easy ways to get more whole grains, check out the Whole Grains Council website.