Cholesterol and what you eat

A new research study has recently been released showing that certain foods that we eat can lower LDL cholesterol more so than the foods we don’t eat. To lower cholesterol, most previous recommendations were to eat fewer foods that have cholesterol, eat less fat and saturated fat, and to take statin drugs when prescribed by a physician.

LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein and is known as the “bad” cholesterol because of the link to heart disease. In a blood cholesterol panel, the LDL number should be below 100 mg/dL.

In this study, the participants with high or borderline high cholesterol levels that ate these four foods benefitted from lower LDL cholesterol levels by 14%. Those four foods were nuts, soy products, fibers (including oats and barley) and plant oils or sterols (such as those added to products).

Soy products include tofu, soy burgers and other soy meat products, soybeans, edamame, and soy milk. Meat and milk products can be substituted with various soy products. Make sure you read the nutrition labels on soy products to make sure you are not getting any extra sodium, sugar, or fat.

Nuts include tree nuts such as walnuts, almonds, peanuts or others. A handful a day is the recommendation for nuts.

Fiber, or sticky fiber, includes oats, barley, and psyllium. Psyllium is the fiber found in over-the-counter fiber supplements (such as Metamucil). Trade your breakfast cereal for one that has oats or read the labels to find one that has more fiber. Add more oats or psyllium products to desserts or other recipes for a fiber boost. Add both nuts and oats to a dessert for a double dose of cholesterol benefits.

Plant oils and sterols are added to many foods. Participants in this research study replaced butter and margarine with margarine that had plant sterols added. There are other foods that have plant sterols added to them, read the nutrition labels to see. Plant sterols are found naturally in some foods in small amounts, but not usually enough to make an impact. They help prevent cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends 2-3 grams of plant sterols daily and the American Heart Association recommends 2 grams daily to help reduce LDL cholesterol. If you want to replace your butter and margarine with one that has plant sterols, try for one that has at least 1 gram of plant sterols per tablespoon.

One suggestion to eat more plant-based foods is to try one meal at a time or slowly make changes in your eating plan. It doesn’t have to be an overhaul in one day or one week. Slow changes are more successful.

Keep in mind that eating these foods is not a substitute for medications prescribed by a physician. Talk to your physician if you have any questions or concerns about your medication.

Further research is needed to look more into this concept, but the study does show that our eating habits have an effect on heart-health.

September is National Cholesterol Education Month, so this is a good time to get a blood cholesterol panel done and to read more about cholesterol and your health.

Chocolate for the heart?

A new research study from the U.K. shows that chocolate could cut heart disease and stroke risk by one-third. This was a large scale analysis of other studies with over 100,000 participants who were studied for a minimum of 8 years.

Those who ate the most chocolate had a lower heart disease and stroke risk when compared to those who ate the least amount of chocolate. All types of chocolate and all sources of chocolate were counted, milk chocolate to dark chocolate and from bars, drinks, and cookies.

As fascinating as this study is, it doesn’t necessarily prove without a doubt that chocolate is protective against heart disease and stroke. Other factors were not taken into account, so chocolate eaters may be participating in other heart-healthy activities or eating habits. The positive news is that chocolate isn’t bad for you, especially in moderate amounts (this study confirmed about once or twice per week).

The components in the chocolate that helped improve heart-health were not individually studied. But, previous research has showed beneficial polyphenols in the chocolate. These substances have antioxidant properties (which help prevent free radical damage to cells in the body), lower blood pressure, and prevent inflammation.

Even though this study didn’t distinguish between different types of chocolate, previous research studies show that dark chocolate may be best for heart protection.

Another interesting thing to note is that some previous chocolate studies have been funded by chocolate companies, whereas this study was done by researchers at the University of Cambridge in England. The studies that they reviewed did not have funding from the chocolate industry and included participants from various countries.

One negative aspect of chocolate is that too much can lead to weight gain. Weight gain over time can lead to overweight and obesity, which are known risk factors for heart disease. Overdoing it can cause more harmful effects than good.

WebMD has more information about chocolate and the heart.

USA Today also has an article with more information about chocolate and the heart.

Nutrition myths

There are a lot of nutrition myths circulating out through email and various websites. One recent one is that you should only eat fruit on an empty stomach. The claim is that it will rot in your stomach when mixed with other foods and could cause a whole host of health problems. The truth is that fruit is digested the same, whether eaten on an empty stomach or not. Fruit, and any other food, is digested faster without any other food in the stomach, but that is not a harmful thing. Also, fruit doesn't rot in the stomach. The chemical components on the stomach would not allow that to happen.

Here is an article with more information about this myth.

Another current myth is that bananas are the perfect food. While bananas are nutrient-dense and a healthy food, they are not the perfect food. A healthy eating plan includes a variety of different colorful fruits and vegetables.

There are many nutrition myths out there, if you have one that you are curious to know more about, email Melissa and she will address it on the blog.

For more nutrition myths, visit the Mizzou Nutrition Mythbusters website.

10 un-healthy foods

The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently published information about their 10 Super Foods for Better Health. They also published information about some of the 10 most un-healthy foods you could eat. These are just some examples of alarmingly un-healthy foods, not necessarily the worst ones out there.

Here is that information.

1. Marie Callender's chicken pot pie - the label is deceiving, because the nutrition information is only for half of the pot pie. This pie has 1,040 calories, 22 grams of saturated fat (most people need no more than 20 grams a day, maximum) and 1,600 mg of sodium. Lesson to be learned: make sure you read the serving size information on food labels.

2. Olive Garden's Tour of Italy - this meal of lasagna, chicken parmigiana, and fettuccine alfredo racks up 1,450 calories, 33 grams of saturated fat, and 3,830 mg of sodium (a day and a half's worth of sodium). A bread stick will add 150 calories and 400 mg of sodium. This one meal is enough calories for an entire day and more than enough saturated fat and sodium.

3. Campbell's condensed soup - one can of this soup will make 2 1/2 servings. If you eat the entire can of soup, you are looking at 1900 mg of sodium. Try one of the healthy request varieties, reduced sodium, or other brands with lower sodium.

4. Chipotle chicken burrito - has 970 calories, 18 grams of saturated fat (same amount as three 6-inch Subway BLT subs), and over 2,000 mg of sodium. Skip the tortilla, sour cream, and/or cheese to cut the fat and calories, but the sodium will still be high.

5. Cheesecake Factory Chocolate Tower Truffle cake - this dessert weighs 3/4 of a pound and adds 1,760 calories and 50 grams of saturated fat. And that's just for a dessert!

6. Pillsbury Grands Cinnabon cinnamon roll with icing - each one has 310 calories, 2 grams of saturated fat, 2 1/2 grams of trans fat (more than enough for one day). That's just for each roll and who can stop at just one?

7. Land O'Lakes margarine - proclaims that it is an excellent source of ALA (a heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid) but each tablespoon also has 2 1/2 grams of trans fat (more than you need in a day) and 2 grams of saturated fat. It is very easy to use more than one tablespoon of margarine. Better option - look for a tub margarine with little or no trans fat.

8. Starbucks venti (20 oz) white chocolate mocha - made with 2% milk and whipped cream is worse than a McDonald's quarter pounder with cheese. It has 580 calories and 15 grams of saturated fat. If you order with nonfat milk and no whipped cream, it cuts out 130 calories and almost 10 grams of saturated fat. Choose wisely during your coffee break.

9. Haagen-Dazs ice cream - a mere average half cup serving gives you over 300 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat and close to 100 mg of cholesterol (1/3 of the daily amount). It's difficult to only eat a half cup serving, most of us eat 3 or more servings!

10. Cold Stone Creamery's Oh Fudge! shake - made with chocolate ice cream, milk, and fudge syrup is 1,250 calories for the 16 oz Like It size. A large (32 oz) triple thick shake from McDonald's has less. The 20 oz Love It size has 1,660 calories and the 24 oz Gotta Have It size has almost 2,000 calories, 69 grams of saturated fat (over 3 days worth). That's the same amount of saturated fat as 2 16 oz T-bone steaks plus a buttered baked potato.

For comparison, here are the amounts of fat, saturated fat and sodium limits for a 2,000 calorie diet:
Total fat - 65 grams (g)
Saturated fat - 20 grams (g)
Trans fat - as close to 0 grams (g) as possible
Sodium - 2,400 milligrams (mg)

For more information, check out the Center for Science in the Public Interest's website.

10 Super Foods...For Better Health

The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently sent a publication to their Nutrition Action Healthletter subscribers that listed 10 Super Foods...For Better Health. Here is more information about those super foods.

1. Sweet potatoes - they contain a lot of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and carotenoids (antioxidants that helps protect the cells from free radical damage and boost health).

2. Mangoes - one cup of mango gives us 100% of the vitamin C we need daily, plus vitamin A, potassium, and fiber.

3. Unsweetened Greek yogurt - non fat, plain Greek yogurt is tart, but add fruit, cereal, granola, or other toppings to jazz it up. It has twice the protein of normal yogurt, but usually less calcium.

4. Broccoli - contains vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin K, and folic acid.

5. Wild salmon - wild salmon has less contaminants than farmed salmon and it also helps get the omega-3 fatty acids needed for heart-health.

6. Crispbreads - these whole grain rye crackers are fat-free but have lots of fiber.

7. Garbanzo beans - all beans have a good dose of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Garbanzo beans are easy to use in a variety of dishes, including salads, stews, soups, added to chili, mixed with rice, or as a side dish.

8. Watermelon - 2 cups of watermelon has a good amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene. It is only 80 calories and has no sodium.

9. Butternut squash - sliced butternut squash is easy to steam, put in the oven, stir fry, or in soup. You will get a lot of vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber from this vegetable.

10. Leafy greens - such as kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, and Swiss chard. They are loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, lutein, and fiber.

How many of these super foods are you eating regularly? If you aren't eating very many, try to incorporate some of these into your meals a few times a week at least. You may find a new meal or dish that you really enjoy.

Stay tuned next week for ten of the most un-healthy foods!

For more information about the Center for Science in the Public Interest, check out their website.

Butter vs. margarine

Which is better? What is the difference? Here is more information about the butter vs. margarine debate.

Butter is made from cow's milk (cream) whereas margarine is made from vegetable oil. Margarine must be 80% vegetable oil, if it has less then it is considered a vegetable oil spread.

The best butter options are:
- whipped butter in a tub, because it contains more air and less calories and fat.
- light butter, which has more water and less fat and calories
- a vegetable-oil blend, which has added olive oil or canola oil. This doesn't lower the fat or calories, but provides healthy fat instead of saturated fat which helps lower cholesterol.

The worst butter option is a stick of butter.

The best margarine options are:
- light or low-fat spreads, once again because of the added water.
- butter substitute spray, they have very little fat and no cholesterol.
- soft spreads, because they have less saturated fat and usually no trans fat.

The worst margarine option is a stick of margarine with trans fat. The process of hydrogenation (which adds trans fat) keeps the vegetable oil solid at room temperature. Most solid sticks of margarine contain trans fat or if not, then saturated fat. When baking, use margarine stick with no trans fat.

Other options, such as fortified spreads or spreads with added plant sterols are still up in the air. They may have added omega-3's, but the amounts are so tiny that they may not make much difference. They are typically more expensive too.

The healthiest option may be to go "Mediterranean" and use olive oil for dipping bread and/or cooking.

It is also good to use nut butters as a spread instead of butter or margarine. They still contain fat, but at least it's healthy fat. Plus they usually have protein and a few other nutrients. Try sunflower butter, cashew butter, or almond butter for something new instead of peanut butter.

Regardless of what type of butter or margarine you use, keep your portion or serving small. Fat and calories can add up quickly when you use a larger than a tablespoon amount.

The American Heart Association recommends soft, trans-fat-free spreads instead of regular butter or stick margarine. Choose one that has the least amount of saturated fat and no trans fat. You may need to read the label to tell if it has trans fat, looks for the words "partially hydrogenated." If you see that, the spread has some trans fat, even if only a small amount, which can add up if you use more than one serving.

For more information:
Match margarine to use

Use olive, canola, corn, or safflower oil as your main kitchen fats

Eat more beans and veggies

The new Myplate recommendations are that half of your plate should be fruits and veggies. Most people don't eat nearly that amount of vegetables everyday.

Beans are inexpensive, low in calories and fat, and give you some extra protein, iron, and fiber. They can be added to many recipes without much extra time. Use canned beans for an extra time-saving measure, just don't forget to drain the liquid and rinse them to eliminate a big portion of the sodium.

Beans can count in either the vegetables or the protein group because they are similar to both.

Lentils are also in the bean family but don't cause as much gas as beans can do. Dry lentils take less than 30 minutes to cook in boiling water and also add lots of nutrients to your meal.

Here are some easy recipes to help you get more veggies and beans from the July/August 2011 Nutrition Action Healthletter (Center for Science in the Public Interest).

Toss 1/4 cup of your favorite vinaigrette dressing (basic or balsamic, for instance), make your own vinaigrette, or use vinegar and oil with the following:

2 cups lentils + 1 cup shredded carrots + 3 sliced scallions

8 cups salad greens + 1 lb grilled shrimp + 1 chopped tomato

1 1/2 cups navy beans + 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes + 1 diced avocado

6 cups chopped Romaine + 1 cup sliced bell peppers, red onion, and cucumber + 1/4 cup crumbed feta cheese

6 cups mixed salad greens + 1 can tuna + 2 cups chopped roasted red peppers

1 lb. steamed asparagus, green beans, snap peas, or snow peas + 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

1 1/2 cups cannellini beans + 1 jar drained artichoke hearts + 1 cup sliced celery + shaved Parmesan

6 cups argula + 1/2 pint halved cherry tomatoes + 2 oz fresh mozzarella + fresh basil

1 1/2 cups chickpeas + 2 chopped roasted red peppers + 1/2 cup diced red onion

2 cups lentils + 1 diced apple + 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Most of these recipes require minimum cooking time, so they are perfect for hot summer nights when we won't feel like using the stove!