Sunday, January 27, 2019

Why is a handful of nuts a day a healthy habit?

When I talk to people about a healthy diet, they usually think of foods they need to give up and stop eating.  But they should be thinking about healthy foods they can add to their day.  Dr. Oz frequently mentions adding a handful of nuts to your day.  Why?  Because nuts are good for our health.  In one class I was lecturing on how healthy nuts were.  I looked at my students and one student was snacking on a container of nuts.  He said he loved eating nuts as a snack.  And what a healthy choice for a snack.  So why are nuts so good for our health?  Is one kind of nut better than another? 
Consumer Reports has a great article, The Best Nuts for Your Health in the February 2019 issue.  Healthline also has a good article on the top nuts to eat for better health.  

Why are nuts a great snack food?
When I go somewhere and I know lunch might be delayed, I pack some nuts to take along.  Packing some nuts as a snack is a good idea for work or just when you are out and about on the go. 
  • Easy to pack, easy to carry
  • Nuts don’t spoil in heat or cold
  • Nuts are nutritious and filling
What about the protein and fats in nuts?  Aren’t nuts fattening?

Nuts are a good source of protein but not a “complete” protein.  The fats in nuts are heart healthy fats made up of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.  But those worried about the calories in nuts, can still enjoy a handful of day.  Studies have found that a handful of nuts a day, won’t add on pounds.  Why?   Maybe because people are replacing chips or pretzels with nuts- a much healthier choice.  And because of the protein, fat and fiber content, nuts help you feel fuller.  Studies have shown: “..diets enriched with nuts did not increase body weight, body mass index, or waist circumference in controlled clinical trials.”  And the calorie count in nuts may not be what the label says.  Why?  Because we don’t absorb all the calories in nuts.  “You process about 5 percent fewer calories with pistachios, 21 percent fewer with walnuts, and 32 percent fewer with almonds.”  Dr. Oz actually did a show demonstrating why nuts are not as high in calories as previously thought.  Rather than 170 calories an ounce, almonds have 129 calories an ounce.  Quite a bit different.  
Add cashews to stir fry
Can eating nuts reduce our risk of disease?

Yes.  Adding a handful of nuts to your day can lower your risk of a number of diseases.  Eating nuts can reduce your risk of heart disease (heart healthy fats), Type 2 Diabetes, Colon Cancer and Lung Cancer.  And because nuts have what is called, “phytosterols” eating nuts can help lower your cholesterol level.  The antioxidants nuts provide are probably the reason nuts reduce your cancer risk.  Want to live longer?  Eating nuts is associated with a longer life – just an ounce a day.  
Enjoy a handful of almonds as a snack
Nuts as snacks

Many foods have nuts added as an ingredient.  Trail mix or a health bar may contain some healthy nuts but they also may have a lot of added sugar and sodium.  The best way to get the health benefits of nuts is to eat the plain nut or mixed nuts.  If you like roasted nuts, choose the dry roasted as this doesn’t add oil.  Look for lightly salted or unsalted.  The candy-coated nuts like Peanut M&M’s do add calories and added sugar but I like them as my dessert.  Getting some good nutrients with the empty sugar calories. 

What are the nutritional benefits of different nuts?  (adapted from Consumer Reports)

Type of nut
Calories in one ounce
Nutrients
Almond
170
Fiber, some calcium and vitamin E and a good source of magnesium
Brazil
187
Selenium – the most of any nut – important for your thyroid and magnesium.
Cashews
163
Vitamins B6 and K, and lutein, an antioxidant good for your eyes.  Good source of magnesium.
Hazelnuts
183
Healthy fats (like all nuts), and antioxidants good for your heart and helps lower cholesterol levels.  Good source of vitamin E and magnesium.
Pecans
201
Loaded with 16 different vitamins and minerals (including magnesium) and more antioxidants than any other nut.
Pistachios
161
More potassium than half a banana.  Good source of B6 and magnesium. 
Walnuts
180
Want to add omega 3 fats to your day, then add a handful of walnuts.  Omega 3’s are heart healthy fats.  Good source of magnesium and some Vitamin E.

This week think of some ways to a handful of nuts to your day.  I sprinkled chopped walnuts on my oatmeal.  Even some hotel breakfast bars now offer hot oatmeal with fixings like cinnamon, raisins and walnuts.  At lunch, I often have a handful of nuts with my meal.  Or, as a healthy afternoon snack.  After reading this article, my husband bought some mixed nuts to get the health benefits of a variety of nuts.  Stopping at a gas station and picking up a snack, choose the small bag of nuts.  Pack a small baggie of nuts to take with you to work or when running errands as a quick pick me up snack.  Add some walnuts to a salad, some cashews to some stir fry.
Walnut raspberry salad

Sunday, January 20, 2019

Worst Diets for Health 2019

Are you looking for a diet for good health?  A couple of weeks ago we talked about “eating healthy” and reviewed 3 diets that promote good health, the Mediterranean Diet, the  DASH Diet, and the Flexitarian Diet.  Last week we talked about the highest rated weight loss diets including:  Weight Watchers, the Volumetrics Diet and Jenny Craig.  Whether you want to eat healthy or lose some weight there are healthy ways to do so.  Unfortunately, some people choose diets that are actually bad for their health.  Why?  Maybe they are looking for a quick weight loss fix.  Maybe they are duped into thinking a diet is healthy when it is actually bad for their health.  Whether at the gym or at work you will hear people talking about being on a low-carb diet, or on the Whole30 diet, or some latest fad diet.  These may be fads but also can be quite unhealthy diets.  When the US News & World Report ranks the Best Diets for health, they have diets that fall at the bottom of their rankings.  What diets are ranked the lowest and why?  Let’s review some of the 2019 ranked not so good for you diets and provide you with some pros and cons of these diets.  

Whole30 Diet
This diet is popular once again.  Even though it was created in 2009, many people are currently trying the Whole30 approach.  Whole30 claims it will “change your life”.  How?  Their website claims that by eliminating certain foods from your diet, the “gut-damaging, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days, you can take away your aches and pains, lose weight, fix digestive ailments, seasonal allergies, and chronic pain.  

What foods do you eliminate on this diet?
This diet claims that certain food including sugar, grains, dairy and legumes are the foods that negatively impact your health.

What foods does the Whole30 diet eliminate for 30 days?
  • No added sugar whether real or artificial.  Forget the maple syrup on your pancakes, the sweetener for your ice tea, the Diet Coke. Not even sugar less gum is allowed.
  • No alcohol – no wine, beer or mixed drinks for you.
  • No grains – so no bread, no cereal, no toast, no bagels, no quinoa, no crackers
  • No legumes/beans – this means no peanut butter, no kidney beans, baked beans, peas.  Forget the soy sauce – banned.
  • No Dairy – no milk, yogurt, sour cream, no ice cream no cheese.  No cheese pizza for you.
What foods are permitted on this diet?
  • Protein foods = meat, seafood
  • Vegetables and some fruit
  • Herbs, spices and seasonings
The diet focuses on whole and unprocessed foods so you will be eating your meals at home. 
You don’t have to count calories.  Exercise is not a part of this diet plan but they do endorse moving more.  To the founders it is diet not exercise that promotes good health  Thus, this diet is not really a lifestyle change approach to good health.

What ranking does US News & World Report give the Whole30 diet?  The experts looked at 41 diets and ranked the Whole30 diet once again as 37th.    Registered Dietitian, Jessica Penner, has also evaluated the Whole30 diet on her “Smart Nutrition” website. 
  1. The Whole30 diet is very restrictive.  Eating out at restaurants, eating out at other people’s homes would be quite difficult on this diet.
  2. Many healthy foods are eliminated:  Any diet that eliminates food groups like dairy and grains, also eliminates the nutrients that those food groups provide.  Whole grains are foods we want to add to our diet for fiber and many trace minerals.  Dairy provides much needed calcium and vitamin D to our day.  So many Americans are deficient in vitamin D that the last thing they should do is cut more vitamin D out of their diets. Beans, peanut butter, nuts are very healthy and we should be adding more of these to our diets, not cutting back on them or eliminating them for 30 days.
  3. Time-consuming – you will need to shop and prepare a lot of meals at home as the diet plan is quite restrictive.
  4. It is not a lifestyle change – it is not a plan that helps you learn how to eat healthier and exercise such as walks are mentioned but the change in diet is their key to good health.
  5. US News & World Report noted “Whole30 lacks scientific support and is severely restrictive, according to the experts.  Its short-term approach and long-term promises didn’t win over the panelists.”  
What are the pros of this diet plan?
  1. The diet does emphasize minimally processed food. 
  2. The diet promotes eating more fish and more vegetables.
What other diets are ranked low on the Best Diets list?

Atkins Diet is ranked number 39 out of 41 diets for healthy eating, almost dead last.  Yet, people still go on the “Atkins Diet” to lose weight.  Why go on a diet ranked so low?    US News & World Report  states: “is not a good all-purpose diet, experts said.”  US News & World Report noted a meta-analysis study that indicated low-carb diets like the Atkins diet may increase the bad or LDL cholesterol which is a risk factor for heart disease.  

Body Reset Diet ranked #36, just above the poorly ranked Whole30 Diet.  US News & World Report calls this diet a “gimmick” and an “unhealthy” diet for weight loss.
Crunchy and healthy snack on Body Reset
Keto Diet – ranked 41, dead last.  This diet is high-fat and low in carbs.  Among the health risks for this diet according to the US News & World Report is the diet can lead to muscle loss.  Odd since many people on this diet are hoping to lose fat, not muscle.  It is also a diet not recommended for pregnant women, women who are nursing, or those with heart disease until they consult their doctor.  

So, if you are looking to eat better for good health in 2019, there are many good diet plans to choose from.  There are also a number of fad diets one should avoid.  As I noted a couple of weeks ago, healthy eating doesn’t mean giving up all the foods you like to eat, but adding some foods that promote good health like more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, and more low-fat dairy to your day.

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Best Weight Loss Diets for 2019

Are you one of the many people who have made a New Year’s Resolution to lose a few pounds in 2019?  My husband was buying some blueberries at the grocery store this week and the produce guy said January is always the month when berries are hot sellers.  My husband was curious as to why and the produce guy said because so many weight loss diets promote berries.  If you do want to drop a few pounds or more, what are some healthy weight loss diets?  Too many diets promise the world but are not good for your health.  For example, one of the diets ranked the worst is the Whole30 diet.  This, like so many fad diets, don’t work to help you change your lifestyle but offer some quick solution that isn’t viable for the long term.  You may lose some weight but when you go “off” the fad diet, the weight piles back on.  US News & World Report has once again ranked the weight loss diets in their “Best Weight-Loss Diets for 2019.  

Why does US News & World Report rank a weight-loss diet a winner?  The experts ranking the diets not only look for fast weight loss, but also lasting weight loss.  They noted some diets did well in the short term, people lost weight on the diet, but long-term results, not so good.  A diet really isn’t successful if you gain all the weight back that you wanted to say good bye to. 

What Weight Loss Diets were ranked the best by US News & World Report?

1.       Weight Watchers = Number 1 Diet for Weight Loss in 2019 (It was also number 1 for weight loss in 2018).  Weight Watchers scored the highest for overall weight loss and fast weight loss, and experts said it’s a smart, effective diet.  They note you will lose about 2 pounds a week on this diet.
  • Pros:  Healthier eating. In 2017, Weight Watchers launched a more freestyle way of eating, called the WW Freestyle program.  This builds on its traditional point system that assign every food and beverage points based on how healthy it is.  Foods such as fruits and veggies are now zero points.  And there are 200 foods that are zero points like eggs, fish, turkey breast, non-fat plain yogurt.  The support systems that Weight Watchers is known for is still there through meetings, online chats or via phone.  This is one diet program that helps you learn to eat healthier and encourages exercise.  This diet doesn’t just focus on counting calories but on making healthier food choices.  In Weight Watchers, you count points, not calories.  Unlike many diets, Weight Watchers doesn’t just focus on lowering calories.  It also helps you choose healthier foods, foods with less saturated fat, less added sugar and more protein.  There is mobile App to use on your smartphone. Fitness – you count points for food and you count points for exercise.  But not just going to the gym, cleaning your house adds points, mowing the lawn, walking the dog.  Basically, get moving points. 
Weight Watcher's Freestyle Program
  • Cons – some people don’t like all the counting of points but may find the WW freestyle program easier to follow.  A student in my class said their mother was happy counting the points but their dad said he just wanted to eat when out in a restaurant and didn’t want to figure out the points for every food on his plate.  But Weight Watchers offers a “Menu Master” to guide you on how to eat healthy when eating out. 
2.  Volumetrics Diet = Number 2 Diet for Weight Loss in 2019 – last year it also ranked number 2 for weight loss.  Volumetrics earned high marks for being safe and nutritious, and experts said it could have positive effect on heart health and diabetes.   
  • Pros – this diet is focused on foods loaded with nutrients, not loaded with calories.  Thus, more fruits and vegetables which are low in calories but full of nutrients.  A nutrition professor from Penn State University is behind this diet.  She divides foods into 4 groups – not the basic four, but new groups based on energy density (or calorie density).  Nonstarchy fruits and vegetables are number one or category one.  Then comes the starchy fruits and vegetables along with grains, cereals, low -fat meats and other low-fat foods.  Junk food ends up in the 4th category – the chips, candy, cookies.  It is interesting that nuts are put in the 4th category as nuts are a healthy food choice.  Cost is a pro as there are no expensive foods to buy.  You do need to buy a book to give you guidance on what to eat and cook on this diet.
  • Cons -  You have to keep track of what food is in what category.  If you choose a higher calorie food, you might be able to eat only a portion of it to fit into your daily allotment.  Thus, if you eat a large bowl of soup, you can then only eat 1/6th of a cheeseburger. (WebMD).  Exercise is not a major focus although the diet encourages walking.  You add 150 steps a day with your first goal of 1,000 steps a day and then increasing your daily steps to 10,000 a day.  WebMD notes that on this diet, “you won’t lose weight in a hurry.”  You can read a lot more about each diet at the Best Weight-Loss Diets website and by going to the websites of each of the above programs.
 
     3.   Jenny Craig Diet = The Jenny Craig Diet and the Flexitarian Diet are tied for Number 3 for Diets for Weight Loss in 2019   (Jenny Craig was also third in 2018 but was tied for second place in 2017).  Jenny Craig drew praise for being easy to follow, nutritionally complete and safe, but experts were lukewarm about its potential to bolster heart health or help diabetics.
  • Pros – this program offers meals that come to you with calories already counted for you.  These prepackaged meals not only restrict calories but restrict fat and have smaller portions.  They also provide recipes so you can make foods that fit into their diet program.  Like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig promotes an active lifestyle and healthier eating patterns.  Studies do show you will lose weight on this program, about 2 pounds a week, as long as you stay on the program.  For those with Type 2 diabetes, they offer the Jenny Craig for Type 2.
  • Cons – cost – you will pay for the pre-packaged food. US News & World Report notes the enrollment fee is $99 and $19 per month for their “Premium” plan.  This doesn’t include the food and food costs can run $15 to $23 dollars each day which equates to $450 to $690 a month.  So not a cheap way to lose weight.  You can eat out occasionally, but the program is based on Jenny Craig foods delivered to you or you make.  A male student in my class chose this diet to lose weight for a future mountain climbing trip.  He lost weight, but said he was quite hungry at times. 
 
 There are more weight loss diets in the Best Weight Loss Diets rankings including the Engine 2 Diet and the Raw Food Diet.  The best diet is the one that works for you.  One you can follow and stay on.  One that not only results in weight loss but lifestyle changes that help you keep off any weight you do lose.  WebMD has good advice to follow:  to prevent disease and stay active for life, you do need to exercise. So be sure to add this into your new lifestyle! (Jenny Craig Review).  Next week we will look at some of the worst diets for your health.  Those fad diets you can say “no” to.