KTK-Nutrition

So much bad information about carbs.   People are always “cutting their carbs”.   There are some carbs you should cut, but other carbs are quite healthy and ones you need in your diet.   Environmental Nutrition has a great article on “ Are Carbs the Enemy?   Six Myths about Carbs ”.   Ever go out to eat with someone and they take off the bun from the hamburger because they think “bread is fattening” but then they go on to eat the French fries and a large dessert?   My daughter observed some women going past the bread aisle because “bread is fattening” but then loaded their shopping cart with pastries.   One has to wonder why bread is fattening but somehow pastries aren’t? Myth #1:   Grains are bad for you Actually, you want grains and carbs in your diet.   About half the calories you take in each day, should be carb calories.   Grains are a great way to get carbs, especially whole grains as whole grains add so many important nu...

Some interesting nutrition topics in the news this week.   Coffee Drinker?   Well good news for your health.   I love coffee and couldn’t start my day without it.   A large study has reported drinking coffee actually reduces your risk of dying from heart disease and other diseases.   Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health studied both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee in over 200,000 men and women.   For non-smokers the reduced risk is impressive.   Just one-three cups of coffee a day reduces risk of dying by 8%, 3-5 cups reduced it by 15%.   But less returns on coffee consumption for over 5 cups a day.    Interesting, these findings were also true for those drinking decaf coffee.   Cranberries – what is Thanksgiving without the traditional cranberries?   Have any leftovers?   Enjoy as cranberries are great for your health.   Eating fruits and vegetables is more than getting vitamins and minerals. ...

Are there foods that can help control inflammation?   In our bodies we can have low-grade inflammation that can simmer along for years before raising its ugly head as cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or even heart disease.   There are foods that can help fight this low grade inflammation as described in Tame the Flame of Inflammation .          1.   Broccoli – not just broccoli but other vegetables in the cruciferous family – kale, Brussel sprouts, help lower inflammation.   The antioxidants in these foods seem to provide the benefits.   If you don’t like broccoli plain, add a cheese sauce, or put some in soups, on salads, in stir-fry dishes.         2.   Wheat berries and whole wheat – many people are shunning wheat and thus the benefits whole wheat can provide.   Wheat berries and whole wheat provide a polyphenol antioxidant that can lower inflammation.   Add some ...

It is amazing how many people have no idea what a whole grain is and what foods are whole grain and which are just refined grains.   To have a healthy diet, one needs whole grains in their diet, yet so many people have no idea what that means.    I was presenting at a high school class while the students ate their lunches.   All the students said they ate whole grains.   When I asked them what on their lunch tray was whole grain they pointed to the white roll, the breading on their fried chicken, the mashed potatoes.   Of course, none of these foods are whole grain.  Fortunately, I was there to help them learn what whole grains were.     I’ve asked many adults what whole grain bread is and they respond, if the bread is dark in color, any brown at all, it is whole grain.   Not true. What is whole grain?   To be whole grain, the food needs to contain 100% of all parts of the grain seed including the bran, endosperm and germ. ...