Eating For Health

Some latest research on peanuts and peanut allergies is quite interesting.   Researchers studied pregnant women who ate peanuts during their pregnancy and those that didn’t.   Then they looked at their children to see if the children had peanut allergies.   They found the more peanuts a pregnant woman ate during her pregnancy, the less likely her child was to have a peanut or nut allergy.   The study in JAMA Pediatrics   followed nearly 11,000 women throughout the women's pregnancy, and their offspring from birth to adolescence.   Pregnant women who ate peanuts and other nuts five or more times a month had children with the lowest chance of having peanut or nut allergies.   However, these pregnant women also ate more fruits and vegetables than other women in the study.   Additionally, they fed their children nuts before age 1.   So maybe it was the fruits and vegetables or the early introduction of nuts that led to less nut allergies.   The authors of the study stated

With the holidays in full swing, most of us will be enjoying plenty of food and treats.   As we are out and about and hosting parties and meals, we can choose foods and drinks that are gut busters or have fun but make some healthier choices.   Just making some modifications in what we order can influence how many calories we are packing in. Thirsty? – stopping at Starbucks for some caffeine?   Coffee actually has a number of nutritional benefits as does tea.   It is what is added to the coffee that can do one in.   The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently evaluated the Starbucks Venti White Chocolate Mocha made with 2% milk and whipped cream on top.   They compared it to a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and noted the Venti was actually worse nutritionally than the quarter pounder.   Why?   Perhaps because of the 580 calories and 13 teaspoons of added sugar.    If you want the Venti, then choose to modify it by asking for nonfat milk and skip the whipped cream.  

Everyone has heard of Type 1 or Juvenile Diabetes.   The diabetes someone gets when they are young through no fault of their own and they usually need insulin shots for the rest of their lives.   But many aren’t aware of how rapidly the risk of Type 2 diabetes is growing.   Over 23 million Americans have Type 2 diabetes and of those, 7 million don’t even know they have diabetes.   Even more surprising is the 79 million Americans with pre-diabetes.   It used to be that doctors would warn patients their blood sugar was a little high.   Now, doctors tell patients that you have pre-diabetes.   This is to warn patients that if they don’t change their habits they are going to get full blown diabetes before too long.   Diabetes brings on its own share of health risks.   People with diabetes can have complications leading to eye problems, heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and kidney disease.   When people have pre-diabetes or diabetes the insulin produced by the pancreas isn’t worki

Everyone knows or has met runners.   Whether they run on the open road or on the treadmill they can go the distance.   My daughter easily does 4 miles on the treadmill and I have many relatives that enter 5K and more races.   I also used to be a runner but now focus on bicycling and long walks.   So are walks healthy and can they be as good for you as running? The key seems to be how much energy is expended.   If you walk for a good distance and burn up the same calories as a jogger who jogs 1-2 miles, then YES, walking can give you the same health benefits.   What are those health benefits?   Lowering your risk of heart disease, less risk of hypertension, less risk of diabetes.   As article in the December 2013 issue of Tufts’ Health and Nutrition Letter, outlined the many health benefits of walking. Dr. Nelson, a professor at Tufts is quoted, “A 150 pound woman will burn 80 to 100 calories for each mile she walks.”    The researchers looked at data from 15,94

In the nutrition classes I teach I find many people are very confused as to what a juice is and what is a fruit drink?   Many people buy a fruit drink and think they are getting 100% juice.   Something that is 100% juice has many nutritional benefits such as vitamins like vitamin A, C, and folate, minerals and antioxidants.   Fruit drinks may have none of these or the manufacturer might fool you and add something like vitamin C and you might think you are buying something healthy when it is mostly sugar water.   Look at the items below and see if you can tell if it is a drink or a real juice? Sunny D Hi-C Capri Sun Juicy Juice Pink Lemonade Simply Orange Hawaiian Punch Sunland Fruit Drink Tang So how do you think you did?   How many times are you   in a grocery store and you see parents who   have loaded their cart with a case of Capri Sun?   Or instead of orange juice there is a gallon of Sunny D?   Some hints at k