Hi,
I was wondering what you think about high fructose corn syrup. I've heard conflicting thoughts and wanted to know if it's really that bad for you? Danielle A.
Hi Danielle,
Good question!
Corn syrup itself does not contain fructose. Food scientists realized if they added fructose to corn syrup, it would be a good medium to add to sweeten foods and beverages. It has a texture different from sugar crystals that lends itself well to a lot of products. There really isn't any such thing as "low-fructose corn syrup". At the time, it was just a way of identifying corn syrup that had fructose added to it, period.
In my professional opinion, it's not that high-fructose corn syrup is worse than sugar in any way--it has the same number of calories gram for gram--but it's the fact that so many things nowadays are unnecessarily sweetened. Why do they need to add sweetener to fruit juices? canned fruits? bread?
In moderation, there isn't anything wrong with this method of sweetening certain products. It's the fact that some people consume sugars (of any kind) in excess amounts and frequency that eventually leads to obesity and many chronic diseases.
You can find more details about high-fructose corn syrup on the website, SweetSurprise.com.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
How Do I Prepare for a Healthy Pregnancy?
Hi,
My husband and I want to start trying to have a child next October. I've been reading up on how important it is to prepare your body for such a big change but I'm not sure if i'm jumping the gun too early. If I'm not, what should I be doing food-wise to help myself? I'm going to start working out (which i do just not as much as I should be).
Stacy N.
Hi Stacy,
It's great you are preparing in advance for a healthy pregnancy--way to go!
That's such exciting news. And I don't believe it's ever too early to start eating healthy.
Here's what I would suggest:
First, look for a multivitamin supplement that meets the daily values for most vitamins, especially folic acid. This is a B vitamin that is essential for proper cell division, which occurs in the first several weeks of pregnancy when most women are not even yet aware they are carrying a fetus.
Second, look for healthy eating guidelines at http://www.mypyramid.org/ and start developing healthy diet habits: Drink plenty of fluids, include fresh fruits and vegetables, and limit excess fats and sweets. This way you won't have to worry about changing all these old habits when you become pregnant and have other things on your mind!
There are also a lot of new food items suggested to avoid in pregnancy. It's probably not too soon to get yourself of copy of "What to Expect when You're Expecting", the virtual bible for pregnant women. It has information on preparing for your pregnancy and lets you follow along each week to find out what is going on inside your body with the baby's development as well.
For exercise, find an activity or a class you like at the gym--it could be anything from spinning to a step class to brisk walking or taking a nice bike ride. Just get in the habit of being physically active 30 minutes on most days and you'll be in another good habit by the time you're ready to carry a baby.
Good luck, and send pictures :)
My husband and I want to start trying to have a child next October. I've been reading up on how important it is to prepare your body for such a big change but I'm not sure if i'm jumping the gun too early. If I'm not, what should I be doing food-wise to help myself? I'm going to start working out (which i do just not as much as I should be).
Stacy N.
Hi Stacy,
It's great you are preparing in advance for a healthy pregnancy--way to go!
That's such exciting news. And I don't believe it's ever too early to start eating healthy.
Here's what I would suggest:
First, look for a multivitamin supplement that meets the daily values for most vitamins, especially folic acid. This is a B vitamin that is essential for proper cell division, which occurs in the first several weeks of pregnancy when most women are not even yet aware they are carrying a fetus.
Second, look for healthy eating guidelines at http://www.mypyramid.org/ and start developing healthy diet habits: Drink plenty of fluids, include fresh fruits and vegetables, and limit excess fats and sweets. This way you won't have to worry about changing all these old habits when you become pregnant and have other things on your mind!
There are also a lot of new food items suggested to avoid in pregnancy. It's probably not too soon to get yourself of copy of "What to Expect when You're Expecting", the virtual bible for pregnant women. It has information on preparing for your pregnancy and lets you follow along each week to find out what is going on inside your body with the baby's development as well.
For exercise, find an activity or a class you like at the gym--it could be anything from spinning to a step class to brisk walking or taking a nice bike ride. Just get in the habit of being physically active 30 minutes on most days and you'll be in another good habit by the time you're ready to carry a baby.
Good luck, and send pictures :)
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Plateau on the Atkins Diet
I've been in the induction phase of atkins now for 5 months and have lost 65lbs. My daily calorie intake is 1500 average and doing 1:45 excercise 5 days a wk.60 yrs old male.I still need to lose 35lbs. 2 questions please. Why has my loss rate gone down to 1 kilo per week ?When I exercise on atkins am I primarily burning fat,indifferent to whether I work in the aerobic" Fat burning zone" or "cardio zone"? Larry G.
Dear Larry,
First of all, my congratulations to you for such a significant weight loss. Hats off to you, also, for sticking with a diet and exercise program for 5 months! That is super :) The longer you stay with it, the more likely you are to make these daily habits part of your life. This means weight loss for long term!
The fact that your weight loss has gone "down" to 1 kilo (2 pounds) per week means you have been losing weight super-fast all this time. Two pounds per week is the high end of a recommended weight loss and is by no means considered a plateau. Plateauing is when you have zero weight loss for many weeks in a row and that's when you have to shake up your routine a bit. You are still losing at a rapid pace and should continue to be encouraged.
Second, while you exercise you burn various substrates (fat, carbohydrate or protein) depending on the activity and on the length of time you are exercising. It is not dependent on what you eat. Once you have been exercising for more than 20 or 30 minutes your body does convert to burning mostly fat.
Keep up the good work!!
Dear Larry,
First of all, my congratulations to you for such a significant weight loss. Hats off to you, also, for sticking with a diet and exercise program for 5 months! That is super :) The longer you stay with it, the more likely you are to make these daily habits part of your life. This means weight loss for long term!
The fact that your weight loss has gone "down" to 1 kilo (2 pounds) per week means you have been losing weight super-fast all this time. Two pounds per week is the high end of a recommended weight loss and is by no means considered a plateau. Plateauing is when you have zero weight loss for many weeks in a row and that's when you have to shake up your routine a bit. You are still losing at a rapid pace and should continue to be encouraged.
Second, while you exercise you burn various substrates (fat, carbohydrate or protein) depending on the activity and on the length of time you are exercising. It is not dependent on what you eat. Once you have been exercising for more than 20 or 30 minutes your body does convert to burning mostly fat.
Keep up the good work!!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
How Much Fiber is Enough versus Too Much?
Hi, My doctor suggested I increase my fiber intake to help a terrible constipation problem I've been having. How much should I take in? And is there such a thing as too much fiber? Thanks, Janice
Dear Janice,
Generally you can't go wrong with fiber, but there are a few exceptions. People with certain intestinal disorders or stomach ulcers must watch the types of fiber they eat, and avoid tough skins (like apples or cucumbers) and sometimes nuts and popcorn. Other types of fiber, such as fiber one cereals, with 14 grams per serving, sometimes have "warning" labels encouraging plenty of water or milk to be consumed with the product. There have been cases of people consuming lots of fiber without enough water and getting "stopped up".
Those issues aside, the recommended fiber intake is 25-35 grams per day and it's pretty difficult to get there! Use whole-grain products like bread, cereals and pasta; include the skins when you eat apples, pears, potatoes and other fruits and vegetables, and look for products with fiber added (usually breakfast cereals).
To further boost your intake you can take fiber supplements like Metamucil, Benefiber or Citrucel. Follow the instructions on the label and start out with just one serving per day to let your body acclimate. Otherwise discomfort from gas is more likely.
It would be interesting to note what your current fiber intake is, and then to see what adding 10 or 15 grams does for you! In addition to helping with constipation there is evidence it can also prevent some types of cancer, including cancer of the colon.
Be sure to drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. Fiber works to ease constipation because it bulks the stools, but it needs water to work (otherwise stools may still be on the dry side). And getting whatever kind of exercise you can (like walking a few miles each day) helps regular bowel movements too.
Dear Janice,
Generally you can't go wrong with fiber, but there are a few exceptions. People with certain intestinal disorders or stomach ulcers must watch the types of fiber they eat, and avoid tough skins (like apples or cucumbers) and sometimes nuts and popcorn. Other types of fiber, such as fiber one cereals, with 14 grams per serving, sometimes have "warning" labels encouraging plenty of water or milk to be consumed with the product. There have been cases of people consuming lots of fiber without enough water and getting "stopped up".
Those issues aside, the recommended fiber intake is 25-35 grams per day and it's pretty difficult to get there! Use whole-grain products like bread, cereals and pasta; include the skins when you eat apples, pears, potatoes and other fruits and vegetables, and look for products with fiber added (usually breakfast cereals).
To further boost your intake you can take fiber supplements like Metamucil, Benefiber or Citrucel. Follow the instructions on the label and start out with just one serving per day to let your body acclimate. Otherwise discomfort from gas is more likely.
It would be interesting to note what your current fiber intake is, and then to see what adding 10 or 15 grams does for you! In addition to helping with constipation there is evidence it can also prevent some types of cancer, including cancer of the colon.
Be sure to drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. Fiber works to ease constipation because it bulks the stools, but it needs water to work (otherwise stools may still be on the dry side). And getting whatever kind of exercise you can (like walking a few miles each day) helps regular bowel movements too.
Friday, August 6, 2010
How Do I Gain Muscle Mass?
Hello, I am also underweight and I think I look rather skinny. How do I gain muscle mass and eat healthily? I heard that to gain muscle mass, I should take a lot more protein in a day. What type of food is very high in protein, and at the same time, healthy and low in saturated fats? Janney S.
Dear Janney,
The way to gain muscle mass is to work out your muscles so they grow. If you merely eat more protein, your body will use extra protein for calories... this means protein that is not used to build muscle or not used for energy being burned will be converted to fat to be stored for later use!
High protein, low-fat foods include eggs (the white part), lean meats (including fish and chicken as well as beef and pork), low-fat dairy products, and healthy combinations of beans with starchy food (like a bean burrito), or vegetables with starchy food (like pasta with tomato sauce or peanut butter on crackers).
Many people who want to gain weight simply don't eat enough during the day because food is not a priority or a "love" for them as it is for people who never seem to be able to lose weight!
Be sure you eat three balanced meals each day and include between-meal snacks as well. The food guide pyramid (http://www.mypyramid.gov/) has simple guidelines to follow so you know you're eating a balanced diet. If you just aren't hungry enough to eat, sometimes it's easier to drink your calories. I think Carnation instant breakfast drink is an easy and tasty way to get in enough calories (if you drink one every day) to gradually put on weight.
Dear Janney,
The way to gain muscle mass is to work out your muscles so they grow. If you merely eat more protein, your body will use extra protein for calories... this means protein that is not used to build muscle or not used for energy being burned will be converted to fat to be stored for later use!
High protein, low-fat foods include eggs (the white part), lean meats (including fish and chicken as well as beef and pork), low-fat dairy products, and healthy combinations of beans with starchy food (like a bean burrito), or vegetables with starchy food (like pasta with tomato sauce or peanut butter on crackers).
Many people who want to gain weight simply don't eat enough during the day because food is not a priority or a "love" for them as it is for people who never seem to be able to lose weight!
Be sure you eat three balanced meals each day and include between-meal snacks as well. The food guide pyramid (http://www.mypyramid.gov/) has simple guidelines to follow so you know you're eating a balanced diet. If you just aren't hungry enough to eat, sometimes it's easier to drink your calories. I think Carnation instant breakfast drink is an easy and tasty way to get in enough calories (if you drink one every day) to gradually put on weight.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
How Much Peanut Butter Should I Eat to Gain Weight?
About how much peanut butter should I eat daily to gain weight? Larry Z.
Dear Larry,
For weight gain you want to aim for an extra 200 to 500 calories per day in your diet. This will add about 1/2 to 1 pound per week to your weight.
Peanut butter has about 100 calories per tablespoon. But the increase in calories doesn't all have to be from peanut butter!
You might consider something easier like a serving of carnation instant breakfast drink which provides 250 calories (when made with whole milk) and protein and vitamins and minerals. Two of these a day should help you gain nearly a pound each week.
Good Luck!
Dear Larry,
For weight gain you want to aim for an extra 200 to 500 calories per day in your diet. This will add about 1/2 to 1 pound per week to your weight.
Peanut butter has about 100 calories per tablespoon. But the increase in calories doesn't all have to be from peanut butter!
You might consider something easier like a serving of carnation instant breakfast drink which provides 250 calories (when made with whole milk) and protein and vitamins and minerals. Two of these a day should help you gain nearly a pound each week.
Good Luck!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Is There a Supplement That Increases Metabolism?
Hi! I am 41 years old, but still feel young and look young, like I did when I was about 30. I have been eating less but I feel like my metabolism is slowing down. I do go to the gym 2 or 3 times a week and I eat very healthy at breakfast and lunch, but I like ice cream and salty snacks in the evening. I try to eat fruit instead, and control my cravings, but is there any supplement you can recommend that will increase my metabolism? I've already had my thyroid checked and it is fine. Thanks! Susie K.
Dear Susie,
It's great that you are aware of healthier food choices to make, and that you do go to the gym two or three times a week. I'm not sure why you feel your metabolism is decreased, but there isn't much chance of that. From age 30 to 40 the average woman's metabolic rate is reduced by about 40 calories a day--not something you're likely to notice.
What does keep your metabolism going is exercise! You might consider adding a mile walk (about 18 minutes at a fairly brisk pace) to your regimen. Each day this will burn an extra 100 calories--more than enough to compensate for the 40 calories your body isn't burning due to the process of aging. Each month this is enough to promote a pound of weight loss--which is more than 10 pounds by this time next year, just from walking a mile a day!
As for the night-time cravings, you can fit a low-calorie treat into your diet when you're eating smart the rest of the day and doing some form of exercise. I like the Skinny Cow Ice Cream Treats, like ice cream sandwiches and fudge bars, which have just about 140 calories and taste great.
Also consider keeping a food diary so you can have an objective view of how you really eat on a daily basis. It's helpful for cueing you to think before you eat, and may encourage you to think about whether you really want to add those calories to your daily intake, or have a glass of water and/or take a quick walk instead!
Dear Susie,
It's great that you are aware of healthier food choices to make, and that you do go to the gym two or three times a week. I'm not sure why you feel your metabolism is decreased, but there isn't much chance of that. From age 30 to 40 the average woman's metabolic rate is reduced by about 40 calories a day--not something you're likely to notice.
What does keep your metabolism going is exercise! You might consider adding a mile walk (about 18 minutes at a fairly brisk pace) to your regimen. Each day this will burn an extra 100 calories--more than enough to compensate for the 40 calories your body isn't burning due to the process of aging. Each month this is enough to promote a pound of weight loss--which is more than 10 pounds by this time next year, just from walking a mile a day!
As for the night-time cravings, you can fit a low-calorie treat into your diet when you're eating smart the rest of the day and doing some form of exercise. I like the Skinny Cow Ice Cream Treats, like ice cream sandwiches and fudge bars, which have just about 140 calories and taste great.
Also consider keeping a food diary so you can have an objective view of how you really eat on a daily basis. It's helpful for cueing you to think before you eat, and may encourage you to think about whether you really want to add those calories to your daily intake, or have a glass of water and/or take a quick walk instead!
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