Healthy Eating Community News

I have more of a salt tooth than a sweet tooth, but I do have a favorite bakery. It’s called BabyCakes on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Everything is vegan (no butter, eggs, cream, etc.) but you’d never know it; New York magazine voted Babycakes' cupcakes the best in the city and TimeOut New York named them the Best New Bakery. I love their banana chocolate chip bread made with agave (it’s so moist and yummy!) but one of the most popular menu items is frosting, served in vintage shot glasses for $1.50 a pop. Apparently these sweet shots are sweeping the nation. Remember the Seinfeld episode when Elaine started a trend by tearing the top off a muffin and leaving the rest? Well, it seems most people buy cupcakes for the frosting! I doubt that cupcakes will ever become obsolete, but satisfying your sugar fix with a frosting shot could help you save you a lot of calories (as long as you stick to just one that is). Here’s the math:One regular sized vanilla cupcake with vanilla cream frosting = 380 caloriesOne ounce of vanilla cream frosting = 120 caloriesFYI: In order to burn those extra 260 calories, a 150 pound person would have to walk at 4.5 mph for 35 minutes. I think frosting shots are actually a great idea—if they’re used right (i.e. not having the cupcake and a shot or two on the side). Zeroing in on the ‘best part’ seriously curbs the calories in muffins. A 6 ounce (standard bakery size) pumpkin muffin has 530 calories but a 2.75 ounce pumpkin ‘muffie’ packs less than half at 250.The only trouble with frosting is it generally contains artery-clogging, belly fat-breeding trans fat, since partially hydrogenated oil is often the second ingredient after sugar. One ounce (one sixteenth of a can) of commercial frostings typically has 1.5 – 2 grams of trans fat and the daily goal is zero. The good news is you can make your own using trans fat free margarine. My favorite is Earth Balance - just soften and mix with powdered sugar, real vanilla bean or pure vanilla extract and rice or soy milk. I like to experiment with flavors by adding ingredients such as fresh mint, maple syrup, cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, cold espresso and cashew or peanut butter. It whips up in a jiffy and can easily be squeezed into shot glasses with a pastry bag. So, are you a frosting fanatic? What do you think of this trend? Please share!

I’m a nutritionist so I’m supposed to love all veggies, right? Well, to be perfectly honest, I don’t—at least not any which way. For example, I really dislike raw cabbage in garden salads, but I love apple cabbage salad and even coleslaw. In my experience, adding flavors you enjoy to a plain veggie, or cooking it in a different way can completely change your relationship with produce. A lot of people tell me they loathe tomatoes, but when I ask if they like salsa with guacamole or tomato sauce with olive oil they’ll say, “Well, yeah.” There are so many flavors and combos that I believe it’s entirely possible for even the pickiest eater to look forward to eating veggies. Here’s what I mean:Carrots roasted with balsamic vinegar and olive oil taste completely different than raw carrots dipped in hummus, or carrots baked with crushed pineapple and spices, or raw shredded carrots in carrot raisin salad.Dark greens like Romaine or mixes like mesclun can fall flat with plain old vinaigrette, but adding sweeter veggies like peppers, or fruits like strawberries or mango wedges can cut their bitterness. You can also try flavored vinaigrettes like fig or raspberry; and toppings like walnuts, almonds or pine nuts add crunch and an extra layer of flavor (especially when toasted).Broccoli can be roasted with lemon and garlic, marinated and chilled in a citrus or balsamic vinaigrette, or stir-fried with sesame ginger sauce—three completely different palate pleasers. Raw onions can be spicy and overpowering, but grilling, sautéing or barbequing transforms their texture entirely, adds sweetness and creates a deep, rich flavor. I personally prefer roasted or sautéed peppers to raw. I’ll eat raw spinach, but I like it a whole lot better cooked with garlic and hot chili oil, and while I think steamed green beans are so-so, I can’t get enough of them tossed with sun dried tomato pesto. So, I guess the point I’m trying to make is this: if you try a veggie and don’t like it, instead of concluding, “Belch, I don’t like this vegetable” (and closing the door on it forever), think, “I don’t like this vegetable this way.” Keep an open mind, and continue to test your taste buds, and you may discover many good-for-you veggies you’ll feel good about eating.

My last post was about so-called healthy foods that really aren’t. Well, here’s the flip side—these 5 often-criticized foods don’t deserve to be shunned. Here’s why and how to eat them:Dried fruit – it’s simply fresh fruit with most of the water removed. When you buy unsweetened dried fruit, no sugar has been added, so aside from shrinking in size (i.e. grape vs. raisin), all the good stuff (vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, etc.) is maintained. You can find dried versions of just about every fruit these days (berries, mango, peaches) but one of the healthiest is figs - two dried figs provide just 100 calories but are chock full of nutrients, including 20% of all the dietary fiber we need daily, potassium, calcium, and iron. They’re also loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants called polyphenols - the same type that make red wine and tea so healthful (polyphenols are linked to lowering the risk of both heart disease and cancer, our nation's top two killers). Just stick with unsweetened and since they’re ‘shunk,’ limit the portion to about the size of a golf ball to control calories. How to Eat: add sliced dried figs, apricots, dates, plums, etc. to whole grain cereal or oatmeal for breakfast, or stir them into natural peanut butter and spread on celery for an sweet & salty snack.Frozen vegetables - A recent study found that the vitamin C content of fresh broccoli plummeted 56% in seven days, but dipped just 10% in a year’s time when frozen at -20 C. In addition, the levels of a disease fighting antioxidant called anthocyanins, and some minerals, including potassium (which helps control blood pressure) actually increased after freezing. Just look for veggies with one ingredient (the veggie itself) and no additives, preservatives & sauces. How to Eat: spruce them up in minutes by microwaving or steaming and misting with an herb-infused oil or tossing with olive tapenade or pesto, or sauté in sesame or peanut oil for a quick stir fry—no washing, peeling or chopping required. Bananas - it’s true that bananas are low in water compared to other fruits. That means there’s more carbohydrate (and therefore more calories) per bite compared to watery fruits like melon. But—that doesn’t mean you should shun them—even if you’re watching your weight. Bananas provide no fat, cholesterol, or sodium, and they’re incredibly nutritious. You’ve probably heard that they're high in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. But they’re also a good source of vitamin B6 (which helps maintain blood sugar levels and is needed to build protein in the body as well as nerves and immune cells), vitamin C (for immunity) and fiber (for cholesterol control and digestive health). To keep calories in check, just choose “baby” bananas, the ones about the size of long fingers, which are naturally portion controlled (and neatly wrapped!). One of these little guys provides just 50-60 calories (less than a small apple) and amounts to about ½ cup when sliced. How to Eat: peel and dip into nonfat Greek yogurt or soy yogurt and roll in either whole oats, crushed nuts or mini chocolate chips (or all three), wrap in wax paper and freeze. White potatoes - when scientists from the USDA tested more than 100 potato varieties, they discovered 60 different vitamins and antioxidants. Spuds are also packed with resistant starch, a fibrous substance that could help you burn more body fat and lose weight. One cup (size of a baseball) of a baked potato with the skin provides over 25% of the vitamin C we need daily, along with 15-20% of a day’s vitamin B6, copper, and potassium - all key nutrients for health. In fact, a tater provides more potassium than a banana, and scientists have linked a natural spud substance called kukoamines to blood pressure control. And, the calorie price tag is minimal – about 130 per cup (roughly 6% of an average healthy adult’s daily calories needs). They also pack about 3 grams of filling dietary fiber. How to Eat: bake several potatoes (skins on), chill overnight and cube. In the morning, saute with peppers and onions in olive oil for a filling breakfast side dish that will keep hunger at bay for hours. Refrigerate leftovers for a fiber-rich addition to a garden salad. Juice – it does have less fiber than whole fruit and juices go down fast but cup for cup, 100% juice counts as fruit, and some common juices score very high as antioxidant-boosters. One recent study found that adding citrus juice to tea boosts the antioxidant absorption by up to 13 times. Another ranked the antioxidant capacity of several juices and found the 8 highest were: pomegranate juice, Concord grape juice, blueberry juice, black cherry juice, açaí juice, cranberry juice, orange juice, and apple juice. Juices do contain sugar, but it’s natural, not added—natural sugars are those put there by Mother Nature, and those shouldn’t be restricted at all—they don’t create the same negative effects in the body that added sugars do (the refined kinds food manufacturers mix in), and those natural sugars are naturally bundled with lots of important nutrients. How to Eat: blend with ice and either milk, soy milk or yogurt for a refreshing smoothie, or freeze in popsicle molds!What foods have you shunned that you now consider healthy additions to your diet? Please share!

A few hours into a long flight the other day, the passenger sitting next to me asked me a question I sometimes dread, “So, what do you do for a living?” I can’t imagine being anything other than a nutritionist – it truly is my passion and I love it, but once I utter those words, people around me tend to become a little self-conscious about what they’re eating and drinking. I get it. I drive much more slowly and carefully as soon as I spot police car. I’m definitely not the food cop type, but I think some people feel like I’m going to whip out a nutritional citation. In this case, the man on my right responded with, “Look, I’m eating healthy!” He wasn’t asking for my opinion so I didn’t give it, but he was actually eating a collection of pseudo-healthy foods. Here’s what I mean: Diet soda - ­ it may seem like the perfect way to save calories and slash your sugar intake but studies show that diet drinkers actually weigh more than regular soda drinkers. For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese tied to a 2 can a day habit is 57% compared to 46% for regular soda drinkers. Diet soda may throw off your natural appetite regulation, causing you to eat more sweets. It may also trick you into thinking it’s OK to indulge in high calorie foods because you “saved” by choosing diet soda.Pretzels ­ - the label may shout ‘fat free’ and seem like a betteralternative to chips, but they’re made with refined white flour stripped of its vitamins and antioxidants. They’re also dense so they pack a ton of carb calories for a very small amount and they’re not filling. Think of it this way - one 15 oz bag contains the equivalent of 24 slices of white bread.Spinach wrap – I’m talking about the wrap itself here. It looks green and good for you but spinach powder is only a scant ingredient. These wraps are typically made from refined white flour and the green hue primarily comes from food colorings (Blue No. 1 and Yellow No. 5.). In other words you can’t rely on the immune boosting vitamins A and C found in fresh spinach and it’s much higher in calories. One cup of cooked spinach provides 65 calories, 105 less than a spinach wrap, which doesn’t count as a veggie serving. Not to mention the fact that the fillings often include ingredients like fried chicken, Ranch dressing, cheese and bacon!Blueberry scone - ­ even a trans fat free wild blueberryscone packs over 400 calories (the amount an entire meal should supply) and over 50% of the maximum amount of artery-clogging saturated fat intake for an entire day. They also don’t count as a serving of fruit and they’re devoid of dietary fiber.Vitamin water ­ - yes it has vitamins, but at up to 200 calories per bottle (50 per serving with 4 servings per jug), just one of these a day can cause a 20 pound weight gain in a year’s time if the calories aren’t burned off.Bottom line: that old saying, ‘All that glitters isn’t gold’ really holds true with food as well—all that appears healthy isn’t!

If your stress-o-meter’s been off the charts lately, reach for a tall cold one—tea that is. A UK study found that men who drank black tea 4 times a day for 6 weeks had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol than the guys given a tea substitute. They also felt more relaxed after (but not during) stressful tasks, like having to give impromptu presentations.Within 50 minutes of finishing their speeches, the tea drinkers’ stress hormones sank by half, compared to a 27% drop in the imitation tea bunch. That’s a pretty impressive result, particularly since stress is a major health antagonist. Unmanaged stress can stifle your immune system, ramp up your hunger, and cause you to stow away excess calories in your belly, a location that ups your risk for everything from heart disease to type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s.Tea already has an amazing track record as a rich source of antioxidants, it’s nearly calorie free (just 2 measly calories per cup) and it’s cheap—a box of 100 black tea bags costs less than $5.00, so it’s one of the best bangs for your buck at the supermarket. I love it unsweetened but if you can’t stomach it plain, add a splash of 100% citrus juice (orange, pink grapefruit, tangerine) instead of sugar. Another recent study found that this combo boosts antioxidant absorption by up to 13 times. Here’s a tea trivia trio: Tea is the most popular beverage in the world excluding waterWhite, green, and black teas all come from the same plant Loose tea accounts for only two percent of tea sales in the U.S.

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