Banana oat muffins and nutrition ranting

The older I get the crankier I get with nutrition - especially because I think about how connected food and environment are to one another, and how regardless of the sheer outcome and breadth of many nutrition studies, there is no framework to pump the changes into, or rather that those changes seem excessively slow. When I learn about European (and here I mean country-specific) nutrition policies I can't help but think that the US is in the dark ages. Don't worry I will share those in another post.

I was especially disheartened to read about a study that was recently published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine which found students at half of US elementary schools could buy unhealthy foods outside of school meals. These are competitive foods such as cookies, cakes, and baked goods which are usually sold through vending machines, a la carte lines in the cafeteria, and in school stores. Researchers found that unhealthy snack foods were sold more in the south, where obesity rates are the highest - in fact 60% of public elementary schools in the south were found to be selling unhealthy foods; in the west this number drops to 24%, and in the midwest it is 30%. While the study found that fruits and vegetables were offered to be sold as well, they didn't sell as well as sugary salty foods (duh). If you follow Food Politics, or the Lunch Tray, you may have read about the recent changes, and the pushback, and then again the move forward with updated new federal nutrition guidelines for school nutrition (elementary through high school). Before these new regs were published,  competitive foods were exempt from federal regs, but now they are included in the report as being bound by the same criteria, and the report suggests that competitive foods follow the Institute of Medicine's report. I look forward to Bettina Elias Siegel's school nutrition FAQ. I hope that we can transition to real foods, move away from nutrient reductionism, and take back our food culture. Public schools, where most children learn fundamental basics about their world, have a place in changing food culture, and teaching students how to understand and apply nutrition.

Walmart recently announced their own front-of-package nutrition labeling system. Marion Nestle of Food Politics does an excellent write up on Walmart, presents research on labeling (e.g. a stoplight system works very well), and how Walmart should have waited to release guidelines so they could be in line with the FDA's front-of-package labeling guidelines. Should Walmart be providing their own nutrition labels on the front of packs? Probably not, but they are responding to increasing consumer demand that may help to alleviate the guilt that people probably feel when they feel overwhelmed by the nutrition label; or it's good for business, and it looks like they did something positive; or it will generate good PR and increase sales. Regardless, I still think it shows that businesses change their strategies to meet consumer demand. These changes coupled with concrete federal nutrition polices on advertising and labeling could make it very difficult for food and beverage companies to market and sell bad foods. And this just hot off my RSS: food companies using the First Amendment to market and sell any foods to kids. Marion Nestle why are you such a bad ass?

And finally some good nutrition news. When I was doing my catch-up reading on portion sizes for this month's month of meals, I came across an article from Harvard that revamped muffin recipes. Muffins are the poster child for portion distortion. Stacked on top of each other at coffeehouses, they are closer to processed cakes and cookies than healthy breakfast food. The average size of a muffin has probably quadrupled in size, and it's packed full of refined flour and sugar. Muffins can actually be quite healthy and reasonable. So as you become more enraged, or interested in the nutrition news out of the US, I find I actually enjoy writing about these things, I wanted to share some healthy banana oat muffins I baked up this morning:





nom nom nom nom

Banana oat muffins
Recipe from Deborah Madison's VCFE
Yield: 1 dozen

Ingredients:
2 large ripe bananas
3/4 cup buttermilk or 1/2 yogurt thinned with water
1/3 cup brown sugar (can use 1/4 cup with equally good results)
1 egg
2 tbsp canola or peanut oil
1 cup rolled oats
1 and 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon
1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º F/190º C.
2. Lightly grease muffin pan with oil.
3. In a large mixing bowl mix mash the bananas, and add an egg and the oil. Mix it together a bit. Then add the buttermilk, brown sugar, and oats. Mix it together stirring with a big spoon.
4. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour with cinnamon and baking soda. Add this to the big mixing bowl. In swift strokes mix everything together until the batter just comes together. Spoon about 1/4 cup or more into the muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Once cool store leftovers in an airtight container. This makes an awesome breakfast with a bit of fruit and hot steaming coffee. 

I've made this recipe so many times that I've experimented with 1 banana (turns out just fine); I forgot to add the oil once (it was fine, but was a bit dry on day 2 and 3); I subbed cinnamon for nutmeg; I reduced the sugar from 1/3 cup to 1/4 cup and it was the same; I experimented with using milk instead of water (3/4 cup milk + 1 tsp vinegar = acceptable buttermilk substitute); I have used the following flour proportions which have all been excellent: 1) 1/2 all-purpose and 1/2 whole-wheat flour, 2) 100% whole-wheat flour,  and 3) half pastry flour and half whole wheat.

February MoMe

Here’s February’s MoMe; (click text to download and print). 

The meal plan has a biweekly grocery list, but I figured I’d just go ahead and try and explain how I use the meal planning, and share some positive unintended outcomes. I go grocery shopping at least once per week, and sometimes more often. I hit up the fresh markets for produce, and grocery stores for most of the rest. I do this because I don’t have a lot of space to store things. I don’t like grocery shopping. It seems like a hassle, it’s time-consuming, and I’m limited to what I can carry back on my bike (saddlebags + backpack), or on foot (grocery cart + backpack + extra bags). I get sidetracked reading labels, navigating the store, waiting in line, forgetting something and having to backtrack - all in all, not much fun. Having a well-planned list forces me to buy things that I need, stick to the list, and become more aware of what I have at home. Of course, I’m currently motivated to try this out and use it, so some of these outcomes are probably biased.

With MoMe, I spend more time planning, preparing, and shopping. It's reduced the amount of time stressing over what to eat so I don't panic and pop in a frozen pizza, and provides ready-made lunches. I’ve been analyzing the food costs more closely, and it’s actually driven down our total food expenditures, without feeling deprived or sticking to a hard budget. For example, I recently bought the following to restock some pantry staples:

3.99	2 kg dried chickpeas (about 4.4 lbs)
2.59	2 kg of dried pintos (again about 4.4 lbs)
.89	½ kg red lentils (about 1 lb)
1.25	1 kg raw peanuts (2.2 lbs)
1.30	½ kg whole kernel popcorn (about 1 lb)
2.10	1 kg dried kidney beans (2.2 lbs)
€12.12	Total (or $16.72 in USD)

Canned beans are convenient, but when compared to the cost of buying raw ingredients, raw ones are cheaper. Soaking and cooking 1 cup of dried beans will double in volume to about 2 and 1/2 cups. This will prepare more food (more servings) than what is going to come out of a 14 oz can of canned beans (4oo g; which when emptied, drained, and rinsed will yield about 1 and 1/4 cups). Vegetarian ingredients (on just a weight basis) tend to be much cheaper than meats. The volume of food obtained from cooking raw beans provides more food than the original amount; the volume of food obtained from cooking raw meats is less than the original amount. In comparison, €12.00 buys around a 1 lb (2.2 kg) of boneless chicken breast, and feeds you much less frequently; although a whole chicken could be purchased and used in many other meals.

Currently, nutritional portion sizes for foods that contain protein are measured out in 1-ounce equivalents. I know, now you're wondering how much protein do I need? Chances are that you probably overeat this macronutrient. Using the term ounce-equivalents is confusing because foods that contain protein all have different values on what makes a serving/portion (I use the word serving and portion size interchangeably), and further no one measures food out this way. For example, 1/4 cup of beans is a 1 ounce-equivalent. If you checked how much you need on the online chart linked just before, you'll see that a grown woman needs around 5-5 1/2 ounce-equivalents; a man 6-6 1/2 ounce-equivalents. Dietitians use .8 g/kg - but let's forget that. If you checked the first link in this paragraph, you will have noticed the following constitutes a 1 ounce-equivalent: 1 egg, 1 ounce of meat, 1 tbsp of peanut butter, 1/2 ounce (1 handful) of nuts, and 1/4 cup of cooked beans (I'm going for simplicity, and I don't feel like including gram measurements for all of that). 

Let's go further and compare what people *actually* eat out of those listed. Egg dishes such as scrambled or omelette dishes usually contain 2-3 eggs per person (can be up to 6 if you eat out) which equals between 3 and 6 ounce-equivalents. Next up, servings of meat at home are often between 3 and 5 oz, or about the size of your palm (at restaurants they are 8-16 oz, like the size of your head) - again keep in mind the ounce-equivalent. Making a peanut butter sandwich, chances are you'll opt for at least 2 tbsps; I didn't even get into other foods that contain proteins: tofu, milk, yogurt, cheese, whole-grain breads and seeds, some vegetables. It's crazy isn't it? You wonder why people are so confused about nutrition and diet. Understanding serving sizes/portion sizes is a steep learning curve, but it's among one of the best tools you can use when cooking and eating. It helps to estimate the amount of food required, it helps maintain your weight, and it ensures you're eating foods healthfully.

So inevitably you want information on the others:

Grains: foods from this group are measured in 1 ounce equivalents. Eat more whole-grain foods and less refined. Each of these is a 1 ounce equivalent: 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal, 1, 6” tortilla or roti.
Fruits: foods from this group are measured in cups. The following are servings: 1/2 banana, 1 cup of fresh fruit, 1/2 cup of dried fruit, and 1/2 cup 100% fruit juice. Although fruit juice counts (it shouldn't), it is healthier and recommended to consume whole fruits (fiber, nutrition, reduced spike in blood sugar, etc). Most people need to eat 2 cups of fruits daily.
Vegetables: are also measured in cups. The following measurements count towards 1 serving from the vegetable group:  2 cups raw leafy greens, 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables, and in some cases, 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables (such as cooked greens). Most people need 2-3 cup equivalents of vegetables daily.

As part of the 70% of the rest of the world that doesn't digest lactose, and questions the science behind dairy promotion in nutritional recommendations that should be promoting foods and activities that promote bone health (weight-bearing exercises, calcium, gender, race, Vitamin D and K) I'm with Harvard. They tend to synthesize nutrition information in a useful, no-nonsense practical way.

Fats: there is lots of evidence that supports the use of plant-based oils in cooking and baking, limits the use of butter, and avoids trans fats. Fats play a role in digestion and absorption, help to carry flavor, and contribute to feeling full (among many others).

I digress. Since February is still among the darker months, there are some oven-baked dishes; a creamy penne vodka can be a celebratory dish for Valentine’s day (or do a cheese and chocolate fondue night, or maybe the chickpea piccata). Gin is an acceptable substitute. An excellent aperitif are dirty martinis. I tried to pair dishes together so a meal that takes longer to prepare one evening, can be used in conjunction with the next day’s meal. Make enough pizza dough to cover two evening meals; when cooking rice, double the amount to use the next day. In week 2, the meals have cheese, so round out the week with a hearty bean and veggie chili.

Now, some picas of recipes on this month's MoMe:

Chickpea piccata [Feb MoMe]. I've tried this with arugula, spinach, and now broccoli. Always delicious.

Pizza night [Feb MoMe]; My friend Nico's homemade pizzas; I have a lot to learn.

Baked stuffed tomatoes [Feb MoMe].

Tofu tikka masala kebabs [Feb MoMe]; excellent served over rice or salad.

Pav Bhaji served in pita [Feb MoMe].

Tartiflette [Feb MoMe].

omg that was a long one wasn't it!? As always if you use this and hate or love it, please leave feedback. Until next month, happy eats y'all. I got my chickpeas soaking.

Month of Meals: May 2011

I've written extensively on the benefits of meal-planning on your health, your wallet, and the ability to try new foods. I had been planning weekly meals and decided to put this together (and hopefully improve it some).

The extra prep column is meant to be for tasks that can be performed a day ahead of time (such as planning to soak and cook beans - a vital food to vegetarians, or could be used to prep veggies that can be used later in the week. In this way, soak beans in plenty of water, leave them out all day, and then cook them when you get home as you start prepping dinner. You can cook a bit batch of them and use them in meals the rest of the week. The list of meals can help you grocery shop and reduce purchasing things you already own. Include kids and other family members by getting input on what to eat. To find recipes, I use cookbooks, blogs, magazines, or try to recreate several meals that I enjoy in restaurants.

Lettuce and fresh greens based salads are easy tasty ways to include more servings of veggies without much effort. I usually add nuts, radishes, chopped tomatoes, onions, or peppers and toss with some olive oil and vinegar (e.g. a fig or raspberry vinegar). Planned meals can help you try new foods, or help you include servings of foods from food groups that may not make it on your dish every day.

If you stray from this (as often one does) just get back to it. This is a general framework that has helped me buy groceries, balance my budget, utilize the pantry, try new foods, and overall plan meals so I don't have to spend much time thinking about it during the week.

I've included links to the recipes I used; I will update with a pdf once I figure that out.  Don't hesitate to let me know how I can improve this (or what your thoughts are). and p.s: I didn't know I could publish spreadsheets through Google Docs! How cool!

How to Cook and Prepare Beans and Lentils

Beans! Beans! Are good for your heart

But the more you eat, the more you...have health smarts!

Beans and lentils are healthy types of protein and contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals - making them something that everyone should eat all the time. Lentils and legumes are quick-cooking and require no soaking, and can often be cooked in as little as 30 minutes. Beans are available dried, canned, and frozen. Frozen and canned beans are all pre-cooked and can be used immediately. Dried beans require soaking and cooking. Once soaked, beans can be cooked on the stove, in a slow cooker or in a pressure cooker.

Lentils and legumes include: red, green, and yellow lentils, split dhals like channa, tuver and masoor dhals, adzuki beans and mung beans.

Dried beans and peas include: black beans, red and white kidney beans, black-eyed peas, pinto beans, navy beans, garbanzo or chickpeas.

How to cook beans, also the soak and cook method:
1 cup of dried beans yields approx. 2 cups of cooked beans, or enough for 4 people.

1. Place 1 cup dried beans in a large bowl and cover with a quart of water. Let soak overnight, or at least 6 hours. 
2. When ready to cook, drain the soaking water and rinse beans with fresh water.  In general, soaking hydrates the beans and makes the complex starches within the beans available. Rinsing soaked beans and draining off the soaking water reduces the raffinose sugars that can cause gas.  Some methods include saving the soaking water due to nutritional content. Save the water or bean broth, once you've cooked the beans - as most of the nutrition is in the bean and some may be found in the bean broth water (after it's been cooked). 
3. In a large stockpot (such as 4 qt stock pot) add rinsed beans and 2-3 quarts of water. 
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover slightly. Cook for 45-60 minutes, testing beans to see if they are soft enough.  
5. Once cooked you can add them into your recipe, or store them, with their broth either in the freezer or fridge. Cooked beans in broth will last up to a week in the fridge; cooked beans without broth will last a few days. 

How to cook lentils:
1 cup of dried lentils will yield approx. 2 cups of cooked lentils, enough to serve at least 4 people.

1. Rinse 1 cup lentils to get rid of any duds or grit, then add lentils to a large stockpot (such as a 4 qt stockpot) with 2 quarts of water. 
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover slightly. Cook 25-30 minutes. 
3. Once cooked you can add them into your recipe, or store them, in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.  Cooked lentils with broth will keep for 1 week in the fridge, and for a few days without broth.

Notes: because lentils take much less time to cook they are ideal additions to soups, because you don't have to add much extra water to cook them.  

Asafoetida powder can be added to the cooking water when cooking beans and lentils and is thought to help make the beans and lentils more digestible (e.g gas reducing).

Bean broth can be used just like vegetable broth in any other dish you are cooking.  I toss in a bay leaf while cooking beans to season the broth and it gives the kitchen a very nice aroma. 

Beating Obesity

The Atlantic magazine's May 2010 issue features a very well written obesity article that I thought to share on here. As a recent graduate of a public health program the statistics and overall rates are not surprising, albeit, difficult to see and when placed in the context of future population growth and medical expenditures, still overwhelms.

It seems to me, that nutrition and physical activity policies are a great place to start. In the article, obesity and healthy weight legislation is often compared to anti-tobacco legislation and policies.  In the US, at least, these policies (along with state and federal regulation) have reduced smoking rates.  It then would seem that policies really are a smart way of targeting the many issues that pop up when discussing overweight and obesity, at least it provides some regulatory power both to states and at the federal level.  Tackling the weight issue is going to be best pursued with healthy weight legislation (which I think sounds better than obesity legislation) and above all is going to have to be based on so many more factors.

For example, their are rigorous debates in shifting the blame towards the individual, and by extension also blames these enablers: big agriculture, food marketing, and the medicalization of treatments for overweight and obesity.  Other issues of course discussed in the article include:  calorie labeling, point of purchase calorie labeling, food deserts, food marketing to young children (and this definition really should be extended to include 0-18 years), school nutrition reform, taxation of junk foods, zoning laws and restrictions, and promoting access to healthy foods in low-income areas, among many others.  Its difficult to link any one of these reasons as being the sole cause of  overweight, and obesity, but there is stronger evidence linking multiple factors as risks in becoming overweight, which the article did a good job of explaining.

I think the outcomes of good policies weren't discussed as well in the article; it provided more the view of "single issue" policies such that taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages will reduce childhood overweight, instead of focusing on nutrition policies and programs currently in place, and that are working towards improving nutritional status among the population and reducing chronic diseases, and overweight and obesity.  Further these "single issue" policies take greater blame, receive more media attention and coverage, and detract away from the issues at hand.  I would like to see policies in place that address multiple issues, but that also work to support the current nutrition programs and policies that are already in place such as but not limited to...WIC the Women, Infants and Children Program, a supplemental food and nutrition program for low-income pregnant women and children up to the age of 5, the Centers for Disease Control's Preventative Health and Health Services Block Grants which provide yearly funding to every state and allows them to target their health issues (!), multiple Federal Food Programs which include the National School Lunch Program, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program among others all working to increase access to healthy foods through public schools and other centers.  These programs are never free from criticism, but they operate on federal and state budgets, and could be improved and supported by additional national and state policies. Overall these would increase momentum in changing the social norms associated with nutrition, health, and weight.

The US is the heaviest country in the industrialized world! The health care debate has certainly brought up health indicators within our population as being worse off than many other industrialized countries, of which many fall in Europe. The article really focused on increasing medical costs (which I think is a key issue in the obesity debate). There is this notion that Europe is more progressive and stricter with it's policies and regulatory powers. However the EU is also disjointed in many ways, having multiple cultures and languages represented in which social norms vary (food culture, access to health, smoking and tobacco use, and exercise). Comparing these indicators to US indicators seems futile, although not without merit, it seems inappropriate to use indicators for weight when comparing populations with very different governmental programs and oversight.

One thing I would like to see more of in the US is the built environment. There is plenty of healthy debate on zoning laws, and removing fast food, and limiting food advertising, but we really need to be thinking of how to rebuild physical activities into daily life. Biking and walking are HUGE forms of physical activity that have been replaced by cars, sprawl, urban decay, and poor mass transit. The overall amount of calories burned (and if those calories are from highly junk processed foods) by 1-2 hours stints in the gym is never going to reverse weight gain. This is the worst uphill battle of our generation.  Without infrastructure that is provided by local, state and federal governments, policies that are put in place to improve nutrition and physical activities are going to stagnate. Which is also another great reason we need these policies in the first place!

Finally, the health care debate. Let's hope there is more universal access to those that really need it - to those that could not afford or maintain coverage, and that it drives preventative medicine further. Part of health care is being able to go to a doctor or health care professional when you need it, and having it be available to you at a clinic or within the community, at a reasonable cost. Escalating costs in chronic disease management exacerbate the problem, and as is, there isn't much available to those that really need it (as the author of the article points out having undergone bariatric surgery). Another factor driving medical costs upwards is going to a doctor or hospital when your symptoms are past the manageable phase and require immediate medical supervision. There needs to be access and support of chronic disease management at all levels of the population. Overweight and obesity are linked to many other metabolic disorders, ones that can be reversed or managed with modest, 5-10%, reductions in body weight. This is a realistic goal, but one that cannot be executed or maintained without medical and nutrition support. As a community health advocate and public health dietitian it is not appropriate to assume that task fall solely to the individual. There are great programs within communities that operate at the local public health department level that need further support, need further funding, need competent health professionals and political advocates that can vouch for their positive contributions in assessing and addressing their population-level health.

Muscle Energy Metabolism

The Department of Health and Human Services 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines recommends the following physical activity guidelines:
Children 6-17 should engage in 1 hour of moderate physical activity on most days of the week, and should perform bone strengthening or muscle strengthening exercises at least 3 days out of the week.
Adults 18-64 years old should engage in 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate activity per week where at least 2 days out of the week activities are muscle strengthening and conditioning. OR adults should get 75 minutes of vigorous activity during the week where at least 2 days out of the week activities are muscle strengthening and conditioning.
Adults older than 65 years old should follow the recommendations (within their physical limits) for adults, and healthy pregnant women can follow the same for adults.

Why does it all matter? Exercise increases the oxidative capacity of muscle and inactivity causes reductions in the oxidative capacity of muscle. This oxidative capacity allows muscles to generate enormous amounts of kinetic energy. Skeletal muscle contributes to lipid and glucose homeostasis, and imbalances in this homeostasis can contribute to dysmetabolic disorders including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemias (increased LDL and VLDL's with reductions in HDL, and overall high trigylcerides). Exercise promotes weight stabilization, weight loss, and weight maintenance, blood glucose control, and calorie imbalance. In addition, exercise increases the capillary density promotiong the oxygen carrying capacity of muscles and can contribute to increasing the VO2 max. Exercises causes muscle fiber hypertrophy, or increases in muscle mass size. Oxidative capacity is increased by increasing the mitochondrial density, increasing TCA cycle enzymes, and increasing beta-oxidation enzymes. Together, these functions make exercise a necessity in maintaining and achieving health.

1. Why does skeletal muscle have a major impact on energy balance and body weight?
Ultimately, muscles perform mechanical energy, and their ability to do this relies on several biochemical processes and physiological functions. Muscles are the major sites of fatty acid oxidation and muscles take up glucose from the body to sustain the energy needed for glycogen synthesis, amino acid repair and muscle triacylglycerol synthesis. When you exercise you burn energy either as glucose or fatty acid oxidation (the substrate depends on the length, duration and type of conditioning) which leads to a caloric imbalance which can be related to body weight. Too little activity results in an imbalance of calories because calories in does not equal calories out. Weight is maintained (through many other mechanisms) but calories in = calories out.

2. How does skeletal muscle contribute to glucose and lipid homeostasis?
Muscle is dynamic tissue in that it performs a series of metabolic processes that has a wide range of effects. Essentially in healthy exercised muscles, glucose and lipids are readily and rapidly taken up into muscle. In unhealthy non-exercised muscles glucose and lipids interfere with cell signaling because so much is getting stored within the muscle, and more wants to get into the muscle. This imbalance can cause insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and other dysmetabolic states.

Glucose enters muscle cells via GLUT 4 receptors. These receptors translocate or move to the surface of the muscle cell and allow entry of glucose into the cell. GLUT 4 receptors mediate the entry of glucose in the cells for physiological function of the muscle cell. This contributes to glucose homeostasis because glucose is readily cleared from circulation and put into "storage." Problems occur when this balance is not achieved.

Skeletal muscle is a major site of fatty acid oxidation so healthy active muscles account for a large clearance of serum lipids including fatty acids, chylomicron, triaclglycerol, and VLDL's. After activity the muscle takes up lipids and uses the energy for glycogen resynthesis, muscle TAG synthesis and protein synthesis. This is caused by an increase in lipoprotein lipase activity. The way muscle contributes to lipid homeostasis is by burning energy, taking up lipids for fuel and refueling essential muscle functions (growth, repair). It also decreases VLDL and LDL, but raises HDL. These major functions contribute to lipid homeostasis.

Too much lipid or fat stored within the muscle as a direct effect of inactivity and calorie imbalance may result in insulin resistance and be on the causal pathway to developing diabetes. Lipids secrete adipokines, which are fat proteins that signal the general health status of the fat cell. Some adipokines such as TNFa are inflammatory markers and the presence of these in tissues where they should not normally be may contribute to abnormal cell signaling. The mechanism of action here is that the GLUT 4 receptor is not able to translocate to the cell surface, because of a defect in the insulin signaling pathway. Peripheral insulin resistance can be linked to skeletal muscle. Activity and exercise can reverse or improve insulin resistance by increasing or returning the oxidative capacity functions.

Muscles play an integral role in lipid and glucose homeostasis and chronic disease development. Exercising promotes the oxidative capacity of muscle tissue. This is directly linked to prevention of many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, exercise promotes weight maintenance and weight loss, improves circulation, promotes healthy blood pressure, strengthens the blood vasculature, promotes bone and skeletal health, and may prevent cancers of the breast and colon.

Fish Oils & Fatty Fish

Happy September! Khavanu is 1 year-old. Yay!

I don't ususally recieve many questions on here about nutritonal benefits of foods, but Seestah sent me a text asking about the benefits of fish oils so I had to re-dig through some nutritional biochemistry notes and this post is about what I found.

(Yes, I have infinetly stupid nicknames)

Seestah's text: Is fish oil good?

Response: Essentially - as part of an overall healthy diet, fatty fish contribute omega 3 oils -which is what is largely found in fish oil supplements. The ratios of Omega 3:6 matter the most. It is also the DHA and EPA that are almost exclusively found in fish oil (as a supplement) or fatty fish (as a food). Omega 3 and 6 are supposed to reduce the risk of blood clots because they reduce vasoconstriction and platelet (plaque) build up. Here's why:

As you eat more fatty fish, you end up getting more omega 3 fatty acids in your cell membranes. Having more omega 3's around causes some competition with omega 6 in the cell membrane, as both arise from Arachidonic acid or arachidonate. Your body can make some omega 3 and 6, but just not enough, as to why they are essential fatty acids. Bear with me. This is important because if you have any amount of inflammation in or near the cell wall, such as lots of fat floating around in your arteries and banging around the walls to create inflammation, cells at the injury site, and those upstream and downstream from the injury site produce prostaglandins and of course a number of other signals.

Prostaglandins essentially inhibit platelet aggregation or platelet build-up. In some ways, omega 3 and 6 mimic prostaglandin activity. Omega 3 is better because it has a greater sum effect in reducing the amount of fibrinogen and other clotting proteins and it is much weaker platelet aggregator. Omega 6 (the kinds found mostly in plant oils, usualy ALA) has a weaker sum effect. What this means is that if you have a lot of omega 3 in the cell wall where you have inflammation on the arterial wall, then you will be less likely to have a clot or plaques form at the damaged site. Too much omega 3 supplementation can actually reduce blood clotting or cause poor blood clotting.

I was perhaps deliberate in not answering her exact question, but I write in terms of our food supply and general state of nutrition in this country. I prefer whole foods consumed in an overall healthful diet. Often, nutritional supplements contain too much of a nutrient, or require large doses as specified on the label. In these cases I will always answer that it's best to decide to take these with the approval of a physician and dietitian. In these cases, they are able to assess prior medical history, diet, current medications that you are already on, and any allergies that you may have.

For the latest and greatest here are some links:

http://www.cspinet.org/new/200710011.html

http://www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/omegas.pdf

http://eatright.org/ada/files/Martek_Fact_Sheet.pdf

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4632

Best SuperFoods

Best Foods:
1. Beans and Lentils - contain fiber, protein, iron, B vitamins such as folate, thiamin, niacin, pyridoxine or B6, and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, zinc, and phosphorous. Convenient to cook using soak and cook method, and readily available in canned and frozen varieties. Stores well dried, and is cheap, economical and healthy. You never have to buy lean varieties as beans and lentils contain no saturated, and trans-fatty acids - cholesterol free too.

2. Sweet Potatoes - contain fiber, Vitamins A and C, minerals like potassium and magnesium. Available year-round here in North Carolina. Perfect baked, steamed, mashed, smashed and cooked. Baked sweet potato fries with Cajun seasoning are delicious.

3. Quinoa - half grain, half legume/seed. Quinoa is remarkable in that it is a complete protein, is high in iron, fiber and B vitamins such as fiber, riboflavin, thiamin and B6, and high in minerals such as manganese, zinc, phosphorous and magnesium. Quick cooking and can be added to anything. New to this grain? Can be used in salads, soups, or served like rice and topped with stir-fried goods.

4. Tomatoes - I'm talking summer-time farmer's market varietals. Rich in antioxidants like lycopene and high in Vitamins A and C. When cooked with iron-containing foods, the Vitamin C helps your body absorb the iron. All those heirloom varieties contain many colors in which numerous other antioxidants and flavanoids lurk. Tomatoes are an all star vegetable..or fruit.

5. Eggs - contain protein, B vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, folate, and b12, biotin, and Vitamins A, D and E. Eggs are forever doomed and shunned due to their high cholesterol content, but most of the nutrition is in the yolk. Yes, I agree, overconsumption of high fat animal foods is bad and will (with genetics, limited physical activity, and low consumption of plant based foods) contribute to heart diseases and poor lipid profiles. But - eggs are highly nutritious and can be consumed along with a healthy diet. You could say that about many foods, but blatant overconsumption, blatant un-cooking and purchasing of prepared and packaged foods, and sedentary - low physical activity, with low consumption of fruits, vegetables, grains and plant proteins is unhealthy. I would say purchase free-range or cage-free eggs but I will instead say, buy from a farmer from a farmer's market that can vouch for the way he/she raises chickens. I'm sorry it had to be said. You probably think I'm a crazy pro-vegetarian anti-meat crusader. I'm not. I do believe in purchasing and consuming meats from growers that can vouch for the animals condition from birth to slaughter. I also think people deserve living wages, health care and access to healthy foods and living environments.

6. Green leafy vegetables - I don't know what I can type here that hasn't already been typed or discussed on other health-nutrition sites and books. So instead I will define green leafy vegetables: salad greens such as leaf lettuces, arugula, mesclun, spinach; larger leafy cooking greens: collards, kale, mustard, spinach, chard, kohlrabi, etc. High in folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, antioxidants, and much more.

7. Frozen fruits & vegetables - you were probably expecting something crazy like wheat germ, or 3-grain tempeh, but alas (!) I surprised you - frozen vegetables get into some of the best foods because first, they have an entire frozen grocery section devoted to them, secondly, they are just as easy to open as a granola bar, candy bar, or bag of chips and finally you can throw them into anything for some added k'pow. They make excellent side dishes, pasta sauce additions, soup additions, roasted veggie goodness additions and everything under the domesticated sun is packaged and frozen for your enjoyment. Frozen fruits and vegetables have moved past peas and corn and now offer varieties such as cubed butternut squash, frozen field peas, stir-fry pepper blends, Asian vegetable blend, haricots verts, mixed berry medley, smoothie tropical mixer, people - the possibilities of amazement are endless. Keep it simple, choose plain frozen fruit and vegetables and avoid the seasoning/sugar packets. You'll save money too. Yes I like the idea of local fruits and vegetables, processed without the use of pesticides and fertilizers, but I also think just consuming more of these things and less of others (check out my Worst Foods) is one start to being healthier and smarter about making cooking choices. If you have to start somewhere, just getting into using and buying frozen veggies is a good first.

8. Oatmeal - I have spent many many classes teaching nutrition and health classes within the community and the one thing I hear more gripes about is the cost of cereal and other breakfast foods. First off, even if you are eating breakfast at home before leaving for work or whatever, that is a good start. Breakfast is one of the top healthy behaviors that is reported from those that have lost weight and kept it off successfully for over a year or more. The National Weight Control Registry has a list of good behaviors that their candidates report to help keep the weight off. Breakfast is a fine choice to make and could be an extremely important choice in the realm of maintaining a healthy weight. Consuming a healthy breakfast is a great start to the day because you don't start the day off, starving. As obvious as that may seem, being starved for 3-4 hours, is distracting and affects intellectual performance, blood sugar regulation and your appetite. As your stomach grumbles, it sends off cues to your brain telling you to eat anything with glucose in your sensory-motor complex. People that tend to skip breakfast compensate for those calories at their next meal by overeating. I tell everyone and anyone within ear shot to eat breakfast. Wait, eat a healthy breakfast. Bulk oatmeal and even the huge canister with the big Quaker on it is a great investment in your breakfast future. Oatmeal is quick-cooking, contains fiber, iron, and no added sweeteners. Just heat and eat. Mix in milk, fruits, and nuts for a complete balanced meal. Best of all oatmeal, per serving, is dirt cheap!

9. Fruits - any and mostly all fruits are good for you. They are low in calories and fat, high in nutrition with lots of fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants. They are readily available, visually appealing, and easy to eat. In addition, they come fresh, frozen, dried and canned.

10. Craft Brews - There are simply too many wonderful craft brews to mention. We are living in a beer revival. Brews feature years and years of meticulous creativity and attention to detail. Brews pair well with foods and they themselves have interesting flavor profiles from hoppy to floral aromas. While there is limited nutritional analysis of craft brews they contain essentially water, barley, hops, and yeast. Some contain spices, herbs, and fruit juices to enhance and bring out flavors, while others are conditioned for varying lengths of time to develop a certain flavor profile. Their overconsumption comes with pulsating headaches, and grogginess. Beer can be added to some foods to heighten flavors (ale bread and baked beans, anyone?) but I believe good solid beers are some of the best beverages in the world.