What does fat and bad cholesterol have in common? Sugar

USA TODAY 4/21, Nancy Hellmich wrote about a recent study that took a close look at the association between added sugars and cholesterol in adults. “Study: Added sugar, not just fat, bad for cholesterol”- immediately catching my attention, this was an interesting read because I am helping someone close to me struggle with their sugar addiction.

The study focused on the added sugar intake and blood fat levels in over 6,100 adults, researchers at Emory University and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention examined table sugar, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey, molasses, brown rice syrup, agave syrup and other caloric sweeteners found in prepared and processed foods. Some of the processed foods examined included soft drinks, ice tea, candy, pastries, cookies and canned fruit, excluding natural sugars in fruit, 100% juice and whole foods. After reading this list of sugars I was delighted as it confirmed that I am on the right track, having reduced our intake of these items.

Based on findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association, participants consumed 21 teaspoons of sugar or more than 320 calories a day. Those with higher intakes of the added sugars usually had lower levels of HLD, the good cholesterol and higher levels of triglycerides (blood fats).

“People have been so focused on fat that we haven’t been focused on sugar. The data shows we can’t let either one or the other get too high” [Nanci Hellmich].

According to the American Heart Association, the average woman should consume a maximum of 100 calories or 6.50 teaspoons of added sugars per day. The consumption for men is a maximum of 150 calories or 9.50 teaspoons of added sugars per day. For many years we’ve been advised to reduce saturated animal fat and cholesterol. High intake of added sugar has been linked to high blood pressure and obesity.

This first time study has provided a wealth of information making me think twice before consuming or serving an over dosage of added sugar.

F.D.A inspects fewer food facilities

While reviewing Food Business News I was startled to learn that in previous years, the FDA has inspected less than a quarter of food facilities and the remaining facilities had not been inspected for five or more years. (Dept. of Health & Human Services) There are no specific guidelines about the frequency of inspections. Although the food facilities increased over the years the inspections have decreased. It appears that the number of food facilities that were given a “high risk” designation was declined.

According to F.D.A officials the decline in inspections has primarily been due to a decline in staffing levels. The inspections classified as “official action indicated” (O.A.I.) has declined in the past four years from 614 in 2004 to 283 in 2008. The F.D.A. is taking regulatory action against about 46% facilities classified as O.A.I and lowered the classification or took no regulatory action against the remaining facilities.

Who’s really minding the store? It seems that not all food facilities are being inspected on a regular basis. The inspector general would like to see increased frequency of inspections of facilities that are considered high-risk, provide extra guidance about lowering O.A.I classifications and taking appropriate actions to ensure violations are corrected. Additionally, recommendations are being made seeking authority to apply civil penalties against facilities that don’t comply with regulations.

Our worst thoughts have come true – the food on our tables may not have been properly inspected for safety.

The Best Calories You Will Ever Consume!

I recently was hired at the Cheesecake Factory and today was my first day—orientation to be exact. As we were going through the papers and booklets, obviously most of the talk is going to be about customer care.

As we all know, it is becoming more of a nationwide thing for restaurants to present nutritional information on their menus. This is definitely something our manager talked to us about.

Our manager mentioned that in just 1 slice of cheesecake, there could be about 1,400 calories in just once slice. Some dishes can have 1,950 calories just in their Sunday brunch. Knowing that most people go to the Cheesecake Factory for cheesecake specifically, think about it for a second. A Sunday brunch and a slice of cheesecake is 1950 calories + 1400 calories = 3,350 calories in just one sitting. That is also excluding any drinks consumed other than water. They also provide every table with bread and butter before beginning their meal.

For older adults, they only need to consume about 1,600 calories per day. Most children, teenage girls, and active woman only need about 2,200 calories per day. If women are breastfeeding or pregnant, they will probably need more calories. 2,800 calories are recommended for teenage boys, men, and extremely active women.

By no means am I saying that there are not healthy alternatives. Most food on the menu do not reach 1,900 calories per serving; however, with the right combination of menu items, you are consuming close to double of your calorie intake in just one sitting—and that’s only brunch!

When asked by one of the students in training what we are supposed to do if someone mentions how many calories are in a specific item, we are told to respond with something positive such as “it may have , but it will be the BEST calories you’ll ever have!” I am not disagreeing with that…I thoroughly enjoy most of the food that I have tried there. However, is that great taste or craving worth all of the calories?

We were also told that if we planned on “eating light” that we should not indulge in a piece of cheesecake. Something off of the appetizer menu would be much better since there are not as many calories. Although I doubt that people are consuming Cheesecake Factory foods on a daily basis, it would be interesting to see a “Super Size Me” version of chain restaurants.

Although I am looking forward to my job, there will always be guilt in knowing how many calories I am consuming when I decide to treat myself with a piece of cheesecake, even if they may be the best calories I will ever consume!

do cheerios really lower cholesterol?

The claims that cereal boxes are making seem to be extremely false. The LA Times state that most cereals claim that it lowers cholesterol, but in reality, it does not affect anything. It takes at least 3 grams of soluble fiber per day to reduce cholesterol. To get that amount from a breakfast cereal, one would generally have to consume 3 cups — that’s three servings — a day. Cheerios only provides 1 gram of fiber, whereas Honey Nut Cheerios provides less than 1 gram of fiber per serving.

Although Cheerios does contain 1 gram of fiber, what else balances out the good with the bad? Sugar. There is also 1 gram of sugar in regular Cheerios. In Honey Nut Cheerios, 9 grams consume the cereal. How healthy does that sound? All of this sugar could lead to other health risks, such as diabetes and weight gain.

A half-cup of oatmeal provides 2 grams of the fiber, an orange provides 1.7 grams, and a serving of black beans provides 2.4 grams. Clearly, one should invest in some other alternatives to lower cholesterol (other than the not so nutritious cereal)!

Adult men need 30 to 38 grams of total fiber per day, while women need 21 to 25 grams, according to the Institute of Medicine. Oatmeal, beans, peas, citrus fruits and strawberries are all good sources of fiber for men and women. In addition to eating more fiber-rich whole grains, fruits and vegetables, consuming foods high in polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids are also extremely beneficial.

If lowering your cholesterol is something that is important, you have to limit dairy, red meat and eggs. These items are loaded with cholesterol and will only hurt you in the long run.

Here are some fun facts about cholesterol:

A review of the evidence on soluble fiber, published in the Journal of Family Practice in 2006, concluded that eating 5 grams to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day was associated with a 10% to 15% reduction in LDL levels — which, the researchers estimated, could lower heart disease risk by 10% to 15%.

Oats were not the most powerful cholesterol-reducers in the studies reviewed; psyllium lowered cholesterol levels about 6% among people who consumed an average of 9 grams for an average of 53 days, and an average of 4.7 grams of pectin consumed for an average of 34 days reduced cholesterol levels roughly 6.5%.

A more recent review, published in the journal Nutrition Reviews last year, looked at both the overall effects of fiber intake and the effects of specific types of soluble fiber on cholesterol levels and heart health. Pooling results from seven large studies that followed a total of 158,000 adults, the researchers found that heart disease prevalence was 29% lower in the group with the highest total dietary fiber intake compared to the lowest. But, of course, this could have been due to the overall healthier lifestyles among those who tend to eat high-fiber diets.

Good Health in a Nutshell

Charlotte Observer – Eleanor Spicer, March 2010 – NC State University researchers are steering toward the idea that peanut skins may possibly have health benefits. Doctoral candidate, Wanida Lewis has found that peanut skins are full of antioxidants and other nutrients. The University’s food science program is looking at peanut skins for anti-aging chemical compounds usually found in grapes and red wine.

The possibilities of this could be good news for nut lovers as scientists hope to show that the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties in peanut skins could someday enable us to maintain our youthfulness. The poisonous compound naturally produced in many plants have been credited in recent animal studies to many attributes, including lowering blood sugar and reducing negative effects of a high-fat diet.

“Resveratrol a compound found especially in red grapes is also found in peanut skins and has been shown to prolong the life span of some animals. Another compound, flavonoids has the same chemical that provides the health benefits of green tea.” Peanuts have always been a favorite snack for my family. We would sometimes roasted peanuts and watched a movie, a similar to the ritual of popping popcorn.

Weather eating them raw, roasted, or boiled most of us view the skins a non-edible part of the nut and most likely throw them away or according to Spicer they are often ground up and used for animal feed. Not to say that everyone is going to start eating peanut skins but “research has shown that peanut skins have these compounds that will decrease the risk of diabetes and heart disease”. “If we can show this in the lab, we can put more peanut skins in products,” said Lewis.

Lately, I have been so overwhelmed with the negative news about the foods we eat and the food production, it was refreshing to hear something positive. Knowing that the skin of a simple peanut obtains what might one day be beneficial to our health, the next time I eat peanuts I just might think twice before brushing off the skins.

Jamie’s Food Revolution 3

The third episode of Food Revolution, starts with good news about the work being done at the elementary school. Unfortunately most of the cooks there are still extremely critical and negative about the new changes started and implemented by Jamie, which is not healthy for the team environment they have to work in, nor for the health of the children that eat there everyday. Change in the school cafeterias of the country needs to happen sooner rather than later. it is our children’s health that is at stake! Of course the schools have to follow State and federal regulations. however those regulations are not promoting good healthy meals for the children, and when we have so many kids that do not have a good dinner at home, it is essential for their development that at least they have a good breakfast and lunch at school. Despite the tense environment in the kitchen, the children are having healthy meals at Huntington elementary at least for now.
This week’s episode featured the same battle in a different school. This time Jamie tried to make a difference at one of the local High Schools, and as soon as he got there he saw more choices on the menu, and a kitchen staff that was very helpful and understanding of his cause. Most kids were not selecting the healthy choices on the menu, and were basically eating the hamburgers and fries every single day. Although they are old enough to make choices, they are not making the most healthy choices for themselves. The menu was a bit more varied, but not much more than the elementary school.
Jamie decided to ask for the students’ help with his cause, and interviewed several of them to see how they could all make a difference as a team. After he selected six students, he took them to his establishment to see if they could cook. They all did well, and so he explained that in a few days they were going to cook a meal for 80 important people. The kids were nervous but motivated to do a great job. And they did! After the people ate, Jamie introduced them the chefs that prepared their meal, and each individual teenager shared their interest in the cause, as well as their request for help from the present. The most touching was a young girl struggling with weight problems so extreme that she was given only 7 more years to live! Can you imagine! This young woman was being robbed from her youth, her present and future. One of the present dignitaries was their Senator, and at the end he was committed to support the change to healthy meals in schools. This episode was very inspiring, and hopefully Jamie’s work continues to make a difference in every state of this country for the sake of all our children.
If you want to help make a difference you can sign the petition on the website at
http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/

My twelve and final blog!

After watching Super Size Me recently on my own accord I realized a few things about America. In the Movie (by the way you might not want to read this if you have not watched the movie yet) he enjoys the wonderful world of McDonalds for every meal, every day, For thirty days. That means nothing but McDonalds for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So not only does that kind of make me want to go a head and get sick before I actually eat the food, but it made think. Honestly a lot of Americans eat more fast food than they think they do. I am sure that on average Americans eat it once a week at least. So back to the movie. Thirty days of nothing but nastiness. But of course they do have some semi-good for you food on their menu but I am guessing there is actually not very much nutrients in those items. The object of the exercise was to see what would happen if he did this. Many doctors warned him not to do this because he could end up having some serious problems later. But of course he took the info and preceded with slight cation. He would only super size his order if he was asked to super size it and would still exercise as much as a normal average American would.

This exercise of eating McDonalds would have been the death of me. No joke I can hardly eat French fries so I am not sure how I would even finish a whole meal.

But with in a week his weight was up. His stomach was in a lot of pain. And generally he felt terrible.

The movie had alot of great and crazy moments for you to enjoy if you have not seen it.

From his experiment he learned quite a bit of information. First, I costs more to eat out everyday. Which is followed by a “duh” kind of statement. Second, His health was actually severely damaged by the amount of McDonalds he took in. Some doctors say he ate more McDonalds then someone should eat in 8 years. And after finishing with the movie and of course after is last McDonalds meal he went straight on to a detox diet in order to get all of the toxins out of his body.

This movie resulted in McDonalds removing the “supersize” option from their menu about two months later and they also started to provide many healthy options.

I think that this movie should be required as a movie shown during Gym class in schools for all ages. McDonalds is targeting the younger generations so in order to stop this craziness we must show these children the effects of McDonalds.

If you have not seen the movie here is a link to watch it for free

Spread the word.

420 minutes per week

Recent research has suggested that in order for women to maintain a normal weight (normal is defined as a body mass index less than 25) over a lifetime, women should work out for 60 minutes a day, 7 days a week. This is for women who do not want to diet but want to avoid gaining excess pounds over the years. On average, most female Americans gain 1.5 lbs. every year between the ages of 25 and 55. That is an average of 45 pounds between the ages of 25 and 55.

“The study was based on surveys of more than 34,000 U.S. women who were, on average, age 54 at the start of it. They reported their physical activity and weight, as well as health factors such as smoking and menopausal status, over 13 years. On average, the women gained 5.7 pounds during the study.”

However, there is much controversy over this recent study. Some experts say that 35 minutes per day, 7 days a week is enough, if not excessive. Others argue that it does not prove that exercising 420 minutes a week prevents weight gain. Dr. Samuel Klein states that it is only a factor in someone’s life—it does not prove that there are not other factors that contribute towards maintaining weight.

As one ages, the metabolism tends to slow down and the digestive process begins to decline in productivity. This is what usually causes weight gain, along with muscles and joints becoming stiffer with every day. Personally, I am not sure I would like to spend more than 420 minutes in a gym every week in order to maintain my weight, let alone actually lose weight.

Even still, this article makes me wonder what people are eating in order to workout for 60 minutes to only maintain weight. I am sure if I consumed as much as my father consumes, I would most certainly need to work out a lot more than what I would do now. Also, if I consumed as much candy and pizza as my little brother, I would probably have to work out a little more than 420 minutes per week. However, I cannot imagine that if one were to eat correctly and consume a reasonable amount of calories, she would have to work out for an hour each day to only maintain her weight.

Clearly, in my opinion, Americans are consuming too much if this much exercise is needed.

A week of meals!

The Challenge 7 days, 21 meals, 14 snacks for 2 people, with only $50 (I hope).

I am going to plan a week of food for my boyfriend and I. I am going to allow for the meals that we generally eat already during the week. Then I plan to go to Harris teeter and see how much it will cost me to buy everything I would need for these meals. I am guessing around $50 but I could be very wrong.

*I am assuming that my household already has salt, pepper, mayo, olive oil, balsamic vinger, and red wine vinegar. The Basics as I would call them.

Sunday- Day 1

Breakfast- ME:StonyfarmYogurt

HIM:Bowl of Cereal

Snack- Both: Banana

Lunch- Both: Egg salad Sandwich and applesauce (using 4 eggs)

Snack- Me: Cheese

Him: Boiled egg

Dinner- Chicken and Dumplings (Plan on Cooking whole chicken but only using half the meat for dinner tonight)

Monday- Day 2

Breakfast- ME:StonyfarmYogurt

HIM:Bowl of Cereal

Snack- Both: Banana

Lunch- Both: Tuna Salad Sandwich (will have some Tuna Left over) and Orange

Snack- Both: Yogurt

Dinner- Both: Salad

Tuesday- Day 3

Breakfast- ME:StonyfarmYogurt

HIM:Bowl of Cereal

Snack- Both: Banana

Lunch- Both: Chicken Sandwich and Orange

Snack- Me: Cheese

Him: Boiled Egg

Dinner- Both: Tomato soup and Cheese toast

Wednessday- Day 4

Breakfast- ME:StonyfarmYogurt

HIM:Bowl of Cereal

Snack- Both: Banana

Lunch- Both: Left over Tuna Salad Sandwich and applesauce

Snack- Both: Orange

Dinner- Both: Chicken, Rice, beans, and corn (Have leftovers)

Thursday- Day 5

Breakfast- ME:StonyfarmYogurt

HIM:Bowl of Cereal

Snack- Both: Banana

Lunch- Both: Pasta with Pergo Tomato Sauce (Have left overs)

Snack- Me: Fig Newtons

Him: Boiled Egg

Dinner: Both: Salad

Friday- Day 6

Breakfast- ME:StonyfarmYogurt

HIM:Bowl of Cereal

Snack- Both: Banana

Lunch- Both: Left over Chicken, Rice, beans, and corn

Snack- Both: Cheese

Dinner- Both: Left over Pasta with Pergo Tomato Sauce

Saturday- Day 7

Breakfast- ME:StonyfarmYogurt

HIM:Bowl of Cereal

Snack- Both: Banana

Lunch- Both: Egg Salad Sandwich and applesauce

Snack- Me: Cheese

Him: Boiled Egg

Dinner- Both: Frozen Pizza and PBR!

-Grocery List-

$3.99	6 pack PBR
$3.95	Stonyfield farm Yogurt 32 oz **
$4.45	FiberOne Cereal **
$2.99	Gallon of MILK **
$4.83	Banana x 14
$3.69 ($2.50 Vic card)	Bread
$1.89	Dozen eggs
$6.45 ($4.95 Vic card)	Whole chicken
$1.99	Bisquit Mix **
$1.79	Large Can of tuna
$3.99	Salad
$.50	2 x Carrots
$.43 ($.37 Vic card)	Tomato
$.50	Baby Cucumber
$2.15 ($1.85 Vic card)	Apple sauce **
$8.99 ($7.99 Vic card)	Box of Oranges **
$.85	Tomato Soup
$1.57	American Cheese **
$1.99	Wild Rice
$1.00	Black Beans
$1.25	Corn
$1.50	Pasta **
$2.35	Tomato Sauce
$1.67	Frozen Pizza

Total spent: $ 60.71

So I wasn’t perfect.but allowing for the food that we did not finish I could use toward next weeks food (** indicates food not finished over week). SO considering I eat the same things every week I can save some money next weeks by eating all the food I have leftover. Plus the PBR Beer was a little bit of a splurge at the end that I would not buy if I really only had $50! So that is one week of food for two people, equaling 42 meals, and even 28 snacks! I would say that it is even rather healthy. A lot of fruit, balance of meat and dairy, not to much bread, and nothing contains high fructose corn syrup!

When Obesity is finding its Way into Your Home

Recently I realized that a family member was slowly but surely approaching what could very well be obesity. I’d begun to watch their actions and reactions toward food and was amazed at what I say. Besides poor eating habits they are sedentary and prefer eating over exercise. Their eating habits were lots of snacking on whatever is available but first choices would be anything other than fruits and veggies.

Their choices are somewhat limited since they don’t do the food shopping. Me being the primary caregiver I try to shop wisely and I’m very conscious of what looks like a serious issue that could potentially fall into the category of obesity. With this in mind food choice are made very carefully looking for less sugar, salt, and fat content. However, there are times when a few junk food items find their way into the shopping cart. The junk food is thought to serve as a periodic treat and to be enjoyed in moderation but they would almost always eat their favorite in its entirety in a short amount of time.

I have in the past stopped purchasing certain things altogether and it does work for a while but when it convenient or we’re pressed for time we slip into the bad eating habits of eating whatever is available. This might last off and on for a few weeks and then we try to get back on track. I continue to encourage exercise and carefully watching what they eat but they don’t quite get it because they’re only concern is that they’re hungry and want to eat.

This week I had an eye opening experience and I realized that signs of obesity were staring me in my face, finding its way into my home. What a scary feeling to know that you have to help someone you love find a way to see themselves differently and prepare for a journey of toward a new lifestyle.