DASH Diet Takes Center Stage

The diet that has been traditionally prescribed by clinical nutritionists for decades to control hypertension, has just been deemed the "best" diet for weight loss by the medical community. It's actually a diet that would benefit most Americans as part of a lifelong wellness program.
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is a reduced sodium, low-fat plan high in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains that has proven to reduce blood pressure. In many cases, a sodium restriction alone is not the end-all solution, since not all hypertension is sodium sensitive. That's not to say that most Americans get way more salt than they need, and we could all benefit from consuming less of it.
The diet rankings were based on reviews of 32 diets by a panel of experts in diet, nutrition, diabetes, weight loss, and heart health. The experts like its overall nutrition, safety, and ability to control or prevent diabetes and help heart health.The experts rated the diets for short-term and long-term weight loss, how easy they are to follow, and safety and nutrition. The report wins approval from Connie Diekman, RD, director of university nutrition for Washington University in St. Louis.
For a more comprehensive DASH diet plan, visit the Department of Health and Human Services link; DASH
~ U.S. News & World Report.

Exercise Truth

We know exercise is good for us, but there are too many rumors and misconceptions about how much, what kind, and so on. Here are some facts based on the latest evidence.
A study from Duke University School of Medicine shows that you can lose just as much weight by walking as you would running. What matters is the amount of calories you burn, not how much you sweat. Use a fitness tracker to monitor the miles and calories, instead of guessing.
Sitting for long periods of time is bad for us. Fewer muscle contractions means less insulin is produced, so fats and sugars take longer to get cleared from the blood. Stand up and move every 30 minutes.Taking a break from sitting can be as simple as walking to the water cooler for a drink, not going out and running. Do your exercise, and also think of your activity throughout the day. If you exercise, it's not okay to sit for the rest of the day.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that adults get at least 2.5 hours a day of moderate intensity aerobic activity or 1.25 hours of vigorous intensity aerobic activity each week.
Moderate intensity means you are working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat.
    Example:  Walking fast (3 mph)
                    Riding a bike on level ground or terrain with few hills.
                    Playing doubles tennis
                    Pushing a lawn mower
                    Ballroom dancing
Vigorous intensity means you are breathing hard and fast, and your heart is beating rapidly. You are unable to carry on a conversation.
    Example:  Jogging or running
                    Riding a bike fast or on hills
                    Swimming laps
                    Playing singles tennis
                    Playing basketball
Is more exercise better? The CDC claims that 5 hours of moderate exercise or 2.5 hours of vigorous exercise every week have an even lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, breast & colon cancers, and are less likely to gain weight. Adding strength training to your routine 2-3 days per week is also beneficial.
* For free videos on how to strengthen your muscles, go to cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/videos
~Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., 2013
~CDC, 2014

Savoy Cabbage

There is a new kid in the cabbage patch...That funny looking cabbage with the crinkly leaves appears as an elderly uncle to your ordinary green cabbage. Savoy may be ugly, but it has it's advantages. It is much milder and sweeter tasting, with no strong, sulfury odor when cooking. It's less dense than ordinary cabbage, so it is easier to cut and cooks faster. The leaves are tender enough for salads, so they don't have to be shredded to be edible raw. Savoy is in season during the fall and winter months, but is usually found in grocery stores year-round. It's as vitamin-packed as any variety. A half cup serving yields 21% the daily vit. C, 13% of vit. A, 8% folate, and for less than 20 calories. As with all cruciferous vegetables, it contains natural chemicals that aid in the production and maintenance of the skin's collagen.
Use it in your favorite recipes, or try stir frying sliced leaves in canola oil with garlic, ginger, and scallions. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil & reduced sodium soy sauce.

Resveratrol Falls Short of Expectations

Resveratrol is the antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine, and berries that has been touted as an anti-aging miracle. It's antioxidant properties reduce inflammation, which in turn, should help reduce the risk of heart disease, some cancers, type II diabetes, and reduce cell damage that also leads to Alzheimer's and other age-related diseases. Because there have been very few studies conducted on resveratrol in humans, doctors still can't confirm any benefits, and they don't know what effects the supplements may have on people over the long term. Research in Scandinavia  tested the supplement on healthy sedentary men over age 60 who participated in an 8 week high intensity training program. They were compared to a similar group of men who were given a placebo. By the end of the training period, the men taking the placebo had better oxygen capacity than those taking the resveratrol. Blood pressure, triglycerides, LDL & HDL cholesterols improved in the placebo group only. This study suggests that the antioxidant may blunt the benefits of exercise.
There seems to be no reason to take the supplement. The participants in the study took 250mg/ day. You would need to drink 113 bottles of merlot to get that much, so go ahead and have that glass of wine with dinner.
~ J. Physiol, 2013

Peanut Butter Patrol

The lunchbox classic has gone gourmet. Hello Honey Pretzel, Vanilla Espresso, Mocha Cappuccino, and so on...and then some with nuts other than peanuts. Here's what to try, and not to.
ALA is not a bonus. The evidence that the omega-3 fat in  flax seed and other vegetable oils protects the heart are quite weak. Omega's found in seafood (EPA & DHA) are proving to be more beneficial.
Trans fat has been eliminated from nearly all of them. Some contain hydrogenated oils, which do not contain trans fat. Avoid the partially hydrogenated oils, as they are the ones that contain the trans fat.
Natural can sometimes mean there are no hydrogenated oils...only to substitute with palm oil, which adds saturated fat. It can also mean there are no added oil or emulsifiers to keep the oils from separating.
Salt Most peanut butters taste just fine without added salt, but even for those with salt added, it is not an unreasonable amount. Two tablespoons of peanut butter contain approx. 70 - 200 mg. "Low sodium" varieties contain about 60 - 100mg. Check the Nutrition Facts label on individual brands.
Sugar Name brands usually add 1-2 grams  to the 1-2 grams that occur naturally in the peanuts. Not a lot. Avoid the added corn syrup or dreaded high fructose corn syrup, which of course is just sugar in a different form. "Artisan" varieties can contain as much as 9 added grams of sugar per serving. Some contain enough sugar to displace a gram or two of protein. The butters containing fruit may sound healthier, but most have more sugar than fruit, if any real fruit at all. If you like fruit with your peanut butter, add your own!
Light Two flat tablespoons of regular peanut butter contain 200 calories with only 7-8 grams of protein, about 50 more calories than 2 oz. of turkey or ham. It's hard to reduce the calories with out losing nutrition. Here's how some make the attempt: Powdered Is made with dry roasted peanuts that you add water to. The calories are reduced to just 50 per serving, while maintaining the protein. Whipped PB contains about 150 calories per serving by adding air, which also reduces the protein to about 5-6 grams. Reduced Fat does not always mean less calories. Some varieties replace the fat with corn syrup solids - sugar instead of nuts - no savings there! Also avoid ingredients that dilute peanuts with defatted peanut flour. It only reduces the protein to less than 4g per serving.
Peanut butter is rich in unsaturated fat (cholesterol lowering), vit E, magnesium, copper, fiber, and zinc. Other nuts, seeds and soy can offer less saturated fats and more nutrients.
Almond butter contains more vit E, magnesium, iron, and copper than PB, and less sat. fat, and is rich in calcium. Just be prepared to pay at least twice as much.
Cashew butters are rich in magnesium, iron, and copper, but less vit E and protein than PB, and less cholesterol lowering polyunsaturated fat. Cashews are also higher in saturated fats...too much to balance out the fat ratio to be considered "heart healthy."
Soy butter doesn't taste like PB, and has the same amount of calories. It works for some folks who can't eat peanuts.
Sunflower is lower in saturated fat and higher in nutrition; great for those who can't eat nuts. Beware of brands made in the same factory as peanut butter if you are allergic to nuts.
 Chocolate-nut spreads sound healthy, but they are not. Most contain more added sugar and palm oil than nuts, with less than 2g protein and 4% of the day's calcium requirement. The high saturated fat is not balanced by the amount of unsaturated fat.

CSPI, 2013