Added Sugars: Not So Sweet to Our Health

It can be really challenging and confusing when trying to reduce sugar in your diet since most food labels don't distinguish between naturally occurring and added sugars.

Naturally occurring sugars are those found naturally in foods such as fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose).

Added sugars are those sugars or caloric sweeteners that are added to foods or beverages during processing or preparation (such as putting sugar in your coffee or adding sugar to your cereal). Added sugars can include natural sugars such as white sugar, brown sugar and honey as well as other caloric sweeteners that are chemically manufactured (such as high fructose corn syrup). The major sources of added sugars are the usual culprits of candy, cakes, pies, cookies, and regular soft drinks.

You really have to be a bit of a food label detective to try to figure out if there is added sugar in a product since food manufacturers aren't require to list how much sugar is added versus naturally in the product. Keep in mind that any food that has fruit or milk in it will contain some natural sugars.

One trick is to look at the list of ingredients which are listed in descending order according to weight. For example, if sugar is listed as the second ingredient on a box of cereal, you might want to rethink your choice.

It can also be tricky since manufacturers use different names for sugar. Here are a few of the names for added sugar that show up on food labels

Agave nectar
Brown rice syrup
Brown sugar
Cane crystals
Cane sugar
Corn sweetener
Corn syrup
Crystalline fructose
Dextrose
Evaporated cane juice
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrates
Glucose
High-fructose corn syrup
Honey
Invert sugar
Lactose
Maltose
Malt syrup
Molasses
Raw sugar
Sucrose
Sugar
Syrup


The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 100 calories per day (about 6 teaspoons or 24 grams of sugar) and men consume no more than 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons or 36 grams of sugar).

Here are some tips from the American Heart Association for reducing sugar in your diet:

• Take sugar (white and brown), syrup, honey and molasses off the table — out of sight, out of mind!
• Cut back on the amount of sugar added to things you eat or drink regularly like cereal, pancakes, coffee or tea. Try cutting the usual amount of sugar you add by half and wean down from there, or consider using an artificial sweetener.
• Buy sugar-free or low-calorie beverages.
• Buy fresh fruits or fruits canned in water or natural juice. Avoid fruit canned in syrup, especially heavy syrup.
• Instead of adding sugar to cereal or oatmeal, add fresh fruit (try bananas, cherries or strawberries) or dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or apricots).
• When baking cookies, brownies or cakes, cut the sugar called for in your recipe by one-third to one-half. Often you won’t notice the difference.
• Instead of adding sugar in recipes, use extracts such as almond, vanilla, orange or lemon.
• Enhance foods with spices instead of sugar; try ginger, allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg.
• Substitute unsweetened applesauce for sugar in recipes (use equal amounts).
• Try non-nutritive sweeteners such as stevia or sucralose - but in moderation.

Bad Pairings: When Food and Pills Clash

Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. - Hippocrates

While the Greek physician Hippocrates had it right, that food should be our medicine, there are potential problems that can arise when pairing certain food and drugs together. If you are taking medication, it's important to be aware of the potential clash between food and pills to prevent unwanted side effects.

Food can interact with drugs and alter their absorption rate in the body. This interaction can either decrease or enhance the body's utilization of a drug so that a person receives either too small or large a dose.

For example, many drugs, such as cholesterol-lowering statins, interact with grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Several components in this fruit inhibit the family of enzymes in the intestinal wall (cytochrome P450) from breaking down the drug. Therefore you end up with a higher dose of the drug circulating in your bloodsteam which could potentially be toxic.

Another example of how foods can interfere with the absorption of drugs is the interaction between the antibiotic tetracycline and the minerals calcium and iron. When the antibiotic is taken with either of these minerals, they bind to each other reducing their absorption. Therefore people are advised not to take this antibiotic with dairy products or to take it separately from iron supplements.

Another example is an interaction between hypertension (high blood pressure) medications such as beta-blockers and natural licorice candy. Glycyrrhiza root, used in natural licorice candies, can increase blood pressure.

Here's an interesting article from The Wall Street Journal highlighting some more food and drug interactions.

Always check with your doctor or health care professional regarding diet and medications so you can be sure that the food choices you're making are supporting your health goals and not hampering them.

Product Highlight: New Calorie-Free Drink

I'm a health food product junkie so I'm always excited when I find something new.

I've recently discovered an interesting new calorie-free and sugar-free drink - Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Ginger Spice.

I was very curious what this would taste like since its only ingredients are pure distilled water, Bragg organic apple cider vinegar, organic ginger, & stevia extract. I took a sip, expecting it to have a strong vinegar flavor but instead was greeted by a drink that tastes like a healthy lemonade drink, thanks to the addition of the natural sweetener Stevia.

Let's take a brief look at some of the health benefits of its ingredients:

• Apple Cider Vinegar - a 2004 study in Diabetes Care indicates it may have some impact on improving insulin sensitivity and help control blood sugar.
• Ginger - well-known to help soothe upset stomachs and nausea. May also help digestion by stimulating saliva.
• Stevia - South American herb that has been used as a sweetener by the Guarani Indians of Paraguay for hundreds of years. Zero calorie sweetener since the body does not metabolize it.

I found this drink at Whole Foods. Try it and let me know what you think.

My Weight Loss Secret That Doesn't Involve Food

Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. - Henry Ford

I wanted to share with you one of the key secrets to successful weight loss - a secret that has nothing to do with what you put in your mouth. It's all about what's in your head that makes a big impact. I'm talking about your mindset.

If you've ever struggled to lose weight, it can be very discouraging at times, especially when you feel like you're working so hard and still not getting the results you want. It is often during these challenging times when we let self-doubt and negative thinking take over. Instead of focusing on all the positive changes you've made, you may find yourself thinking that no matter what you do, your effort to be healthy & lose weight will not work.

So here's the secret:

If you are convinced (whether consciously or subconsciously) that your body is not capable of changing, you will probably not succeed. You will start looking for reasons and excuses why weight loss can't happen. Instead of looking for solutions, you put up roadblocks on why you can't possibly make changes. Self-sabotage often runs rampant. Every slip-up becomes magnified in your mind and may become an excuse to quit.

The mind is one of the most powerful tools we have in losing weight. In order to be successful, we have to believe that we have the power to change our lives. I'm not saying that it's easy. If it was, everyone would be walking around looking like a supermodel. My most successful clients are the ones that take ownership of their body and the process of getting healthy.

Change is a process that occurs one step at a time. Real, lasting change needs to occur from the inside out. I believe you have the power. Do you?

Safe Seafood Calculator

I found this cool tool on the Internet and I wanted to share it with you.

Earlier this week I blogged about the problem of protein drinks and powders contaminated with heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium. While real food is always a good option, there still are concerns about contamination, such as mercury in fish.

Now you can choose your fish more confidently with the help of the seafood calculator at HowMuchFish.com.

This calculator, the only one of its kind on the Internet, can help you determine how many omega-3 fatty acids you're eating and how much fish you need to eat to reach the FDA’s Reference Daily Intake of nutrients such as protein, Vitamin B12, potassium, selenium, and, in some seafood varieties, iron. It can also tell you how much fish is safe to consume based on the Environmental Protection Agency's “Benchmark Dose Lower Limit” for mercury content.

Just plug in your weight, how much fish you eat in a single serving, and your fish of choice. Besides telling you how many nutrients you get in a serving, it also informs you of how much of that type of fish you would have to eat in a week before a hypothetical health risk from mercury would kick in.
Now you can eat fish confidently and reap the health benefits. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Are Your Protein Drinks Toxic?

Are you a fan of protein powder and ready-to-drink protein shakes? Well it may be time to rethink your drink if you're having several servings a day.

An article in the July 2010 issue of Consumer Reports Magazine details the results of an investigation they conducted into these "hope in a can" protein drinks. They tested 15 protein drinks at an outside laboratory and the results were not only surprising but very concerning. All drinks in the test had at least one sample containing one or more of the following heavy metals: arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. These contaminants are worrisome since they can cause severe organ damage.

Out of the 15 products they tested, three of the products exceeded the safe consumption limit for the heavy metals of arsenic, cadmium or lead when consuming three servings a day.

The 3 products are EAS Myoplex Rich Dark Chocolate Ready-to-Drink Shake, Muscle Milk Chocolate Protein Powder and Muscle Milk Vanilla Creme Protein Powder.

What many people don't realize is that dietary supplements are not regulated like food or drugs, where what it says on the bottle must be in the bottle. Thanks to the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA) passed by Congress in 1994, nutritional supplements that don't claim to diagnose, prevent, or cure disease are not subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration. Supplements aren't required to be tested before they're sold to make sure they're safe, effective, and free of contaminants. Many supplements have been found not to contain any of the ingredients listed on the label and vice versa. As an example in a recent report, popular weight loss Brazilian diet pills marketed on the Internet were found to contain an addictive and dangerous mix of amphetamines, tranquilizers and antidepressants.

What's a consumer to do?

The best way to achieve peak performance is with a sound training program and good nutrition and hydration. Supplements are just that - supplements and are not a replacement for a solid nutrition foundation based on real food. I recommend rethinking you dietary choices if you're consistently relying on protein powder to meet most of your protein and/or energy needs.

While protein powders are convenient, most people get plenty of protein from lean meats, fish, low fat dairy products, beans, nuts, and whole grains. Consuming more protein than the body requires causes the body to burn protein as energy or store it as fat. Excessive protein intake is hard on the kidneys since when it's broken down it produces the waste product urea. This can lead to increased urination and dehydration. High protein intakes cause a high acid load on the body which results in calcium being excreted from the bones.

In terms of supplements, when in doubt, don't take it. And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Once again, real food comes out the champion.

Electrolytes 101

Now that summer is officially here, many questions come up regarding electrolyte replacement from my clients who exercise outside in the heat.

Here is an excerpt from an article by sports nutrition guru Nancy Clark that addresses many of the questions I get on this subject.

What are electrolytes?

Electrolytes are electrically charged particles that help the body function normally. Some of the more familiar electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Calcium and magnesium help muscles contract and relax. Sodium and potassium help water stay in the right balance inside and outside of cells. Sodium is the electrolyte lost in the highest concentration in sweat.

Do active people need extra electrolytes?

If you are a fitness exerciser, you are unlikely to need extra electrolytes to replace those lost in sweat. If you exercise hard for more than four hours in the heat (such as triathletes, marathoners and even tennis players), you may benefit from replacing sodium losses, particularly if you sweat a lot or have been consuming only plain water or even a standard sports drink. In that case, salty recovery snacks could be a smart choice—particularly if you are prone to muscle cramps.

Potassium deficiency is unlikely to occur in athletes because the body contains much more potassium than even a marathoner might lose during a hot, sweaty race. Never the less, you can rule out this issue by enjoying potassium-rich fruits and vegetables (oranges, bananas, raisins, potato) and dairy (milk, yogurt). You can easily replace the 200 to 600 milligrams potassium you might lose in an hour of hard training by snacking on a medium to large banana (450-600 mg potassium).

To consume the electrolyte calcium, plan to include calcium-rich foods each day, such as (soy) milk+cereal, yogurt, a (decaf) latte.

For magnesium, as often as possible, enjoy a pile of magnesium-rich green leafy vegetables, as well as whole grains, nuts, peanut butter, dried beans and lentils.

Who needs to worry about replacing sodium?

Not many people! When you exercise, you lose some sodium via sweat, but you are unlikely to deplete your body’s stores under ordinary conditions. Problems arise when people overhydrate during exercise with too much plain water or standard sports drink. The very small amount of sodium in a sports drink is added to enhance fluid retention, not to replace sodium losses

The concentration of sodium in your blood actually increases during exercise because you lose proportionately more water than sodium. Hence, your first need is to replace the fluid. You can easily replace the 800 mg sodium lost in two pounds of sweat during a hard hour-long workout by enjoying a recovery snack of chocolate milk and a bagel with peanut butter.

Keep in mind, most health organizations recommend we reduce our sodium intake because the typical diet contains too much sodium for the typical person who is unfit, overfat and at risk for high blood pressure and stroke.

I am training for an Ironman triathlon. Should I consume extra sodium?

After extended sweaty exercise, you should plan to replace sodium if—

1) you are craving salt, and
2) you are covered with a layer of salt on your skin.

Many tired athletes report the salt helps revive them so they feel better. Plus, it helps with rehydration because it holds water in your body. You can also consume salty foods, such as chicken broth or ramen noodles before extended sweaty exercise, so the sodium will be in your system, helping to retain fluid and maintain hydration.

Experiment with consuming pre-exercise sodium during training. Some athletes complain of intestinal upset or heaviness. You are an experiment of one!

Assuming the longer and harder you exercise, the hungrier you'll get and the more sodium-containing foods and fluids you'll eat—and easily consume more than enough electrolytes during and after the workout. Standard snacks (yogurt, bagels) and meals (pizza, pasta) have more sodium than you may realize. Nibbling on olives, pickles, crackers & cheese can easily replace sodium losses. As for potassium, chugging 16-ounces of chocolate milk for a recovery drink more than replaces the potassium a marathoner might lose.

Need a customized plan to meet your electrolyte needs? Contact me for an appointment today.