Wednesday Words: Phytonutrients and Phytochemicals

Happy Hump Day! Halfway through the week, and hopefully going strong!

Today is a set of definitions. Perhaps you are familiar with these terms, or have at least heard them. Phytochemcials and Phytonutrients have been popular health buzz words in the past, and I think they have been seen as just some abstract term that comes across simply as “something healthy.” If you food is “rich in phytonutrients!” or “has healthy phytochemicals!” you think “oh, great! That must be some good stuff!” And it is! ...But what are they?

Phytochemical and Phytonutrient are actually interchangeable - so I guess really, today's Wednesday Words is more "Wednesday Word." :)

"Phyto-" comes from the Greek word for “plant.” So then, these words are simply broad terms referring to a multitude of nutrients and chemicals that come from plants! And, I know, I know – I keep pushing fruits and veggies… but don’t forget that other good plant sources include legumes, nuts, whole grains, and even tea!

Phytonutrients include a huge amount of chemicals that we’re only beginning to discover. In fact, in one little orange, there may be over 170 different types of phytonutrients!

Some of the known phytonutrient compounds can include allicin, carotenoids, chlorophyll and chlorophyllin, curcumin, flavonoids, indoles, isoflavones, isothiocyanates, phenolics, phytosterols, and resveratrol! Whew! Those are just some of the many different types of phytonutrients!

And, as I touched on in an earlier post about ‘Drinking a Rainbow,’ different phytonutrients correspond with different health benefits. An American Dietetic Association group I belong to - Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine (DIFM) - sent out their quarterly newsletter with a large article on the different colors and how Americans are doing with regards to getting enough.

In short, for the most part, most Americans are not getting enough plant foods at all! And that's looking at the small current recommendation of 5 servings per day. The USDA is considering increasing to 10 per day because of how integral produce is to a healthy life!

The article is phenomenal, and maybe I can give a summary review of it soon! But those definitions are all for today!

Blend your way to a phytonutrient goldmine with a green smoothie! ;-)

~Katie

Wednesday Words: Whole Grains 201 - Sprouting!

Hello, class! Welcom back to your finally Whole Grains class! (For now... who knows when more fun information will pop up!) I know you've been rivited waiting for this! :-P

Pop quiz:

1. What are the three edible parts of a grain?

2. What are the two power-packed parts that are usually reduced or removed when processing for refined, white flour products?

3. What should the first ingredient be when choosing a Whole Grain? What should it NOT be?

4. What types of oats should you avoid due to sugars and other additives?

5. You're not actually planning to write out answers to these, are you?

I hope maybe you can recall at least a few of those answers! But if not...

1) bran, germ, endosperm
2) brand, germ
3) "whole" ___ (wheat flour, oat flour, etc) not "Refined" or "enriched"
4) flavored instant oats! (Oat groats are the least processed, followed by steal-cut, then you get into your rolled oats and quick-cookers. These are all healthy!)
5) probably not ;-)

So on to sprouting!

Sprouting seeds and grains for nutrition is a concept I only came across in the last year or so, when I was studying different type of diets. Raw foodists will not cook food, so when it comes to grains, they will often soak them to the point that the little germ begins to grow a tail! It sprouts! (Remember, the germ is the baby seed within the kernel that can grow another plant!) The theory is that is has all this awesome nutritional power locked in that seed - after all, it has to grown another plant! (Though usually, you grown your seed in nutrient-rich soil, so, sometimes foodies grow their sprouts in little trays of soil - but that's more intensive.)

Remember the ol' school days when you took a sunflower seed, laid it on a damp papertowel, then pressed it against a clear cup so you could see it? Eventually, it began to sprout and grow a sunflower! It's the same concept - using water to begin the growth process of the plant, since the seed has growth-inhibitors on it allowing it to remain dormant until it is time to stretch and grow! However, in sprouting, instead of letting the seed fully grow into a new plant, once the tail has grown a bit (anywhere from a few centimeters to a few inches) people will eat them! They may be added to salads, sandwiches, wraps, smoothies...

Now, since at first I had only seen raw foodists promoting sprouting (and sometimes over promoting as some magical cure-all...) I was skeptical. I have bought broccoli sprouts from the store now and then just for variety on my salads. But I finally found a site that convinced me to give it a more serious look. The Whole Grain Counsel has a page on sprouting, and the science and research behind it. Nice! Of course, there are also some studies saying there is no benefit... who do you believe? The jury is still out, sadly. But, hey, maybe give it a try yourself and just see what you think!

You can sprout your own grains, but for now, I just wanted to share about products made from sprouted grains. (I know, I know - I usually say to try to limit processed foods - but unless you want me to get into the details of the sprout-it-yourself process, this is a more convenient option for now!)

The fisrt brand I heard of was Ezekiel Breads, and also Genesis Breads - and they fanned out beyond just breads into tortillas, English muffins, ground flours, and other grain products! (I am not specifically endoring those brands above others - they are just the two I have seen in my store. Look around! Experiment! Try something new!) They are usually stored in the freezer section of stores, and do tend to cost more. I go through them slowly, so I don't mind it now and then as a treat! I also like them for the flavor - they get some good hearty flavors iwth pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and other wonderful nutty additions!

So, the Whole Grains Counsel has a page on sprouted products, and here are some key points form it:

-some people find these products easier to digest since the enzymes have helped begin the process of breaking down the large-chain carbohydrate molecules

-increase the amount and bio-availability (ease for your body to use) some vitamins

-increases many of the grains' key nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and essential amino acids often lacking in grains, such as lysine

-may also be less allergenic to those with grain protein sensitivities

-sprouted brown rice fights diabetes, reduces cardiovascular risk

-sprouted buckwheat protects against fatty liver disease.

-sprouted barley decreases blood pressure

So hopefully research will continue in this area, but the outlook is promising! I have actually been soaking some wild rice for the last few days, and hope to try a new recipe with that tonight! I'll keep ya posted on that!

Allrighty then! That's it for whole grains! There's the bell; time for lunch; class dismissed!

~Katie

Whole Grains 103 - Oats

Hello, hello, and welcome back, my dear students! Welcome to the last of three posts on Whole Grains! Unless, of course, you count the post on sprouted grains... but that's more a bonus material post! Sorry for the delay (I'm sure you were all just so rivetted to your chairs about this...)

So, did you do your homework and check that you're getting the true whole grain breads??

Today we'll look at oats - they, too, are a type of whole grain! So, without further ado, here are the different forms of oats, and what it means:

Oat Bran: like discussed before, this would be the bran - or outter layer - of the oat kernel. This is sometimes removed for certain forms of oats; but often left in tact for rolled and steel cut oats.

Oat Flour: finley ground oats, often mixed with standard wheat flour, used for baking.

Oat Groats: the least processed form of oats - the kernel is left in tact. This makes it a tougher texture; you may want to soak groats before using in order to soften.

Steel-Cut Oats: Oat groats that have been run through blades (of steel, of course) to make them more thinly sliced.

Old-Fashioned/Rolled Oats: groats that have been steamed and then flattened with a roller.

Quick-Cooking Oats: groats that have not only been steamed and flattened, but also cut into smaller pieces for quicker cooking.

Instant Oatmeal: Groats that have been cut, steamed, and rolled, and often slightly pre-cooked.

So there you have it! The various types of oat forms! While the nutrient value of each probably is similar, there's just always a draw for me towards the least-processed form available. But all forms (except perhaps instant if they have extra sugars and colorings and funky dinosaur eggs added) will be rich in cholesterol-lowering fibers! So go dive in to a whole-grain-goodness bowl of oatmeal some time!

~Katie

Wednesday Words: Whole Grains 102

Welcome back, class, to Whole Grains 102! We will be continuing that exciting topic of making sure you’re getting what you want regarding whole grains! (And I’m really hoping that you WANT those whole grains, and opposed to refined “glorified sugar” versions on foods!)

I want to start off with the simple way to make sure that you ARE getting a good product – and then I’ll touch on the tricky ways companies market around it.

First, and easiest – with rice, you want brown rice. Simple! It’s brown because of that outer bran layer. The white rice has had that removed, and so reveals its naked white self. Scandalous! Put your bran on, little rice! You’re better that way!

Oats I will get in to next time.

For other items like pasta, tortillas, breads, and buns, the simple way to make sure your product is a whole grain is to check the ingredient list. The first product listed should include the word “whole.” “Whole grain flour,” “whole wheat flour,” “whole oat,” etc. Makes sense, doesn't it? You want Whole Grains, make sure it says is HAS Whole Grains!

The second thing to check is the fiber content. Look at the little nutrition label and make sure you’re getting at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.

Getting enough fiber is very important. Studies see a connection between high fiber diets and decreases in colon cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases. Fiber is also critical for your natural cleansing process! It’ll push the junk on out of ya! And on the way out, it is helping prevent constipation, hemorrhoids (don’t strain!), diverticulosis, and it can even sweep out some cholesterol, helping to keep those numbers in check.

So, that’s pretty simple! Just look for “whole” ingredients, and 3g fiber!

I could stop there, but I want to point out a few marketing trickeries, so you are aware.

A wheat product isn’t the same as Whole Wheat or Whole Grain. As shown in the 101 posting, that entire kernel was a WHEAT kernel! So, even when that kernel is processed down and the good parts are removed, they can still call it Wheat Bread. But you’re smart enough to not be fooled by that now, aren't ya! You want the WHOLE grain – bran, germ, and all!

For those types of products, the ingredient list will show “enriched” in the first ingredient. Enriched white flour, enriched wheat flour, etc. And again, that enriching processes means that after refining the grain, they added back synthetic nutrients to replace the natural goodness that was lost, and in smaller amounts that originally present. Avoid these items.

Those products also usually contain little in the way of fiber – maybe having none at all! Usually I see a whopping 1 gram listed on those.

BONUS MATERIAL:
For you over-achievers out there, here’s a little side topic about a newer wheat product: What about those “white wheat” breads?

Honestly, I haven’t looked at them too much. My initial reaction was that they were just white bread, made with the empty parts of the wheat grain. But there may be more too it!

The Mayo Clinic says these are actually made with a different type of wheat. Traditional wheat products are made from Red wheat. But there is a strain of Albino wheat, and “white whole-wheat bread – like regular whole-wheat bread – is made with the whole grain” and retains the fiber and nutrients. It is a softer version, more like white bread, marketing to those who are not ready to adjust to the heartier, nuttier flavors and textures of traditional whole wheat breads

Sound too good to be true, oh White-bread lovers out there? It just may be.

In a USA Today article about this new type of bread, Marion Nestle (a favorite dietitian and author of mine!) is quoted as saying:

“Bread is flour, water, yeast, salt. Period. This [white wheat bread] has something like 20 other ingredients.... Why not buy your kids real bread?"

Evidentially, albino wheat is still treated with a long list of conditioners and chemicals to make sure it replicates that doughy, soft texture of white bread. If so, that would be a far step from natural!

I’ll have to check out albino wheat bread at the store sometime to see the ingredient list for sure, but for now… I’ll pass on the “white wheat.” Personally, I like sprouted bread, but that’s for the advanced Whole Grains 201 class in the future!

Your homework: check the ingredients and fiber on your breads, pastas, wraps, buns, and cereals! See what you're getting! :)

*bell rings*

Alright, folks, that's all for today! Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

~Katie

Wednesday Words: Whole Grains 101

Welcome, dear students, to the Whole Grains 101 class! You've heard the terms, you've seen the marketing, you've heard the media rant about WHOLE GRAINS and their benefits... but what does it mean, and why should you care?

Fun Facts to get started:

• Wheat and grains were once considered the “Staff of Life”
• They are still considered sacred in some parts of China
• It is estimated that roughly 33% of the world’s population depends on wheat for food.

And now, on to the definitions and benefits!

The bottom line: a whole grain product is one that is made with all the edible parts of a kernel of grain - the whole sha-bang! The more processed the grain is, the more nutritional value lost, the more dead the food becomes.

Here's a picture that shows the various parts of the grain:

(Yes, that’s a wheat grain, but the concepts of whole grain will carry through the other varieties as well.)

The three edible parts of the grain are the Bran, the Germ, and the Endosperm.

Bran: The outer layer

This contains a lot of nutritional value. In this little shell, you can get protein, thiamin, riboflavin, potassium, niacin, vitamin B6, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Zinc, Copper, and Fiber. In fact, this is where the majority of the fiber of “whole grain” products will be found. Yes, lovely fiber – helpful for keeping your system regular, helping with cholesterol, and cleansing your intestinal tract. Good stuff! You can find Wheat Bran sold at some stores – just the rough, fiberous parts of the wheat! I still say go for the WHOLE grain, but if you need some extra fiber, that’s a viable option.

Germ: The baby seed

This is what would sprout a new plant if you were growing or sprouting your wheat. It is a concentrated source of nutrients – that little power house would have to fuel a whole new plant someday if it was planted! It is a complete protein source, and also carries other nutrients such as Thamin, Phosphorous, Zing, Manganese, Selenium, Vitamin B6, Folate, magnesium, Copper, and Fiber. The germ is a good source of vitamin E, and wonderful antioxidant to protect your body from toxic derivitaves created from damaged cells. Why would you want to give up all of that?! And, like Wheat Bran, you can find Wheat Germ sold in stores.

Endosperm: Also the “kernel”

This is the bulk of the seed’s volume, and it contains relatively little in the way of vitamins and minerals.

(A wheat field in Dorset, England. Photo courtesy of Joe D.)

So when you buy white grains – white pasta, white bread/buns/tortillas, white rice… it has had the bran removed, and probably the germ as well. What then, class, does that leave us?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

The Endosperm! That low-nutrient left over part, where over half of the vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fiber are lost. That is why the government began requiring grain companies to “enrich” their products in 1941 – they are adding back synthetic versions of the natural health that used to be there, but often in smaller amounts that what was in the original germ and bran. Is this as natural and bioavailable? The jury is still out…

Whole grains are a whole package! In addition to the multiple vitamin, minerals, and fiber stated above, studies are finding more health components: within the whole grain, antioxidants, lignans, phenolic acids, phytoestrogens, and other phytochemicals may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

The Whole Grains Counsel lists some of the commonly used whole grains. If you're bored with wheat and rice, or are gluten-sensitive, you may see some fun alternatives to try!

Amaranth, Barley, Buckwheat, Corn, Millet, Oats, Quinoa (prounounced KEEN-wah), Rice, Rye, Sorghum/Milo, Teff, Triticale, Wheat (spelt, emmer, farro, einkorn, Kamut, durum, bulgur, cracked wheat, wheatberries), and Wild Rice.

So that sums up the basics of Whole Grains 101!

Whole Grains 102 will cover how to tell if you’re getting a real whole grain. “Wheat bread” just may not be all that you think it is! And in 103, I’ll finally get back to that topic of oats – different types, and why I think oat groats and steel cut oats are worth looking into! And if you’re looking for an advanced class, I’ll be bringing you Whole Grains 201: Sprouting!

Any questions?

“Hallelujah, Amen, Class Dismissed!”

~Katie

Wednesday Words: Dietitian, Nutritionist

HAPPY REGISTERED DIETITIANS DAY!!

(Awww, why thanks!! It's so nice to be remembered!) ;-)

Yep, RD's were given today in thanks, so I thought: what better time to talk about what that term means, than a Wednesday Words Day on National RD Day!

There are so many terms you may hear floating around out there: Dietitian, Nutritionist, Wellness Coach, Nutrition Coach, Dietologist, etc, etc, etc. What does it mean? Well, that depends where you live...

Each state has different laws. But in some states, certain titles can be used by anyone. Any Joe or Jane off the street can call themselves a Nutritionist, a Nutrition Wellness Coach, a Dietologist, etc, post a sign, and start their own business. There is no regulation for what sort of education they had, or what training they went through. Only in some states will "Nutritionist" be allowed ONLY for people who are ALSO "Dietitians." This is not to say that all are bad!!! There are some very educated, helpful individuals out there with this title. The bottom line is "Buyer Beware!" While there are many people able to help, there are also many people looking to help who may not have proper education, or people who may take advantage of consumers who are looking for genuine help whether they are offering a product or a service. Do your research, and get second, third, fourth... opinions if you need them.

"Dietitian," is protected nationwide, and strictly regulated through the Commission on Dietetic Registration. In order to claim that title, you have to have completed a degree at an approved college, undergone an internship with a minimum of 900 hours of supervised practice, passed a national registry test, and then continue to do approved continuing education as long as you hold the title.

I just like to point out the differences, and note that people should be careful of whom they trust with their time, money, and health. You should feel confident in asking any professional about their education and experience and seeing their credentials.

One common misconception about dietitians is that they are "institutionalized," obsessed with calorie counting and providing formulaic meal plans, rather than holistically treating a patient as an individual. I have seen sites that try to discredit dietitians by saying "While most dietitians dwell on calories, carbs, fats, proteins, restrictions and lists of good and bad foods, I work with my clients to create a happy, healthy life in a way that is flexible, fun and free of denial and discipline." *siiiigh.* This is not true at all! (As you've seen in old posts - I don't calorie count!)

I have also heard that "dietitians are too Westernized" - being focused on treating symptoms and working to pump supplements and medicines. Each dietitian is different, and each with have their own opinions about alternative treatments. Through the American Dietitic Association, there is a dietetic practice group I joined called "Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine" (DIFM) which is made of dietitians who feel especially passionate towards learning about natural health, prevention, and studying more into herbal treatments. This group "focuses on complementary therapies that include vitamin and mineral supplementation, botanicals and functional foods as well as diverse therapeutic approaches."

So, some food for thought :)

I'm going to go enjoy my evening! See you soon!

~Katie

Wednesday Words and The "Unsexy" Detox

Today’s words are two I’ve been using lately, and I realized that I don’t use them in the same sense that the media often does. DETOX and CLEANSE. Wooo-ey! These are terms that get thrown around a lot in the news! I mean, who hasn’t heard the latest celebrity Miss Skinny doing a master cleanse, or Mr. Fancy Pants doing such-and-such a detox regimen. And wow, don’t they just look great and slim?!

The way they media uses them, you might as well say “UNDERNOURISH” and “STARVE.” But that’s not what these terms really mean! Sure, there are many fad programs around that ask you to drink crazy concoctions, or fast, or use enemas, or who knows what else! And yes, with such a caloric restriction, you will probably lose weight - while your on it. But most of the time, people who follow these plans just end up back where they started afterwards, because they haven’t changed their lifestyle. They only brute-force made their way through on shear determination and will-power, not a gentle lifestyle change of acceptance.

(slow and steady does it! It's not a race to heal your body!)

But, you body IS made to detoxify and cleanse itself naturally. And you CAN do some things to help promote these functions!

Usually DETOXING is the process of loosening undesirable toxins from being stored in the body. Undesirables can be medicines, alcohol, pollution, chemicals, pesticides (go organic when you can!).

The liver is your primary detoxifier, with the kidneys offering some help. So if you want to better “detox,” you want to support your natural kidney and liver functioning and avoid things that drag down efficiency. Alcohol, fried foods, and processed foods can be tougher for your liver to deal with, so try to avoid those. Conversely, I mention in a previous blog about kale helping to stimulate digestive enzyme production in the liver, so kale may be thought of as a “detoxifying” food. Kale comes from the cruciferous vegetable family. Other veggies in this family can help as well: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, and Brussles sprouts. These foods contain sulfur. For me, sulfur often dredges up images of the demons from Frank Peretti’s book This Present Darkness... ;-)

(or on a less book-nerdy level, burnt matches!)

But sulfur is a molecule the liver uses to detoxify the body of a wide range of prescription medications, pesticides, and other types of environmental toxins. Other sulfur-continuing foods include onions and garlic. Studies are now also looking to turmeric, cinnamon, and licorice as helpful for the liver detoxing.

And CLEANSING is often your body purging those toxins out of your body completely.

So primarily, your intestines and skin are important routes for disposal. You want to keep these pathways healthy. When I counsel women suffering from constipation, I always recommend “The 3 F’s: Fluids, Fiber, and Fitness.” Fluids keep things soft; fiber helps push it through; and aerobics (even just walking) can also help stimulate movement. These three items work together to help your intestinal tract and eliminations moving efficiently. Go for that Smooooth move!

Regarding skin, general hygiene keeps your pores open so they can provide a way for toxins to leave. Sweating is good! (I hear my little sister groaning now, ahh, the sweet sound!) ;-) But seriously, it can help get some of the junk out, just be sure to wash it off as soon as you can rather than letting your body reabsorb it! And try to avoid caking your face in a make-up once in a while to let your skin breathe! So, due to its skin benefits, yesterday’s Skin-So-Smoothie recipe could possibly even be considered a “Cleansing” drink!

There has been suspicion that there is a link between dairy and acne. There still needs to be more research done to be sure, but one study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology looked at 47,355 women (that’s a lot o’ estrogen!) and compared their dairy intake to acne history. They looked at milk, instant breakfast drink, sherbet, cottage cheese, and cream cheese and all were positively associated with acne. They said “We hypothesize that the association with milk may be because of the presence of hormones and bioactive molecules in milk.” Hmmm… so, if you’re going for the dairy, AT LEAST please grab the organic, hormone-free variety! …But I digress…

Detoxing and Cleansing are very detailed topics in the nutrition world, so I really only touch on them here. But I hope that covers some of the basics, at least! Remember: your body loves you; love it back! :)

I’m sorry if I have disillusioned any “sexy” ideas of detoxing and cleansing. There really aren’t magic bullets, and natural health is best! Your body is made to take care of itself – just don’t overdo the harmful things! And help it along with the right healthy lifestyle.

But, if you want an “unsexy” sounding detox plan… well, try this plan for 7 days and let me know how you feel!

The Unsexy Detox:

1.Eliminate these “toxins”:
-Table sugar
-Pops/colas/sports drinks
-Fast food/highly processed foods
-Foods with added sugars – cookies, cakes, candy, etc
-Refined starches – white flour, white rice, white pasta

2. Drink plenty of fluids
–aim mostly for water (plain or with some lemon, lime, cucumber, mint, etc), and maybe a little tea -Listen to your body, but usually the average recommendation is 6 to 8 8-ounce cups daily.

3. Eat real foods with plenty of fiber
-fruits, veggies, seeds, whole grains
–try some fun grains! Quinoa, millet, amaranth, buckwheat…

4. Get AT LEAST the recommended 5 fruits or veggies daily, if not more!
-Have a green smoothie with some extra kale and collard greens!
-See if you can get 10 servings in! (C’mon, all those smoothie recipes will usually have at least 4-5 servings for just one recipe!)

5. If you need meat, eggs, or dairy, make sure it’s the lean versions, and go organic and hormone free!

Do that, and I bet you’ll feel better (after the first few days), and likely, you’ll drop some weight!

Ok, so that was a long one. But I hope you start to apply some of the ideas and remember how much food can affect your health! Enjoy some whole, healing foods and save that dessert for this Valentine’s weekend!

Honeydew Hugs!
~Katie

Wednesday Words: More Lables!

Halfway through the week! I hope it's been a good one so far. I don't know about you, by MY GOODNESS this new year has been flying fast! I can't believe we're in February already - and I'm STILL dating things 2009! Haha!

After a very early morning (had to get up at 5:30am), I was dragging. Not as badly as I expected, possibly due to all the salads and smoothies, but still! Coffee called my name. I don't normally drink much coffee (acidic, possibly demineralizing to your body - read "bad for skin, bones, health, etc") and I wish I had opted for green tea instead. Oh well, I only drank half a cup for now, and hopefully can just keep pushing water and my healthy snacks until I can get to bed tonight!

Ah well, on to the fun of label laws!

Today's term and its confusing (ok, today, it's more like disgusting!) meaning:

Ever looked at the ingredient list for hot dogs? At the top of the list, is the oh-so-yummy phrase "mechanically separated" meat. The USDA defines this as a tantalizing "paste-like and batter-like meat product produced by forcing bones with attached edible meat under high pressure through a sieve or similar device to separate the bone from the edible meat tissue."

When the mad cow disease was a risk, the government decided beef could no longer be mechanically separated, but they still do it with pork.

Well, gee golly! Spear me one o' thems and throw it on the bar-B-Q! Sounds mighty tasty!
Actually... I'll pass...

Have a good, natural afternoon!
~Katie

Wednesday Words: Label Reading

Label Reading

As you probably have noticed, I would encourage you to buy and eat mostly foods that DON'T contain food labels - fresh fruits and fresh veggies. But there will of course be items that do have labels. I just wanted to look at a few terms found on food packaging labels, but there are many, many, many terms.

And, boy howdy, can they be sneaky!

Did you know that "fat free" doesn't really mean fat free? And that "calorie free" doesn't mean there are zero calories?

Ahhh, and the fun begins!

So, here's the top two tricky lingo you may see on a package, and what it can legally mean.

Calorie Free: Less than 5 calories per serving

Fat Free: Less than 0.5g of fat per serving

Yup, on labeling, they are allowed to simply round number down.

Another trick with fat free - it SO does not mean "calorie free"! If there's less fat, chances are the flavor is being made up with extra sugar and/or salt. Just because a cookie is "fat free" or "diet" doesn't mean it's helpful towards your weight goals - and by no means will it guarantee natural and healthy! Chances are, it's a highly-processed nutrient-depleted, love-it-for-a-moment-feel-guilty-later hunk of immediate gratification that does not lend itself towards natural, healthy, beautifying goodness. Better than an even more yucky option? Maybe. Worth it for the moment if you truly enjoy it and won't feel guilty later? Possibly. But that's your call.

Fun stuff, eh? ;-)

When working at a weight-loss retreat, the best examples of this were seen with a spray butter, and artificial sweeteners, both that claimed "fat free, calorie free." One poor woman would douse her potatoes, salads, vegetables... with the "fat free, calorie free" butter spray, assuming that would be conducive to her diet plans. The catch? She was going through about 1 bottle a week, which - despite misleading labeling - contained something like a whopping 200g fat, and over 1000 calories!

Little packets of sweeteners can be the same. Nutrasweet, Splenda, Equal, etc - debates on being potential carcinogens aside - all tend to average 4 calories per packet. So, legally, they can claim to be "calorie free." One woman liked to sweeten her daily yogurt with 3 packs, her cottage cheese with 2 packs, her coffees with 4+ each, her pineapple with 3 packs... In a day, she said she was adding well over 20 packs per day. So, from "calories free" items, she was adding almost 100 calories PER DAY from "calorie free" foods. Perhaps you feel 100 calories isn't that big a deal, but when you're basing your weight goals on counting calories, that extra 100 per day can add up to an additional pound per month that you aren't losing as you expected!

So, be label savvy, and also label minimizing - go for the good stuff! The natural, healthy, healing, vibrant stuff that doesn't need all the confusing jargon anyways!

xoxox

~Katie

Wednesday Words

Today's Wednesday Word is more of a concept: BMI!

To piggy-back on the exercise video... I was thinking more about exercise and healthy weight. Someone made a comment to me that "according to my BMI, I am over weight." And I looked at them, and was shocked they thought that! They looked good and strong, but not with excess fat. So, I thought commenting on BMI and some exercising may be good to put in here...

BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a generalized formula to figure out the ratio of your weight to your height. More weight typically is interpreted as "more fat." And for some people, that's true. But what about muscle? Muscle is heavy, too! The common example people give for this is Arnold Schwarzenegger (especially when he was a professional body builder.) At one point, while standing at 6'2" and 250 pounds, the BMI chart would have labeled him a resounding "obese" at 32.1 kg/m2. But, since he was probably mostly some good rock-hard muscle, though the chart may have defined him as overweight, he surely was not "over fat." And there is a difference.


The point? Just like the numbers on a scale shouldn't define you, neither should the number on a BMI chart. This BMI concept is not 100% indicitive of your health. Use it to get an idea, and be honest with yourself regarding your health.

BMI is simply one more screening tool to gauge your health, but it is not definitive. Yes, it can give you an idea, but if you are highly focused on strength training (and you should be incorporating at least some strength training!) as you gain muscle, you may not see that scale budge since you might be putting on muscle weight while losing fat weight. What you want to look out for is putting on excess fat weight. If you really feel the need to know numbers, the best bets are waist to hip ratio, or to find your percenft body fat (but that's not always to get the equipment for.) Or don't stress about numbers, and just take the steps towards healthier, natural living! Make sure you are trying to balance healthy nutrition, cardio, strength training, flexibility and stretching, a healthy attidude and stress management skills! These are all important components for a healthy lifestyle.

Breathe deep, you're halfway through the week!

~Katie

Wednesday Words

I realized that I have been throwing a lot of terms around, so I thought I'd delve into them now and then.

So, today: Free Radicals and Antioxidants

They go hand-in-hand. Quick and dirty (and extremely simplified): in overabundance, free radicals damage you; antioxidants prevent it.

Free radicals are unstable molecules. They can be formed from pollutants, cigarette smoke, stresses on you and your body, and other unhealthy lifestyle factors. They will go and "steal" electrons from other molecules (oxidize them) to try to stabilize themselves - which essentially begins a large chain-reaction of weakening or damaging your cells. Your body can handle a lot of this and repair itself (the body is an amazing thing! But you do need to treat it well.) If the damage adds up over time, this can lead to cancer, heart disease, early aging signs, and other health problems.

Antioxidants include some vitamins (vitamins C, E), carotenoids, chemicals like resveratol (from grapes) and EGCG (in green and white teas), phytochemicals (other compounds found in whole foods), and many more. They can go in and help stabilize that shaky free radical and even undo some of the damage!

So make sure every day to disrupt the balance in your favor! Different color foods have different antioxidant properties, that's why it's recommended to "eat a rainbow" of produce (no, not Taste the Rainbow of Skittles! Nice try!) Dump in natural foods rich in antioxidants, and cut back how you can on unhealthy lifestyles that promote damage.

Here's the your pot o' gold o' health at the end of your rainbow!

xoxox
~Kaite