February/March 2004

Have the winter blues gotten the best of you? January brought record cold temperatures to the northeast, which made healthy eating and exercise even more of a challenge. But try not to let the cold weather discourage you. If you can stay on top of your healthy resolutions for a few more weeks, you'll thank yourself when it comes time to pull out your spring and summer clothes!

In this newsletter, you?ll learn about a new book that reveals 14 "Superfoods" to keep your immune system healthy and strong. We'll also discuss the importance of getting out in the sun, and clear the confusion about "Low Carb Foods". As always, I have included a healthy recipe for you to try, and suggested some delicious food products to look for at your supermarket.

February Nutrition Tips: Heart Healthy Hints

Staying Alive with "Superfoods": According to the authors of "Superfoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life", there are 14 "Superfoods" that are key to a longer, healthier life. Foods such as blueberries, spinach, and wild salmon top the list as the "superpremium" of the "superfoods", as they are the most nutritionally dense of the group. Overall, the "super" list highlights those foods that are rich in nutrients and relatively low in calories. They are all credited with preventing, and in some cases, even reversing, heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and dementia. The authors also claim that consistent exercise, along with consistent consumption of these super foods, will make you look better and feel energized. Now that sounds good! Below is the list of "Superfoods" and easy ways to incorporate them into your diet:

• Walnuts: toss some into yogurt, cereals, and salads
• Yogurt: make fruit smoothies or add to fresh fruit for breakfast
• Tomatoes: add to soups, salads, or homemade pizzas
• Pumpkin: use canned pumpkin in recipes for soups, breads, and muffins
• Broccoli: add to stir-fries or cut up as quick snacks on the go
• Oats: choose whole grain breads and crackers
• Oranges: grab one as a quick snack or add sections to salads
• Spinach: build your salads with it or add to soups and omelettes
• Turkey (skinless breast): add to tacos, burritos, and sandwiches or top salads with it
• Beans: toss in salads, chilis, stews or puree into hummus
• Soy: add soymilk to cereal, soy protein powder to smoothies, or try soy chips or nuts as snacks
• Blueberries: top salads, add to oatmeal or cereals, blend into smoothies
• Wild salmon: bake, roast, or grill two to four times a week
• Tea: brew for at least 3 minutes to obtain the most benefits

Fun in the Sun: Is it possible to get any benefit from the sun in this bitter cold weather? In a word, yes. You don't have to visit a tropical island to feel better this month. By just getting out on your lunch hour, you can keep winter blues away. Whether you walk to the store, have lunch on a heated balcony, or simply walk around the outside of your office building a few times, spending your lunchtime outdoors could help boost your mood. Research suggests that blood levels of mood-boosting serotonin increases with exposure to sunlight. And, not only will your mood improve, you'll increase your physical activity, and get a hearty dose of Vitamin D. With a combination of positive mood and increased exercise, your body and your mind will thank you. Just remember to bundle up and dress properly in the cold weather. Wear appropriate layers and keep well-hydrated before and after any activity in the cold weather.

Low-carb consumers, beware! I am sure that you all remember the "fat-free" craze of the 1980's. Bagels and pretzels were the new "health foods", all because they didn't have any fat. Soon enough we were all getting fatter as we downed fat-free Snackwells, and bowls of pasta. Well, there is a new trend in town, and I am sure you know what I am talking about. It is the low-carb food explosion. Foods with reduced carb claims are filling supermarket shelves and appearing all over restaurant menus. Low-carb breads and pastas, sugar free chocolate, and low sugar ice cream only begins to outline some of the new foods that you will find. Before you dive in headfirst, here are a few words of advice:

1. The FDA has not yet defined what constitutes a "low-carb" food, or approved the term "net carb". Whereas, "low-fat" foods are defined as foods with less than 3 grams of fat per serving, there is no similar definition for low-carb. So what that means is that any food can bare a low-carb claim. Whether it is truly low-carb or not!
2. A calorie is a calorie. Although I am in favor of watching your total carbohydrate intake, calories do count. Eating low sugar chocolate and reduced carb breads is still going to contribute calories to your diet, so please evaluate the calorie content of these foods before diving in. (For example, the new Subway "Atkins-Friendly" wraps have about 500 calories per sandwich; that isn't so friendly to me!)
3. Watch for side effects. Some low sugar chocolates and candies are sweetened with sugar substitutes that have the potential to cause gas, bloating and diarrhea. There will usually be a warning about this in small letters on the back on the package. My advice: try these foods on a day when you will be alone, as office mates and family members may not enjoy the side effects of these "guilt-less" treats!

Cutting Carb Confusion: Along with these new foods and low-carb trends, comes new terminology that you should be familiar with in order to be an educated consumer. Terms such as "net carbs" and "glycemic index" are being thrown around; do you know what they mean and how they work?

• Glycemic Index: This is a ranking of carbohydrates based on their immediate effect on blood glucose levels. Foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar are called "high glycemic foods", and are NOT preferred. Carbohydrates with high glycemic indexes include white bread, potatoes and sugar. Alternatively, foods with a low glycemic index result in a slow and steady release of sugar into your blood. Fibrous foods, like apples, broccoli and whole grains, have low glycemic indexes. Choosing foods with low glycemic indexes is thought to help control weight and provide higher energy throughout the day.
• Net Carbs: This is a term coined by the late Robert Atkins, and is not yet recognized by the FDA. Net carbs refers to the number of carbohydrates that impacts blood sugar levels. In order to determine the amount of net carbs in a product, companies use the formula: Net Carbs = Total Carbohydrates - (minus) Dietary Fiber and Sugar-Free Sweeteners and Bulking Agents (which have only a negligible impact on blood sugar). For example, if a product contains 22 grams of carbs, but 11 of the grams come from fiber, while another 9 come from glycerine, a sugar substitute, then the net carb impact of this product is 2. It will be very interesting to see if this term is ever "approved" by the FDA. I personally think that it is deceiving to the customer. Food labels can be hard enough to read as it is, and I think that this is just one more "magic trick" that food companies use to get us to buy their product.

Recommended Products:

1. La Tortilla Factory: Whole wheat low-carb, low-fat tortillas. These tortilla wraps are delicious! They come in 2 sizes, small and large, and have 50 and 80 calories respectively. The fat and the carbohydrate, are, as advertised, well controlled. I use them for fajitas, sandwich wraps and huevos rancheros. You can find out more information about these wraps at www.latortillafactory.com. They are often in short supply at health food stores, so if you find them, buy in bulk, and then freeze!
2. Total Authentic Greek Yogurt: This yogurt is delicious! It is creamy, and filling. There are a few varieties to choose from. You can get the 0% fat at 80 calories or the 2% fat at 130 calories. I prefer the 2% and think that the extra 50 calories, and 4 grams of fat, are well worth it. This product is lower in sugar and higher in protein than other yogurts on the market, and is much more satisfying. You may find that you need to add a touch of honey or jam to liven up the flavor, but it doesn't take much. The distribution in America has been growing in the past 2 years (I can now find it at my Food Emporium), but if you would like more information go to www.fageusa.com.

February Recipe: A warm dinner meal for a cold winter night

Spaghetti (squash) with tomato sauce
Ingredients:
2-3 pound spaghetti squash
2 cups tomato sauce (you can use a low-sugar, low-fat jar of sauce, or make a homemade marinara)
10 ounces of cooked diced chicken breast
4-5 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce spaghetti squash with a paring knife in several places. Place squash on a cookie sheet, and place in pre-heated oven. Cook for about 1 hour (more or less depending on size of the squash). Turn squash over a few times while cooking. You will know that the squash is done cooking when it is soft and tender when pierced with a knife.

Remove squash from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes or so, and then cut lengthwise. Remove the seeds from the squash. Using a fork, scrape both halves of the squash in a circular motion so that you are getting the strands (spaghetti like pieces) of squash. Transfer the strands of squash to a large bowl.

Heat tomato sauce (or prepare homemade if desired). Pour tomato sauce over squash, and add in diced chicken. Toss gently to coat, season with salt and pepper as desired. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Nutrition information per serving (makes 3-4 servings) (1 serving = 1 1/2 cup of squash, 1/2 cup of sauce and 3 ounces of chicken and 1 tbsp of parmesan cheese)
247 calories
31 grams of protein
19 grams of carbohydrate
4 grams of fiber
5.5 grams of fat

I hope that 2004 is bringing you closer to the ?healthier you.? Remember to stay focused on your healthy resolutions. And, as always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns!

All the best,

Sara
Sara Ryba Nutrition