November/December 2004

The holidays are fast approaching, so use each day wisely to get into tip-top shape before the parties (and food) bombard you! The end of the year is also a good time to take inventory of your medical needs - do you need to schedule an exam with your internist, your dermatologist, or maybe just a teeth cleaning? If so, make that call, and stay on top of your most important asset - your body!

In this month's newsletter, we are celebrating the end of another year of the Sara Ryba Nutrition Newsletter with a special holiday edition. First, we will finish with our 3-month series, Nutrition 101. This month's spotlight will be on carbohydrates; what carbs do for your body, types, and how much you need. You will also find a 'Holiday Eating Quiz,' which should help you to avoid dreaded holiday weight gain. And finally, we'll share some healthy holiday gifts for those on your shopping list, as well as some delicious recipes to end the year right!

November/December Nutrition Tips: Help for the Holidays

Nutrition 101: Carbohydrates

It is easy to become overwhelmed by the many low-carb diet books filling our bookstores today. There is a lot of information out there - and not all of it is true! So, let us explain what carbohydrates are; and their very important role in our body.

Functions - Besides providing energy, foods containing carbohydrate are typically packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals. Carbs fuel our muscles and brain, and supply the energy for essential body functions like breathing and heartbeat. Without enough carbs in our diet, our body has to rely on alternate, more inefficient energy pathways that ultimately leave us weak, tired, and light-headed.

Types- All carbs are made of the same three elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. To form different types of carbohydrates, the elements are arranged in a different order. Simple carbs have a very simple chemical structure, while complex carbs are, well, more complex! Since they're both made of the same elements, the big difference is in how they're digested - simple carbs are digested more quickly, and complex carbs take longer because of their more complex structure. Hence, the complex carbs tend to keep us fuller longer!

Sources - The simplest form of carbohydrate is glucose, or blood sugar. Simple sugars that are found in foods include sucrose (table sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), and lactose (milk sugar). Foods that contain primarily these simpler forms of carbohydrate are known as simple carbs: white sugar, brown sugar, confectioner's sugar, corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, molasses. You should also include fruit juice, milk, yogurt, candy, cookies and pastries in the simple carb listing, because they're made primarily from sugar.

Complex carbs typically contain more fiber, and have a more complex chemical structure that takes longer to digest. 'Starch' is the common term for complex carbs. Examples are breads, cereals, crackers, rice, pasta, potatoes, corn, peas, lima beans and legumes like chickpeas, garbanzo beans, kidney beans and lentils.

What you need to know - In general, foods that are less processed retain more of their natural nutrients, and are healthier. Think of the difference between white bread (heavily processed) and whole grain bread (less processed, retaining more nutrients). Fresh fruit is less processed than fruit juice and a baked potato is less processed than French fries. Make it a goal to choose less-processed or whole grain foods whenever possible.

We generally advise against very-low carbohydrate, or no-carbohydrate diets. Any diet that restricts fruits and/or vegetables should be carefully examined. However, if you want to shed a few pounds, limiting simple sugars and white, processed starch is a great place to start.

Test Your Holiday Food IQ!

Many of us have awoken on the Monday after Thanksgiving only to find that our favorite pair of pants is noticeably tighter. This is no surprise considering the 4-day eating frenzy that many of us enjoy over the long Thanksgiving weekend.

Take our holiday eating quiz and learn how to map out your holiday eating plan. This quiz is sure to teach you how to avoid that expanded holiday waistline!

1. It is a good idea to eat light during the day to 'save' your calories for the big Thanksgiving or Holiday meal.

   False: The biggest mistake that people make is starving themselves all day in preparation for the holiday feast. You are almost guaranteed to overeat if you go into the holiday meal with a growling stomach. If nothing else, have a protein based breakfast - say 2 scrambled eggs with a slice of wheat toast, then have a small protein based snack prior to your meal - say a mozzarella cheese stick or a low fat yogurt. This will be a great strategy to avoid over-indulging at the big feast.

2. As long as you only take second helpings of the turkey, you will not risk overeating at your Thanksgiving meal.

   False: You can absolutely gain weight from too much turkey. Although turkey is a good 'diet friendly' food, Thanksgiving turkey, which is generally cooked with the skin, can provide a lot of saturated fat and calories per serving. It is a completely different food than the low calorie sliced turkey that you get at the deli counter. So enjoy, but limit your portion to about 4-6 ounces.

3. Having a cocktail before dinner will make you eat more.

   True: Alcohol is an appetite stimulant. It not only lowers your blood sugar, which makes you feel hungry, but it also lowers your inhibitions, making your more likely to give into fattening foods. If you want to indulge in holiday cocktails, be sure to do so after eating something and try to have 2 glasses of water for every cocktail that you have.

4. All turkey meat is created equal.

   False: Absolutely not - different cuts of turkey meat and whether or not you take off the skin will make a world of difference in the overall calories of your meal and how your waistline feels the next morning. In that split second that you decide what cut of meat to take, you can save yourself over 100 calories. Dark turkey provides 212 calories for every 4 ounces, while the same portion of white meat is only 110 calories. It is ok to have a few bites of the dark meat, but limit your portion. And if nothing else, remove the skin!

5. As long as you skip dessert, you will keep the holiday calories in check.

   False: Having a second serving of stuffing and candied yams will provide you with an extra 700 calories (300 calories per cup of yams, and 400 calories per cup of stuffing). A small slice of apple pie, say half of a regular slice is only 200 calories. So, feel free to have a small sampling of dessert if you feel like you have made it through the meal with good willpower.

6. If you exercise each day over the Thanksgiving weekend you will be less likely to gain weight.

   True: Exercising each day over the Thanksgiving weekend is a great way to ward off holiday weight gain. However, I do not like people to think that exercise allows them to eat more (as this is usually not the case). I find that exercise will make you want to eat less. Being in touch with how your body feels is a great way to keep your holiday indulgences in check. If you overeat on Thursday night, but then exercise on Friday morning, you will be more likely to get back on a healthy eating routine for the rest of the holiday weekend.

Healthy Holiday Gift Guide

This holiday season, forget the cookies and chocolates and give the gift of health. There are a number of 'healthy' gifts to surprise your loved ones, co-workers, or friends. And, remember, you can also give one to yourself this holiday season!

• A health book to suit the receiver's taste - whether that is a cookbook of their native cuisine, a diet or fitness guide, or simply a journal for emotional health and well-being.

• A mouth-watering "Healthful Feast" or "Fruit-of-the-Month Club" gift basket.

• Spices, herbs and seasoning mixes provide a burst of flavor without adding fat or sodium. You can mix up your own favorites and package in a pretty jar with a ribbon, or order a sampler from Penzey's Spices. (www.penzeys.com)

• Subscribe to a free health newsletter or order a year of your favorite health magazine for someone.

• Track your steps with a pedometer and walk your way to health. Try visiting www.digiwalker.com, www.walk4life.com, or your local sports store.

• Buy a gift certificate for a training session with a personal trainer to jumpstart a workout routine.

November/December Recipes: Holiday Hits

This month we've included 2 great recipes to try while entertaining friends and family this holiday season. The Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese Salad is the perfect mix for a cold winter night, and the Steamed Shrimp Dumplings will have your guests guessing if you made them or had them catered!

Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients:
2 heads of Boston or Bibb lettuce; cleaned, and torn into bite size pieces
2 red onions, cut into 1/3 inch slivers
2 tbsp olive oil
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp champagne vinegar (or other favorite vinegar)
salt
pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)

Directions:
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion slivers (and brown sugar - optional) and cook until very soft, and they begin to create a 'gel,' about 15-20 minutes (they will taste sweet).

Toss lettuce, goat cheese, cranberries together in a large bowl. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp of olive oil with the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss the salad with the salad dressing, season with salt and pepper as desired. Add the warm onions on top, and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
132 Calories
9.5 Grams Carbohydrate
4.2 Grams Protein
9 Grams Fat
2 Grams Fiber

Steamed Shrimp Dumplings

Ingredients:
1 T cilantro, chopped
½ lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 egg white
1 t chili oil
1 t sesame oil
2 t soy sauce
1 carrot, grated
¾ c cabbage, finely chopped
½ t fresh ginger, grated
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 pkg 3" round dumpling wrappers, about 50 per package
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Dipping Sauce
¼ c soy sauce
½ t sesame oil
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 scallion, sliced

Directions:
Chop half of the shrimp and set aside. In a processor combine the other half of the shrimp, egg white, chili oil, sesame oil and soy sauce. Puree to a smooth paste and transfer to a bowl. Add the reserved chopped shrimp, cilantro, carrot, ginger, scallion, and shallots. Mix well. Salt and pepper to taste.

Place a heaping teaspoon of the shrimp mixture in the center of each dumpling wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrapper and pinch closed. The dumplings should stand up (crimped side up). Cover and set aside.

In a large skillet, preferably flat bottomed, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Arrange the dumplings tightly in the pan and cook until the bottoms are golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and cover (leave a little room for steam to escape). Cook until the bottoms are crispy and the water has evaporated, about 12 minutes. Keep warm and serve with dipping sauce.

If need be, repeat the above process with a second batch of dumplings.

Makes about 40-50 dumplings.

Nutrition Information per serving (1 dumpling):
36 Calories
1.5 Grams Protein
5 Grams Carbohydrate
0.8 Grams Fat
0.3 Grams Fiber

Hope you and those around you have a healthy and happy holiday season. End the year well by succeeding with those 'healthy resolutions.' And, as always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns!

Healthy Regards!

Sara

http://www.sararybanutrition.com/

If you have any comments about our newsletters or ideas for future newsletter topics, please contact Melissa Buczek at melissa@sararybanutrition.com