TRUE OR FALSE?...July 2009 1. If you are trying to lose weight, lose the fat in your diet. Cutting all fat will speed weight loss. False. While you’ll lose weight if you cut out any calorie-rich group of foods (and fats have more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates), completely eliminating fat from your diet is a very bad idea! Besides providing important calories for the energy you need to do your daily activities, fats provide essential fatty acids critical to many biological processes. Additionally, good fats line the membranes of cells helping them provide much needed anti-inflammatory activity. Fats are also important for absorbing essential nutrients like fat-soluble vitamins. For a healthy diet, be sure to eliminate unnatural fats, called trans fat, found abundantly in margarine, hydrogenated oils, as well as many baked goods, processed and convenience foods It is also best to reduce or eliminate saturated fats found in milk, cheese, butter, red meat, pork, coconut and poultry. Healthier fats include: extra-virgin olive oil, avocados and nuts, especially walnuts, cashews and almonds. For omega-3 fatty acids, eat cold water fish such as salmon, freshly ground flax seeds, or sardines packed in water. * For healthy weight loss and maintenance, Nutritionist, Heather Fleming suggests incorporating two servings of healthy fat per meal.
2. Coconut Oil is one of the healthiest oils available today. True. It is a very important healthy fat resource. Coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids, which have tremendous healing powers. The medical field declared saturated fat was causing heart disease and marketed to cut out fat in our diets.. which was a very bad idea. We recommend to minimize or eliminate vegetables oils, such as canola, corn, safflower, and sunflower. They can become toxic when heated. Balancing your healthy fats like coconut oil, grapeseed oil, and olive oil can prevent cardiovascular disease, support thyroid function, increase metabolism, decrease risk of diabetes and cholesterol, balance hormones, and help you lose belly fat.
3. Raw vegetables have more nutrients than cooked vegetables. False. Though there is some research suggesting that some vegetables may have more nutritional value when eaten raw, your body may better be able to digest and absorb some phytochemicals when vegetables are lighted cooked in a healthy oil (for example, tomatoes in extra virgin olive oil to release lycopene). We suggest to eat a mixture of cooked and raw vegetables and make sure to include plenty of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage and bok choy. 4. One of the most effective treatments for acid reflux is to add more acid to your diet. True. It's counterintuitive, but true. Acid reflux signals that the acidity of your digestive system is off balance, and the best way to adjust that balance is by adding lemon to your water or food, or dashing your raw veggies with apple cider vinegar. (Apple cider vinegar is an effective elixir for many common ailments.) Another helpful hint is to remove processed foods from your diet that include ingredients like corn syrup, trans fats/hydrogenated oils, msg, and preservatives. Diets that are heavily dependent on refined foods and sugar tend to cause acidic imbalance and in turn acid reflux. Try adjusting your diet before turning to pills, which mask the symptoms rather than fix the problem. 5. Omega 3 and Omega 6 acids are the most beneficial fatty acids. False. Better choices are Omega -3s and Omega-9s. The typical American diet, with its predominance of Omega 6 fatty acids can actually drive inflammation and promote disease. We recommend a shift to foods richer in Omega 3 fatty acids, found in cold water fish, walnuts and flaxseed oils. Omega-9s include monounsaturated fatty acids such as those in olive oil, avocados, and almonds. You may hear that you need some omega-6 fatty acids. While this is true, you need not worry about intentionally consuming these. Since fats are found in nature in mixed ratios, it will be impossible to eat even a whole foods diet without getting an adequate amount of omega 6 fats to meet normal biological needs. Most people eating the average American diet are getting way more Omega 6's than are healthy. 6. Brown sugar is better for you than white sugar. False. It doesn’t matter what color it is. Refined sugar is refined sugar and should be avoided whenever possible. The best choice for sweeteners is agave. Also acceptable are pure organic maple syrup or honey. 7. Decaffeinated coffee is a better choice than regular coffee. False. Decaffeinated coffee is processed with chemical solvents. If you must have decaf coffee, we recommend Swiss water processed. When drinking regular coffee, we suggest buying organic beans and grinding them at home yourself. We recommend soy, oat, almond, or rice milk as a healthy natural creamer – and alternative to milk or cream – and agave as an alternative to sugar. Also, for health benefits and fat loss.
8. Brown grain products are whole grain products. False. Check labels carefully! Foods labeled with the words "multi-grain," "stone-ground," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "seven-grain," or "bran" are usually not whole-grain products. Color
is also not an indication of a whole grain. Brown does not necessary mean whole wheat or whole grain! Some brown bread has brown coloring added to achieve the brown color! When determining if a packaged food product contains whole grain or not, look for the word "whole" in the ingredient list. Also look for the Whole Grain Stamp. A "good source" stamp contains at least 1/2 serving of
whole grains while an "excellent source" contains at least 1 serving of whole grains. Whenever possible, choose the whole grain cereal in its original form, like brown rice or whole wheat berries as opposed to flour. Sprouted grains are the best grains to look for when choosing bread or cereal. 9. Skim milk is better for you than whole milk. False. Fat free milk is processed, and most, if not all, of the nutrients are taken out with the fat. What remains is water and lactose. Lactose is sugar. Without the fat, the body processes skim milk as sugar. If you drink whole milk (in moderation), the body will be able to metabolize the lactose more efficiently with the balance of the fat. Cow dairy, in general, should be consumed in moderation, and always organic to avoid hormones and antibiotics. Goat milk and goat cheese varieties are healthy alternatives to cow dairy, as well as almond, rice, and oat milk. Soy should be consumed in moderation, as well. 10. Drinking coffee first thing in the morning helps to stimulate your metabolism through the day. False. EAT first before consuming any hot or cold beverages in the morning (besides water). "Break Fast" means your body is in need of fuel first. When you start with coffee or tea your body becomes acidic and all day long you are slightly inflamed and will not utilize body fat as fuel. You may find that you crave less sugar through the day if your body is balanced, which will be more likely if you eat something (even a small handful of almonds) before your coffee or tea. Thank you to Heather Fleming of Conscious Nutrition for these great tips and more on nutrition. She teaches us to erase what we THINK we know about nutrition, and get the current facts straight. For more information about her corporate wellness and one-on-one coaching, visit her at www.ConsciousNutrition.com |
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Spring Cleaning; Shed some unwanted pounds in your kitchen this Spring!
March 2009 Do you find that cooking is too much of a chore? Laborious? Frustrating? Do you find yourself sorting through old, useless pots and pans to steam vegetables, or through a drawer of rusty, dull knives just to slice a tomato? Your ease and enjoyment of cooking has everything to do with the equipment you have stocked in your kitchen. Get your kitchen in shape this spring by reducing clutter, thinking green, learning what items are worth the investment, and what you should consider tossing. A lot of common cookware may be even dangerous to the health of you and your family, so shed a few pounds in the kitchen this spring, and we can guarantee you will find cooking enjoyable again! Did you know...More than half of all cookware sold today is made of aluminum? Aluminum cookware is light-weight, low cost, and thermally responsive - but it is also highly reactive. Foods cooked in aluminum can react with the metal to form aluminum salts thought to be associated with impaired visual motor coordination and Alzheimer's disease. Suggestion...Keep aluminum in good condition. The more pitted and worn out the pot, the greater the amount of aluminum will be absorbed in the food. Minimize food storage time in aluminum, and avoid cooking acidic or salty foods in aluminum- especially tomato or citrus products. Best Option for cookware; Stainless Steel. (Our pick is all-clad, but there are several low-cost options available). Just make sure to clean with non-abrasive material to extend the life of stainless steel. "Shaklee" makes a scouring scrub made of cherry pits that works great. Did you know...Non-stick finishes like Teflon and Silverstone scratch easily and may release little bits of inert plastic into the food when cooked, as well as toxic fumes over high heat. DuPont studies show that Teflon offgases toxic particulates at 446°F. At 680°F Teflon pans release at least six toxic gases, including two carcinogens. DuPont acknowledges that the fumes can sicken people, a condition called "polymer fume fever." Suggestion...Replace your Teflon cookware! And if you decide to continue using Teflon, cook foods on low heat and don't overheat it by leaving an empty pan on the stove. The fumes released can be irritating and hazardous. Consider using non-glazed terra cotta, bamboo, and cast iron for your cooking- all are considered safe and non-reactive, as long as they are not finished with a coating. Did you know...Using plastic containers and wrap for anything other than their original purpose can be dangerous to your health. Plastic bowls or wrap should never be used in the microwave even if they are labeled as microwave safe. If you plan on storing food in plasticware, cool it completely first before putting it in the container to avoid leaching BPA into the food. Be weary of plastics labeled as "BPA-Free"- they can be labeled as such if the particles of BPA do not leach in temperatures under 80 degrees. With hot food or microwaving, your plastic may be in contact with temperatures over 80 degrees. Suggestion... Consider investing in glass containers- they are more expensive up front, but in the long run, will save you. Crate and Barrel has a nice line of glassware. Did you know...You are more likely to cut yourself using a dull knife, or the wrong knife for the job, than using a properly sized, sharpened knife. So often we see people cutting vegetables with a pairing knife, or slicing fruit with a steak knife. People shy away from bigger knives- though using the right tool for the task will cut down on injury and speed up your cooking process. The most important tip is to keep your knives SHARP! Suggestion... Visit your local cooking store and choose a few knives that suit you- a chef's knife, a serrated knife, a pairing knife, and a utility knife. You do not need a whole set of fancy knives- a few that fit well will be the most useful. Ask the store about sharpening your knives for you on a regular basis, as most stores offer this valuable service. Did you know... Dining Details offers kitchen cabinet makeovers (equipment purchased at industry discounts), one-on-one kitchen consultations on cookware education, kitchen organization, cooking techniques, and easy, creative entertaining. If you are a novice in your kitchen and want to learn how to be efficient and proficient, or are a cooking enthusiast who wants to hone your skills and take cooking and entertaining to a new level, let Dining Details teach you in your own home kitchen! Ask about our culinary consult courses.
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Food and Health; Focus on Children's Food
March 2009
True or False? Feeding kids lots of fruits and veggies is good for their health.
Answer: It may be doing more harm than good if your produce is not organic. It is the most important choice you make in selecting your child's foods- organic, or full of pesticides? Here are a few factors to consider when it comes to feeding kids... * Children's eating habits are different from adults: They eat proportionally more contaminated food on a volume-per-weight basis than adults. * Infants and children consume much more fruit and juices than do adults. * Kids don't eat the variety that adults do- they often binge on a food for several days in a row. When it comes to pesticides and pollution, kids and infants are especially vulnerable. Today's children will be exposed to toxic chemicals over a longer time, and exposure to toxic chemicals may have a cumulative effect. Researchers believe that the rapidly dividing cells of an infant are more susceptible to the carcinogenic effects of pesticides. Neurotoxic pesticides are more damaging in the first two years of life, when a child's brain is growing at its fastest rate. An infant's immature liver may have a limited capacity to detoxify chemicals. Children, especially infants, have higher proportion of fat than adults. Toxins, like pesticides, are stored in pesticides. True or False; Feeding your baby organic jarred food is the same as feeding them home-made purees of fresh, certified organic produce. Answer: Eating canned or preserved food is never better than eating freshly grown and home-cooked food- for infants, children, OR adults. Produce that is grown locally and organically has substantially more vitamins and vital nutrients than anything packaged for longevity on a store shelf. Because infants and children eat less variety than adults, and binge on the same food for days at a time, the nutritional value of what they consume is that much more important. We don't give infants supplements to fill in the vitamins they are missing- they need to get their nutrition from breast milk and/or formula and the foods they eat. And, no supplement can offer the same level of usable nutrients to a body that whole foods can anyway. The best way to ensure vita-rich food is to feed children and babies food that is closest to its source- grown locally, picked fresh, and cooked at home. True or False? You need more hours in a day to even think about making your own baby food. Answer: False! Of course you don't have time to make your own baby food! Dining Details will be offering personal chef services for babies and toddlers beginning in May of this year. Using locally grown, organic produce, Chef Julie will be "whipping up" (literally) yummy eats for babies and toddlers. Food can be packaged in freezer bags to keep fresh through the week. If you or someone you know has a baby or toddler, and is interested in feeding your/their child the freshest, organic food available (outside of preparing it yourself), please contact us for more info, service options, and affordable pricing.
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Staying Healthy Through The HolidaysDecember 2008 Average weight gain over the holidays is 1-5 pounds, and the effects of holiday weight gain are often long lasting and not easily reversed. We are more willing to indulge ourselves and our families over the holidays than any other time of year, justifying eating holiday dinners that exceed the healthy daily recommended number of calories. If the holidays are a time of socializing, feasting, enjoying the "harvest" of the season (ie nibbling on delicious appetizers and sweets at every holiday party)... what can we do to take care of our bodies and our health through the holiday season? 1. One of the major reasons people over eat through the holidays is stress. We suddenly have ten thousand things to do in a limited amount of time, and the stress relieving activities go out the window as the binge eating finds a comfortable place in holiday life. Make it a priority to keep on your regular work out routine through the holidays, and perhaps even up it a bit. Add yoga or meditation to help your mind and body cope with the stress and the rush of the holidays. Work out in the morning so that no matter how busy your day gets, you already have that responsibility done. A holiday cookie at the office sounds a lot less appealing after a great work out ir yoga session. 2. We socialize, we drink, we eat. We eat. We eat. We eat some more. Most holiday parties offer a wide array of tasty treats, but not necessarily healthy ones. As we drink and socialize, we tend to eat more of these offerings than we really need to, simply because we are not paying attention. A great rule of thumb at parties is to eat a light, healthy dinner or snack BEFORE heading out for the night. If you show up to a party starving, you are more likely to mow your way through the heaviest caloric appetizers available; if you show up satisfied, you might have a few "tastes," socially, and enjoy your evening just the same. 3. Eating on the go when we are in a hurry can lead to some of the worst menu decisions ever. Traveling through airports, shopping at the mall, running errands around town... fast food becomes the quickest, easiest, and sometimes ONLY option. Stash some healthy snacks in your car or travel bag: Raw almonds, dried fruit, apples and bananas, all natural protein bars, and if you can pack an ice pack; lowfat yogurt or cheese. You will have the energy you need to keep going, and feel great at the end of the day. Fast food will only add pounds and slow you down! 4. Pay closer attention to eating well all the times that you can. By taking extra measures to slim down your meals at home, eating a healthy breakfast each day, exercising, and drinking plenty of water, you are more likely to be able to deal with the extra calories consumed here-and-there. One slice of pie, one decadent dinner, one "bad" day of holiday sweets is NOT going to throw your weight over the edge- its the 3 months of indulgent eating that tips the scales. If you take care of yourself day in and day out, your body will manage to deal with the extra calories here and there, and you will have a much easier time shedding the extra pounds after the holiday season. If you need help eating healthfully through the holidays, call on a personal chef service to help. You can get one delivery of up to 14 freezable family meals that are full of nutrition and flavor without the heavy calories and fat. If you are struggling to lose weight in the new year, certain personal chef services offer weight loss meal plans to help you achieve your goals. The best thing that a chef service does is provide you healthy options- you are more likely to reach for them if they are right there in front of you. |
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dining details — personal chef services
