The Truth About HFCS

Anyone else seen those highly annoying commercials with the lady walking in the farm, corn stalks blowing in the breeze, as she's saying that high fructose corn syup is A-okay for her and her family (innocent children having a picnic in the background)? There are few things in life that have ruffled my feathers as much as those commercials because High Fructose Corn Syrup, aka corn sugar as you can now find it on food labels, is NOT, I repeat, NOT good for us, nor our waistline.

When we eat the right foods, our hormones function properly. Triggers are sent to the brain to signal that we've had enough to eat and we are thereby full. When we eat the wrong foods, like simple sugars in processed foods, our bodies go haywire hormonally, and that ends up in one result... a new pair of larger sized pants, my friends.

Fructose found in HFCS, a sweetener in many processed foods, isn't seen by the brain as regular food so it doesn't see HCFS as excess calories or fat. Therefore, we don't turn off the "full" signal and continue eating, which leads to excess calories and weight gain.

As Americans we consume more than 63lbs of fructose per year! that's 128,000 calories and a huge contributor to weight gain!

Stop the madness now! When looking at food labels beware of the following as ingredients, but especially as one of the first 5:
1. Simple sugars- fructose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, corn sugar, dextrose, maltose, sucralose, aspartame, saccharin.
2. Enriched/bleached or refined flours- these have been stripped of all nutrients and are processed just the same as sugars.

Common HFCS culprits include, but are not limited to: Fat free foods, such as salad dressings, ketchup, mustard, honey mustards, barbecue sauce, granola bars, cereal bars, cookies, chips, and other pre-packaged snack foods.

Know what doesn't have HFCS?? Fresh fruits and veggies :)

Avoid Empty Calories

Sodas, fruit juices, sports drinks, and specialty coffees and teas can be loaded with “empty calories.” Nutritionally speaking, this means that these drinks provide no real nourishment, however, calorie and carb-wise can be equal to 3+ slices of bread (1 slice of bread= 15g carbs and roughly 60-70 calories) and most of these beverages offer up about 40g carbs and crazy amounts of sugar. Personally, I’d rather eat my calories!

Tofu-rific!

Just got home from dinner with my dietitian pal, Jess, and in true dietitian fashion, we had plenty of veggies and tofu! Now, I hear what you're thinking.... tofu? eww! And for the most part, I would've agreed with you, however, it really is dependent on how you cook/prepare it as to how palatable it ends up being. I've tried this soybean-derived food in all shapes and consistencies, but for the most part, it seems that extra firm tofu seems to be best at absorbing other flavors and has an agreeable texture. Try tofu in egg scrambles, stir fry's, soups, casseroles, etc! the list goes on and on! I've had a hard time with tofu just on its own and in the block-like shape, however, if you like it, great! Kudos to you! If you haven't tried it, google a recipe and give it a go! You've got nothing to lose! In comparison to meat, it is cheaper, incredibly versatile, low in the bad saturated fats, and lower in calories, while adding a great bulk to your meal, plus you're helping out the environment because the production costs are much lower.

Super creepy facts: It takes about 16lbs of grain to make one pound of beef and livestock are responsible for 18% of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming. That's more than cars, planes, and other transport combined! Now, I realize I just posted a grass-fed beef recipe two posts ago, so let me explain. By buying locally and grass-fed, there was much less production that went into my cut of meat. Lean beef and other meats are also excellent sources of protein, iron, riboflavin, and vitamin B12 (lacking in vegetarian foods).

Tofu is an excellent source of vegetarian protein with 1/2 cup firm (or 4 oz) tofu providing 10g protein, 94 calories, 5g fat (can find low-fat versions), and is naturally, cholesterol free since it is not animal derived. Other mentionables are the calcium- 227mg or 22% of the RDA, and iron- 1.8mg (although iron found in red meat will be more bioavailable).

Get Bikini-ready Stat!

Just because I haven't posted in a few days- I'll hit ya with a double whammy of nutrition! I don't know about your city but here in Tejas, since the weather is getting nicer and bikini season is right around the corner (as in next week), let's talk weight loss!

Being fit and healthy is really a two-part effort. Gotta work-out and gotta eat right. Hitting the treadmill for an hour isn't going to do anything if you're making a pit stop at whataburger on the way home! When we eat right, we also that we find we have more energy to workout even though that sounds counter intuitive since calories are energy.

Anyways! To the drawing board-- one key concept that so many people have trouble with is that in order to lose weight, calories in < calories out. Now, there's more to it than just that. What we don't want to do is have only 1-2 meals per day because that tells our bodies that we're in somewhat of a starvation mode, holding onto fat, instead of releasing it (Think good ol' caveman days when we didn't know when our next meal was going to leap in front of us). Jumpstart your metabolism with breakfast within one hour of rise every morning, and enjoy small frequent meals throughout the day.

For you smartphone users out there- some of my favorite Apps for tracking calories/nutrition info are Lose It, Calorie Count, Restaurant Nutrition, and Eat This Not That. Even tracking for a few days can help you realize portion sizes and see where you're at. You can even scan foods you eat to make tracking super easy and add in your physical activity! Thank you, technology!

Now, I'm no personal trainer, but whatever you need to get your rear in gear should be at the forefront of your to-do list. When we see exercise as part of our day and not as an option, it helps us get into the groove. Even at home, if you can read this blog, you can look-up youtube workout videos- abs, arms, gluts, whatever you want! For me, groupons and living social deals have helped motivate me to hit the gym/studio. My exercise of choice is hot yoga, pilates and lots of running. P90x dvds also help when I'm not in the mood to leave the apartment and I'm excited to start my crossfit classes through living social too!

Grass-fed Momma's Meatloaf

Ahh, so it's been awhile since my last post. I was back in H-town for a few days before taking off to Austin for the last weekend of SXSW. I'm going to go off on a quick tangent and just say I love the city of Austin so much! Such a great foodie, hippie, anything goes kinda place. Super easy to eat healthy too even if it means only eating out of food trucks (which I did- Chicken Tikka Masala out of the Naan Stop truck- great decision). Got to see some amazing Athens, GA based bands as well! Great Success!

Back to the food- Upon returning, I realized I had frozen my local Texas grass-fed beef I got from the farmers' market so I decided to try out my oh-so-yummy Turkey Meatloaf recipe featured in my book with the beef instead. Grass-fed beef tends to be a tad more gamey than your average beef taste-wise because it is very lean and has some of those awesome Omega-3 fatty acids instead of the usual saturated fats traditional beef is laden with. The result was wonderful! Definitely a different taste, but very acceptable. I paired the already veggie-filled loaf with more veggies- sauteed brussels sprouts, butternut squash, mushrooms, and onion seasoned with garlic and vinegar. Soo good! AND the leftovers fed me for the rest of the week! Which is time saving for when you're too exhausted later in the week to prepare something, but still want something healthy.

Here's the recipe! Enjoy!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 lb grass-fed ground beef (local beef preferred)
1 cup oats
1 cup finely chopped onion

3 carrots, shredded
½ cup ketchup (no high fructose corn syrup preferred)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

1.     Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients in large bowl; mix lightly but thoroughly.

2.     Bake 50-55 minutes or until meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 170°F. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Optional Sauce:

1.     Combine ½ cup grated onion, 1 cup ketchup, 4 tablespoons distilled vinegar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and add to meatloaf 20 minutes before done. Sauce will add 76 calories, 19g carbohydrate, and 564mg sodium per serving. 

Nutrition Information:

216 calories, 7g fat, 3g saturated fat, 1g monounsaturated fat, 1g polyunsaturated fat, 19g carbs, 3g fiber, 19g protein, 437mg sodium. 

Coconut oil is probably one of the best things on Earth

In case you're not familiar with coconut oil, it's an amazing product to not only use while cooking but well, for just about everything. Check out this article for 80 uses for this versatile wonder as well as the nutrition info behind it. One of my best pals and fellow dietitian, Jess, actually made her own toothpaste from this stuff! (Yes, that's what dietitians do in their spare time.)

Happy National Registered Dietitian Day!

My breakfast of champions on this great day in Houston, TX! Greek yogurt, fresh strawberries and blackberries, sprinkled with flax seeds and drizzled with honey! Stevia sweetened tea gave me my caffeine kick for the day too. I think if I had to pick one thing to eat for the rest of my life- this would be it.

As for the nutrition (and in case you didn't know)- Greek yogurt is much higher in protein than your average joe Yoplait. The legit Greek yogurt is going to have more than 20g protein per cup, have about 8-9g carbohydrates and if it's fat-free, less than 130 calories. Paired with fresh fruit and honey, it's the perfect combo of carbs and protein.

Back to H-town!

After a wonderful weekend with the family and a helluva long day, I'm back home in Houston. I had a 2 hour layover in San Diego where I encountered a new product! Gnu Foods Flavor and Fiber Chocolate Brown Bar in the health foods section (very excited that they even had that section in the airport). Based out of NYC, I was very pleased with the nutrition information (140 calories, 4g fat, 1g saturated fat, 30mg sodium, 30g carbohydrates, 12g fiber- 8g soluble, 4g insoluble, 9g sugar, 4g protein). Low in sodium, reasonable calories, all natural ingredients, and most of all, a great blend of both insoluble and soluble fibers! The taste was terrific as well! A+ Gnu Foods!

Headed to Cali!

When I say I travel a lot, I sure mean it. Currently, I am San Francisco bound, which was lucky in and of itself because I flew standby. Didn’t make the first flight, but made the second by the skin of my teeth. Ended up with the middle seat, however, I would’ve gladly ridden with the luggage just to get on the plane! It’s 6:45pm Houston time and I’ve now been awake almost 15 hours… yuck. For one of my jobs, I provide health coaching to employees of companies that hire my company (got that?), and can require me to be on site at hellacious hours of the morning. Sometimes it feels weird eating breakfast so early in the morning, yet in order to really jumpstart metabolism, it’s important to eat within the first hour of rise. This morning I had a perfectly ripe pear with some Greek yogurt. The health fair itself had an assortment of the usual culprits- cinnamon rolls, Danishes, scones, bagels, etc. They were tough to avoid, so I’ll admit I split a blueberry scone with another dietitian. I practiced another lesson I preach- allow yourself a slice, not the whole pie. This prevents feeling deprived and later slipping back off the wagon.

After work, it was home to grab my stuff, kill the other half of my acorn squash (leftover from the night before), pack some snacks to take with me for the plane (more greek yogurt and some almonds), and make my way to Bush Intercontinental Airport. In case y’all haven’t been fortunate enough to sample the wonder that is acorn squash, 1. You should and 2. Seriously, get to the grocery store NOW. Acorn squash packs a punch of Vitamins A, B6, C, E, potassium, and magnesium. One 4” acorn squash contains approximately 176 calories, 0.4g fat, 0g saturated fat, 45g carbohydrates, 6.5g fiber, 0g sugar 3.4g protein, and 13mg sodium. Personally, I consume about half when I prepare it. It’ll surprise you how easily this one fills ya up! This is a great veggie too if you’re short on time- I typically poke the squash with a fork all around and nuke it for about 7 minutes (Caution: it will be HOT), slice it in half, de-seed each half, add some cinnamon or nutmeg (whichever I can find first), grab a fork and go to town! Acorn squash is a great substitute for mashed potatoes in this sense, yet way more flavorful, in my opinion.

Another hour till I land in my favorite US city for some quality time with my family J Movie time.  

References: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/list

Eating on the Job

One of the biggest excuses I hear from clients is that they just didn't have time to eat healthy and had no other possible choice but to hit up the drive-thru window.  I hear ya folks! So much of eating healthy IS being prepared and having the right foods on hand BUT you also don't have to order the Big Mac with Fries either.

Ever since the documentary Super Size Me came out, I'll have to hand it to the Golden Arches for vastly improving their menu. For the most part the Grilled Chicken Salad with a vinaigrette based dressing is going to be the best choice at any fast food spot. Second would be some form of grilled chicken strips (watch the dipping sauces), followed by the grilled chicken sandwich on a wheat bun sans the mayo. Where's the beef you say? Aside from being astronomically high in saturated and trans fats, most beef and fried foods are laden with MSG, or monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer that has also been linked to adverse side effects.

My philosophy is to take preemptive action and avoid foods/food products that are lacking long term scientific evidence and could be potentially cancer causing. In other words- it ain't worth the risk! Sodium nitrates are another one of those controversial food additives that may lead to heart disease.

As for the I-can't-even-use-the-bathroom-nevermind-go-eat excuse while at work, I have just the solution! Make like a school-child and pack your very own lunch box! Hell, you can even store snacks at your desk! My snacks of choice are Fage 0% Greek yogurt, Laughing Cow cheese wedges, fruit (of course), 100 calorie packs of unsalted almonds or other nut mixes, Luna bars, Lara bars (watch the calories/fat), and Frigo Heads String Cheese. Rule #76- No excuses, eat like a champion.

ATL Airport is a Dietitian's Nightmare

So I crashed at my dear friend Courtney’s house in Atlanta last night in order to be dropped off at Marta this morning and make my way to the all-too-familiar Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. (I swear I know this airport better than the employees.) Airports have become synonymous with my life currently. Since November, I don’t think I’ve gone longer than 3 weeks without boarding a different plane- Atlanta, Atlanta again for X-mas, LA, NYC, Atlanta for a third time with no close end in sight! I have to say, I’m definitely not complaining. Right now I couldn’t be happier with all my travel plans, except for the fact that my diet has inevitably suffered. 

The pressure to indulge in what I call “vacation no-nos” lurks around ever corner. My parents, for example, fell victim to those girlscouts temptresses in disguise (those boxes glared at me every time I entered the kitchen). Chick-fil-a’s occupying every exit also pose a problem. Not to jump on my soapbox or anything, BUT there is a severe lack of sweet tea outside of what I consider the Deep South (Texas doesn’t count) so “because I only get it when I’m home,” I tell myself it’s ok. But really, IT’S NOT OK! Unfortunately, it’s what has led to my 3lb weight gain in 6 days :( A slippery slope that most people find themselves on. Before 3lbs turns into 10, it’s time to get back into the drivers seat. See? Dietitians don’t always have the perfect diet. (This is the part where you guys sympathize with me as readers.)

So as I said I’m at the airport, scouring poor choice after poor choice. To my amazement, there was even an Oscar Mayer restaurant option. Good grief. Ended up at Atlanta Bread Company assuming they would have some kind of fruit cup or non-fat yogurt... wishful thinking on my part. Ended up with an egg and cheese sandwich. I looked up the nutrition after (usually always check before but time was of the essence) to discover my breakfast had 440 calories, 17g fat, 6g saturated fat, 52g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 20g protein and 790mg sodium. 

I’ll explain how I arrived at my decision: The fewest calorie option would’ve been the bagel with fat free cream cheese, however, that meal would’ve been entirely composed of carbohydrates. By adding some protein and fat (with the egg and cheese), I was able to avoid a high blood sugar spike and I was able to go the remaining 4 hours till I arrived back at my place and safely in healthy food zone. Typically when we eat foods comprised of high amounts of carbohydrates (and processed, white bread ones), we tend to become hungrier sooner.

To compensate for my not-so-ideal meal, I had a nice spinach salad when I got back to my place and took my little dog, Georgia, for a much needed run. I love vacations (I mean who doesn’t?), but there’s definitely something to be said about being home and getting back to your routine. AND sleeping in your own bed J

Are You Familiar with Kombucha?

In case you're not- Kombucha is a raw food containing antioxidants and probiotics, or the good bacteria which are beneficial for gut health. It can also be described as a fermented tea. This one pictured above has 60 calories for the entire 16 fl oz bottle, 0g fat, 14g carbohydrates, 4g sugar, 0g protein, and 20mg sodium. More importantly it has 2 BILLION cultures. Talk about some happy intestines!

It also contains 20%, or is a good source, of the recommended value of vitamins B6 and B12. Vitamin B12 is usually found in meats and animal products and is an important micronutrient, therefore, this is a great vegetarian source of B12 as well!

What does it taste like you say? Well it has a bit of a fizziness/carbonation to it and when it comes to friends and family I've had try it- it seemed like it was an either love it or hate it type reaction.

So if the above benefits haven't convinced you to try it yet... many Kombucha enthusiasts boast the cancer-curing and cancer preventing effects of this funny-looking beverage.

P.S. the floating "stuff" is the yeast and is totally fine to drink if you so desire! I know that sounds weird, but TRY IT! Kombucha can be found at Whole Foods, Central Market and other health food stores AND some Kroger's have even started carrying it! Look for local made Kombuchas as well as from your friendly neighborhood farmer's market :)

Drink More Water!!!

Water has so many functions for us in the body. Aside from the obvious hydration, water can also help us flush out some excess fat, HOWEVER, we have to drink enough in order to see its effects. So how much is enough? I recommend aiming for 1/2 your weight (in lbs) in fluid ounces of water. Here's an example:

Say you weigh 150 pounds, you would aim to drink AT LEAST 75 fl oz of water per day. Most water bottles are about 20 fl oz so that would be about 4 of those per day.

I often hear "what about coffee?" COFFEE DOES NOT COUNT! Especially the caffeinated kind. Caffeine acts as a diuretic in the body meaning that we actually lose water when we drink caffeinated beverages. For every caffeinated beverage, drink an additional glass of water. Pure water is going to be the best way to go to achieve hydration, but if you're looking for some flavor, I'm a huge fan of La Croix flavored soda waters- not artificial colors, flavors, and calorie-free! Orange and Coconut are my favorites! They can be found in the soda section of your local grocery store.

Welcome!

Welcome to I'll Have What She's Having! I am a living, breathing 25 year old dietitian currently living in Houston, TX, for those who do not know me. I tend to know a lot about food and diet and I thought, why not share my health tips and suggestions to get other people on the path of improved health? Whether you're looking for weight loss/weight gain tips, cooking with new vegetables, or random interesting food/health facts, stay tuned!

Just so everyone knows where I stand- I'm not a vegan, nor am I a vegetarian, however, I do LOVE my fruits and veggies. Yogurt is by far my favorite food, yet close seconds are chocolate chip cookies and chicken wings. I don't believe in high carb, low carb, high protein, only-what-you-can-fit-on-a-fork etc., etc. I believe in a well-balanced diet, composed of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and low-fat/lean dairy/meat. That's not to say you can't splurge every once in awhile, but controlling those splurges will be key to ideal weight maintenance. Calorie counting isn't always necessary, but can be helpful in identifying pit falls in diet.... Just an FYI :)

P.S. That's my faithful dog, Zeppelin, in the picture. He's also on a doggy diet because living with Grandma & Grandpa has done a number on his waistline. My dog, Georgia, is the only one that currently lives with me in Texas (She got to be in the cookbook pic of me) so as a huge doggie-lover, I will also throw in some canine weight/health tips here and there!