The focus on overweight Americans, and the desire to turn the trend around, has resulted in many theories about the cause of the overweight and obesity trend. Suggested triggers for being overweight have ranged from sugar sweetened beverages to the latest “hot-button” gluten or wheat. With all of these “theories” what does the evidence show?  The U.S. Department of Agriculture tracks the wheat crop both in terms of acres planted and in wheat consumption; data indicates that wheat consumption is on the decline. Wheat consumption fell from an estimated 146 pounds per person in 2000 to a low of …

If you are like most people you’ve noticed how sometimes nutrition advice comes from a nutritionist and sometimes it comes from a dietitian or a registered dietitian (RD). And if you are like most people you’ve wondered—What is the difference? The difference is that the term dietitian, and more significantly the RD, has a clear definition that includes an education based on the science of food and how the body uses that food. The “Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics” clearly outlines the coursework required for someone to call themselves a dietitian. In addition, …

The International Food Information Council Foundation (IFICF) annually conducts a survey on Americans views about food, food safety and health. This year the results reflect the same overall emphasis as results from previous years. When it comes to purchasing food, taste is the number driver, followed by price and then healthfulness comes in third. At the same time, nearly all of those surveyed reported trying to improve at least one of their eating habits. The web-based survey of 1,057 Americans, between the ages of 18 and 80, took place in April of this year. The participants of the survey …

Several new studies have looked at the health of the brain, as well as memory and learning, and it seems inclusion of fish in your diet is an important component. Studies have looked at fish intake and its impact on memory, learning and even mood. While the extent of research is still limited, studies do show that those who eat fish more often, many studies indicate at least once a week, have greater brain volume. Researchers suggest that the impact of fish on the brain is related to the Omega-3 fatty acid content of the fish. Omega-3 fatty acids help increase blood flow, fight inflammation …

Managing what you eat and how much exercise you get are frequent messages to those who are trying to lose weight. A new study says that the types of carbohydrates you eat may impact inflammation, a contributor to the diseases that so often accompany being overweight. The study in the Journal of Nutrition followed 80 men and women, aged 18-45 years, for 46 days. One half of the participants were overweight or obese and one half were normal weight. Over the course of the study participants followed two different 28 day eating plans. One 28 day plan consisted of eating foods that are digested in…

The latest hype on foods that are bad for you has risen to the level of toxicity. Is sugar toxic? Should it be eliminated? What forms of sugar are they talking about? What does this belief do to your eating plan? Over the last several weeks news reports have indicated that sugar intake is connected to obesity, hypertension and obesity resulting in the label of “toxic” being assigned to added sugars, so what are the facts? The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that we limit our intake of added sugars to between five and ten percent of our daily calories with some segments of the …

March is National Nutrition Month and this year the theme is—"Get Your Plate in Shape." The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been out for more than a year and MyPlate is just under a year old. Checking to see if your meal plate is balanced is more than overdue. MyPlate focuses on more plant foods, leaner or low-fat animal food choices and of course appropriate portions. If you’ve thought about making changes in your eating habits but haven’t taken the steps yet, make National Nutrition Month the time to “Get your Plate in Shape.” Make half your plate fruits and vegetables and choose…

For the last several years reports have connected beverage intake—specifically sugar sweetened beverages—to weight gain, but studies have not conclusively demonstrated that there is a true cause and effect from beverages related to weight gain. A new study has recently looked at beverages from all liquid sources and the study outcomes indicated that beverage intake in associated with increased calories contributing to a change in weight. The study was reported at a food conference that I’m attending in Prague, Czech Republic. The study looked at subjects perception of fullness when they …

Each day the National School Lunch program feeds more than thirty million children in grades K-12 and while the composition of the meal is guided by very specific nutrition guidelines school lunch has been the target of much criticism. Last month the U.S. Department of Agriculture released new regulations to update the meal pattern. Starting with the 2012-13 school year the new standards will be phased into schools over a three year period. The new guidelines are the result of the growing concerns about childhood obesity and an increasing number of families who struggle to get access to …

January usually brings a resolution to lose weight, eat healthier or work out more, and often by this stage of the month the resolution has fallen by the wayside. If your goal was to eat healthier, there are some simple tips to make this happen. Make changes slowly. Taking one step at a time is how a baby learns to walk, and making behavior changes is no different. It is a one step process. Shift your grain foods to whole grain (wheat, oats, corn are a few). Add more plant protein choices (beans, nuts, seeds) and choose only lean meat, fish or poultry. Combining beans with meat in chili …

Happy New Year! For many people, the start of a New Year means the start of yet another attempt to lose weight. If you enjoyed the holidays more than you planned or you just picked up too may extra pounds over the last year, make a new resolution this year: Avoid fad diets and work to achieve a healthy weight. Body weight is composed of muscle, blood and other fluids, bones, skin, organs and of course body fat, so when you get on the scale you are really weighing how much all of this weighs, which is not an accurate assessment of whether you are a healthy weight or not. The key to healthy …

As the holiday season goes into full gear, you’re probably making decisions about food choices and activities based on “Do I have the time or does it really matter?” Fortunately, you can pull a little bit of healthy into your holiday routine with the following tips. Have a plan so you know which foods you want to eat and which can you do without. Don't go to parties hungry, because hunger leads to overeating. When you get to the party, get a drink and socialize, then scope out the food. Decide on a few items you really want to try, and don’t sample for the duration of the party. Drink …

Sugar, whether it is naturally occurring or added to foods, is important to overall health. But for most Americans, the amount we are consuming goes way beyond what we need for health. Sugars, and other carbohydrate foods, are the beginning of the fuel the body needs to function. Carbohydrates all end up after digestion as glucose, and it is glucose that keeps the body working. So while we need sugars it seems lately that Americans have adopted the “If some is good, more must be better,” attitude regarding sugar.  The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports that added sugars, those …

The two basics of healthy eating are knowing which foods are the better choices and then knowing portion sizes. With the variety of portions served in restaurants, in your home and in packaged foods, it can be very confusing to know what is the right portion size. Let’s make the portion size a bit clearer. First, a portion is the reference amount for a food within each of the five food groups in the dietary guidelines or on MyPlate. Second, portions sizes will not vary, but the number of servings (portions) you should consume will depend on your body size and physical activity. The following …

Choosing beans, nuts or seeds for you entrée or side dish probably sounds a bit out of the ordinary, but new guidelines suggest this should become the norm. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend substituting plant protein for animal protein a few times a week to help reduce your intake of saturated fats. Figuring out how to do this may feel a bit overwhelming, but have no fear, some simple adjustments can make it easy. Plant proteins are found in greatest quantity in beans, nuts and seeds but are also found in grain foods and vegetables. Adequate protein intake is important for …

Did you know that kids typically get about 30 to 50 percent of their calories while at school? While parents likely know what children are having at breakfast and dinner, children have a substantial amount of freedom to make their own food decisions at school. These choices are important because the food choices students make today can have a big influence in shaping their future.  This year, parents will be happy to know that there are nutritious changes taking place in the lunch line. Here are some easy tips parents can teach their children to help them remember to make the best school …