THERE ARE BANANAS AND THEN THERE ARE PLANTAINS

See my article in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic's Stone Soup Blog.

http://foodandnutritionmagazine.com/difference-between-bananas-and-plantains

Butter, Margarine or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter?

When discussing fats with my fabulous nutrition students at Westchester Community College last week, the following question was debated:
What about I Can't Believe It's Not Butter (ICBINB)? There are lots of claims on the packaging: No Trans Fat, No Hydrogenated Oils, No Cholesterol......

So I told the students that we needed to look at the Nutrition Facts Panel and check it out

.

 It has less calories per Tablespoon 70 vs 100 in butter. They are both 100% Fat in total (no carbs or protein in either) but ICBINB is 1/3 lower in Saturated Fat (artery clogging). Zero Trans fat on the label (but we know what that means.... it could have <.5 GM even though it says ZERO.

So now we MUST check the ingredient list.  This pic is not the best but it should be noted that the ONLY ingredients in butter are cream and salt. Cream comes from an animal and therefore we know it has saturated fat (artery clogging). But the list of ingredients in ICBINB is very long and includes emulsifiers, artificial coloring and flavors and preservatives.

SO WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?  

 I SAY: USE BUTTER IN MODERATION!! VEGETABLE OILS WHEN YOU CAN.              

GET RID OF THE ARTIFICIAL STUFF AND DEFINITELY DON'T USE MARGARINE WHICH IS FILLED WITH HYDROGENATED AND TRANS FAT.

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

How do you handle your milk at the bottom of the cereal bowl?

You have given yourself a portion of cereal and some milk. You come to the end of the bowl and now you have extra milk. Do you pour yourself some more cereal?  Then what happens if you need more milk? Do you continue with this cycle?

Portion control is tough for anyone and there are so many outside influences that stand in the way. So what do you do in this situation? I suggest taking a few more spoonfuls of milk and pour the rest down the drain! Leave it at that.  Easier said than done, I know.  It may seem wasteful to some, but in weight loss it is helpful to learn to leave some food on your plate when you are done eating. The concept is, YOU control the food....It doesn't control you!  After so many years of having it ingrained into our heads to "clean" your plate, the idea of leaving some food behind is not easily undone.

It's okay to leave food behind! In fact it's a good habit to learn.If it is something unthinkable to you, start with a tiny piece of food, even a pea and go from there.

Fructose = Sugar

Fructose is the natural sugar found in fruit.

It is recommended that we eat 2 or more servings of fruit a day because FRUIT is packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients ( those wonderful antioxidants and other great things that are so healthy for us). Fructose without the fruit = sugar. If you see FRUCTOSE in anything that does not include the fruit, it provides nothing to you but empty calories.

The recommendation for Americans to eat fruit has nothing to do with fructose.  Try and include and incorporate fruit into each meal or for snacks and you are good to go. Sadly, this does not include fruit juice.

The Incredible Edible Egg!

In 2 minutes flat you can have a hearty breakfast or snack that ranges in calories from 100-235. Its simple.

I used 1 Large Egg and 2 Large Egg Whites with one piece of Skinny Cow Lite Swiss Cheese.
Spray your microwaveable mug and add your eggs and whites, stir, crumble up your cheese and add to mug.
Microwave for 1 minute.
Stir gently
Microwave for another 25-35 seconds.

REMEMBER, everyone's microwave is different, so you may have to experiment to get your perfect time.

You can put this on a whole grain English Muffin, a lite English Muffin; roll it up in a small Flour Tortilla and add salsa (change out the swiss cheese to 1 Tbs of cheddar cheese).  You can also use egg substitute and just pour in 1/2 cup of that to your mug and microwave as above for less fat and fewer calories.

There are endless ways to prepare the incredible egg!

I would love to hear your take.

150 Calorie Lean Protein and Carb Snacks

Here are some healthy snack suggestions that you can work into your day. Combining a lean protein with a carbohydrate (whole grain, fruit or vegetable) will keep you feeling full and satisfied.

• 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter and 2 Graham Crackers/Rice Cakes or ½ 100 Calorie English Muffin/Bagel Thin
• 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter and Fruit (apple/ small banana)
• ¼ cup Hummus and Veggies
• ¼ cup Hummus and 50 Calories of Crackers
• Hard Boiled Deviled Egg with Hummus (NO YOLK)
• Low Fat Cheese (String, Lite Laughing Cow, Creamy Swiss, Mini Babyel Lite) and 50 Calorie Crackers
• 2 Tbsp Whipped Cream Cheese on 5o Calories of Crackers or ½  100 Calorie English Muffin/Bagel Thin with Tomato Slice
• 1 Slice Low Fat Cheese Melted on ½ 100 Calorie English Muffin/Bagel Thin with Tomato Slice
• 2 Slices Turkey Breast and 1 Slice Low Fat Cheese, rolled up
•  2 oz Smoked Salmon (lox) slices with 1 Tbsp Whipped Cream Cheese and ½ 100 calorie English Muffin/Bagel Thin
• 4 Egg Whites and Whole Grain Tortilla (any brand 100 calories or less)
• 15 Pistachios and an Apple OR 24 Pistachios
• 12 Almonds and Apple OR 23 Almonds
• ½ cup Sunflower Seeds in Shell
• Chobani Yogurt, 0% fat
• 100 Calorie Bag Popchips and Lite Laughing Cow Cheese
• 1 oz Soft Goat Cheese, 50 Calories Crackers, 2 sundried tomatoes (no oil)
• Fresh Fruit and 1/2 cup 1% Fat Cottage Cheese

·     

Arnold Bagel Thins are 110 Calories
Joseph’s Flax Seed Pita Bread (6 per package) is 60 Calories Each

ENJOY!

Make Half Your Plate Vegetables...

and you are off to a great start with your meal.  That leaves the other half: 1/4 lean protein and 1/4 whole grains.

You are off and running if you focus on eating lots of nonstarchy vegetables that are going to fill you up and provide minimal calories, not to mention give you lots of vitamins, minerals, fiber and pytochemicals. There are so many great recipes online for simple roasted vegetables.If you feel you need to add some oil while roasting you can use spray oil or brush on a small amount of olive oil (don't forget to measure it out so you don't use more than you think!)

• Veggies can be easy and quick to prepare.
• You can buy frozen vegetables which will keep longer and possibly cost less. They provide the same, if not more, nutrients.
• Canned veggies also work, but best to buy those that are labeled "low sodium" or "reduced sodium" 
• Eat vegetables that are a variety of colors. It adds to taste, presentation and also is a bit of an insurance policy that ensures an assortment of vitamin, mineral and phytonutrient  (think antioxidant!) intake.
• Leave a container of cut up veggies in the front of your refrigerator for easy access. 
• If you are not a "vegetable person", become one!  There are so so many different vegetables. Try a new one each week. You will be pleasantly surprised.