-What is your opinion on High Fructose Corn Syrup?
D: I believe the danger of too much high fructose corn syrup is twofold: first of all, it is almost always found in foods that are nutritionally empty calories, like soft drinks, pop tarts, and sweetened fruit drinks. Your body metabolizes high fructose corn syrup differently, and does not release the hormone insulin, which tells your brain that you've eaten, so those calories don't register and we just keep eating. Also, most sources of hfcs are genetically modified, and we don't even know what problems that will create for us over time. So I wouldn't say never eat it, just minimize it. And, if you want a soft drink, a regular one is better than a diet drink -- just don't drink them too often.
G: I discovered in researching this that it basically is treated like any other sugar...bottom line is to limit sugars and eat whole foods. HFCS has increased in use >1000% between 1970 to 1990. [and even more to date] HFCS is made up of 80% of fructose. Fructose is poorly absorbed in the gut. Some of the consequences of this is a high osmotic load, rapid bacterial fermentation, alters the gut bacteria and can change GI motility...hence you could get bloating, gas and diarrhea if you took too much of the HFCS. Too much of any sugar including HFCS in the diet can increase one's blood lipids i.e. triglycerides, contribute to wt gain, fill you up on junk and leave little room for healthy food. HFCS offers really no nutritional value.
-Do you agree with the belief that it is better for people to eat 6 smaller meals every 3-4 hours rather than 3 normal/big meals throughout the day?
D: Whether one eats three times a day or 5-6 times a day depends entirely on that individual and they way their body processes and digests food. Some of us have faster metabolisms, and are higher energy, so we probably need to eat every two to three hours so that our bodies have a constant source of nutrients. Others have a slower metabolism and digest food more slowly, so eating three times a day works best. There is no right or wrong on this one, do what feels best for you and your schedule.
G: Yes, that is how I eat. I listen to my body and eat when I am hungry. When you are "grazing" you eat small amounts throughout the day. You have a more even level of your blood sugar and avoid swings. Often after a large meal you feel sluggage and in need of a nap. This is because a lot of blood supply is redirected to your gut to help absorb the food...many think that they will lose wt by starving themselves by skipping breakfast [which by the way is the most important meal of the day to "break the fast"], having a lite lunch, but by dinner they are starving and gorge themselves on a huge meal...this is tough on the body to have to digest this huge meal and then one tends to sit around and not use much of the kcals for the rest of the evening contributing to fat deposition and wt gain.
-What things should people pay attention to on nutrition labels? (like low cal/high protein? low carbs etc)
D: Nutrition labels can be a bit deceiving, so you first want to look at the list of ingredients -- the first few ingredients are usually the bulk of what's inside. Then look at sodium, sugar, protein, fiber and decide if it's worth it! For example, yogurt is a good for you, right? Well it can be, or it can be loaded with high fructose corn syrup and other sugars. Your best choice is usually organic plain yogurt, and add your own fresh fruit, honey or agave sweetener, or whatever you like.
G: It really depends upon what kind of diet you are on...if you were trying to lose wt then low kcal is important. [some of the diets that people have has success with wt loss are the low carb, high protein - Atkins, Southbeach, etc]. If you are a diabetic then you really need to watch the carbohydrates and sugars. If you need to gain wt then total kcals, protein and fat are important. If you are on a low salt diet because you retain fluids or have high blood pressure then the sodium. If you are on a Heart Healthy Diet then looking at sodium, fat, cholesterol are important. I think eating like the Mediterraneans do is the smartest: Fresh food that is bought that day, whole grains [not white, processed breads, foods], fruit, veggies, fish, nuts, legumes, seeds some red wine, olive or canola oil. If you have dairy products they should be fat free.
-What are the differences between the different types of carbs. Which do people want to be eating and which should people stay away from?
D: Carbohydrates got a bad rap during the Atkins/South Beach Diet eras. Carbs are not bad -- fruits and vegetables are carbs, as are whole grains. What you want to avoid are the nutritionally void carbs like white bread, white rice, white sugary stuff. Always go for fresh, whole foods -- the way Mother Nature intended them.
G: carbohydrates can be anything from a white piece of bread to legumes and lentils...again eating the whole food is best. Brown rice, beans, Brown crusty bread that the first ingredient says "whole", sweet potatoes, potatoes, oatmeal,granola, quinoa, veggies, fruits, etc.
Think Brown not white. You will get carbs from milk too, candy, snack bars, etc...The milk is fine, but trying to avoid the processed food is best. The body does better with the whole food. Many crave the junk food that is filled with carb's, fat and salt....potato chips, french fries, etc...stick to the whole food. Plant based is always best...eat the foods that have come the least distance from the ground - less processed.
-What are the differences between the different types of fats? Which are good fats and which are bad?
D: Good fats are called "Essential Fatty Acids" because you must get them in your diet --your body cannot produce them. Examples of good fats are: fish oil (Omega 3's) especially from wild caught salmon & sardines -- the best sources through fish, although other fish is good like tuna, tilapia and rockfish. You just want to minimize your consumption of large fish because of mercury levels (mercury was also found in somehigh fructose corn syrup products recently).. Other examples of good fats are: flax seeds, walnuts, almonds, all other nuts, sesame seeds and other seeds, avocados, olives and olive oil.
G: Avoid Trans fats[like crisco, full kcal margarine,french fries, etc]...they are man made and worse than the saturated fat from animals [lard, chicken skin, meat fat, cheese, whole dairy products]. Trans worse, Saturated next, Polyunsaturated [soybean, corn, etc oil] ok in small amounts and Monounsaturated [olives, olive and canola oils, nuts and seeds, avocado are pretty neutral on the diet and the blood lipids [ ie. cholesterol ]. Remember that fat is needed by the body, but only in small amounts. The best 2 to get it from are the mono's and the polys'.
-What foods, spices, drinks, etc do you consider necessities to have in one's house?
D: Good spices and ingredients to always have on hand would include fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen is the second best choice. Stay away from too many canned foods except canned tuna, sardines and salmon are okay, and canned beans are a lot more convenient. You probably always want good whole sprouted bread in the freezer, organic peanut butter and almond butter, organic free range eggs, good yogurt and lighter cheeses like cottage cheese, feta and goat's milk cheese and cheddar (always get organic dairy). You may want some good cereals that are high in fiber and protein like some of the Kashi cereals, and either soy milk or regular lowfat -- organic of course. And some whole grain pasta, organic marinara sauce, olive oil, lemons, oregano and basil, soy meat crumbles in the freezer and frozen spinach. Think about always having something at hand so you can throw together a satisfying and balanced meal in a hurry.
G: Whole foods, less processed, any spices that you like to cook with, water is the best drink [but not from a plastic bottle unless it is BPA free [another chemical to avoid]. You can buy BPA free bottles now at many stores. Some people drink some of the speciality juices that are made from whole foods. Try to limit anything made from HFCS ie. sodas, etc. We have nonfat milk that we drink. Alcohol in moderation. It is what you do most of the time that counts.
-What things do you consider essential for every college student to have in their diet, and have in their dorms or apartments?
D: (combined this question and the question above so only answered the question above)
G: vitamin D and calcium sources. You need about 1000iu of vitamin D3 [cholecalciferol] daily despite time in the sun [ I take a supplement daily] and at least 1200mg calcium daily [I look at my milk and yogurt and if I have cheese intake for the day and then take a calcium supplement if I did not reach the 1200mg/d]. If you don't get enough calcium you will be pulling it from your bones. Your body must maintain a certain level of calcium in the blood and it will get it from your bones if you don't provide it through diet. Vitamin D deficiency is a lot more common than once thought of...it is being related to many disease states now. The above whole foods are always a good start. Try to limit the junk food and alcohol. The Mediterranean diet is best. Could always mix alcohol with some of the better 100% juices or a diet 7-up to reduce the alcohol.
-What are some of your favorite healthy snacks?
D: Some of my favorite snacks are: apples and peanut butter; grapes or berries and lowfat cheese like cottage cheese or string cheese; veggies and hummus or salsa; raw or roasted almonds and walnuts with some fresh ordried fruit. I am also a huge fan of potato chips -- just make sure you get good organic ones and look at the ingredients -- I look for sea salt and olive or canola oil -- and watch the serving size. A large bag is more than one serving! Popcorn is also a great snack -- pop it yourself -- it tastes better and is better for you.
G: fruit and veggies, trail mix, almonds and walnuts are your healthest nuts, small sandwich, yogurt [StoneyField farms or the more natural ones that are not full of sugar], Kashi fruit bars, etc [Kashi is a great company that uses the whole grains]
-What does an ideal snack contain? (i.e a lot of fiber or protein)
D: (answered this question and the question above as one question so see answer above)
G: Fiber is very important. We are suppose to get ~25grams a day, but most people don't even come close because they eat so much processed food. Think of the indians and cave men - we have gone from a culture of gatherers to eating processed junk. This could be why a lot of people have trouble with their guts.
Most of the high protein bars are basically a candy bar with added protein and some vitamins and minerals. The bars have a place if you are limited in when and what you can eat, but best not to live on them. They should play a very small part of the diet.
-Do you believe eating organic is important? Why or why not?
D: Organic is important because there are pesticides used in commercial farming that are harmful to our health. While some pesticides can be washed off, many are "systemic," which means they cannot be removed through peeling or washing. Our bodies don't really know what to do with these toxic invaders. Over time, depending upon our exposure and our individual DNA, they can cause serious health issues. So eating organic just eliminates our exposure to certain toxins. It is important to try to eat only organic those fruits and vegetables referred to as the "dirty dozen" -- those include strawberries, apples, peaches, grapes, cherries, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, celery, green peppers, spinach and broccoli. And, it isn't always practical or possible. So I would advise college students to try to stay away fromprocessed food as much as possible, and choose fresh, whole foods whenever possible!
G: Definitely eat organic where you can. Limiting pesticides, etc is a good idea for the body. Your body is bombarded with 100's of carcinogins every daily, so trying to limit the exposure is smart.
-Do you have anything else to say?
D: It's also important to remember that we want to make good nutritional choices most of the time -- and if we're meeting our nutritional needs, then treats like chocolate or ice cream or pizza will not hurt you. We want to put the fun and joy back into preparing and eating good, fresh food!
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