Food Rules: The Big Bad Fat Monster!

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Though I was born in the 80's, I am certainly a child of the 90's. One of the biggest things that sticks out in my mind from the 90's (other than the plethora of handsome boy bands to adore) was the huge fat-free/non-fat craze.  My mother, for one, was hooked on Nabisco's SnackWells cookies. Hey, it was a good way to eat sweets within moderation...

...or so we thought. Which leads me to the next guideline from Michael Pollan's book Food Rules...

AVOID FOOD PRODUCTS WITH THE WORDOID "LITE" OR THE TERMS "LOW-FAT" OR "NONFAT" IN THEIR NAMES.

Just because the packaging uses these phrases, doesn't mean the food is healthier OR lower in calories. Allow me to explain.

Fat is what gives food it's consistency. When you remove the fat from food, it obviously has to be replaced with something. In these types of products, the fat is replaced with carbohydrates, sugars, salt and (many times) artificial additives. These ingredients are no better (and sometimes worse) than the fat that was removed to make you think you are eating something good for you. Next time you pick up a box of fat-free anything, scan the label and you'll be surprised at what's inside.

Second, without the fat, your body doesn't get the signal that it's full, causing you to overeat to the point of being stuffed. There's a reason you can eat that whole bag of fat-free chips! It takes a whole bag before you realize you are full. Additionally, studies have suggested that the sugar substitutes used in these products may overstimulate your taste buds, causing you to crave them more and more.

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Third, when you're consuming carbohydrates, it's important to allow your body some healthy fats in conjunction with the carbs. When your body breaks down the carbs, sugars are released into your blood stream very quickly. When you eat fat along with the carbs, the fat slows down the release of sugar, keeping your blood sugar from spiking and preventing the inevitable crash that results.

Last, some vitamins that your body requires are fat soluble (ie. vitamin D). Your body uses fat to absorb and store these vitamins. When you purposely cut the healthy fats out of your diet, you are limiting your body's ability to nourish itself.

Fat is a macronutrient for a reason. Macronutrients are needed to survival and basic bodily functions. You need fat for proper hormone function, for normal growth and development, to keep your cell walls strong, to cushion your vital organs, to provide you with energy and to keep you warm. Fat deficiency can cause dry skin, eczema, low energy, impaired kidneys, slow healing time, vision issues, learning problems, depression and even miscarriage. When choosing fats, it's important to pick healthy fats, such as olive or canola oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.

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Moral of the story? Fat-free and non-fat products do not necessarily equal healthy nor do they lead to weight loss. Michael Pollan makes it very clear...

"Since the low-fat campaign began in the late 1970s, Americans actually have been eating more than 500 additional calories per day, most of them in the form of refined carbohydrates like sugar. The result: The average male is seventeen pounds heavier and the average female nineteen pounds heavier than in the late 1970s. You're better off eating the real thing in moderation than bingeing on 'lite' food products packed with sugars and salt."

So my friends, think twice as you head down that grocery aisle. Get the good stuff.

Amaranth: Spicing Up Your Breakfast The Aztec Way!

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You may recall my breakfast confession from a few months ago. You remember, right? How I used to eat anything BUT breakfast food for breakfast? Seriously, when I was in elementary school a bowl of spaghetti or some leftover meatloaf would do just fine in my book. Gross, I know.

Though I've graduated from leftover meatloaf, I still feel like something's missing in the breakfast arena. You've got your eggs, your granola, your toast... maybe even your healthy smoothie if you're feeling spunky... but all these choices still leave me feeling like something's missing. This past weekend I decided it was high time to try something new... something old school yet little known... a little something I like to call amaranth.

Excited? Ok, good. Here we go! Let's talk about amaranth.

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Amaranth is usually grouped into the 'grain' category, although it's not really a grain. It's actually the seed of a flowering herb. Amaranth has been around for a long, long time. It was a dietary staple of the Aztecs. At one point in time, it represented almost 80% of their daily caloric consumption! To this day, amaranth is generally grown in Mexico, Peru and Guatamala, although many Asian countries now grow it as well. You can find it in your local health food store or natural grocery store (think 'Whole Foods')!

And great news for a few of my sensitive friends out there, amaranth is GLUTEN-FREE! Happy stomachs everywhere!

(Insert happy stomach dance here)

Amaranth is a very concentrated source of nutrition. Let me explain why amaranth is so great...

HIGH IN PROTEIN - Just 1 cup of amaranth equals about 28 grams of protein. If you remember from my previous posts, the average person needs approximately 50 grams daily. That's almost half your daily requirement! What's even better is that you're getting the plant-based protein without the fat! Perfect combo! 

CHOCK FULL OF CALCIUM - I don't want to burst your dairy bubble, but amaranth is a better source of calcium than milk. Because amaranth also contains magnesium and silicon, which aid in calcium absorption, you are better able to use the calcium in amaranth.

GLUTEN-FREE GOODNESS - I know I said it before, but I'll say it again... if you're gluten-free, amaranth is a fantastic 'grain' source because it contains more iron and fiber than other GF grains.

HEART HEALTH - Studies have shown that amaranth consumption lowers cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, keeping your heart healthy and strong.

This weekend I wanted to experiment with amaranth. As many of you know, I'm in the midst of becoming a Certified Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. As part of this week's material, we were encouraged to try cooking with something we'd never used before. That's where amaranth comes in. 

Nothing like a warm amaranth porridge to get the day started right.

For 2 servings, soak 1 cup amaranth in a bowl of water overnight for 8-12 hours (amaranth is most nutritious and digestible if it's soaked prior to cooking).

When you're ready to cook the next morning, bring 3 cups of fresh water to a boil. Meanwhile, pour the amaranth through a strainer (just make sure your strainer's holes are tiny enough to capture the amaranth, which is fairly small, even after soaking). Discard the leftover water and pour the amaranth into the boiling water. Add 1/2 tsp. of sea salt.

Reduce to a low simmer for 30 minutes and cover, stirring periodically. At the 20 minute mark, grab your healthy ingredients
and get busy doctoring your porridge. 

Throw in 1/2 cup of dried goji berries (a fantastic superfood).

Stir in 1/4 cup of milk (or a milk substitute like hemp milk in this case)... if it's not creamy enough for your liking,
don't be afraid to add more.

Add 2 Tbs. of honey...

Add 1/2 cup of currants, raisins or cranberries, whichever you prefer.

Top with raw pine nuts or any other nut that you're digging on (pecans, walnuts or
slivered almonds would work well too).

Grab a cup of hot tea and you've got yourself one impressive, immune-building breakfast!

Starting Your Day Off Right: Breakfast Doesn't Have To Be A Burden!

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I have really vivid memories of being in second grade and hating breakfast food with a passion. My mom, being the nutrition nut that she was, insisted that I eat before I went to school, but I found cereal, oatmeal, eggs and the rest of it to be extremely disgusting. It wasn't that I wasn't hungry... I was! I just didn't like the taste of breakfast food.

Clearly, my taste in b'fast was not the only
thing questionable about me. Check me out,
there on the far left.

Sharona (as we call my mother, in loving reference to the 80's jam by the same name) solved the problem at hand by feeding me leftovers from dinner the night before. It wasn't odd to find me eating a plate of spaghetti at 7 am, or maybe munching on some squash casserole. That was my jam. Problem solved! I could finally enjoy breakfast!

My 'breakfast high' was short-lived though, when I was confronted with a bit of a pickle in Mrs. Harrison's second grade classroom. Mrs. Harrison let us come up to the front of the room for reading time, and when she finished the book, she would dismiss us in groups (so as not to cause a stampede). I can't tell you how many days she dismissed us by 'what we had for breakfast.' I would watch nervously as the other children scampered off in groups when she called out 'cereal' or 'eggs'... sometimes she'd even make it all the way to 'croissant' or 'yogurt' ...and still I sat.

Not to be upstaged, she eventually said, 'Lauren, what on earth did you eat for breakfast THIS time?' and I would have to admit, in front of EVERYONE, that I ate a huge plate of beef stroganoff before school. Needless to say, I was always the last person on the floor in the front of the room and I'm sure Mrs. Harrison questioned my mother's rearing techniques.         ...But that is neither here nor there.


The point of the story is: find a breakfast that works for you and start eating breakfast! It REALLY is the most important meal of the day and here's why...

• During the course of the night, your glycogen stores (which supply your muscles with energy) start to wane. If you don't refuel your body with breakfast, you'll start to lose energy and feel fatigued before lunch.
• If you start the day with a nutritious breakfast, studies have shown that you are less likely to succumb to cravings and make bad choices throughout the day.
• Breakfast is an extra opportunity to get your daily requirement of nutrients. 
• Breakfast helps to jump start your metabolism by helping your body produce the enzymes needed to metabolize fat and drop those extra pounds. In fact, studies have shown that people who consistently eat a balanced breakfast tend to be less overweight in general.
• Eating breakfast has been shown to improve your concentration and your work or school performance.

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So what exactly is a balanced breakfast? You should focus on foods that are high in fiber. Carbohydrates are not the enemy when they are the right kind, full of fiber. Stay away from the bagels, donuts and muffins and instead opt for a piece of whole grain toast, a whole grain waffle or a piece of fruit. You'll also need some protein for energy and alertness. You could go with an egg or even some natural peanut butter (ie. not JIF or PeterPan). It's also good to throw in some low-fat dairy options (if you eat dairy). Yogurt is my top pick because the good bacteria, or probiotics, in yogurt help the body absorb nutrients and regulate the growth of harmful bacteria in the body.

If you are the type to bolt out the door in the morning and just don't have time to sit down for a meal, here's an idea! The night before, blend together a fruit smoothie and refrigerate it overnight so that all you have to do in the morning is open the fridge, grab it and go! I find that if I make things ahead of time, I'm more apt to stick to my guns and actually eat something good in the morning!

And hey... if your thing is beef stroganoff in the a.m., who am I to judge?!?