Nutrition News

November 2002

In this issue:

• Mediterranean Diet - Fiber makes it good for your heart
• Client question - What about a raw food diet?
• Stevia - an alternative sweetener - or is it?
• Book of the month: Strong Women, Strong Bones
• Recipe of the Month: Rosemary Red Soup
• Favorite Product of the Month - SilkNog
• NutritionWorks upcoming events and happenings

Hello!
We are settled into our new office space and are excited to be here. We are planning an open house for January 6th from 4-7 PM so mark your calendars!

We will be serving delicious refreshments and would love to see you there!

Are you looking for a unique holiday gift for family or friends? How about a NutritionWorks gift certificate!

You can purchase in-person, phone or email consults so even your faraway family and friends can benefit. Call or email us for more details.

A heartfelt "Thank you" from Kathleen for the wonderful support she received from clients after her sister-in-law's passing. It was greatly appreciated.

Thanks also to Aviva Furman who assisted us with the newsletter this month. We are including links for the first time and hope you find them helpful.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving - take a moment to be truly grateful for the incredible blessings in our lives!

We love hearing from you so your comments and feedback are always much appreciated.

Kathleen and Sandi

Mediterranean Diet - Fiber makes it good for your heart
Two recent studies in India and Spain examined the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Both studies conclude that the high fiber in a Mediterranean diet, from plenty of fruits and vegetables can help maintain a healthy heart.

A study in Spain compared the diet of 171 individuals who were recovering from their first heart attack to individuals in the general population who had experienced no heart attacks. They found that people who ate the most fiber were 86% less likely than those who ate the least fiber to suffer a non-fatal heart attack. The authors of this study propose that "benefits of the Mediterranean diet on coronary risk might be attributed to a high intake of fiber and fruit."

Another study was done in India involving 1000 individuals over the course of 2 years. Everyone in the study followed the diet recommendations of the NCEP (National Cholesterol Education Program) limiting total fat intake to no more than 30% of calories, and saturated fat to less than 10%. One group was given a "Mediterranean diet", adapted to Indian cuisine. They were expected to eat certain amounts of fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and mustard seed or soybean oil. The researchers found that the group which followed the Mediterranean diet was less likely to have a non-fatal heart attack or sudden cardiac death than the other group. That group also had a more significant drop in cholesterol levels than the group following the NCEP guidelines alone.

So what is a Mediterranean diet? Usually it is a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and fish. This is similar to the whole foods diet that we at NutritionWorks like to encourage. This sort of diet has plenty of fiber, is satisfying, and nutrient-dense. Try having a piece of fresh fruit for dessert, as the Spanish do. Not only will you be cutting out the saturated fats found in richer desserts, but you will be adding fiber for a healthy heart. This time of year you can find wonderfully delicious pears and apples in grocery stores.

Original Studies: The Lancet 2002;360:1455-1461 and European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002;56:715-722.

Client question - What about a raw food diet?
Several of our clients have asked us about raw foods diets. A raw food diet is a vegan diet in which only unprocessed, uncooked, and unheated foods are eaten. A raw foodist eats fruits, vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, and uncooked grains. Proponents claim that heating food destroys enzymes, which aid in the digestion and absorption of nutrients. They also claim that cooking food creates toxins, which build up in our bodies. Raw foodists profess more energy, better health, and a stronger immune system.

Is there any truth in these claims? Are raw foods more nutritious? While it may be true that certain methods such as boiling can significantly reduce some of the nutrients in food, quicker cooking methods such as steaming, blanching and stir-frying do not. In fact, lightly steaming carrots makes it easier for your body to absorb beta-carotene. Similarly, the phytonutrient lycopene is more easily absorbed from cooked tomatoes. Uncooked legumes contain protease inhibitors, which block the digestion of proteins. Many vegetables are more easily digested and more nutritious when cooked. And, as long as you are not relying heavily on the broiler or barbeque, cooking food will not be adding toxins to your system.

Raw foods are important as a part of your diet, but do not need to be your entire diet. We are strong proponents of seasonal eating. Larger quantities of raw foods, like salads, work great for hot summer days. But as our Northwest days turn chillier and damper, think about enjoying foods appropriate for the season: hearty soups and stews cooked over a long slow fire. Interested in learning more about raw food diets? Check out this web site: www.living-foods.com

Stevia - an alternative sweetener - or is it?
Several of our clients have been curious about stevia. Stevia rebaudiana, a native plant of South America has been used for centuries as a sweetener. Unlike artificial sweeteners, Stevia is non-toxic, has been extensively tested in animals, and used by humans with no adverse effects. Nonetheless, in the United States, it is sold as a nutritional supplement, not a sweetener. The FDA has been reluctant to approve it as a sweetener because they don't feel that there is enough data to prove that stevia is safe in large quantities.

In Japan, Stevia has been used extensively for at least a decade, since that country has banned the use of artificial sweeteners such as saccharine and sodium cyclamate. In fact, major businesses such as Coca-Cola have been using Stevia as an artificial sweetener in Japan and Brazil. At least 40% of the non-sugar sweetener used in Japan is Stevia!

Stevia is very sweet, some say 300 times as sweet as sugar. As little as 1/40 of a teaspoon can sweeten a cup of coffee! Used in the correct amount, it doesn't have the same bitter aftertaste as artificial sweeteners and works great in beverages. However, since it doesn't have the bulk and the caramelizing properties of sugar, it is a little trickier to use in baking.

You can find Stevia in several forms: green powder (which has a rather strong herby taste), white powder, and liquid. Our nutrition volunteer, Aviva, uses stevia and reports that her favorite brand is SweetLeaf Stevia Extract. If you have a green thumb, you may be interested in getting a Stevia plant, available at many of the local nurseries. Aviva's son, who has diabetes, has his own stevia plant from which he loves to pluck leaves and nibble for a zero carb burst of sweetness.

Click on these links if you would like to learn more about stevia: recipes, history, and general information.

Great book from NutritionWorks bookstore!
Building strong bones can start at any age. Miriam Nelson's book Strong Women, Strong Bones : Everything You Need to Know to Prevent, Treat, and Beat Osteoporosis is a great resource for some valuable tips on bone health. The is a simple, easy to use book based on the latest scientific research. The book covers a wide range of topics, from "bone-boosting" exercises to new research on soy to a "bone-friendly" shopping list. It explains the scientific information in a way which is easy to understand as well as providing lots of practical advice. Included is a bone-building exercise which gives results from just 2 minutes a day. Whether you are 32 or 62, this book is a worthwhile one to add to your reading list. Have a look inside the book by clicking on the picture above. Order Nelson's book at our NutritionWorks Bookstore.

Enjoy and let us know what you think.

Recipe of the Month
Rosemary Red Soup
Serves 6-8

This is a wonderful fall soup with a gorgeous red color and a velvety rich texture. It's packed with good nutrition too: lentils for fiber, beets for iron, and carrots for Vitamin A.

3 medium carrots
2 beets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 cup dried red lentils
2 bay leaves
6 cups water or stock
2-3 tablespoons light miso

Scrub and chop carrots and beets. Heat oil in a soup pot; add onion and sauté until soft. Add carrots and beets; sauté a few minutes more. Finally chop rosemary and oregano if using fresh herbs. Wash and drain lentils. Add herbs, lentils, bay leaves, and water or stock to onion mix. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 40 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Puree soup in the blender or processor. Dissolve miso in ½ cup water and add to soup. Gently reheat before serving.

Nutritional information:

Calories 154
Calories from fat 24
Protein 9 grams
Fiber 6 grams
Total Fat 3 grams
Saturated Fat < 1 gram

From Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair

This wonderful cookbook is available at the NutritionWorks online Bookstore.
You can have a look "inside" the cookbook by clicking on the picture to the left.

Favorite Product of the Month - Silk Nog
With the holidays around the corner, eggnog is appearing on the grocery shelves again. As an alternative to traditional eggnog, which is laden with saturated fat and calories, why not give SilkNog a try. It has a light delicious taste, organic ingredients, and natural eggnog flavor with no eggs. It's a nutritious choice too, with no saturated fat, no cholesterol, and only 90 calories in a serving. Traditional eggnog has 6 grams of saturated fat, and 200 calories. SilkNog is made from soy, so you will be getting all those health benefits from soy isoflavones: strong bones, lowered cancer risk, and improved heart health.

SilkNog is delicious cold or hot, but keep in a mind that a serving size is ½ cup. You can dress it up with a little grated nutmeg or a cinnamon stick. If you'd like, mix it half and half with your favorite plain soy milk: it will retain the eggnog flavor, but not be quite so sweet. For a special holiday treat, try it in your morning oatmeal. Or try SilkNog French Toast. Give it a try and see what you think!

NutritionWorks Happenings
We've got more exciting classes coming up for December. Below are a few highlights. You can see the complete list by clicking on Upcoming Events.

• December 2nd from 6- 8:30. Live, Don't Diet class through Discover-U. A great class taught by Sandi, Kathleen, and Amy Alpine. Learn how emotions, stress, and day to day choices impact weight and health. Register on-line through Discover-U.
• December 4th from 6:30-8:30. Kathleen will be teaching "Cholesterol, What the Numbers Mean" at Swedish Medical Center First Hill in the 1 East Conference Room. To Register call (206) 386-2502
• December 4th from 12:45-2. Sandi will be teaching a class in Kirkland called "Fad Diets" class in Evergreen Hospital, Kirkland. To register call: (425) 899-3000
• December 11th from 6-30:8:30. Kathleen will be teaching "Exploring the Vegetarian Diet" at the Kirkland Senior Center. To Register call (425) 899-3000

We look forward to having you join us!

• Thank you to those of you with questions and suggested recommended topics. Continue to let us know if you have any questions.
• If you'd like to share experiences or successes with managing your health, favorite recipes, or newly discovered foods...we'd love to hear from you!
• If you know anyone who would like a nutrition/wellness presentation offered, please tell them about NutritionWorks!

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