Nutrition News

Happy Summer from NutritionWorks

Fall 2004

• In this issue:

• Hello from Sandi and Kathleen

• Shapedown program

• Tai Chi’s health benefits

• Low carb label claims

• Undetected damage from high protein diets

• Eggplant – egg-xactly what your body needs

• Recipe to try: Broccoli Almond Pilaf

• Favorite product: Amy’s Ravioli

• NutritionWorks upcoming events and happenings –also check out our recent press interviews and articles

Hello from Sandi and Kathleen
It’s hard to believe that summer is ending and Fall is not far away. We hope you had a wonderful summer!
Sandi is off to Israel for a few weeks to see her family and Kathleen will be holding down the fort. Thank goodness for great partnerships!

We wish our Jewish clients a very happy Rosh Hashanah.

Check out our interesting articles on everything from low carb label claims to the benefits of Tai Chi, try our two delicious, easy recipes, and take a moment to see if you can join us for any of our upcoming classes. Read on, and enjoy!

Kathleen and Sandi

Shapedown Program
Kathleen has been certified as a Shapedown provider and is running a weight management program at NutritionWorks for children, teens and their families.

We have had so many requests from clients and healthcare professionals to work with kids and teens that are battling with weight issues. We are very excited to be able to offer this individualized program to families.

Shapedown was developed by faculty members of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine and includes contributions from nutrition, exercise physiology, endocrinology, psychology, family therapy, adolescent medicine, family medicine and behavioral and developmental pediatrics. Children and teens in Shapedown enhance their self-esteem, improve peer relationships, adopt healthier habits and begin to normalize their weight within their genetic potential. Parents feel better about their parenting and about their child. The family becomes healthier and closer. The results of Shapedown go far beyond weight.

Please call Kathleen at (206) 356 0844 for more information or to get your family started with an individualized plan for better health and weight management. You can also read more about the program at www.shapedown.com

Tai Chi’s Health Benefits
It’s well established that Tai Chi promotes balance control and reduces the risk of falls, lowers blood pressure, and improves physical symptoms and quality of life in people with arthritis.

The latest research suggests that this graceful, ancient martial art may benefit the heart as well. Researchers at Tufts New England Medical Center and McGill University conducted a review of nearly 50 published studies over the last 20 years.

When looking at the studies that focused on cardiovascular and respiratory function, they found improvements in various groups of people including those that had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery.

The possible mechanisms for the martial art’s benefits to heart health have not been worked out. But for someone who is looking for a way to exercise for better health, a Tai Chi class may be just the thing!

From Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter (reprinted with permission)

Low Carb Label Claims
We, as consumers, often see foods labeled with words such as "low," "reduced," or "free" to describe the amount of carbohydrate in a product. FDA is aware that many processed food manufacturers are making such claims in response to consumer interest in popular low carbohydrate diets.

These claims are nutrient content claims (i.e., they characterize the amount of a nutrient, carbohydrate, in a food) and must be made in accordance with an authorizing regulation. Currently, FDA's regulations do not define any terms to describe the amount of carbohydrate in food, although FDA has defined several terms to describe the amount of other nutrients in food (e.g., "light," "low fat," "reduced calorie," "sugar free," and "low cholesterol"). Under the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 and FDA's implementing regulations (Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations Part 101), nutrient content claims that are not already defined by FDA can be requested through a petition process.

FDA has received petitions from industry asking FDA to define certain terms to characterize the level of carbohydrate in food for use in carbohydrate nutrient content claims, including "low carbohydrate," "reduced carbohydrate," and "carbohydrate free." To ensure that these claims are consistent with other nutrient content claims and are not false or misleading, FDA has filed these petitions in accordance with its regulations and intends to initiate rulemaking proceedings for nutrient content claims for carbohydrate. In addition, the agency intends to provide guidance to food manufacturers on the use of the term "net" in relation to the carbohydrate content of food.

In the meantime, ignore the “low carb” claims on food labels. Instead, look at total carbohydrates, subtract the dietary fiber, and that will give you actual carbohydrates in one serving size of the product.

Any other math calculations or “net carb” numbers on the front of the package are just marketing gimmicks at this point!

Also, keep in mind that just because something is lower in carbohydrates, calories are not necessarily reduced. Sometimes carbohydrates are replaced with protein or fat, which may even increase the calorie content. And calories do count when weight management is your goal.

Adapted from FDA website

Undetected Damage from High Protein Diets
As the popularity of high protein diets like Atkins grows, so does the probability that the people on them will be at risk for something greater than weight loss. Medical researchers have identified an emerging health risk factor that is currently not on the radar of the general public—Homocysteine.

Homocysteine is a destructive amino acid created by the body as it breaks down protein. Too much Homocysteine is directly linked to a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.

High protein diets create elevated levels of Homocysteine in the blood, increasing the risk for a multitude of health problems including Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and depression.

What causes elevated Homocysteine levels? Insufficient amounts of folic acid, B6 and B12 can hamper the natural breakdown of Homocysteine.

Elevated Homocysteine (hyperhomocysteinemia) causes narrowing and hardening of the arteries, leading to diminished blood flow.

Hyperhomocysteinemia also increases the tendency of excessive blood clotting, further diminishing blood flow. The resultant lack of blood supply to the heart causes heart attacks, and lack of blood supply to the brain causes strokes.

Because people with Type 2 Diabetes are two to four times more likely to suffer from heart disease than non diabetics, it is vital for them to be aware of the risks from hyperhomocysteinemia. A recent study found that Type 2 Diabetics with elevated Homocysteine are almost two times more likely to die within 5 years than non diabetic patients.

Homocysteine levels can be lowered with the consumption of folic acid supplements or cereals that are fortified with folic acid or from foods high in folic acid like legumes and green leafy vegetables. To a lesser extent vitamins B6 and B12, can also lower blood levels of homocysteine.

There is no consensus as to the optimal dose of folic acid and B6 and B12 to treat elevated Homocysteine. Patients with hyperhomocysteinemia may require higher doses of folic acid and B vitamins than are available in a multivitamin. You should consult with your doctor about testing your homocysteine levels and then treatment with food sources and/ supplements can be individualized.

Adapted from Diabetes Control newsletter and Ann Intern Med. 2004 Jan 20;140(2):I31.

Eggplant--Egg-xactly What Your Body Needs?
Here's good news for people who enjoy eating eggplant: this hefty veggie contains high levels of chlorogenic acid, one of the most powerful antioxidants produced in plants. Antioxidants are compounds that may protect the body against oxidative damage caused by molecules called oxygen free radicals.
In examining a range of commercially grown eggplant and related species, ARS scientists in Beltsville, Md., isolated and measured the levels of chlorogenic acid and more than a dozen other antioxidants that belong to the same chemical group. And, they found two compounds in this family that hadn't previously been isolated from a green plant.

Eggplant has not always been lauded as high on the list of nutrient dense fruit and vegetables. It seems that its antioxidant qualities are actually excellent!
So head to the grocery store, pick out an eggplant and try the following easy and delicious recipe…you’ll be getting powerful antioxidants from the tomatoes and the garlic as well!

Eggplant Casserole
• 2 medium eggplant
• ½ - 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cloves garlic -- finely chopped
• Parmesan cheese

Cook tomatoes, sugar and garlic, covered, while preparing eggplant. Peel and slice eggplant; fry in olive oil until slightly browned and tender. Drain well on paper towels. Place layer of eggplant in casserole dish; spoon part of tomato mixture over it; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Continue until all ingredients are used. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes, until casserole is bubbly.

Serves 4.

Recipe from www.dinaskitchen.com
Artice adapted from www.usda.gov and June 2003, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, vol. 51, pp. 3448-3454; September 2003, Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, vol. 128, pp. 704-710).

Recipe to Try – Broccoli-Almond Pilaf
Serves 4
• 1/2 teaspoon almond or sesame or olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 3 Tablespoons slivered almonds
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup bulgur (cracked wheat) or quinoa or amaranth
• 1 large bunch broccoli, cut into florets and stems peeled and sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
• Salt and pepper to taste

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and almonds and sauté until onions are bright green and almonds are toasted.

Add remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 20 minutes or until bulgur is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Total Calories Per Serving: 229
Fat: 4 grams

Adapted from www.vrg.org

Favorite Product
Amy’s Ravioli
We have recently been on a ravioli kick and Amy’s ravioli is a quick, easy and nutritious choice.

You will find this product in the freezer section of most grocery stores. The ravioli are filled with low fat ricotta cheese, and the tomato sauce is flavorful and delicious. The sodium is reasonable for a frozen meal and the saturated fat is much lower than in most ravioli options.

Just add a salad or some cooked veggies on the side and you have a convenient, tasty lunch or dinner.

Enjoy!

NutritionWorks Happenings
Here are some of our upcoming happenings. See the complete list by going to our website and clicking on Upcoming Events.

We take a break from many of our classes during the summer so look for lots of classes in the fall.

We will be teaching our popular class called “Live, Don’t Diet” at Discover U in Northgate. The class is on Wednesday October 6th from 6:30-8:30pm. To register, call (206) 365 0400 or register online at www.discoveru.org

We will be teaching a class for PCC called “The Low-Down on Low Carb diets” on October 20th in West Seattle, on November 3rd in the University District, and on November 17th in Issaquah. To register, go to www.pccnaturalmarkets.com

We have had some fun interviews and press coverage in the last few months. For more details and to read our interviews, visit our pressroom.

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