Cinnamon and Diabetes

In a study by the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston and published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, cinnamon was found to improve blood sugar control in subjects with pre-diabetes.

Participants were given 500mg of cinnamon in capsule form three times a day for 12 weeks. Fasting glucose levels were reduced by the end of the study and carbohydrates produced a lesser glucose spike for those on the cinnamon regimen.

Further research is needed but the preliminary evidence is that cinnamon might be used to reduce the risk of people who are pre-diabetic developing Type-2 diabetes over time.

In the meantime, think about using cinnamon more in your diet. It can't hurt any and is a nice stand in for sugar. It works in eggs, on toast, frozen deserts and many other way. Plus how often does something good for you taste great?

Alcohol Consumption Guidelines for Men Revised

 

According to the US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, men should have no more than one alcoholic drink per day, the same as the current guideline for women. There is an emerging consensus that earlier research linking moderate drinking to reduced risk for heart disease is flawed and incorrect. More recent studies show that men consuming two drinks per day, the current guideline, is associated with an "moderate" increased risk of death from all causes compared with men who drank less.

The Committee is recommending that men consume no more than a single drink per day. My response? Fewer drinks of better whiskey!

To read the Committee's entire report, or to submit comments, visit the DGAC web page.

Olives 101

 

We're all familiar with the many benefits of olive oil. But olive oil comes from olives, so what about them?

It turns out that olives are even more nutritionally packed than their oil (probably not too surprising). Olives are high in vitamin E and all the same healthy fats contained in olive oil, which makes them relatively high in calories. They are low in carbohydrates but high in oleic acid, a monounsaturated (good) fat linked to heart health and higher HDL (good) cholesterol, and they are a good source of iron, copper and calcium. Olives also contain phenols, which are powerful antioxidants. They are, however, a relatively poor source of dietary fiber.

The primary phenol in olives, Oleuropein, is extremely bitter tasting. So most olives are cured to reduce the bitterness. The one dietary downside is that olives tend to be very high in sodium, though this is due more the the methods by which they are cured than to the olives themselves.

Most canned black (or ripe) olives are cured in a mild lye solution. This removes more of the bitter flavor than other methods and so black olives typically have the mildest flavor.

Klamata, Spanish and Sicilian olives are usually cured in brine, similar to the way pickles and sauerkraut are made.

Finally, many kinds of Greek olives are dry cured in salt. This removes the least amount of phenols and produces the most intense flavor.

Olives make wonderful hors d'oeuvres, of course, and add a lot of zing to salads and recipes. And what would a martini be without one or two. Go ahead and enjoy them and the nutrition benefits they have to offer. Just remember they are calorie dense and high in sodium so be mindful of portions.

Roundup: Its in Your Food Too

 

It is one thing to be surprised by bad news when you make no effort to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle. But when you do try to consume a healthy diet, its a real kick in the gut to find out that the food manufacturers have sabotaged your efforts. Again.

You have probably seen the ambulance chaser commercials on TV soliciting people who may have developed cancer from exposure to Roundup weed killer. Most likely though, you never expected Roundup to turn up in your food. Especially in food you choose because it is supposed to be good for you.

Well it has. Examples include whole grain pasta, wheat-based breakfast cereals, oats, chickpeas, soybeans and lentils. So much for hummus being a safe, healthy alternative to dips.

A study done by the Environmental Working Group found that 70% - 90% of the products they tested contained troubling levels of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup. Often quite high levels. "Seems like every time a government agency or public interest group tests food for Monsanto’s weedkiller glyphosate, which has been linked to cancer, they find it," said study author Alexis Temkin. Any amount of glyphosate in food is troubling, especially for children.

Try not to eat ANYTHING from a can that you have not rinsed thoroughly. When possible, make your own food from organic ingredients. The Government is not going to protect you from Monsanto. You have to learn to protect yourself.

Sugar and Cholestrol?

 

 

For decades, people dealing with elevated cholesterol levels have been advised to sharply reduce their consumption of foods high in saturated fats. This has lead to the whole "Low Fat/Fat Free" industry and is so widely accepted that it is not even questioned. But in an article published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine this past July, someone did question it.

In a study lead by David Diamond, PhD, a Professor of psychology and molecular pharmacology at the University of South Florida, the authors found "no justification" for reducing saturated fat intake in response to elevated cholesterol. Instead, they suggest cutting back on sugar and refined carbohydrates.

"For the past 80 years, people with familial hypercholesterolemia (doctor-speak for high cholesterol) have been told to lower their cholesterol with a low saturated fat diet," said David Diamond. "Our study showed that a more 'heart healthy' diet is one low in sugar, not saturated fat."

These findings are consistent with another paper recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which provided strong evidence that food that raises blood sugar, such as bread, potatoes and sweets, should be minimized, rather than tropical oils and animal-based food. 

I would be wary of using this research as an excuse to amp up your saturated fat consumption. But is does seem to give you yet ANOTHER reason to cut back on the sugar. In eating, as in so many other things, moderation, it seems, is indeed a good policy.

Go Ahead. Go Nuts

Nuts (the fruit composed of an inedible hard shell around a crunchy seed, not the typical American voter) have a well-earned reputation as a healthy, nutritious food. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein and healthy fat. And unlike many "good for you" foods, nuts taste pretty good too. They make a superior snack to sweets and salty chips, help lower rather than raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, are readily available and come in an astonishing variety. But they are not entirely without issues.

Nuts are a very calorie-dense food. That means that a small serving of nuts pack a lot of calories. A 1/4 cup serving of mixed nuts will cost you a little over 200 calories. For comparison, a similar size serving of pretzels will have about 40. This doesn't mean you should avoid nuts. Just be sure you know how many you are eating. Measure them out. They are nutritional powerhouses even if you are watching your calories.

Keep an eye on the salt. Most nuts that you buy pre-packaged will be roasted and salted. But you can easily get them unsalted if you look. Generally though a serving of salted nuts do not pack a lot of sodium, 100mg - 175mg is typical. Just check the labels before you buy.

Avoid nuts that have been heavily processed. Glazed or coated nuts or clusters or bars are often more sugar than you need or want. Again, read labels. You want nuts with no added sugar at all.

Most nuts have about the same amount of fat - typically 15g - 20g per ounce. But the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fats varies quite a bit. Almonds, hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts are on the low end with less that 15% saturated fats. Cashews and Brazil Nuts serve up about 25%. Peanuts, macademias and pistachios fall in between. If you are replacing cheese, meat or highly refined carbs with nuts, don't lose any sleep over the fat ratios. Any of them are better for you.

Labels come in terms of servings, so what is a serving of nuts? Here is a handy guide to what a 1 oz serving looks like.

The key with calorie dense foods like nuts is not to add them to your diet but to replace other, less healthy choices with them. Leave some on your counter and snack on them instead of, well, most any other "snack food".

SALT: Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later

In his new book, "Salt Wars", Michael Jacobson, the founder and former President of The Center for Science in the Public Interest, calls plain old ordinary salt "the biggest killer in our diets". Given all the unhealthy things we eat, perhaps that is a bit of an overstatement. But consider.

Over 100,000 premature deaths and $20 billion in healthcare costs are attributed to the level of sodium we consume in our diets every year. These deaths come mainly in the form of hypertension related heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease.

The average American woman consumes about 3,000mg of sodium daily, while the average male clocks in at around 4,000mg. Only about 20% of women and 2% (yes, TWO percent) of men consume the recommended amount of 2,300mg or less.

Only about 5% of this sodium comes from our salt shakers. About 70% comes as additives to processed and restaurant foods. Some restaurant meals contain two or three times the sodium one should consume in an entire day. And most of it is invisible (or at least very well hidden).

Salt is everywhere. Soups, processed meats, salty snacks, pizza, frozen meals and canned foods are more-or-less well known sodium bombs. But bread and rolls supply more sodium than any other food category. And breakfast cereals, cheese, sports drinks, processed vegetables like pickles and olives and even desert all contribute significant amounts of sodium to our diets.

The antidote to all this salt is fairly straightforward: eat less processed foods and restaurant meals. Fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, fish and low-fat dairy are all relatively low in sodium (remember you NEED some sodium).

The other thing you can do is read labels. The sodium content is clearly listed on nutrition labels and the good news is that there are many low or lower sodium options available. Compare different brands of almost any food and you will note very large differences. For example, a can of Health Valley Organic Vegetable Soup contains about 45mg of sodium per serving. Progresso Vegetable Soup will serve you up 450mg while going with Campbell's Vegetarian Vegetable will contain 650mg per serving. Here is a link that will help you to decode the sodium claims you will find on food labels.

We may as well face the fact that salt is a taste we crave. Switching to a low or no added salt product is almost certainly going to taste flat and bland to you. The good news is that our salt cravings are learned, and that in time they fade. After 4 - 6 weeks you will probably not miss the salt as you begin to notice all the other flavors foods contain. You can always add from a nearly infinite variety of sodium-free herbs and spices if your taste buds need a little more zing. As an example, when I made the switch from regular to reduced sodium V-8 juice, its seemed tasteless and watery to me. But now it tastes fine and the regular version like sea water.

In the end, like so many other things, this is a choice you have to make for yourself. No one is watching out for you. Not the FDA or the food companies or anyone else. As the old TV commercial used to say, you can pay me now, or you can pay me later.

America's Health Report Card

 

 

Nutrition Action recently published its report card on the health of Americans, and we're probably not eagerly waiting for dad to get home. They offer the following snapshot of our nation's health at a time when people with chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes are at greatly increased risk of the most serious outcomes of a COVID-19 virus infection. Grades are based on the percentage of Americans with normal/healthy results.

High Blood Pressure: F

Only 54% of all Americans have a blood pressure in the normal range (120/80 or lower). For those of us over 65 years old, the percentage is 22%.

Diabetes/Prediabetes: F

For Americans under 65 years of age, 52% of us are either not diabetic or do not have pre-diabetes. About 13% of all adults are diabetic (Type 2) but if you are older than 65 it is 27% - almost 1 in 3. Roughly half of adults 65 and older are pre-diabetic.

High LDL Cholesterol: C-

It is not your total cholesterol that really matters in predicting your chances of developing cardiovascular diseases but your LDL (bad) level. About 71% of us have normal LDL cholesterol levels.

Overweight: F

About 28% of adult Americans have a normal body weight. Of the 72% of us who are overweight, 40% are obese. Children fare a little better, with 61% in the normal range (a solid D-).

Bone Loss (Osteoporosis): F

Here we see a large difference between men and women. Women 50 years of age or older earn an F, with only 30% having a normal bone density. At 59%, men still earn an F+ but are closing in on a D-. Under age 50, the normal percentage increases quickly and is higher the younger you are.

Loss of Muscle Mass: B+

The good news here is that under age 60, muscle loss is about 10% and declines rapidly the younger you are. The bad news is that from age 60 to age 80 it rises to about 50%.

I leave it up to you to decide if these are grades that you would be proud to bring home to your parents. The reality is that all of these conditions are strongly influenced by what you eat and how active a life you live. A charitable interpretation of these results is that a majority of Americans still eat garbage and live like slugs. Its hard to imagine that people do not realize this, they just don;t seem to care. Both of these factors are 100% under your own control. So we can fairly say that most of our chronic health problems are self-inflicted.