Eat Oil, Lose Weight?

 

Submitted By: Amy Sercel

Edited By: Marcia Bristow MS RDN CSSD CD

An oil that can help you lose weight if you eat it more often?  It sounds too good to be true!  Health bloggers and media spokespeople have recently supported this idea; however, it may not be quite accurate. A study from Brazil found that women who were trying to lose weight and added two tablespoons of coconut oil to their daily diet only lost 0.2 pounds more than women who used the same amount of soybean oil.  To support weight loss, they all ate meal patterns high in fruits and vegetables and low in refined carbohydrates and walked four days per week.  As a result, everyone ultimately lost weight, regardless of whether they used coconut oil or soybean oil.

While coconut oil may not significantly affect weight loss, it can add a unique flavor to your foods and serve as an interesting alternative to other types of oils.  If you’d like to try it, it is pretty easy to include in foods you already eat.  For example, you can use it to sauté meat or vegetables.  This is especially tasty when preparing stir-fries or curries.  You can also add it to drinks!  Try putting a small spoonful in your coffee instead of cream. Just remember, coconut oil is about 92% saturated fat, so you should limit yourself to two tablespoons per day.  This way, you will not exceed the daily saturated fat intake advised for good health.

If you are trying to lose weight, the most effective strategy is to eat fewer calories and increase physical activity.  You should aim for about thirty minutes of physical activity every day.  If you’re pressed for time, try taking a break every few hours to walk for ten minutes.  A good way to eat fewer calories is to consume lots of fruits and vegetables, which are filling but low in calories.  Serving a steamed vegetable along with your main dish can help fill you up so you aren’t tempted to go back for seconds.  You can also make a fruit salad for a dessert or snack to satisfy your sweet tooth.  If you want to try using coconut oil to some foods, go ahead!  It might not increase weight loss, but it will definitely add variety and flavor to your meal.

The Risks of Raw Milk

 

Submitted By: Amy Sercel

Edited By: Marcia Bristow MS RDN CSSD CD

If you live in Vermont, you’ve probably been to a few dairy farms, or know a dairy farmer, and have met people who drink raw milk.  Over the past few years, raw milk has become increasingly popular, especially among people who are passionate about the localvore movement.  Proponents of raw milk claim that it has more nutrients than pasteurized milk and can therefore prevent or eliminate allergies and help its drinkers stay healthier overall. These sound like great benefits, but drinking raw milk also means risking serious illnesses that can result in kidney failure or death.

The milk you buy at the grocery store has been pasteurized, or heated up to kill harmful bacteria, before being cooled and bottled.  Raw milk, on the other hand, is not pasteurized.  Any bacteria that are transferred from the cow’s feed and bedding, or that are on the milking equipment and storage containers, will stay in the milk.  Milk’s high nutrient content, coupled with its low acidity, provide the ideal environment for these bacteria to multiply. Campylobacter, Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Staph aureus have all been found in raw milk.  Staph aureus alone has been found in 12% of raw milk samples in Italy and 75% in Norway.  Children, pregnant women, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of illness.  Although infection can be treatable, it can still cause horrible ramifications such as kidney failure.  In the case of pregnant women, Listeria has been known to result in miscarriage, fetal death, and illness or death of the newborn.

In order to reduce your risk of becoming infected, the best course of action is to choose pasteurized milk and products made with pasteurized milk.  Hard cheeses that have been aged for longer than 60 days, such as Cheddar and Parmesan, are considered safe when made from raw milk because the acid produced in the aging process kills bacteria.  Pregnant women, however, should still avoid them to ensure the safety of their babies.  Soft cheeses, yogurt, puddings, ice cream, frozen yogurt, and fluid milks should all be made from pasteurized milk. Nutrients lost during the pasteurization process, such as small amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, folate, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E, can be made up for by eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.  By choosing pasteurized milk products, you and your family will remain safe, healthy, and happy!

What's the Deal with Vitamin D?

Make Fiber your Friend

Submitted By: Amy Sercel

Edited By: Marcia Bristow MS RDN CSSD CD

Fiber! It’s been the focus of a lot of nutrition news stories this year, with articles suggesting that eating more fiber can help you sleep better and breathe better.  The Washington Post even called it “the world’s least sexy weight loss tool.”  You see it advertised on cereal boxes, granola bars, and protein shakes, but have you ever wondered what fiber really is? 

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that you cannot digest; it can be soluble or insoluble.  Soluble fiber mixes with water and slows digestion.  Insoluble fiber helps to bulk the stool and keep your intestinal muscles strong. Both types are found in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains.

Aside from keeping your digestive system healthy and regular, the most widely known benefit of fiber seem to be its effects on heart health.  Eating fiber can prevent you from absorbing the cholesterol in your food, therefore helping to lower your blood cholesterol levels. One study found that increasing fiber intake by just 7 grams per day was associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating more fiber has also been shown to help your cells respond better to insulin. Studies have also found that people with higher fiber intakes have fewer symptoms of depression, suggesting that eating fiber could have a mood-boosting effect. Finally, foods that are rich in fiber tend to keep you full for longer, since fiber takes longer to digest than other nutrients. This is especially helpful if you want to lose weight!

With all of these benefits, it seems like fiber should be everyone’s best friend!  Unfortunately, the majority of adults are not getting the recommended 25-35 grams per day. If you’d like to eat more fiber, be careful not to increase your intake too quickly, as your digestive system will need time to adapt to the change.  It’s also a good idea to drink more water at the same time.  One easy strategy is to choose whole grains (like brown rice or whole wheat) instead of refined grains.  Eating a few more servings of fruits and vegetables can also help.  With a few small steps, you’ll soon be reaping all of the benefits of fiber!

Making a DASH Towards Health

 

Submitted By: Amy Sercel

Edited By: Marcia Bristow MS RDN CSSD CD

If you Google healthy diets, it’s likely that you’ll be swamped with a huge variety of eating plans that all claim to provide the best results.  While some of them might be effective, the DASH Diet has been consistently rated the best diet for healthy eating.  This meal plan advises you to eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein; eat less packaged, processed foods; and leave out salt wherever possible.  As a result, you will end up eating less sodium and more calcium, potassium, and fiber.  

The DASH Diet was originally designed to help people reduce their blood pressure; in fact, DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.  People who eat according to the DASH diet have seen a reduction in systolic blood pressure (the top number) by up to 12.7 points, and up to a 10 point reduction in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number).  High adherence to the DASH diet has also been found to reduce overall risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular disease among women.  Other health benefits of the DASH diet are still being researched.  One study found that people who followed it lost 19 pounds more than those who used other diets.  Additionally, post-menopausal women using the DASH diet report better moods.

So, how should you go about following the DASH diet?  The foundation of the recommendations will stay the same from one person to another, but the number of servings you’ll need is going to vary if you need more or less than 2000 calories per day.  A registered dietitian can help you adapt the meal plan to your calorie needs.  You can start by adding one fruit or vegetable to each meal, or choosing a fruit or vegetable for a snack.  From there, increase your intake until you are eating 4-5 servings of fruits and 4-5 servings of vegetables per day.  Choosing fruits and vegetables instead of snacks like cookies or potato chips will help your reduce your calorie intake, which is important for weight loss.  Switching to whole wheat bread or pasta, brown rice, or other whole grain products is another simple step.  Look for low-fat dairy products like 1% milk or reduced fat yogurt and aim for 3 servings each day.  Try using nuts, seeds, and dried beans as a protein source with the goal of eating 4-5 servings from this food group each week.  Finally, flavor your foods with herbs and spices rather than salt.

If these recommendations seem overwhelming, don’t worry!  You can start slowly, modifying one meal or ingredient at a time.  You can find inspiration in one of the many DASH-friendly recipes available both online and in cookbooks.  The Mayo Clinic has a great list of recipes here.  Following this meal plan just one day per week is a great first step on the dash towards becoming a healthier you!