Buyer Beware

I'll admit that I am a bit of a nerd at the grocery store. I meander the aisles looking for new products to explore, taste, try, and yes--scrutinize. Food companies love to entice the buyer, which is fabulous marketing practices, but it can come at a cost. If you are not a savvy shopper you may be paying the price in your waist line if you are not careful.  Two products I saw today would have many scratching their heads.  So things to watch:

1. Calories per SERVING
2. Servings per container
3. Know how many servings you are going to eat and calculate what you will take in

Buyer beware:

photo source: http://www.taipeifood.com/products/index.html

Tai Pei's Asian Take Out boxes--all the same size and many with different servings per container.
Beef & Broccoli--170 Calories per SERVING with 2.5 servings per container = 425 Calories / container
Szechuan Chicken--150 Calories per serving with 3 servings per container = 450 Calories / container
Orange Chicken--210 Calories per serving with 2.5 servings per container = 525 Calories / container
Sweet & Sour Shrimp--230 Calories per serving with 2.5 servings per container = 575 Calories/container

Photo source: http://www.planters.com/varieties/harvest.aspx 

Next...
Planter's New Harvest Nuts--be aware that the serving size is 1/4 cup (that's 1/2 of an applesauce cup) and the servings per containers also vary.
Pistachio Grove--160 Calories per serving, 10 servings per container = 1600 Calories / bag
Dark Chocolate Forest Blend--170 Calories per serving, 8 servings per container = 1360 Calories / bag
Almond Orchard--150 Calories per serving, 9 servings per container = 1350 Calories / bag
Almonds--160 Calories per serving, 11 servings per container = 1760 Calories / bag
Cashews--160 Calories per serving, 15 servings per container = 2400 Calories / bag (WOW!)

I have numerous clients that tell me that they healthily snack on nuts throughout the day or they healthily choose trail mix as a snack. Yes, nuts are healthy, but watch your portions closely.  You can quickly overindulge.  With such creative names it's tempting to buy these creatively labeled foods.  If you do, be sure to come home and break out your measuring cup.  Measure out 1/4 cup and place that in a baggie or container so you know how much you are consuming (and not over-consuming).

Another favorite of mine are pot pies...do you eat a 1/2 or a whole?  Check out the labels so you know just what you are "supposed" to eat.

Do you have a favorite food find or a label to scrutinize?  If so, please share!

Is it in YOUR genes?

I never thought that I would be blogging about the effects of asparagus on the smell of urine, but here I go!

I got started on this topic one night after my roommates and I enjoyed some steamed asparagus along with our dinner. The discussion arose shortly after dinner about the pungent urine smell that occurs after asparagus consumption. When some of my roommates mentioned never having such odorous urine, I was shocked. I wanted to get to the bottom of this odd occurrence!

While researching this topic, I found many different explanations for the smell or lack of there of. Researchers have described the odor associated with the asparagus phenomenon as a “rotten or boiling cabbage” smell (Mitchell 2001). Some studies suggest that that not every individual exhibits odorous urine following asparagus ingestion as the ability to produce a funky urine smell is genetic (Mitchell, 1989). While other reports claim that odorous, asparagus urine is a universal trait (Lison et al., 1980).

However, there is yet another twist to this story. Another study was performed to test the hypothesis that the excretion of odorous substances in the urine was universal, but the ability to detect the odor varied from person to person. This could be due to a specific smell hypersensitivity. Results showed that those that could smell the “rotten or boiling cabbage” odor in their own urine could smell it in the urine of everyone else who consumed asparagus (Lison et al., 1980). Only 10% of the 307 subjects were able to smell the odorous urine. This research study suggests that not everyone has smell receptors that are sensitive tor methanethiol, the culprit of the stinky asparagus urine.

So I decided to do a test of my own, I surveyed fifteen friends and family to find that only 60% could detect an odor in their urine. But now the question is…are they lucky enough to possess the gene to produce the smell or are they gifted with hypersensitive noses?

This great debate requires further investigation. But for now researchers have concluded that “some people are excretors while others are nonexcretors; some people are perceivers (able to smell the odor) while others are nonperceivers” (Sugarman and Neelon, 1985).

For a great recipe check this out. 

Works Cited:

Lison M, Blondheim SH, Melmed RN(1980) A polymorphism of the ability to smell urinary metabolites of asparagus. Br Med J 282:1676–1678.

Mitchell SC(1989) Asparagus and malodorous urine. Br J Clin Pharmacol 27:641–642.Medline

Mitchell SC. Food indiosyncrasies: beetroot and asparagus. Drug Metabolism and Disposition 2001;29: 539-43. [PubMed]

Sugarman J, Neelon FA(1985) You're in for a treat: Asparagus. North Carolina Med J 46:332–334.

THAT'S A PORTION!?! Prepare for portion distortion...

Portion Distortion

I am the type of person who eats everything placed before them. No food is left untouched on my plate. So when I realized what an actual serving (the recommend amount of food referenced on the nutrition label) looked like compared to the portion size (the amount of food you decide to eat) on my plate, I was in shock.

American’s portion sizes have supersized over the last 20 years. Now the larger portions are what we consider “normal.” Understanding what a serving size is, along with making good food choices can help you eat healthier.

These comparisons can help you “eyeball” serving sizes to give you a better idea of how many servings make up your portion when eating out, grabbing food on-the-go, or simply eating at home.

1 baked potato/sweet potato should equal the size of a computer mouse

2 servings of cooked vegetables = baseball

1 serving of hard cheese = 3 dice

2 servings of cooked pasta, cereal, and rice = baseball

1 serving of bread = cassette tape

1 serving of meat = deck of cards

1 serving of ice cream = light bulb

1 brownie = dental floss

1 burrito = checkbook

Edible Nutrition’s Intern, Sarah Franz

Sfranz7713@pointloma.ed

Pick Your Navels!

Pic source: http://rogerbourland.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/citrus_cooler.jpg 

No, not your belly button!  It's navel orange season in San Diego! For those of you out there who continually let your citrus drop to the ground and mold here are some ideas to share the wealth and the San Diego gold:

1. Pick them and take them to your office
2. Put a bag out front with a sign that says "take me" 
3. Juice them and freeze them in ice cube trays for later 
4. Zest them and freeze that to add flavor to your favorite muffins, cakes, breads, dressings, etc.
5. Find recipes and use them!

I have a lime and an orange tree, so I juiced a ton of limes and froze them in my silicon muffin trays.  Once frozen, I pop them out (with ease) and store them in freezer bags.  So, what do I use mine for?  MARGARITAS!!!  ;o)  I also make a lot of marinades with lime juice.  And, this morning I made an amazing smoothie to start my day:

6 navel oranges, juiced with lots of pulp

4 spears of pineapple

1 cup blueberries

Blend and enjoy! Now I just need to get my vegetables for the day.  Have a great Friday!

9 Goals for 2009

Welcome 2009! With almost a decade gone by since the millenium Americans are still not reaching the Healthy People 2010 goals set forth by the US Government and health professionals. There are even more diet books, diet pills, colon cleanses, and super foods on the market to help people achieve their "goal weight." Have they worked? Hmmmm.....
What is your goal weight? Is it realistic or even healthy? What works for you? I have the most faith in the theory that moderation is key. In order to achieve moderation, I find adding healthy foods into a diet help with removing some of the foods peole have the biggest problem moderating. With this in mind, here are some ideas of goals for 2009:
1. Eating more fish per week (6+ oz/week)
2. Increase your vegetable intake (3 cups per day)
3. Take a multiple vitamin, calcium, or fish oils daily (based on your needs)
4. Choose wholes foods—go a day without any processed foods, can you?
5. Cook more at home—prepare a new recipe each week, use your crock pot, prepare a meal that carries over to the next night's dinner
6. Go a day per week without simple (white) carbohydrates
7. Try a new vegetable every week
8. Increase your fiber (30 grams per day)
9. Cut your salt intake in half (low sodium soups or broth, no salt on the table, use lemon or lime to substitute)

12 Ounce Nutrition

A day of watching your favorite football team or parade can include tossing back a couple beers, a few glasses of wine, or indulging in a flute of champagne. Beyond the over flowing plates and heaping scoops of ice cream on your favorite pie, calories can also be added through your choice of beverages. Life is about balance, and where you get your calories during this holiday's meal is your choice. A couple tips to keep you moving in the right direction (which is not the scale moving in an upward motion):

1. Choose white meat over dark and skip the crunchy skin
2. Serve fresh vegetables versus casseroles
3. Opt out of ice cream or choose a small dollop to enjoy with your favorite slice of heaven
4. Skip the seconds and head for the hills (meaning get outside and exercise a bit!)

5. Savor a single roll and pass on the 100 calorie pat of butter

6. Relish each bite, and give thanks to the food in front of you (while realizing many in the world are not as fortunate)

7. Pumpkin pie has fewer calories than pecan (but that doesn't mean have an extra big piece of pumpkin!)

8. Eat breakfast and lunch to avoid feeling famished and overeating at dinner

9. Pace yourself--chew each morsel and sip water in between so you allow your body to tell you it's full before you are as stuffed like the turkey you just ate

10. Lastly, think twice before you throw back a couple beers or glasses of wine

Some numbers for you to think about
12-oz Regular beer 149 Calories
12-oz Light beer 110 Calories
12-oz Red Wine 240 Calories
12-oz White Wine 225 Calories
12-oz Margarita 510 Calories

Adding greens to your favorite brew will not make it 12 oz nutrition!