Fat: the Good, the Bad and the Tasty

Dietary fat is making a comeback.  It was pretty unpopular in the 90’s but recently we’ve started to identify the benefits of including healthy fats in our diet.  Let’s start by addressing a myth: fat makes you fat…false!  Regularly eating more calories than we burn will cause our bodies to store fat. 

Dietary fats are essential in providing energy and supporting cell growth.  Stored fat provides our bodies insulation and protects organs.  Fat aids in the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, D, E and K.  The daily recommendation for dietary fat is 20-35% of total calories.

Unfortunately only some dietary fats provide positive benefits for our health.  Trans fat, also identified as partially hydrogenated oil, is a man-made fat that has been linked with increasing risk for development of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.  Excessive consumption of trans fat can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol.  Trans fat can be found in many pre-packaged convenience foods as well as fried foods, pastries, margarine, cookies and potato chips. 

Saturated fat is found in animal products and eating too much of this can raise total cholesterol.  Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature and can be seen in cuts of meat.  It is not necessary to avoid animal products to reduce saturated fat intake.  We can limit saturated fat intake by choosing lean cuts of meat, trimming visible fat and selecting low-fat or non-fat dairy products.  When preparing cuts of meat it is best to grill, bake, broil, roast, poach or steam instead of frying or breading.

Monounsaturated fats have a positive effect on health when eaten in moderation and in place of trans and saturated fats.  Monounsaturated fat helps to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease and some are high in the antioxidant vitamin E.  Monounsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils, peanut butter, avocado, nuts and seeds.

Polyunsaturated fats are another healthy source of dietary fat.  Like monounsaturated fats they can help reduce total cholesterol and lower risk of heart disease.  Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids are part of the family of polyunsaturated fats, they aid in brain function and growth.  You can find polyunsaturated fats in flax seeds, chia seeds, seafood, soybean oil, olive oil and macadamia nuts.

We hope this will help you when reading food labels and preparing meals.   Choosing unsaturated fats, limiting saturated fat and avoiding trans fat will support heart health and overall wellness.

-Julie

Vitamin B12

There is a lot of buzz surrounding vitamin B12 these days.  We see advertisements enticing us to come on if for B12 injections and find bottles of it on the shelf of every supermarket and nutrition store.  We are promised a boost in energy and assistance with weight loss but how do you know if it is right for you?  We're here to help you sift through that information so you can review your diet for adequate vitamin B12 intake.

Vitamin B12 is found primarily in animal products including milk, eggs, liver, fish and cheese.  The Recommended Dietary Allowance is 2.4 mcg/day which is equivalent to 3 ounces of canned tuna, 3 ounces lean hamburger beef or two cup of skim milk.  Vitamin B12 is not found naturally in plant-based foods which is why it is important for vegetarians and vegans to seek out fortified sources to meet their dietary needs.  A few of these sources include breakfast cereals, soy milk and veggie burger patties.  Nutritional yeast is also a great source of vitamin B12 for those on plant based diets.  Most people aren't familiar with using nutritional yeast in cooking but it pairs very well with savory dishes and can be added to smoothies. 

Now that we know where to find dietary B12 we can discuss it's importance in maintaining a healthy body.  Coenzymes derived from vitamin B12 are part of a metabolic function necessary for normal metabolism of cells.  This is especially important in the cells of the GI tract, bone marrow and nervous tissue.  Folate and vitamin B12 work in tandem to produce red blood cells and a breakdown in this team can lead to pernicious anemia (no, thank you!).

It is also important to note that vitamin B12 requires intrinsic factor, which is found in the stomach, to free it from food and allow absorption in the small intestine.  People living with gastric dysfunction or following gastric surgery may be at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency even if the eat adequate amounts daily.

So now we are aware why vitamin B12 is important in our diet.  Let's talk about the signs of B12 deficiency, they include pernicious anemia, poor vision, fatigue and memory loss.  Yikes, none of those sound like fun!  Well the good news is, you now know where to find good dietary sources of vitamin B12 and if you could be an individual at higher risk for deficiency.  If you are genuinely concerned you may have a vitamin B12 deficiency we recommend reviewing your dietary habits and speaking with your physician about your worries.  Seeking out the professional opinion and advice of qualified clinicians will help you to make the best decisions for a healthy life.

The Incredible Edible Egg

You can fry them, boil them, bake them… we’re talking about the incredible edible egg of course! However you like your eggs, these inexpensive, versatile, protein-packed staple, cooks up into a perfect meal any time of the day!

Unfortunately they also have gotten a bad rap in the past because of their cholesterol content. One large egg contains 213 mg of cholesterol, accounting for two-thirds of the recommended daily limit of 300 mg per day. But over the last 25 years of study, scientists have found that cholesterol in food is not the problem, but instead, saturated fat, which has a much bigger effect on blood cholesterol. Full-fat dairy products and fatty meats are examples of foods that are loaded with saturated fat and which trigger the body to produce cholesterol.

Eggs are jam-packed with health benefits and along with milk, contain the highest biological value for protein. Just one egg contains 75 calories, 7 grams of high-quality protein, 5 grams of fat, and 1.6 grams of saturated fat, along with iron, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids. According to numerous studies, this combination of protein and fat will you leave you feeling satisfied and can help ward off unhealthy snacking later in the day.

Try out this recipe for egg salad that was recently inspired by a trip to the store where I found a dozen eggs for 0.99 and large avocados for a $1 each! Whether you have reason to be concerned about your cholesterol levels or not, this recipe replaces some, but certainly not all of the fat found in the yolk, with cholesterol lowering - heart healthy avocados! Try it out and let us know what you think! 

Ingredients:

•     4 large hard boiled eggs - chopped

•     4 large hard boiled egg whites– chopped

•     1 large avocado – diced

•     3 tbsp non-fat Greek yogurt

•     2 tbsp chopped red onion

•     ½ tsp black pepper

•     ½ tsp salt

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the hard boiled eggs and egg whites, avocado, Greek yogurt, and red onion. Mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serving suggestions: Spread between two slices of bread for an Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich. Eat with crackers, cut up veggies, on toast, or in a wrap. This salad is best eaten the day it's made.

- Michelle and Leslie 

Blog Nip and Tuck.

Hey guys! Just a super quick post to point out that we've made some changes around here. As our business takes off we have decided to change the name and the link to our blog. Once our website is up and running we will have it linked with that too! All this technology is way to fancy for me.

Not only is our blog getting a little work done, but we are working on some pretty awesome events and seminars for you guys too! We will be sure to keep you posted on the details as they unfold. We love our individual clients, but we are also working on getting some things together for your businesses. If you have questions about this feel free to email Michelle or I!

Lets see… I'm trying to think of what else I can tell you without giving everything away. I'm really excited if you can't tell :). I think that's it for now. I'll take this time to point out the lovely links I put on the left side here to all of our social media. If you haven't taken the time to follow and like us, please do!

Look for next weeks post on food trends in 2014! Until then keep it up with those New Years resolutions everyone!

Leslie