What is diabetes and are you at risk?
Diabetes is a disease that results in too much sugar (glucose) in the blood. Your body does not have enough insulin available to turn food into energy. High levels of glucose slowly damage your eyes, heart, kidneys, nerves, legs, and feet. Diabetes is a serious disease affecting 20.8 million people in this country, and you may be at risk if you are Hispanic, overweight, or do not exercise regularly. Hispanics are nearly twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to develop this disease.

Steps to healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle to control and manage diabetes:

• Begin with a healthy eating plan. Healthy eating means eating more grains, fruits, and vegetables, and less meat, sweets, and fats every day. “Let the Food be the Medicine and Medicine be the Food” (Hippocrates).
• Be physically active every day to help prevent weight gain and improve blood sugar control.
• Check the sugar in your blood and take your medication every day if needed.

How to create a healthy meal plan:
To create a healthy meal plan you should do the following:

• Eat a variety of foods as recommended in the Diabetes Food Pyramid to get a balanced intake of the nutrients your body needs – carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
• Make changes gradually because it takes time to accomplish lasting goals.
• Reduce the amount of fat you eat by choosing fewer high-fat foods and cooking with less fat.
• Eat more fiber by eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Eat fewer foods that are high in sugar like fruit juices, fruit-flavored drinks, sodas, and tea or coffee sweetened with sugar.
• Use less salt in cooking and at the table. Eat fewer foods that are high in salt, like canned and packaged soups, pickles, and processed meats.
• Eat smaller portions and never skip meals.
• Learn about the right serving sizes for you.
• Learn how to read food labels.
• Limit use of alcohol.

What is the Diabetes Food Pyramid?diabetes-food-pyramid

The Diabetes Food Pyramid is a general guide of what and how much to eat each day. It is similar to the Food Pyramid you see on many food packages. The pyramid is divided into six groups. You should eat more foods from the largest group at the base of the pyramid and less from the smaller groups at the top of the pyramid. The number of servings needed every day is not the same for everyone, so a range of servings is given to ensure you get the foods you need for good health. The food groups and suggested servings per day are listed below.

• Grains, Beans, and Starchy Vegetables: (good source of B vitamins and fiber) 6 or more servings/day
• Fruits: (contain vitamins C, A, potassium, folate, and fiber) 3-4 servings/day
• Vegetables: (provide vitamins A, C, folate, and fiber) 3-5 servings/day
• Milk: (source of calcium, protein, vitamins A and D) 2-3 servings/day
• Meats and Others: (good source of iron, zinc, B vitamins, and protein) 2-3 servings/day
• Fats, Sweets, and Alcohol: The foods at the tip of the pyramid should be eaten in small amounts. Fats and oils should be limited because they are high in calories. Sweets are high in sugar and should only be eaten once in a while.

What is the right number of servings for you?
The Diabetes Food Pyramid gives a range of servings for each group, but it is only a guide. If you have diabetes, a dietitian can design a specific meal plan for you.

Remember that the number of servings listed is for the entire day. Since food raises blood sugar levels, it is best to space servings throughout the day. For example, 4 servings of fruit might be divided between 3 meals and 1 snack.

Keep in mind
Follow a healthy lifestyle, eat healthy foods, and keep physically active to help control diabetes. If you have diabetes, be an active member of your diabetes care team: you, your doctor, dietitian, and other health care providers. This meal planner gives you only general information. Consult with your diabetes care team.

What is a serving size in the Food Pyramid?
Each of the following represents one serving from each of the food groups in the Diabetes Food Pyramid:

• Grains, Beans, and Starchy Vegetables: 1 slice of bread; 1/2 small bagel, English muffin, or bun; 1/2 cup cooked cereal, pasta, rice; 3/4 cup ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 cup cooked dried beans, corn, peas

• Vegetable Group: 1 cup raw vegetable; 1/2 cup vegetable juice

• Fruit Group: 1 medium-size fresh fruit; 1/2 cup canned fruit; 1/2 cup fruit juice

• Milk Group: 1 cup (8 ounces) milk or yogurt

• Meat Group: 2-3 ounces cooked lean meat, skinless poultry, or fish; 1 egg; 2 tablespoons peanut butter; 2-3 ounces cheese

• Fats, Sweets, and Alcohol: 1 teaspoon butter, margarine, or mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon cream cheese or salad dressing; 1 tablespoon cream cheese; 1/2 cup ice cream.

Your own Meal Plan:
If you have diabetes, consult a registered dietitian to help you make your own meal plan. Your meal plan will be based on many factors, including your weight goal, height, age, and physical activity.

National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) ndep.nih.gov
NIDDK, National Institutes of Health

Nothing beats a good piece of chocolate. It’s rich, smooth, creamy and makes us feel good, until the guilt sets in. Chocolate’s mood-enhancing qualities are an obvious reason why it is so strongly associated with Valentine’s Day, as a gift for lovers and loved ones.

Chocolate’s Dark Secret
There’s no getting around the fact that chocolate is a high fat food. But there is growing evidence that, in small quantities, some kinds of chocolate may actually be good for you. Dark chocolate is naturally rich in flavonoids (or more specifically, flavanols, a sub-class of these antioxidants). These compounds are thought to lower blood pressure and help protect against heart disease—among other things. Recent studies conducted both in the U.S. and Europe seem to support chocolate’s beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, encouraging chocolate manufacturers, such as Mars, to develop proprietary methods of processing cocoa beans aimed specifically at preserving flavonoid content. Traditional roasting and fermentation methods are thought to destroy up to three-quarters of these compounds. Mars uses its Cocoapro trademark on some of its products, indicating the use of this method, and Swiss premium chocolate company Barry Callebaut uses Acticoa.

What about the Fat?
It’s still hard to think of chocolate as a health food. Part of the allure is the guilty pleasure of eating it. But before we raid the candy store, it’s worth remembering that chocolate is not a low calorie food. A serving size of Dove dark chocolate (40 grams) contains 210 calories and 13 grams of fat, 8 of which are saturated, although some of this saturated fat is in the form of stearic acid, which is converted by the liver into a “healthier” monounsaturated fat.

Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder, which is low fat, would surely be a healthier way to get both our chocolate fix and our dose of flavanols. Alkalizing cocoa (or Dutch processing) produces a milder flavor and darker color but destroys most of the flavonoids. Since flavanol-rich cocoa is naturally bitter, Mars has worked hard to make it palatable. First, it sold a flavanol-rich series of snack bars and small chocolate bars. These bars were shown in one small study to actively lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol in those with elevated cholesterol levels, bolstering Mars’ claim that its flavanol-rich snack bars were heart healthy. More recently, Mars Botanicals launched CirkuHealth, a cocoa-extract supplement that can be added to drinks and cereals, and Barry Callebaut offers a high-flavanol cocoa powder, which gives chocoholics a healthier, low-fat alternative to high-fat chocolate bars.

Still, when the urge to eat chocolate strikes, it’s fine to allow ourselves an occasional ounce of flavanol-rich dark chocolate. It’ll make us feel good, and it may even do some good.

By Fiona Haynes

The Low-Carb Gourmet: 250 Delicious and Satisfying Recipes
by Karen Barnaby

All fats found in fresh whole foods are good, healthy, and sometimes vital. It is wise to include a full spectrum of fats in your diet, which will work hard to keep you healthy and young-looking. This, of course, is not the message we have been getting in the popular media, and because of this we have built up an unhealthy guilt complex and fear of fat.

Certain fats are indeed bad for us, but luckily it is easy to spot them. Trans fatty acids have been linked to raising “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and lowering “good” cholesterol (HDL); they are also suspected of being behind that “stubborn fat” that won’t leave no matter what we do. They are the result of processing oils through hydrogenation. You can spot the presence of trans fats in a product because hydrogenated fats have to be listed in the ingredient panel of food. By adding up all the fats listed in the panel and then subtracting that number from the total listed, you will come up with the amount of trans fats in the product. However, the easiest thing to do is just avoid anything that has any hydrogenated oil in it.

Rancid fat is the other bad fat — fat that has been mutated by oxygen, heat, moisture, and light. This fat is full of free radicals and can contribute to all the health and aging problems associated with them. At first you might think that it would be easy to avoid this one. Just reading the word “rancid” tends to make our noses wrinkle in disgust; however, we have been conditioned to accept rancid fats. The reason that dollop of butter is salty is to help preserve it and to cover up the rancid taste. Yes, butter is good for us, but rancid butter is not. That flax oil in the refrigerator is liquid gold to some, but if it is rancid, it is worse than useless. We have to retrain our noses and taste buds to discern fresh good fats from rancid bad ones. This is one reason for using unsalted rather than salted butter.

This retraining can be done by finding stores that sell their stock quickly, store their products properly, and rotate their stock on the shelf so that no old products linger there. Also check the expiration dates on products to help you find the freshest product.

Remember that the best fats come from fresh whole foods, so try making your own butter from some fresh, pure whipping cream. Add a bit of salt to taste, if you prefer it salty, and memorize the taste to compare with commercially prepared butter. If that is a bit too much work, just find the freshest frozen unsalted butter you can, and taste that. When dealing with vegetable oils, try grinding the seeds up and then smelling the fresh aroma. Again, if this is too much of a bother, just get a good smell of the oil when you first open the bottle or tin and memorize that fresh scent. As soon as you notice that the smell is off, get rid of it.

Here’s a quick quiz: If the wrapper on the bread you’ve just chosen contains the healthy-sounding phrase “12 grain,” does that mean you’ve made the best choice in terms of dietary fiber? Not necessarily. Brown breads are not all alike.

Breads labeled “whole wheat” must by law meet a standard, which is that they be made only from whole-wheat flour. Such breads rank comparatively high in fiber content because their wheat bran and wheat germ have not been removed. Wheat germ is the small, inner part of the wheat kernel that is a concentrated source of nutrients.

The distinction is important. A recent study funded by the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) showed that those who consumed at least three servings of whole-grain foods per day were less likely to have what’s called metabolic syndrome. That’s a condition marked by a combination of abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and poor blood sugar control—all of which increase risk for diabetes and heart disease. The study was conducted by nutritional epidemiologist Nicola McKeown at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and was reported in ‘Diabetes Care’.

“When wheat is ground into flour, the bran and germ can be removed, and that decreases the amount of fiber in wheat products,” says Elizabeth Hill, a registered dietitian with the Food and Nutrition Information Center, based at the ARS National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, Maryland. “So look for the term ‘whole wheat’ on the food label ingredient list, not just the word ‘wheat,’ if you’re watching your fiber intake.” Some breads labeled simply 12, 9, or 7 grain, for example, could have just one-third the fiber of similarly labeled whole-wheat breads.

“Enriched wheat flour” means that certain nutrients were added back into the flour during or after processing, but that doesn’t mean that fiber was added back in. “That bread is not whole-grain,” says McKeown. “There does not appear to be any protective effect from consuming those products compared to consuming whole-wheat products.”

When reaching for fiber-filled products at the market, look at the Nutrition Facts panel on the package. Foods that have at least 2.5 grams of fiber per serving are considered to be good sources of fiber and can make this claim on the wrapper, say U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations.

Adding three servings of whole grains a day is not difficult. “Replace white rice with brown rice and white bread with whole-wheat bread,” says McKeown, “and choose a whole-grain breakfast cereal.”

By Rosalie Marion Bliss

When Albert Szent-Gyorgy, a Hungarian researcher, discovered that bioflavonoids increase the uptake of vitamin c into the liver, kidneys and adrenal glands, nutritionists were quick to point out that deeply coloured fruits and vegetables protect the human body against a number of diseases including cancer, pesticides and herbicides. Generally, they are effective antioxidants. Bioflavonoids, now called flavonoids, are protective cofactors associated with vitamin C and

are made up of innumerable compounds with a wide range of colours. Vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruits, herbs, barks, leaves, marine algae and plants take their colours from flavonoids.

Further research conducted in the U S A determined that plants rich in flavonoids prevent strokes, heart attacks, initiation and promotion of cancerous cells, and are powerful detoxifiers eliminating dead cells.

The plants richest in flavonoids are those coloured dark green and rich in chlorophyll.

A well balanced diet should consist of substantial amounts of vegetables and fruits, enhanced with moderate amounts of protein, oil and wine.

FLAVONOID RICH FOODS
Blueberries
Blackberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Plums
Prunes
Dark cherries (Morello and others)
Oranges
Tangerines
Pink grape fruits
Apples
Pears
Kiwi
Watermelon
Kale
Garlic (raw)
Watercress
Parsley (Italian or curly)
Spinach
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Beets
Red peppers (raw)
Carrots
Tomatoes (ripe)
Squash
Cucumber (field)
Herbs
Spices
Extra virgin olive oil
Almonds
Chocolate (70 percent cocoabutter)

Article contributed by Hrayr Berberoglu, a Professor Emeritus of Hospitality and Tourism Management specializing in Food and Beverage

Mainstream North American dietary habits restrict vitamin, mineral and fibre consumption, leading to many undesirable symptoms and health problems. Health experts recommend a daily intake of 25 – 40 grams of fibre for a healthy body. The average North American consumes only 10 grams most due to consuming highly refines processed food.

Fibre is essential for a well functioning gastrointestinal tract, cholesterol reduction, and maintains a healthy level of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract. There are two groups of fibre: soluble and insoluble. The latter exerts a mechanical action, whereas the former is more diverse and this depends on their chemical properties. Soluble fibres such as psyllium, flax and guar absorb water creating a greater feeling of satiation thus controlling intake of food.

Fibrous fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of fibre, as well as being low in calories. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate many fruits, vegetables and unprocessed grains.

Researchers determined that there is no substitute to consuming natural vitamins. They are more beneficial, provide more pleasure, and happen to be less expensive.

In fact some peoples in North America (Inuit and First Nations) cannot absorb certain synthetic minerals and vitamins. Natural unprocessed, uncooked foods are better for the body than those grown with the help of pesticides, fungicides, or are irradiated “micro waved” or genetically engineered.

Cooking at high temperatures reduces proteins available in the food up to 50 percent destroys 60 – 70 percent of vitamins, and processed foods change the structure/ All of the above are vital for building and maintaining energy and health. Yet, most people prefer convenience to health. Convenience comes at a high price in form of time used to acquire natural food, the perishable nature of it, preparation and cooking. Harried life styles prevent time consuming food preparation, and make processed food a necessity for those short-sighted enough to set priorities in their lives.

When food is heated above 118C and consumed at this temperature, it damages inner tissues and enzymes are destroyed, all linked to health and longevity. Enzymes are vital in digestion, nerve impulses, detoxification, repair of tissues and a healthy mind. Properly prepared and cooked foods taste better, they play an important role in slowing the aging process.

Eating healthy requires attention to detail and those who practice it are richly rewarded

Treating food simply as fuel for the body inevitably proves costly in the end.

Article contributed by Hrayr Berberoglu

Researchers with the Agricultural Research Service* may have found the best way to entice consumers to eat their veggies: Surprise them. They’re breeding carrots that come in a palette of totally unexpected colors including yellow, dark orange, bright red–even purple.

With their flashy colors, these conventionally-bred carrots could dress up any dull meal. But what’s getting scientists’ attention is finding that the bright veggies are full of pigments with impressive health-promoting properties.

CarrotsXanthophylls give the yellow carrots their golden hues and have been linked with good eye health. Red carrots contain lycopene, a type of carotene also found in tomatoes that’s believed to guard against heart disease and some cancers.

Purple carrots owe their color to anthocyanins. In a class all by themselves, these pigments are considered to be powerful antioxidants that can guard the body’s fragile cells from the destructive effects of unstable molecules known as free radicals.

At first, Philipp Simon–the carrots’ breeder who works at the ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit in Madison, Wis.–was unsure if these complex vegetables could provide nutrients in a form that the human body can use.

But in studies with nutritionist Sherry Tanumihardjo from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Simon found that yellow carrots’ lutein was 65 percent as bioavailable as it is from a lutein supplement. The two also discovered that lycopene from red-pigmented carrots is 40 percent as bioavailable as it is from tomato paste.

And for consumers who don’t like tomatoes, having another food source of lycopene would be good news.

Despite their nutritional and culinary appeal, Simon’s carrots haven’t yet caught on in growers’ circles. But that could change as consumers create a demand for these strange, but good-for-you veggies.

By Erin Peabody

When we think summer, most of us think outdoor fun. So it seems like we should naturally lose weight over the summer — not gain it.

In reality, though, summer isn’t all beach volleyball and water sports. Lots of summer activities can work against our efforts to stay at a healthy weight (campfire s’mores and backyard barbecues, anyone?). The good news is it’s easy to avoid problems if we know what to look out for.

Here are 5 ways to beat summer weight gain:

1. Get going with goals. When we don’t have a plan, it’s easy to spend summer moving from couch to computer, with regular stops at the fridge. Avoid this by aiming for a specific goal, like volunteering, mastering a new skill, or working at a job. Just be sure to plan for some downtime so you can relax a little!
2. Stick to a schedule. With school out, we lose our daily routines. If you don’t have a specific job or activity to get up for, it’s easy to sleep late, watch too much TV, and snack more than usual. Make sure your summer days have some structure — like getting up at the same time each day and eating meals at set times. Plan activities for specific times, like exercising before breakfast, for example. If you have time on your hands, offer to make dinner a couple of nights a week so your family can enjoy a sit-down meal together.
3. Stay busy. When we’re bored, it’s easy to fall into a trap of doing nothing and then feeling low on energy. In addition to helping you avoid the cookie jar, filling your days with stuff to do can give you a sense of accomplishment. That’s especially true if a dream summer job or planned activity fell through. Limit your screen time — including IM and video games — to no more than 2 hours a day (write it in that schedule you put together!).
4. Beat the heat. Don’t let summer heat put your exercise plans on hold. Move your workout indoors. If a gym isn’t your scene, try bowling or an indoor climbing wall. If you love being outdoors, try joining a local pool or move a regular run or soccer game to early morning or evening.
5. Think about what (and how) you eat. Summer means picnics and barbecues — activities that revolve around an unlimited spread of food. Pace yourself. Don’t overload your plate. Avoid going back for seconds and thirds. Choose seasonal, healthy foods like fresh fruit instead of high-sugar, high-fat desserts. Make catching up with family and friends your focus, not the food. Another good tip for summer eating is to limit frozen treats like ice cream to no more than once a week.

For more on this topic, check out the box below.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

Diets aren’t the way to go when it comes to losing weight. That’s because they create temporary eating patterns — and, therefore, temporary results. Most dieters gain back any lost weight when they go back to their old eating habits.

So what’s the best way to drop excess weight? Create a new normal!

Weight loss is most likely to be successful when people change their habits, replacing old, unhealthy ones with new, healthy behaviors. Here are 5 ways to make that happen:

1. Exercise. Regular physical activity burns calories and builds muscle — both of which help you look and feel good and keep weight off. Walking the family dog, cycling to school, and doing other things that increase your daily level of activity can all make a difference. If you want to burn more calories, increase the intensity of your workout and add some strength exercises to build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you aren’t exercising.
2. Reduce screen time. One reason people get less exercise these days is because of an increase in “screen time” — the amount of time spent watching TV, looking at the computer, or playing video games. Limit recreational screen time to less than 2 hours per day. If you’re with friends at the mall, you’re getting more exercise than if you’re IMing them from your room.
3. Watch out for portion distortion. Portion sizes are bigger than they used to be, and these extra calories contribute to obesity. Another key factor in weight gain is that more people drink sugary beverages, such as sodas, juice drinks, and sports drinks. So choose smaller portions (or share restaurant portions) and go for water or low-fat milk instead of soda.
4. Eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Fruits and veggies are about more than just vitamins and minerals. They’re also packed with fiber, which means they fill you up. And when you fill up on fruits and veggies, you’re less likely to overeat when it comes to high-calorie foods like chips or cookies.
5. Don’t skip breakfast. Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, burning calories from the get-go and giving you energy to do more during the day. People who skip breakfast often feel so hungry that they eat more later on. So they get more calories than they would have if they ate breakfast. In fact, people who skip breakfast tend to have higher BMIs than people who eat breakfast.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD