Have you heard that a glass of red wine is comparable to one hour at the gym? Is there any truth to that? The compound in wine (red wine specifically) that is at the root of this claim is Resveratrol (REZ-VER-A-TR-ALL) and is actually found in other berries, grapes and even peanuts(1). Resveratrol is a …
As the new year has turned, million of Americans have made resolutions to lose weight or eat healthy, I encourage you to throw out the traditional resolution! That’s right, THROW OUT YOUR HEALTHY RESOLUTION! No gluten free this (unless you have Celiac Disease) or low fat that! And forget the diet products!!Instead, I encourage you to …
One way I’ve saved money during my dietetic internship is to…Pack A Lunch!Yes that’s right, brown bagging it can save a pretty penny and also allows me to customize what I eat to allow for variety of foods.I try to pack a balanced lunch and aim to include two of the three: diary, fruit or …
Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to several health benefits including lowering blood pressure, lowering triglycerides, and decreasing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (1). There are actually two types of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). It is recommended to consume fish twice per week, but there are other foods that contain omega-3 …
Food packaging terms like “Natural”, “Raw, and “Organic” all have different meanings and levels of regulation! Last year I lead a discussion group for undergraduate nutrition students and this is one of the handouts I generated for them. It is the truth about the regulation behind certain label claims and I hope it helps you …
What does MCT stand for? MCT stands for medium-chain triglyceride, a type of saturated fatty acid containing 6-10 carbon atoms. MCT can be naturally occurring as in the case of coconut oil and some dairy products, but can also be synthesized. MCTs are absorbed differently than other types of fat, due to their smaller size, they can be …
What is lactose?Lactose is a disaccharide sugar made of glucose and galactose. It is the sugar found in milk products from humans and many mammals (including cows) (1). What is lactose intolerance?Lactose is normally digested by the lactase enzyme. Lactase breaks the bond (shown in red above) allowing each of the simple sugars to be …
I had planned to write short post on some of the benefits of Jasmine tea. However, I was unable to find reputable sources for such a post. If there is a J related post you’d like to see, please comment below.
Keeping Track: Fitness Trackers and Other GadgetsIn the last 5 years, I’ve noticed an increasing trend of hyper-awareness as it comes to keeping track of one’s health. This began in the early 2000’s actually when McDonald’s and other restaurants began including pedometers with some special meals. Recently, the trend has spanned to calorie tracking apps …
Why is Iron Important?Iron serves multiple functions in the body, but one of the most important is that in the form of hemoglobin within red blood cells. Hemoglobin is needed for oxygen to bind to the red blood cell and be carried to where it is needed within the body (1). How do I consume …