Displaying items by tag: Diets

By Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE

 

2015 American Diabetes Association

ISBN: 978-1-58040-542-3

Soft Cover, 574 pages $17.95

 

From this book’s title one might assume the subject was about high living—a topic familiar to the experience of a food and wine writer. Closer inspection reveals that it is published by the American Diabetes Association and in fact the cover also explains it is “The guide to eating healthy in any restaurant.” Though ostensibly targeting readers dealing with diabetes, Eat Out, Eat Well seems to offer reasonable advice to that presumably much larger audience just looking for healthier ways to eat.

Organized in three main sections—healthy restaurant eating in general, American fare and ethnic fare—Warshaw’s book follows a logical exposition and is presented in easy-to-read format. Categories of foods such as appetizers, salads and entrees are segmented into sections such as “Health Busters” and “Healthier Bets.” Sometimes the alternatives are broken down into a finer sort under definitions such as “Light ‘N’ Healthy,” “Hearty ‘N’ Healthy” and “Lower Carb ‘N’ Healthy.” Within these sections are listed many, many dishes served by chain restaurants in the U.S. The name of each dish, as defined by the restaurant, is included, as are details such as size of portion served, calories, carbohydrates and sodium content.

Knowing that one portion of the Charbroiled Chicken Nachos at Baja Fresh Mexican Grill is 2020 calories, a slight saving over the Charbroiled Steak Nachos (2120 calories), may not be critical, but one order of the Steak with Flour Tortillas Fajitas from that same company contains just 1240 calories, making it seem a reasonable option. The author has included definitions of menu terms found in ethnic restaurants, as well as lists of “red flags” and “green flags,” which guide the conscientious diner away from hazards toward healthier options. A companion mobile app is also available.

For those who dine infrequently, if at all, in chain operations, Eat Out, Eat Well could still have value. Scanning the nutritional aspects of many offerings from these restaurant operations, a reader might take some comfort in beginning to understand general rules that could be applied toward ordering in single-proprietor establishments or cooking at home.

--reviewed by Maria Olivares

 

Nuts-A "superfood" of 2015?

TASTE News Service, December 19, 2014 – Will 2015 be gluten-free? Is Paleo out? Are we eating carbs yet? Is kale still the Queen of Greens or will nuts, seeds or cauliflower take the throne? The annual “What’s Trending in Nutrition” survey from Pollock Communications and Today’s Dietitian highlights what’s forecasted to be in – and what’s out – when it comes to nutrition and healthy eating in 2015.

The survey of more than 500 registered dietitians, conducted by the nutrition trade magazine Today’s Dietitian and a leading food, health and wellness public relations agency, Pollock Communications, uncovered that kale and coconut are still trendy choices, but seeds and nuts have taken over as the top two superfoods for 2015. Other foods expected to make frequent appearances on consumers’ plates in the New Year include ancient grains, Greek yogurt and avocado. Nutrition experts say that consumers still look to gluten-free eating, while low-fat diets have fizzled. They also agree that consumers care about GMO-free, along with locally grown food and high quality protein.

Hungry for more? Here’s a list of what registered dietitians say is trending for 2015. Their expert predictions are sure to affect consumer-purchasing decisions, influence food manufacturers and determine what’s on the supermarket shelves in the coming year:

Sprinkle your superfoods. This year, most registered dietitians named seeds and nuts (54%) as the superfoods that will reign in 2015. Kale remains the Queen of Greens though, with most of the nutrition experts surveyed agreeing that kale, Greek yogurt, coconut products and avocado are prevailing healthful food choices for consumers.

Go green…with tea. When it comes to better beverages, green tea gets high marks with 35% of dietitians selecting it as the drink of choice for its myriad health benefits.Rocky the Range Chicken hails from Sonoma County

The “beef” about beef. According to dietitians, most consumers view animal-based protein, such as meat, fish and poultry, as high-quality, but nutrition pros rank quality proteins differently. Nutrition experts recommend fish and seafood, eggs, legumes and nuts, poultry and dairy as healthy, high-quality proteins, followed by soy. Red meat is considered less healthy among the nutrition pros, most likely due to the saturated fat, cholesterol and high environmental demands required to produce beef.

Gluten-free diets dominate. According to the experts, 66% believe gluten-free or wheat-free diets will continue to be trendy in 2015. “Regardless of the lack of evidence to support eating a wheat- or gluten-free diet for weight loss, consumers believe that eliminating foods with certain ingredients will help them lose weight or be healthier,” explains Jenna A. Bell, PhD, RD, Senior Vice President and Director of Food & Wellness at Pollock Communications. In fact, the survey revealed that 70% of dietitians believe consumers will be more interested in nutrition and weight loss in 2015 than they were in 2014. Dietitians also noted that we will see “clean eating” as well as the Paleo diet, as popular eating trends.

Old is new. Despite the popularity of some low-grain diets, half of dietitians agree that ancient grains, like amaranth, quinoa, spelt and freekah, will be a top trend in 2015.

“Low-fat” fizzles. While low-carb remains strong, low-fat gets weaker. For another consecutive year, the overwhelming majority of dietitians predict that the low-fat diet will fall flat in 2015, with only 4% naming it as a popular eating trend among consumers.

Good fat vs. bad fat. As consumers welcome fat back into their eating plans, the question becomes which fats are best? In the battle of the fats, 84% of nutrition experts agree that consumers should replace saturated fat with good fats (mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids). “We found that dietitians are making recommendations that align with current guidelines for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association,” explains Bell.