I don't always love the diet-related articles posted on the Yahoo! and MSN homepages.  But today is an exception.  MSN posted article entitled Top 10 Overrated Health Foods and I think it's worthy of a blog post.  After checking out the article, do you notice any trends or themes?  I certainly did.  Nearly every one of the overrated health foods is highly processed but with added nutrients (i.e. omega-3s, Vitamin D, fiber, etc.) pumped into the product in an attempt to make it look healthy.  What a racket!

In fact, I blogged about this back in March.  The fact is that food companies are a business and they will use the latest science "breakthroughs" to sell their product.  So stop buying highly processed foods that seem healthy because of the claims slapped across their packages.  Enjoy the non-nutritious stuff in moderation (hey, I've got to have my Oreos!) and rely on non-processed foods to form the bulk of your diet.  This will provide your body with the essential vitamins and minerals it needs and in a form that your body can actually use more effectively.

I'm off to peel my clementine....

Your neighborhood nutritionist in Cambridge. Marci

Did you know that frozen fruits and vegetables may have a higher vitamin & mineral content than your fresh fruits and vegetables?  It's true!  And this cool video from Dole can show you why.  Ok, it's not cool, it's sort of cheezy.  But the content is good.

That is one of the many handy tips I picked up while browsing the information packed website from www.dole.com.  I first went the website because I wanted to highlight my product pick of the month which is "Dole's Wildly Nutritious Tropical Frozen Fruit" which I LOVE.  It has all of my favorite fruits: pineapple, mango, and strawberries.  Whipping it up with some yogurt is truly one of my favorite ways to start my day.  Does that sound over the top?  Yes, but it's true!

But after checking out the website, I was amazed at all of the great nutrition information and recipes that are available.  I found a recipe for Spinach, Arugula, & Orange Pesto that sounds fantastic.  I've posted it below.  If you give it a try, let me know what you think!

Spinach, Arugula, and Orange Pesto
8 Servings

Ingredients
1/4 cups livered almonds, toasted
1-1/2 cups loosely packed fresh DOLE Spinach leaves
1-1/2 cups loosely packed fresh DOLE Arugula , sorrel or watercress leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
1.Place almonds in a food processor or blender container. Cover and process or blend the almonds until finely chopped.
2.Add the Spinach and Arugula, sorrel or watercress; cover. With the machine running, gradually add the oil in a thin, steady stream, processing until the mixture is combined and slightly chunky.
3.Add Parmesan or Romano cheese, orange peel, orange juice, ground red pepper and salt. Process or blend just until combined.
4.To Store: Divide into 1/4-cup portions and place in airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
5.To Serve: Bring pesto to room temperature and spread on grilled salmon, grilled chicken or toasted bread. (Makes 3/4 cup)

So I have a surprising number of people ask me about eggs.  It seems that a fair number of you like them but are afraid that their high cholesterol content will have a negative impact on  your cholesterol.  As it turns out, the newest research shows that it's actually excessive intake of saturated fat, rather than cholesterol that negatively affects risk factors (i.e. high blood lipids, cholesterol, and blood pressure) for the development of cardiovascular disease.

Here's a quick little abstract from the Journal of American College of Nutrition which states that "The most recent American Heart Association guidelines no longer include a recommendation to limit egg consumption, but recommend the adoption of eating practices associated with good health."  In fact, there just doesn't seem to be good data that eating a lot of eggs directly increases cholesterol levels.

Currently, the AHA recommends 6 or fewer eggs per week.  This article provides a list of cooking tips to consider if you are worried about your heart health.  Remember, it's the overall pattern of your diet that matters most!  It's not about obsessing over one food in isolation.

But I say, let's focus on the positive.  Eggs offer some really fantastic nutritional benefits.  It's a great source of protein, fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A,D,E,K), and they are super cheap!  So I say scramble a couple of eggs with your favorite veggies and serve it up with some whole grain toast.  Here's how I serve up my eggs at home:

1.) Saute whatever veggies I have in the house (peppers, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, onions, etc) in some olive oil, black pepper, red pepper, and garlic for 5 minutes (or so).
2.) Whisk together an egg or two with some skim milk and season salt.
3.) Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the cooked veggies.
4.) Scramble until desired consistency (I never can make a beautiful omelette so I just end up scrambling them up).
5.) Toast some whole grain bread and serve your eggs with hot sauce, salsa, ketchup, or plain!

As I munched on breakfast this morning, I thought to myself " I LOVE this cereal....I should blog about it!"  And then I thought, hey, I should blog about some of my favorite food products on a regular basis.  So, if things go as planned, you'll be getting a "product showcase" on the 10th of every month...if not more frequently.

First up, Barbara's Shredded Spoonfuls from Whole Foods (and other chains like Trader Joes).  A single box costs $4.99 (gosh, cereal is not cheap).  I topped mine with blueberries and it was delicious.  Why do I love the multigrain bites of shredded cereal?

1.) Great texture and mouthfeel
2.) First ingredient is "whole oat flour." A great source of fiber and whole grains which is great for digestion, gut health, and heart health.
3.) TASTE! It's a whole grain cereal that is very low in added sugar but doesn't taste like cardboard!  Most whole grain cereals are either hard and icky or contain loads of sugar to make up for the unpalatable taste.

So if you've been searching for a low sugar, high fiber whole grain cereal that actually tastes good, Barbara is your gal!  Plus, there is a whole line of products for people with special dietary needs (i.e. gluten free, dairy free, Kosher, vegan, etc).

If you try a box today, let me know what you think.  And if you think there is a product I oughta' try and recommend, please email me!

A cost effective and delicious way to take advantage of summer's fresh berries is to buy in bulk and freeze them.  I found a deal on a huge case of blueberries.  I kept some for eating and some for freezing.  And my favorite thing to do with frozen berries is whipping them up into delicious fruit smoothies. 

Blend together your favorite yogurt (I steer clear of fat-free varieties to avoid artifical sweeteners.  Plus the bit of fat in the yogurt provides a creamier texture and helps ignite those hormones which tell your body that you are satisfied!), a bit of milk, and some frozen berries.  For an added kick you can sprinkle cinnamon or ginger in as well.  And that's it!  In a matter of minutes you have a a delicious and refreshing snack.  Enjoy!

I was recently handed a free sample of a new product called Fruit2day.  According to the sales rep, it's 2 servings of fruit in a bottle for just 110 calories.  Here's what I have to say about the benefits listed on their website:

1.) Easy, on the go way to drink your fruit.
Fruit, by nature is great for eating on the go.  Apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, nectarines, and pears are a few pieces of transportable fruit that come to mind.  This product has to be kept refrigerated which pretty much makes it less convenient and easy to consume...

2.) Reap the benefits of 2 servings of fruit in a drink.
Hardly.  Just check out the ingredient list.  There are small chunks of whole fruit which are added to an "all natural fruit puree."  This is what I call glorified fruit juice which inherently lacks the benefits offered by whole fruit (i.e. the satiating and nutritional benefits of fiber, phytochemicals, and many antioxidants lost in processing). 

3.) Tastes delicious.
The flavor did taste good but the chunks made it totally awkward to drink.  If you don't mind chunks of fruit fowing into your mouth while trying to swallow juice at the same time, you might like it.

4.) Endorsed by a Dietitian.
Well, many people endorse products for money...

One thing the company didn't list was price.  I called a couple of grocery stores in the area that were listed on their website as carriers.  Unfortunately they didn't have it in so I don't know the cost.  But most grocery store fruit is less than 50 cents a serving.  I doubt a processed and packaged fruit drink can be that!

Don't be fooled with fancy advertising.  Stick with real, whole, non-processed food as much as possible and you'll be better off.

We are all looking for easy ways to eat well on the go. Hence, the creation of THE BAR. Yes, if you walk the aisles of any convenience store or supermarket you just may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of them! In fact, as a dietitian, one of the most common questions I get asked is "what (if any) bars do you recommend?" My response is always the same- Larabars!

The reason I love Larabars is simple: They are made out of nutritious, whole food ingredients that I can pronounce. Plus their calorie content and distribution of fat/carbohydrate/protein will actually keep you full for a couple of hours...rather than leaving you hungry and pekish one hour later like most granola bars do. I take issue with the fact that we rely so heavily on processed, packaged food ingredients in our diets but realize we are all pretty darn busy. So Larabars combine the convience factor with nutritious ingredients rather than manufactured "stuff".

Let's compare the Larabar with one of the most popular protein bars on the market, the Luna Bar. The Luna Bar website states that "We are proud of the ingredients we use. Everything is 100% natural, as organic as possible, and contains no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Use this ingredient glossary to find out more about what’s in our food." Yes, you'd certainly need an ingredient glossary to interpret what the heck they are feeding you!

Here's the ingredient list for their Caramel Nut Brownie Bar: LunaPro ® (Cocoa Soy Rice Crisp [Soy Protein Isolate, Organic Rice Flour, Alkalized Cocoa], Organic Toasted Oats, Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Flaxmeal), Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Caramel (Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Inulin, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Soy Protein Concentrate, Organic Tapioca Maltodextrin, Water, Salt, Natural Flavors, Organic Soy Lecithin), Organic Coating (Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Cocoa, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla), Walnuts, Inulin (Chicory Extract), Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Cocoa, Organic Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), Organic Chocolate Flavor, Sea Salt.

Now let's check out the ingredient list for the Cinammon Roll Larabar (my personal favorite): Dates, Walnuts, Almonds, Raisins, Cashews, Cinnamon.  Plus they are gluten, dairy, and soy-free.  A great option for food allergies.

So the next time you are searching for an alternative to all of the processed bars and snacks, check out some "real food options."  They may be just as convient and even tastier...your body will thank you for it. :)

Last week I introduced the topic of grocery shopping. I covered the first part (preparation) in a five-part series. Today I’d to talk a little bit about nutrition. Nutrition is a very controversial topic. Why? Because the science behind it is complicated!

Case in point: fat. You’ve likely heard a litany of recommendations on fat intake; eat a low fat diet for heart health, decrease your saturated fat, avoid trans fat like the plague, increase your monounsaturated fats, decrease belly fat by eating more polyunsaturated fats, and on and on and on we go.

While I’m not about to go into the science of fat intake, you should know that food companies use the latest and greatest scientific breakthroughs to sell you a product. A CocoaVia dark chocolate bar can improve your heart health, you can increase your fiber intake by adding Splenda to your tea () , and improve your digestion by eating Activia yogurt with a special probiotic blend. Do not be fooled!

The best nutrition advice I can give it to you is this: ignore the snazzy health claims plastered all of your processed food boxes. These “functional foods” are often injected with one element or another to give the allure of good nutrition but are often a mix of synthetic substitutes which are a poor second place for the real deal. Instead, start buying REAL FOOD. How, might you ask?

Here are a couple of examples of what I mean:
Whole grain cereal with fresh blueberries rather than a Blueberry Nutri-grain bar
Whole grain cracker with peanut butter rather than the bright orange peanut butter crackers in the cellophane packaging
Whole wheat pasta mixed with frozen veggies and marinara sauce rather than a Lean Cuisine

So here’s a challenge: take a look at the food you eat for convenience sake and see if you can turn it into a more nutritious, less processed option. I’m eager to see your results.