Going Greek (Yogurt)

We all know that yogurt is good for us. Low fat yogurt provides a good source of dairy and calcium, helping to make our bones stronger. Yogurt is also packed with beneficial bacterial cultures that help support digestion and our immune system. But do you ever get bored of your watery, runny American-style yogurt? Have you been looking for a thicker more indulgent alternative that will still keep you healthy? Look no further…Greek yogurt is here to stay! Greek yogurt is a better alternative to the stuff we’re used to eating. Just make sure to opt for the low-fat or non-fat varieties of the yogurt.

Why is Greek Yogurt So Good?

1. Texture - Greek yogurt has a smooth, rich and thick consistency that tastes too good to be true! Part of what makes Greek yogurt different than regular yogurt is that it is strained to remove the whey, giving it a dense texture
   
   
2. Versatility - Greek yogurt can be used for both savory and sweet dishes. Due to its thick texture and rich taste, many people use it as a substitute for milk, sour cream and even crème fraiche when cooking or baking.
   
   
3. More Protein - With more protein than the average American yogurt, Greek yogurt is a protein powerhouse. Since it is strained, the protein content is concentrated, providing an average of 20g per cup as opposed to 13g per cup for the American style.
   
   
4. Easier to Digest - Greek yogurt contains less carbs than regular yogurt and therefore less lactose, the sugar in dairy products that can sometimes upset people’s stomachs.
   
   
5. Fullness Factor - Greek yogurt is dense and so high in protein that it keeps you feeling full and satisfied

Heather's Favorites

• Favorite Yogurt Brand: Fage 0 or 2% Yogurt
• Favorite things to Add to it: 1-2 tbsp of Knorr Soup Mix (or salsa if you’re salt-sensitive)
• Favorite Time of the Day to Use It: 4pm snack with sliced cucumber and peppers

Stephanie's Favorites

• Favorite Yogurt Brand: Oikos Organic Greek 0% Yogurt
• Favorite things to Add to it: Crushed garlic, onions and chopped cucumber (to make tzaziki)
• Favorite Time to Use It: At dinner on top of poached salmon or chicken kebabs

Dara's Favorites

• Favorite Yogurt Brand: Chobani ‘Fruit on the Bottom’ Blueberry Greek 0% Yogurt
• Favorite things to Add to it: ½ cup of KashiGoLean Cereal, cinnamon and 1 tsp of ground flax
• Favorite Time to Use It: Breakfast (a healthier version of a yogurt parfait)

Spice It Up With Cinnamon

Myth or Fact? Cinnamon Has Health Benefits

FACT. Cinnamon is a unique and flavorful seasoning, exotic to the taste buds. But besides being a perfect enhancer to some great dishes, cinnamon is also good for you! Cinnamon has lots of healthy attributes besides being able to give your palate something to smile about.

One of the first human studies on cinnamon was published in 2003 in a medical journal called Diabetes Care. Sixty people with type 2 diabetes took 1,3, or 6 grams of cinnamon in pill form daily, an amount roughly equivalent to ¼ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. After 40 days, all 3 amounts of cinnamon reduced fasting blood sugars and the bad ‘LDL’ cholesterol.

Besides reducing blood sugar and lowering bad cholesterol, many studies have revealed other potential health benefits of cinnamon:

1. Cinnamon acts as a natural preservative for food
2. Is a good source of manganese, iron and calcium
3. May aid in treating some bacterial infections
4. May help reduce inflammation

Cinnamon often gets a bad rap… because cinnamon buns, cinnamon toast or pumpkin pie are the foods that may come to mind. But cinnamon can be included in our daily diet in a much more healthy way. The best part of cinnamon is that it’s easy to add to foods you already eat. All you need is a ½ teaspoon a day.

Try these tricks to get some more spice in your life:

1. Add some cinnamon to hot oatmeal or cold fiber cereal
2. Mix some into 1 tbsp of peanut butter and spread onto celery sticks
3. Stir some into plain yogurt
4. Sprinkle some over baked sweet potatoes or carrots
5. Add some to a store-bought rub to go on grilled chicken

Sprinkle some straight into your coffee, skim latte or skim cappuccino

Are frozen fruits and vegetables less healthy than fresh fruits and vegetables?

I am happy to report that this is a Myth. Common sense might lead us to believe that fresh fruits and vegetables would be far more nutritious than their frozen counterparts. Although this is generally accepted, did you know that fresh produce is picked, boxed, often transported over long distances and then left to sit on store shelves for up to several weeks? The time lapse between picking fresh produce and purchasing them at a store can often cause them to lose some of their nutritional value as they are exposed to light and air. Both taste and texture may also be diminished.

Before getting to the freezer, frozen fruits and vegetables are first picked, they are quickly blanched (cooked for a short time in boiling water or steamed) and immediately frozen and packaged, generally when nutrient levels are at their highest. So frozen fruits and vegetables are processed at their peak, in terms of freshness, and nutrition. This means that the vitamins and nutrients are preserved until the next time the package is opened.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the International Food Information Council (IFIC) both report that nutrients in produce are generally NOT lost during freezing (and canning) and they provide the same essential nutrients and health benefits as fresh. Another bonus of going frozen is that it’s often less expensive than their fresh counterparts. Though fresh fruits and veggies may be more visually appealing and taste better, they don’t last as long in your fridge and may not be the most nutritious.

At the end of the day, any fruits and vegetables are better than none at all. Just remember:

• Buy fresh produce in season and buy local when possible
• Buy non-seasonal produce frozen (if possible)
• Even using canned fruits and veggies without added salt or sugar is also a good choice

Here are some great ways to include fruits and veggies into your daily routine:

Buy a variety of fruits and vegetables (choose a wide range of colors!) in the fresh and frozen form

• Keep a fruit bowl on the kitchen counter and in the office
• Have some cut-up vegetables in the refrigerator at all times for easy snacking
• Add fresh or frozen fruit to your breakfast meal in cereal, oatmeal or yogurt
• Choose fruit for dessert (frozen grapes anyone?!)
• Add a mix of frozen vegetables when you prepare soups, sauces and casseroles

The Peanut Butter Outbreak

Myth or Fact? All peanut butter products are contaminated by Salmonella

MYTH. If the recent Salmonella scare has made you think twice about eating anything containing peanuts, you're not alone. Over 500 Americans have been affected in over 43 states by various peanut butter and peanut paste-containing products (including 9 deaths). Officials have isolated the source of the outbreak to contaminated peanut butter and peanut paste produced by The Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant. PCA’s products are used in hundreds of different food items including cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream.

As unfortunate as this situation is, not all peanut products are affected. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery stores are not affected by the PCA recall” and the makers of my favorite peanut butter product, Justin’s 100 Calorie Nut Butter Pack (available at Whole Foods) claim that their products are still safe to eat as well.

For information about the Salmonella outbreak, including a searchable list of products recalled by the FDA, visit www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall

How Our Food Choices Impact The Environment

Myth or Fact? Weight gain leads to global warming?

FACT! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average weight of Americans increased by 10 pounds during the 1990’s. This increase in weight required airlines to consume an additional 350 million gallons of jet fuel in 2000 leading to the release of 3.8 million more tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. So what can you do about this? Either start holding your breath, stop flying, or better yet considering shedding those extra pounds.

Here are some easy (food-related) ways that we can all support the environment:

• Support local farmers by buying whole, locally produced foods such as fruits and vegetables to avoid the extra energy costs associated with the production and transportation of processed foods.
  
  
• Buy organic dairy products to ensure that you are not promoting the use of growth hormones or antibiotics in cows.
  
  
• Choose certified organic meats to avoid contributing to the widespread use of antibiotics.
  
  
• Eat species of fish that aren’t overfished and are also lowest in mercury and other toxins (avoid Chilean sea bass, Atlantic cod, King crab, Grouper, Sea scallops, Albacore, blue fin, big eye, yellow fin tuna). Go to: http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/115/nofish for the complete guide.
  
  
• Instead of bottled water, buy a reusable water container that is BPA-free certified. Also use a water filter at home and at work.
  
  
• Use sustainable, reusable storage containers.

How to Turn Snacks Into Your Secret Diet Weapon

Let's face it: the pothole in every dieter's road to success is hunger. We don't eat just because something tastes good: we eat because we're totally starving! That is why I want to convert you to the Wall Street Diet approach to snacks. Strategic snacking is one of the most effective weapons you have against a poor food choice or (shudder!) a binge. When you keep your hunger in check with an appropriate snack, you're making it much easier to stick to your healthy food choices. But there's a key word here - strategic. If you snack mindlessly (and sometimes stress or fatigue can promote mindless snacking) you'll be adding extra calories to your daily intake without accomplishing your goal of minimizing hunger.

Here are my top Strategic Snacking Tips (you'll find many more in my book, The Wall Street Diet).

Know yourself. Some of my clients have told me that strategic snacking has enabled them to lose weight that they've never been able to lose before. But other clients learn that they don't need snacks at all. How do you tell? It's simple: try going from lunch to dinner without a snack. If you find that you are able to make good choices at dinner and that you're not utterly starving, you probably don't need a snack. If, on the other hand, you're desperate to eat just about anything by the time 5pm rolls around, you are a good candidate for a mid-afternoon snack. I've got lots more details on how to figure out your eating style in The Wall Street Diet (pages 19 - 44). In general, most people who feel they need a snack do well to have a single mid-afternoon snack. People who require more calories because of size or activity level might also choose a mid-morning snack and/or an evening snack. Again, the key is to know yourself and limit your snacking to what's useful and strategic in helping you reach your goals.

Meet the Snacks. OK, so you know you really need a snack to help keep you on track. What do you choose? I have lots of snack recommendations in The Wall Street Diet but here's a condensed version:

If you need a mid-morning snack: Choose a light snack of no more than 80 calories. This might be an apple. 6 ounces of Dannon Light & Fit yogurt, one Laughing Cow Light cheese and a Fiber Rich cracker.

If you need an afternoon snack: The Wall Street Diet (pages 311 -312) includes a complete list of recommended afternoon snacks. They are all up to 200 calories. A few good choices include: a Larabar, a Luna bar, a Nature Valley Granola bar, a 1.3 oz bag of Glenny's Soy Crisps.

If you need an evening snack: An evening snack should be less than 80 calories and it should be eaten right after dinner. A few good choices include Tofutti pops, Edy's Fruit Bars, a frozen Dannon Light & Fit yogurt.

Watch your Weekends. Weekends can be a tough time to diet. You're off schedule. You're socializing and spending time with friends and family. Snacks can play a big role in helping your stick to your eating goals. I suggest you keep lots of healthy snacks on hand for weekends. It's better to over-indulge in a healthy snack than to lose control at a brunch buffet! Some good choices include all the snacks mentioned above a well as low-sodium V-8 juice with lemon over ice, sugar free hot chocolate, cut up cucumber or peppers, soy crisps and herbal teas. For more tips on weekend snacking, see The Wall Street Diet (pages 190-191).

Don't be a health-snack-nut. Have you noticed all those portion-controlled healthy snacks that fill the supermarket aisles these days? What could be wrong with a whole-grain, organic snack? Well, first there are the calories...Even portion controlled snacks can pile on calories. Many of my clients tell me that they find it impossible to stop at one little snack! Moreover, for many dieters, the practice is worse than the calories. Once you get accustomed to downing a nibble here and a bite there it can be a hard habit to break. So limit your snacks to my Wall Street Diet recommended choices and enjoy them strategically, not mindlessly!

Diet Recovery Strategies: The Veggie Night

Want to jump-start your diet week? Try a Veggie Night on Sunday night. Or perhaps you had an over-indulgence at a barbeque or picnic. A Veggie Night will re-set your eating clock and get you back to clean and mean. Like a Protein Day, a Veggie Night is just what it sounds like: a night where your dinner is comprised of simply vegetables. (You can find lots of details and suggestions about Veggie Nights in The Wall Street Diet, page 88.) Some of my clients routinely use Veggie Nights one night a week until they reach their goal weight. Others reserve their Veggie Nights as a re-set tool. Whichever works for you… A Veggie Night dinner might be a baked white or sweet potato and two measured cups of steamed vegetables. This meal can be on your plate in under ten minutes if you use your trusty microwave.

Diet Recovery Strategy: The Protein Day

A Protein Day is a super-effective tool that will help you re-set your eating patterns. (It’s described in detail on page 87 of The Wall Street Diet) It’s nothing complicated but it’s surprisingly effective. My clients especially like to use it after a trip or a vacation where they’ve overindulged. A Protein Day is just what it says: a day where you eat primarily protein. For example, breakfast might be 2 eggs, any style, or a 4 to 6-egg-white vegetable omelet. Lunch could be a grilled chicken, fish or any protein over greens with a very, very light dressing. Dinner would be the same as lunch plus perhaps some steamed vegetables. These meals are filling and readily available anywhere. A Protein Day will get you back on diet track.

Sugar Substitutes and Weight Gain

Researchers from Purdue University tested this theory on two groups of rats in three different experiments. They discovered that rats fed yogurt sweetened with saccharin went on to eat more calories and gained more body fat and weight than another group of rats fed yogurt sweetened with glucose, which is basically pure sugar. The researchers theorize that our bodies expect sweet foods to contain calories, and when they don’t, we overcompensate by eating more calories throughout the day. The findings, published in the February 2008 issue of Behavioral Neuroscience, present a possible explanation for the rising tide of obesity, even in the presence of thousands of foods and beverages sweetened with no-calorie sugar substitutes. This study was done in rats, not humans, and it only used saccharin, an older sugar substitute that is less widely used than aspartame or sucralose. However, limiting your sweet intake – from both sugar and sugar substitutes, seems like a prudent step to maintain a healthy body weight.

The Skinny on Sweeters

Eat too many sugary foods and you run the risk of weight gain and a trip to the dentist to take care of cavities. Some people say that we should use a more natural sweetener than table sugar, such as honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar. And what about sugar substitutes – are they safe to use on a regular basis?

Nutritive vs. Non-Nutritive Sweeteners
Nutritive sweeteners such as table sugar, molasses, and polyols provide energy and contain 2-4 calories per gram of weight. Non-nutritive sweeteners contain no calories, because they are far sweeter than sugar and only tiny amounts are necessary.

Sugar
Sucrose and fructose make up sugar and other sweeteners that occur naturally in foods. Our body doesn’t differentiate between the sugar in an apple, the sugar we stir into our coffee, or the sugar that sweetens muffins and cookies. Molasses, honey, fruit juice concentrate, corn syrup, raw sugar, and brown sugar are examples of sugars routinely added to commercially prepared foods or used at home.

Polyols
Polyols are sweeteners that aren’t well digested and therefore provide about half the calories of sugar. Commonly referred to as ‘sugar alcohols’, the preferred name is polyol, because they’re neither sugar nor alcohol. Polyols sweeten lower-calorie foods such as ice cream, candy, and baked goods that are often labeled “sugar free”, “no sugar added”, or “no added sugars”. Foods that contain polyols are also allowed to use the health claim “Does not promote tooth decay”. Caution: some people experience gas, bloating, or even diarrhea if they consume too many polyols. Just because a food is sugar-free doesn’t mean we should eat a lot of it!
One of the most popular polyols is xylitol, which found naturally in many fruits and vegetables. Xylitol has the same bulk and sweetness as sugar, but one-third fewer calories because it is not completely digested. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, chewing sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol between meals can significantly decrease risk of dental caries.

Sugar Substitutes
There are five different sugar substitutes currently approved for use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, and neotame have undergone rigorous testing and are safe for normal use.

1. Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low, Sugar Twin, Sweet Magic) is the oldest sugar substitute, widely used for over 100 years. It’s 300-400 times sweeter than sugar. In 1977 saccharin was banned due to research showing it caused cancerous tumors in rats. After thorough scientific review, in 1985 the American Medical Association determined that saccharin is safe for human consumption. Because other sugar substitutes with better taste and little or no aftertaste are now available, saccharin is used less often. Children should not use saccharin due to limited research on its safety in this age group. Pregnant women are cautioned to avoid saccharin because it crosses the placenta.
2. Aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet, SweetMate, NatraTaste), 180 times sweeter than sugar, was approved for general use in 1976. The widespread allegation that the breakdown products of aspartame – methanol and formate – cause lupus, multiple sclerosis, or brain tumors is untrue, with additional research proving the safety of aspartame.
3. Acesulfame potassium (Sunett, SweetOne, Swiss Sweet) was approved for use in 1988. It’s most often used in combination with other sweeteners or in soft drinks, and is 200 times sweeter than sugar. One of the byproducts of acesulfame potassium is phenylalanine, a naturally occurring amino acid. Phenylalanine is safe for everyone except for the small percentage of people with phenylketonuria who cannot metabolize it. That’s why you see the statement “Phenylketonurics: contains phenylalanine” on any food or beverage that contains acesulfame potassium.
4. Sucralose (Splenda) is actually made from sucrose, or table sugar. That’s why the advertising for sucralose says it tastes like sugar. Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar and is used in hundreds of foods and beverages. Sucralose is made by substituting three chlorine atoms for three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule. Chlorine is actually a natural part of many types of foods we eat every day, including lettuce, tomatoes, and melons, and the small amounts present in sucralose are safe for human consumption.
5. Neotame is a sweetening powerhouse: it’s 7000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar! It was approved for general use in 2002, and is typically found blended with other sugar substitutes in foods and beverages.

Stevia is a sweetener made from a South American shrub. It cannot be marketed or sold as a sweetener within the United States because the FDA has not yet established its safety. You’ll find stevia marketed as a dietary supplement in many health stores.

There are two sugar substitutes currently undergoing review by the FDA:

1. Alitame (Aclame) is 2000 times sweeter than sugar, and enhances the flavor of other sugar substitutes. It’s currently approved for use in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and the People’s Republic of China.
2. Cycalmate was discovered in 1937 and was approved for use in the US until 1970, when it was banned due to concerns it led to cancer in animals. In 1985 the National Academy of Sciences concluded that cyclamates are not carcinogenic on their own, and there is currently a petition to reapprove its use. It’s only 30 times sweeter than sugar, but when combined with other sugar substitutes can enhance the overall sweet flavor.

Three other non-caloric sweeteners are currently approved for use in the US as flavor enhancers, not sweeteners. They are 50-3000 times sweeter than sugar, but require additional research before they can be utilized as sugar substitutes. Dihydrochalcones (DHCs), glycyrrhizin and thaumatin (Thalin) are found in beverages, chewing gum, and some baked goods.

Because sugar substitutes are so much sweeter than sugar, a little goes a very long way. Other ingredients, such as maltodextrin or polydextrose, are added to sugar substitute packets to provide bulk. The current trend is to blend two or more different sugar substitutes together for the best-tasting product.

How Much Is Too Much?
The National Academy of Sciences’ Food Nutrition Board recommends no more than 25% of total calories should come from added sugars, including sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey, and maple syrup. For a woman eating 1400 calories per day, 350 calories could potentially come from added sugars. Adding some sweetness to foods increases our enjoyment of eating, and keeping sugar consumption to a moderate level is definitely part of a balanced, healthy diet.

Up to 90% of consumers routinely use sugar substitutes, or foods that already contain sugar substitutes. The FDA determines an acceptable amount of each sugar substitute that can be safely used over a person’s lifetime, and includes a 100-fold safety factor. That means you could eat 100 times the recommended amount of a sugar substitute and not worry about health problems. Research studies show that the vast majority of people use healthy amounts of sugar substitutes.

Our Sweet Recommendations
Recent research published in the Journal of Food Science shows that the more artificial sweeteners we use, the more we crave sweet foods and beverages, which may increase our overall calorie intake and make it more difficult to lose weight. And the research we discuss in this newsletter brings up a disturbing possibility that using sugar substitute may actually cause our body to crave more calories, so that we gain body fat. It makes sense to use the least amount of sugars and sugar substitutes possible, especially if they’re used in foods that don’t contain many healthy nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Water or skim milk are healthier beverages than diet soda; a fresh apple packs a larger nutrient punch than canned applesauce sweetened with Splenda, and candy is still candy – even if it’s sugar free!

High-Fat Food and Sleep

A recent study shows that sleep and weight gain is a two-way street. Previous research seemed to indicate that lack of sleep led to weight gain. However, in a recent study published in Cell Metabolism in November 2007, researchers found that a high-fat diet may in fact be a cause of disrupted sleep, thus leading to further weight gain. In this study, mice fed a high-fat diet gained weight and showed a disruption in their circadian clock. These mice, after initially being fed a high-fat diet ate extra calories when they should have been sleeping or resting, and it was these extra calories that led to weight gain. So, avoid this vicious cycle by eating a diet that is balanced and moderate in fat.

Marathon Eating 101

Running a marathon, or training for any big sport’s event, is a huge commitment, and takes months of preparation. Training, however, does not simply consist of sprints, scrimmages, or other heart-pumping related activities. A major component is nutrition. Without proper fuel for your body, you will be unable to reach your maximum potential.

There are four nutrients on which to focus during training. These include water, carbohydrates, protein, and fat. When you drink enough water and eat a balanced diet, your body can work efficiently and provide energy to fuel performance.

Water
Water makes up 60 percent of your body and is involved in essentially every bodily process. Unlike with other nutrients, your body cannot store excess water - you must replace whatever you lose. There is a fine line, however, between drinking too little and drinking too much. If you drink too little, you run the risk of dehydration, which hampers performance and increases the risk of heat illnesses, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Conversely, too much fluid puts you at risk for hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is a condition that occurs when the level of sodium in the blood drops too low. Although rare, hyponatremia can result in seizure, coma, or death. Those at risk are people who drink too much and do not adequately replace the sodium lost in sweat.

The best way to prevent hyponatremia and dehydration is to learn the correct way to hydrate.

* Drink to Hydrate: Your fluid-replacement goal is to drink the perfect amount of fluid, resulting in neither weight loss or weight gain. A helpful tool may be to estimate your sweat rate. Weigh yourself before and after a workout. Then account for fluid consumed during training and add this to the total weight loss.

For instance, if you lost 1 pound (16 oz) during 1 hour of training, and drank 16 oz, you should drink 32oz (16 + 16) each hour during similar intensity exercise training.
* Include More Salt: Salt is lost through sweat, so make certain to replace all of the salt lost during training. Consider including more salty snacks (i.e. pretzels or crackers) into your diet.

* Invest in Sports Drinks: Drinks, such as Gatorade®, help keep your body hydrated while replacing essential electrolytes, like salt, during exercise. Because of the added flavor, you are more likely to consume more. These drinks are preferred over water during long distance or intense training or competition.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the preferred source of fuel for the body. They are found in fruits, vegetables, starches, and other foods. The body converts carbohydrates into glucose for immediate energy or stores it in the liver and muscle tissues as glycogen. Muscle glycogen is used during endurance sports. As glycogen is depleted, an individual may become fatigued and unable to maintain training and racing intensity. With high intensity training, 60-70% of calories should come from carbohydrates. Remember: while we usually encourage high fiber and whole grains, opt for low fiber foods (i.e. white pasta, potatoes, etc.) when training to avoid gastric distress and cramping.

* Stock up before*: Eat carbohydrates for at least several days before competing so that you start with glycogen loaded muscles.

* Be consistent during: If training or competing for more than an hour, eat carbohydrates during the activity to replenish energy and delay fatigue. Consider energy gel supplementation. A typical gel has 90-100 calories composed mostly of carbohydrates. These are especially helpful during colder days when the sweat rate is lower, and you are not prone to drink as much. Gels, however, can upset your stomach, so try using them to gage your tolerance prior to the competition.

* Replenish: After a long run or an intense training session, your muscle glycogen stores will be depleted. Therefore, eat a carbohydrate snack of approximately 100-300 calories immediately after training. Snacks may include pretzels, baked chips, or frozen fruit pops.

*A note on carbohydrate (carbo) loading: Carbo-loading is a method some athletes use to maximize glycogen stores. The original method began 1 week prior to the event. For the first 3 days, athletes ate a very low carbohydrate diet (about 10% of total calories) and exercised intensely to deplete glycogen stores. The following 3 days the athlete ate a very high carbohydrate diet (about 90% of total calories) and reduced exercise intensity to maximize glycogen stores. Over the years this technique has been modified and the depletion phase has basically been eliminated. Now athletes usually just increase carbohydrate intake for the 3 days prior to the event (about 70% of calories) and decrease exercise intensity. Consult a physician before attempting a carbo-loading diet.

Protein
Protein is needed for muscle and tissue growth and repair. However, too much protein can cause dehydration and muscle heaviness. When muscle glycogen stores are high, protein contributes less than 5% of the energy needed by the body. When glycogen stores are low, protein must be used for energy and may contribute as much as 10% of the energy needed. This process of using protein for energy is expensive and inefficient, and should be avoided as much as possible.

* Increased Needs: Endurance athletes need up to 50% more protein than sedentary adults.

* Avoid Excess: Consume no more than 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. A high protein diet, especially after heavy training will cause incomplete replenishment of muscle glycogen and impair performance.

Fats
Fats are required in small amounts by the body for certain critical functions and as an alternative energy source to glucose. Eating too much fat, however, is associated with heart disease, some cancers, and other major problems. A high fat intake probably means you aren’t getting enough carbohydrates. Moreover, a high fat diet is difficult to digest and may cause sluggishness.

* Aim for Moderation: All individuals, including athletes, should consume less than 30% of total calories from fat and less than 10% of calories from saturated fat.

While these basic guidelines will help, we do recommend seeking personalized advice when it comes to intense training. Every body is different, and it is important to make sure you are adequately nourished and hydrated during training and during the event.

Snack Bar Break

Though in an ideal world we would all eat balanced meals and snacks with whole grains, lean protein, and lots of fruits and vegetables, realistically it is often too time consuming and impractical. However, we can’t just starve until we have time to grab a decent meal. That’s where bars come in. Bars are quick, and if you choose the “right” ones, they can be balanced and filling. They are great to keep in your purse or briefcase if a meeting runs late and lunch seems far away, in the glove compartment of your car if you get stuck in traffic, or by the front door if there’s no time for breakfast so you can grab one and go.

The tricky part when it comes to bars is figuring out which ones are best or the most balanced. To help you, we’ve outlined a few nutrients/ingredients to watch for when choosing a bar. The major question to ask yourself, however, is will this bar help me eat less later or will it simply set off a sugar craving and leave me wanting more.

Calories
As a snack, ideally it should have less than 200 calories. If you’re replacing a meal, it can be higher than this, but beware that the very high calorie bars usually contain loads of sugar and/or saturated fat.

Fiber
Fiber helps by slowing digestion and allowing you to feel fuller longer. Finding high fiber bars can be tough, but aim for at least 3 grams of fiber per bar.

Protein
There are loads of high protein bars out there, but the main idea of protein is to balance out the carbohydrates and satiate us longer. There is no need to go overboard with protein (keep in mind, this is just a snack), but aim to get at least 7 grams in your bar.

Fat
You do want to have some fat in your bar to keep your snack balanced, to allow for a more satisfying snack, and to improve the taste and texture of the bar. However, try to keep the fat below 5 grams, with as little as possible coming from saturated fat. Also, avoid any bars with trans fats.

Sugar
This is definitely the hardest ingredient to assess. Most of the bars contain lots of sugar to improve taste. We decided to judge sugar based on its relation to fiber in the bar. Aim for bars that have at most a 6 to 1 ratio of sugars to fiber. For instance, if a bar has 3 grams of fiber, it should have no more than 18 grams of sugar.

To be honest, it was almost impossible to find a bar that fit all of our requirements. The bottom line is that you have to choose which ingredients are most important to you, and which bars help you most in staving off hunger (and which you like the taste of!). We’ve chosen some of our favorites to give you some ideas. The bars in bold fit every requirement.

Bar	Calories	Total Fat(g)	Saturated Fat(g)	Protein(g)	Carbs(g)	Fiber(g)	Sugar(g)
Bellybar™ (for pregnant women)	170-180	4-6	1-2.5	8	22-26	2	11-13
Clif® Mojo™	180-210	8-11	1-2	9-10	19-23	2-3	8-12
Gnu® Foods	130-140	3	0-1	3-4	30-32	12	8-9
Kashi™ GOLEAN® Roll!	190-200	5	1.5-2	12	27-29	6	13-14
Kashi™ TLC™*	120-180	2-6	0.5	5-7	19-26	4	5-8
Larabar®	180	4	2	8	29	5	11
Luna® Sunrise™	180	4	2	8	29	5	11
Luna®*	180-190	3.5-6	0.5-3	9-10	23-28	3-5	9-11
Pria® Complete Nutrition	170	6	4	11	22	5	7
Slim Fast® Optima™ Meal On-The-Go Bar	180-220	4-9	2.5-4	8	28-35	2-3	12-16
thinkGreen™	180-190	5-7	1-3	6-7	27-29	2-4	15-22

*Not every bar in this brand fits all of the requirements.

Take this guide with you as you navigate the supermarket aisles. By keeping balanced, healthy bars on hand, you will never have an excuse for going hungry!

Natural Herbs or Foods and Weight Loss…or not?

Considering the main topic of this newsletter is diet pills and weight loss drugs, we wanted to report on a single natural food or herb that is touted for weight loss and present the current research. Amazingly, after searching through the peer-reviewed journals, we found almost no actual research regarding the most common weight-loss ingredients. We searched apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ginger, ginseng, green tea, and even some of the less common ingredients like turmeric and rhubarb. Though there were a few animal studies regarding one or two of these ingredients, and a few actual studies on green tea, a couple of the searches brought up absolutely nothing (i.e. apple cider vinegar). Yes, we could have chosen one of those rare random studies to report on, but we think a stronger take-home message this month is to beware of what you hear or read. As our fruitless search has shown, the ingredients in most weight loss supplements have barely been researched, and though they may seem harmless because they are common household ingredients, taking large doses of them has not been satisfactorily tested (or even tested at all). When there are actual studies regarding natural ingredients and weight loss, we’ll get back to you.

Flavonoids and Cognitive Decline

Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that are found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and red wine. The benefits of flavonoids have been highly touted, especially as it relates to cancer prevention. In a study published this year by the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers found that flavonoids may also help with cognitive function. Over 1600 subjects, age 65 and over, were followed for 10 years. At baseline, all participants were evaluated and found to be free from dementia. In addition, information on dietary flavonoid intake was collected at baseline. Over the 10 year period, participants were cognitively evaluated four times. The researchers found that those participants who consumed the most flavonoids from food did significantly better on the mental examinations 10 years later than those who consumed the least amount of flavonoids. Just one more reason to visit your Farmer’s Market and load up on fresh produce…

Eating Seasonally

No longer do you have to drive to rural areas for the fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers, and seasonal culinary creations of the farms. In the last few years, Farmer's Markets have been popping up and becoming increasingly popular in both urban and suburban neighborhoods. Towns and cities alike have happily sectioned off streets monthly, or even weekly, for nearby farms to provide residents access to locally grown food. While many look at jaunts to the Farmer's Market as occasional quaint outings, however, there are major benefits to regularly frequenting the local markets and to eating seasonally.

Health
Whether or not we realize it, the foods that are grown locally are essentially preparing us for the days ahead. Spring vegetables, like lettuce, kale, asparagus, and spinach, help to clean us out after a long winter. The summer harvest of grains and fruit helps to give us energy for the long days. The produce of autumn, including squash, apples, carrots, and beets, provide warmth and sweetness to help nourish us prior to the long winter. And finally, the winter foods, which generally are stored, like dried fruits, nuts, and other, heavy, dense foods, help to provide resilience.

Intact Nutrients
As soon as a piece of fruit (or any produce) is plucked from the tree, the nutritional breakdown begins. Certain vitamins, particularly vitamin C, are very unstable and though they may be present fresh off the vine, are largely depleted after a few days. Supermarket produce may be shipped from a thousand (or more) miles away. As a result, the produce sits around for many days constantly losing some of the key nutrients.

Since local farms must adjust to the seasonal weather, the fields are also turned over more frequently. Thus, a patch of land that held cucumbers in the summer may hold root vegetables in the fall and winter. This turnover encourages a more nutrient-rich soil, which translates into a more nutrient-dense product (not to mention a tastier product).

Freshness
Locally grown produce is typically picked the day before arriving at the Farmer's Market. As a result, the produce is picked ripe or at its peak. Moreover, after a day at the Farmer's Market, leftover produce is generally not saved to be sold the next day. Instead it is used for jams and baked goods. On the other hand, supermarket produce is harvested well before ripeness so that it can withstand bulk handling and long range shipping. That means that when supermarket produce first hits the shelf, it is at least a week old. In fact, the automatic spraying of the produce section every few minutes is mainly done to perk up the week-old vegetables. It doesn't help that nutrients of the produce leach out at each spraying.

Fewer Preservatives
Many of the small growers at Farmer's Markets are organic growers, which mean they do not use any synthetic compounds on their fields. Even for those local farmers who do use some chemicals, however, the amount which they use is far less than large commercial farms. Moreover, because local farms pick their produce at its peak, they do not use any chemical ripening agents. And because they get their produce to market almost immediately, they do not need to coat their produce in wax or add any other preservative.

Variety
Nowadays, when you walk into a supermarket, you may never know the season. Due to global trade, the supermarkets will always have melon, tomatoes, and tropical fruit. Without any new options, we can easily encounter food fatigue. And when we tire of fruits and vegetables, it is too easy to fall into the rut of treating ourselves with high-fat and high-sugar foods to perk up our food repertoires. However, when we eat seasonally, we can look forward to the juicy summer watermelon or the savory autumn artichokes. Plus, by purchasing seasonal foods, and not splurging on that $10 clamshell of blueberries in the dead of winter, you can also save money.

Incorporating seasonal eating into your lifestyle demands a bit more time, thought, and commitment. As a result, however, you will be rewarded with more robust flavors and loads more nutrients – your body, your palette, and the Earth will definitely thank you!

Seasonal Produce Calendar (New York)

This chart, adapted from the Greenmarket NYC chart, will help you determine the seasonality of your favorite fruits and vegetables.

Season	Vegetables	Fruit
Winter	Dried beans, beets, carrots, collard greens, leeks, onions, parsnips, potatoes, winter squash, turnips	Apples, pears
Spring	Asparagus, dried beans, cabbage, carrots, beet greens, mesclun, onions, parsnips, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, scallions, spinach, zucchini, turnip greens	Apples, pears
Summer	Asparagus, snap beans, dried beans, beets, beet greens, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, herbs, lettuce, leeks, mesclun, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, scallions, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, turnip greens, winter squash, zucchini	Apples, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, currants, peaches, plums, strawberries, raspberries
Fall	Snap beans, dried beans, beets, beet greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, corn, eggplant, fennel, herbs, kale, lettuce, leeks, lima beans, mesclun, onions, parsnip, potatoes, pumpkin, scallions, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, winter squash, zucchini	Apples, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapes, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, watermelon

Coffee Beverages Exposed

With spring in full swing, and summer just a few short weeks away, we now find ourselves strolling outside as we delight in the beautiful weather. Oftentimes, these strolls are accompanied by jaunts into a coffee shop or an ice cream store to get a frosty treat. While many may feel that opting for the coffee is the healthier or least caloric choice, many times this is not the case. A serving of vanilla ice cream (which is ½ a cup) is only 145 calories, while a serving of a blended coffee beverage (16 oz) can range anywhere from 180 to 580 calories! The following chart gives a breakdown of some of your favorite coffee treats:

Product	Serving Size(oz)	Calories	Total Fat(g)	Saturated Fat(g)	Carbs(g)	Sugars(g)	Protein(g)
Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino Blended Coffee – no whip	16	260	3.5	2	52	44	5
Starbucks Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino - whip	16	580	22	13	86	65	14
Dunkin Donuts Coffee Coolatta with Milk	16	210	4	2.5	42	40	4
Cosi Arctic Latte	16	530	16	unknown	94	unkown	6
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Ice Blended, Mocha, with non-fat milk and regular powder	16	390	7	4.7	58	39	11
Caribou Coffee Coffee Cooler	16	220	4	4	46	40	2

Luckily, you can mimic some of these frosty beverages while also cutting down on the calories.

Basic Blended Coffee Base*
Serves 2

1¼ cup strong coffee, chilled
1 cup skim milk
3 packets artificial sweetener (i.e. splenda, equal, etc.)
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 cups ice

1. Put everything in a blender and blend until desired consistency.
2. Serve.

Calories per serving: ~95

*To flavor your blended coffee, try adding a teaspoon of sugar-free vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate, or caramel syrup. These flavorings will provide additional sweetness, so you may want to decrease the amount of artificial sweetener or sugar in the recipe.

The Lowdown on Energy Drinks

In 1997, with the introduction of Red Bull, energy drinks began as a significant category in the US market. Since then, the market has grown by 50% almost yearly, and the energy drink market now totals more than four billion dollars. Clearly, this indicates that many Americans are consuming these caffeine laden trendy beverages, but are they really that good for us?

What is an Energy Drink?
Energy drinks, such as Red Bull, Monster, Cocaine, and Hype Energy, are beverages that contain large doses of caffeine, sugar, taurine, and other legal stimulants like ephedrine, guarana, and ginseng. These energy drinks may contain anywhere from 80mg of caffeine for 8 oz (about the equivalent of a strong cup of coffee) to 250mg. Energy drinks purport to have “functionality”, including increasing concentration and cognitive performance of the consumer. The basis of these statements, however, lies in inconclusive data, from a limited number of studies. To de-bunk some of these claims, we will breakdown the most common ingredients.

Caffeine
Caffeine is one of the main active ingredients found in energy drinks. In spite of extensive research, the evidence with regard to the health implications of caffeine is inconclusive. There is, however, some evidence that high acute intakes of caffeine are associated with tachycardia (fast heart beat) and acute increases in blood pressure. Too much caffeine may also cause nervousness, irritability, and insomnia. The longer term risks, or possible benefits, of caffeine on cardiovascular disease and diabetes, are less known.

Guarana
Guarana, a native South American plant, contains guaranine, a substance that is chemically similar to caffeine with likely comparable stimulant effects. There is very little information regarding the effects of guarana, and in the US, it is unregulated. As a result, many health professionals are wary of guarana-containing products.

Taurine
Taurine is a normal metabolite in the body that is synthesized from the amino acid cysteine or other sulphur or cysteine containing compounds. Taurine, which is naturally present in the diet, has been shown to have beneficial health effects, including decreasing blood pressure. No published studies have found any negative physiological effects of high intakes of taurine in healthy adults. However, there have been no conclusive studies regarding taurine’s interaction with the other stimulants in energy drinks.

The Dangers of Energy Drinks
While none of the common active ingredients in energy drinks seem to be particularly harmful alone, there has been limited research studying the combination of these ingredients on health. Energy drinks’ stimulating properties have been anecdotally reported to increase heart rate and blood pressure, dehydrate the body, and prevent sleep. These effects may be particularly harmful if the drinks are used in sporting contexts. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade and Vitamin Water, have certain compositional requirements with regard to carbohydrates, electrolytes, and osmolarity. Energy drinks, on the other hand, do not have these requirements and because they contain caffeine, a known diuretic, they can greatly dehydrate an individual, whereas in sporting events or exercise, they would be needed to rehydrate. In addition, socially energy drinks are now used as mixers for alcoholic cocktails. The danger in this lies in the fact that energy drinks are stimulants and alcohol is a depressant. As a result, the stimulant properties of the energy drinks can mask the feeling of intoxication and can lead a person to drink well beyond the safe limit. Finally, though not necessarily dangerous, energy drinks contain loads of sugar, and therefore contain numerous calories. Thus, consuming energy drinks, especially in place of water, can lead to weight gain.

Healthier Alternatives
Instead of relying on energy drinks to wake you up, there are numerous lifestyle changes you can make to boost your energy naturally.

1. Eat breakfast. Eating something in the morning can rev up your metabolism and start your day out right.
2. Eat every few hours. Oftentimes we get tired because our blood sugar drops too low. To prevent the drop, try and eat a healthy meal or snack every few hours.
3. Drink water. If you’re dehydrated, you will feel fatigued. Get your 8-10 8 oz glasses to keep you awake.
4. Decrease sweets. Consuming products high in sugar will lead to a peak in blood sugar and then a major drop. The drop is what leads to feelings of fatigue. If you cut out sweets, you’ll avoid the blood sugar swings.
5. Exercise! Getting your blood flowing and getting into shape will increase your metabolism and stamina.
6. Sleep. You’ll always feel tired if you don’t get your Z’s. Try to slow down and aim for at least 7 hours of sleep per night.

Breakfast Cereals : A How-to Guide

Though we’ve come a long way from the tasteless gruel of the 1800’s, we now have a whole new set of problems. With the plethora of breakfast options out there, it is now difficult to decide what to consume to start your day off right. Simply navigating down the cold cereal aisle can be overwhelming. The colorful boxes, with the catchy names, extraordinary box designs, and the promise of fruity sweet tastes appeal to our senses, but how do you decide which cereal is actually most nutritious? The following guidelines will help you select a healthy and filling cereal:

1. Be the adult. If you let your children choose, you will absolutely end up with a sugary cereal, since kids are influenced by box design and TV ads. Remember that the appearance of the box has nothing to do with what’s inside. Look past that attractive picture on the front and look straight to the side panel (the nutrition facts).
   
2. Read the “Nutrition Facts” and “Ingredients List”. The information listed here is standardized so it is easier to compare between boxes of cereal, than by just paying attention to the hype advertised on the front of the box. Check to see what constitutes a serving size before comparing the calories, sugar, fat, etc.
   
3. The grains should be whole. Under ingredients, it should say “whole wheat” or “wheat bran” and not simply “wheat”.
   
4. Protein content should be at least 5 grams per serving. Protein is what leaves you feeling satisfied, so you don’t want to skimp on this macronutrient.
   
5. The total carbohydrate to sugar ratio should be no less than four to one. This means that if there are 24 grams of carbohydrates in the cereal, then the sugars should be listed as 6 grams or less. This ratio shows that the majority of carbohydrates come from grains and fiber and not just from added sugars.
   
6. Check for fiber. One of the most important components of cereal is fiber. Aside from preventing constipation, fiber also helps to fill you up. Look for cereals that contain at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. Keep in mind, however, that if you are opting for the “high fiber” cereals, you will want to also increase your fluid intake. Increasing fiber intake too quickly can lead to gas and bloating.
   
7. Take those vitamins! For the most part, cereal is a major source of certain nutrients. These include folic acid, zinc, iron, and other B-vitamins. Check to see that your cereal is providing at least 25% of the RDA for these nutrients.
   
8. Beware of fruit. Don’t be fooled by the fruity name or the dehydrated red berries that are floating in that bowl. Dried fruit is actually heavier than grains, so it will be listed towards the top of the ingredient list, leading you to believe that there is a lot of fruit in there. In most cereals, however, there is actually very little fruit. A better bet would be to skip the fruity cereals, and add your own fresh fruit to the bowl.
   
9. What to avoid. There are certain ingredients that a nutritious cereal should not contain. These include hydrogenated oils, dyes or artificial colors, and chemical preservatives. If you see these on the ingredient list, keep walking!
   
10. Don’t forget the milk. Whatever cereal you are consuming, chances are it is still missing some key amino acids (the building blocks of protein). By having that cereal with milk, you will be adding extra protein and making up for those few amino acid deficiencies in the grain. Remember though, keep that milk low in fat and opt for skim or 1% milk.

To further help you wade through the cereal aisle, we’ve compiled our top ten list of nutritious cereals (in no particular order!). You can find these at Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Wild Oats, and many standard grocery chains. Each of these cereals has a serving size of ¾ cup or larger, at least 5 grams of fiber, more than 5 grams of protein, and less than 9 grams of sugar.

1. Uncle Sam Original Cereal (10 g fiber, 7 g protein, <1>
2. Arrowhead Mills Shredded Wheat bite size (6 g fiber, 6 g protein, 2 g sugar)
3. Nutritious Living Hi Lo (6 g fiber, 12 g protein, 3 g sugar)
4. Nature’s Path Raisin Bran (9 g fiber, 5 g protein, 5 g sugar)
5. Nutritious Living Dr. Sears Zone Honey Almond (5 g fiber, 14 g protein, 5 g sugar)
6. Kashi Go Lean (10 g fiber, 13 g protein, 6 g sugar)
7. Nature’s Path Optimum Slim (11 g fiber, 9 g protein, 7 g sugar)
8. Kashi Organic Promise Autumn Wheat (6 g fiber, 5 g protein, 7 g sugar)
9. Back to Nature Banana Nut Multibran (13 g fiber, 5 g protein, 9 g sugar)
10. Kashi Good Friends (12 g fiber, 5 g protein, 9 g sugar)

Now there is no excuse not to eat a healthy breakfast!

Trans Fats 101

As of January 1, 2006, the FDA mandated that all nutrition labels include the number of grams of trans fat in a food item. Since then, it seems as though trans fats are always making headlines. KFC was sued for using oils with trans fat, the New York City Board of Health voted this past fall to prohibit the use of artificial trans fat in the City’s 20,000 restaurants, and many products are now advertising that they are trans fat-free. So what is all the hype about?

What are Trans Fatty Acids?
Trans fats, short for transaturated fats, are artificial fats that are created through a process called hydrogenation. In this process, hydrogen gas is added to unsaturated fatty acids and liquid fats are converted to solid fats. The main purpose of this is to increase the shelf life and flavor stability of foods. Trans fats also add texture and density to foods, help to create spreadable products (i.e. margarine), and lower the cost of products.

Where are Trans Fats Found?
Trans fats are found naturally in animal foods in very small amounts. These natural trans fats, however, are not the focus in the media. Rather it is the artificial or man-made trans fats. These artificial trans fats are found in products containing “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated oil”. They are abundant in processed foods including margarines, shortenings, cakes, cookies, crackers, snack foods, non-dairy creamers, donuts, and more. Trans fats can also be found in deep-fried foods, such as fast foods.

Why are Trans Fats Bad for Us?
Originally, saturated fats, found in butter, cheese, and beef were thought to be the worst type of fat. Saturated fats increase total cholesterol by increasing both LDL (“the bad”) and HDL (“the good”) cholesterol. As a result, items like margarine (which contain trans fat) were thought to be good replacements for their saturated fat counterparts. Overtime, however, it was discovered that trans fats actually have a worse effect on cardiovascular disease risk. Whereas saturated fats raise both bad and good cholesterol, trans fats actually raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol, causing the arteries to become clogged and increasing the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. Trans fats may also increase cardiovascular disease risk by triggering inflammation. In addition, trans fats may have a possible connection to insulin resistance and may increase risk of diabetes.

How can we Avoid Trans Fats in the Diet?

• Identify high fat and trans fat foods. Start to read food labels and review the ingredients listed. Avoid foods with “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils. This is especially important if the hydrogenated oil is listed as one of the first ingredients. This means there is a lot of it in the food product. Sometimes you may see that a products is listed as containing zero trans fat grams but still has partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredient list. This is because a food product can claim to have zero grams of trans fat if it contains less than 0.5 grams.
• Learn the trans fat food categories. These may include:
• 
  
• 
  

• • Fast foods: French fries, fried chicken, biscuits, fried fish, and pie desserts
  • Donuts, muffins
  • Crackers
  • Cookies
  • Cakes, pies, and icing
  • Pop tarts
  • Microwave popped corn
  • Canned biscuits
  • Non-dairy creamer and international and instant latte coffee beverages
  • Margarine, shortening
  • 
    
• Choose alternative fats. Try olive, canola, peanut, or flax oils in place of the hydrogenated stuff.
• Eat Fresh. Aim for more fresh fruits and vegetables. Try new recipes with fruits, veggies, beans, or chicken. If you make the food, you will be able to opt for the healthier fat options.

How Much Trans Fat is Too Much?
There is no set numerical value of trans fat that is regarded as “too much”. However, the American Heart Association recommends that trans fats in the diet should be restricted to less than 1% of the energy consumed by the body. This usually translates into less than 2 to 3 grams per day. Currently, the FDA estimates that the US population consumes about 5.8 grams of trans fat or 2.6% of calories as trans fats. For the good of our bodies, let’s start to bring that number down. But beware of products that advertise themselves as “trans-fat free”, that doesn’t mean they are fat-free. In fact, many items still contain a fair amount of saturated fat. So keep reading those labels!