Mitzi Dulan- America's Nutrition Expert » vitamins http://nutritionexpert.com/blog Credible information about health, nutrition, fitness, food, diet, and weight loss, recipes, fun/ Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:02:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc Go, Grow, Glow Principal for Healthy Living http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/07/go-grow-glow-principal-for-healthy-living/ http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/07/go-grow-glow-principal-for-healthy-living/#comments Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:18:34 +0000 America's Nutrition Expert: Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/?p=2546 You may think that nutrition is too difficult; that there are too many rules to keep in mind. Yes, there are a lot of target numbers, exceptions, nutrients, and more, but really it is simpler than you think. How you feel when you are eating well is the ultimate way to track your nutrition. Instead of worrying about meeting the dietary guidelines for every nutrient, follow the Go, Grow, Glow Principal for healthy living.

In this principal, food requirements are broken down into three broad categories. Incorporating these three groups will bring you to a healthy, balanced state.

GO
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in the body. They are broken down most readily and provide a quick boost of energy. It is best to choose whole grain carbohydrates because the processing to make white bread, flour, or rice removes a lot of the important nutrients. The part of the grain that is removed is where the fiber and many vitamins are housed. Fiber in whole grains helps to keep you feeling full longer and keeps your digestive track regular. Good choices of carbohydrates are brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and quinoa. Aim to have around 45-55 % of total calories from carbohydrates.

whole-grain-carbs

GROW
Protein is the nutrient important for growth and development of the body. Protein is composed of various amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle, cell structure, and DNA. The best choices are lean protein because they have less total fat and saturated fat. It is important to remember that protein can come from non-animal sources. Beans and nuts provide good low-fat options for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Aim to have 20-30% of total calories from protein.

protein

GLOW
A diet rich in plant-based foods is essential in maintaining a healthy glow. Fruits and vegetables are high nutrient dense without having high energy densities. This means that they have a lot of vitamins and minerals without a lot of fat and calories. Vitamins and minerals are important for physiological functioning to maintain all of the chemical reactions. Many vitamins also function as antioxidants, which are substances that go around collecting free radicals that would otherwise cause damage to the cells. Aim to have 4-5 servings per day of both fruits and vegetables.

fruits-and-vegetables-45

Research Assistance by Kaylee O’Connell

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]]> http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/07/go-grow-glow-principal-for-healthy-living/feed/ 0 5 Ways to Retain Nutrients While Cooking http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/02/5-ways-to-retain-nutrients-while-cooking/ http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/02/5-ways-to-retain-nutrients-while-cooking/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:51:38 +0000 America's Nutrition Expert: Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/?p=959 5 Ways to Retain Nutrients While Cooking
With the economy the way it is, we can’t help but brainstorm about the
innumerous possibilities how we can save money. It’s pretty much
become second nature to finger through weekly sales papers, or return
the bag of Roma tomatoes you had just picked out after noticing
another kind was $1 less per pound. I know I do.
What if I were to tell you that there was also certain things you can
do to retain maximum amount of nutrients in your food and best capture the flavor during the cooking process? After all, we’ve already gotten the money-saving principles down…why not take the extra step towards healthy cooking.
The bigger the better…when it comes to chopping vegetables because fewer vitamins are destroyed because less of the vegetable’s surface area is exposed to air.
Use as little water as possible. Let’s put it this way, water-soluble vitamins are easily dissolved and washed away by water. Therefore, the less you use, the more you will preserve the nutrients. The best way to destroy vitamins is by cooking in an uncovered pot of boiling water.
Consider the time and temperature. Put simply, the longer the cooking time and the higher the temperature, the more nutrients are lost because of the fact that many vitamins are sensitive to heat and air exposure (specifically vitamin C, the B vitamins and folate).
Cover Lovers. When cooking, always cover your pot to hold in the steam and heat to help reduce cooking time. Don’t let that heat get away by leaving your pot open!
Raw, raw, raw is in. You don’t need to go on a “raw diet” to eat raw food. Try to eat fruits and vegetables raw whenever you can (or cook just until they are crisp and tender) to avoid destroying any vitamins.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, are 5 different and FREE ways you can avoid destroying vitamins during the cooking process.
Which one do you use on a regular basis? What are your suggestions for retaining nutrients while cooking?

With the economy the way it is, we can’t help but brainstorm about the innumerable possibilities how we can save money. It’s pretty much become second nature to finger through weekly sales papers, or return the bag of Roma tomatoes you had just picked out after noticing another kind was $1 less per pound. I know I do. What if I were to tell you that there was also certain things you can do to retain maximum amount of nutrients in your food and best capture the flavor during the cooking process? After all, we’ve already gotten the money-saving principles down…why not take the extra step towards healthy cooking.
  1. The bigger the better when chopping vegetables because fewer vitamins are destroyed because less of the vegetable’s surface area is exposed to air.
  2. Use as little water as possible. Let’s put it this way, water-soluble vitamins are easily dissolved and washed away by water. Therefore, the less you use, the more you will preserve the nutrients. The best way to destroy vitamins is by cooking in an uncovered pot of boiling water. Instead, try microwaving or steaming vegetables instead of simmering/boiling.
  3. Consider the time and temperature. Put simply, the longer the cooking time and the higher the temperature, the more nutrients are lost because of the fact that many vitamins are sensitive to heat and air exposure (specifically vitamin C, the B vitamins and folate).
  4. Love that cover. When cooking, always cover your pot to hold in the steam and heat to help reduce cooking time. Don’t let that heat get away by leaving your pot uncovered!
  5. Raw, raw, raw is in. You don’t need to go on a “raw diet” to eat raw food. Try to eat fruits and vegetables raw whenever you can (or cook just until they are crisp and tender) to avoid destroying any vitamins.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, are 5 different and FREE ways you can avoid destroying vitamins during the cooking process. Which one do you use on a regular basis? What are your suggestions for retaining nutrients while cooking?
By Mitzi Dulan with research assistance provided by Monica Lobo.

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