Food As Fuel Blog

This blog is dedicated to providing open source information to our community to promote, "Food as body Fuel." Our goal is that people will change their perception of food and nutrition, which will lead to changing habits, and ulimately optimize human performance and health.

NOTE: To get to past entries, simply click on the title of the blog post.

3 Surprising Reasons to Give Up Soft Drinks, and How to Cure Your Soda Addiction

We are five weeks into the New Year. How many of you put "Give up soft drinks" on your New Year's Resolution list? How is it going so far?

Well, if you didn't put that one on the list, you might want to add it after you read this! Here is some good information from Men's Health Magazine, January 24, 2012 and January 2, 2012.

America has a drinking problem. No, not booze. I'm talking about soft drinks. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, the average American guzzles 44.7 gallons of the sweet stuff every year. Not sure what 44.7 gallons looks like? It's about what you'd need to fill a small kiddie pool.

But the truth is, you don't need me to tell you that soda isn't healthy. We all know that America’s drink of choice contributes to our country's ever-expanding obesity problem. But, as Rodale.com writer Leah Zerbe discovered, love handles are just the beginning. Read on for her report on three shocking soda facts that will have you saying “Just water, please” from now on.

Shocking Soda Fact #1: Soda fattens up your organs

A recent Danish study revealed that drinking non-diet soda leads to dramatic increases in dangerous hard-to-detect fats. Researchers asked participants to drink either regular soda, milk containing the same amount of calories as regular soda, diet cola, or water every day for six months. The results? Total fat mass remained the same across all beverage-consuming groups, but regular-soda drinkers experienced dramatic increases in harmful hidden fats, including liver fat and skeletal fat. The regular-soda group also experienced an 11 percent increase in cholesterol compared to the other groups! And don’t think switching to diet varieties will save you from harm: Artificial sweeteners and food dyes have been linked to brain cell damage and hyperactivity, and research has shown that people who drink diet soda have a higher risk of developing diabetes.

Shocking Soda Fact #2: Soda contains flame retardants

Some popular soda brands, including Mountain Dew, use brominated vegetable oil—a toxic flame retardant—to keep the artificial flavoring from separating from the rest of the liquid. This hazardous ingredient—sometimes listed as BVO on soda and sports drinks—can cause bromide poisoning symptoms like skin lesions and memory loss, as well as nerve disorders. If that’s not a good enough reason not to “Do the Dew,” I don’t know what is. 

Shocking Soda Fact #3: Drinking soda makes you a lab rat

Many American soda brands are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a heart-harming man-made compound derived mainly from genetically engineered corn. The problem? Genetically engineered ingredients have only been in our food chain since the 1990s, and we don't know their long-term health impacts because the corporations that developed the crops never had to test them for long-term safety. Case in point: Some recent findings suggest that genetically engineered crops are linked to digestive tract damage, accelerated aging, and even infertility!

Ready to switch to water for good? Thought so. Here's a foolproof way to Cure Your Soda Addiction!

Warning: You need to run two miles to burn off that bottle of Coke. Tempted to switch to water yet?

People are less likely to indulge in unhealthy beverages when caloric contents are translated into physical activity equivalents, a new American Journal of Public Health study found. In the study, teens were less likely to buy a sugar-sweetened beverage—soda and fruit drinks—if its physical activity equivalent was displayed than if it’s calories or percentage daily values were posted.

“Americans don’t have a good sense of how many calories they need in a day, so translating calories into easy-to-understand physical activity equivalents may be more meaningful to consumers than calorie counts,” said study author Sara Bleich, Ph.D., an assistant professor of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Unfortunately, we can’t control what’s printed on your soda nutrition label, but we can do the math for you. Your 20-ounce bottle of soda is roughly the same as:

• Washing dishes or grocery shopping for 76 minutes*
• Unicycling or cleaning gutters for 35 minutes
• Jazzercising or chopping wood for 29 minutes
• Shoveling or skiing for 25 minutes
• Boxing or fast jump-roping for 15 minutes

Posted by: Michele Deaton

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Sugar as Dangerous as Alcohol?

This morning on Good Morning America there was a segment on added sugar in the foods we eat. Not surprisingly, the rising rates of obesity and diabetes are cause for this concern. UCSF doctors, Robert Lustig, Laura Schmidt and Claire Brindis argue that sugar should be put into the same category as alcohol and tabacco and have regulations put on its sale and availability. They have published an editorial in the journal Nature. These doctors say the government should put a tax on processed foods containing added sugar.

The average American daily consumes 22 teaspoons of "added sugar". Sweetened cereals, fruit juices and soft drinks, even ketchup, are some of the unsuspecting culprits. 

Read this article http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/sugar-dangerous-alcohol-tobacco-182634411--abc-news.html to see some of the ideas proposed for helping to keep excessive sugar out of the American diet. See if you agree with taxing processed foods. Some argue that things like chairs, cars and TV should be taxed if processed foods should be taxed.  Those things discourage exercise, which is another factor in the obesity and diabetes predicament.

Remember that by eating whole foods, and not processed foods, you won't be getting added sugar.  "The focus should be on the overall nutritional quality of foods, not just one nutrient." says Dr. David Katz, co-founder of the Yale Prevention Center 

Posted by: Michele Deaton

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Encouraging Others

I caught an episode of King of Queens last night and thought I'd share this clip with you. It's hilarious!

http://youtu.be/LyFwM-zsUiY

Everyone needs encouragement! I'm just not sure Doug quite understands how to do it! But my point here is to find someone to hold you accountable. If you are trying to improve your eating habits or overall nutrition, ask someone close to you to call you out when you start to make a poor choice. It's hard to make the right choice by yourself sometimes!

I had a coworker once who asked me not to let her go to lunch by herself. She knew she would go out and get a greasy cheeseburger with fries and a shake and eat it by herself in the car. She recognized her weakness and wanted someone to help her get over a hump by holding her accountable. We often behave better with others than we do alone.

Don't underestimate the power of a Food Journal. If you are working towards our Get Pumped for the Party promotion you should be recording your food intake at least 3 days/week. Writing it down helps you remember every little thing you put in your mouth. You'd be surprised how quickly all the little things add up!

So let us know if you need help getting started or need someone to be your accountability partner. At CrossFit Fort Worth we are here for you!

Posted by: Michele Deaton

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Beginning Again

Well, I can't believe the first month of 2012 is already almost over! I guess it's still as good a time as any to begin again!

Sorry I haven't updated this Nutrition Blog in a while. Life happens! I thought a good way to start would be with a recipe I just ran across.

I'm not a big seafood person, but I do like salmon. This looks like a quick and easy, high protein lunch to try. It is from a book called The Happy Body by Aniela and Jerzy Gregorek.

Tomato Stuffed With Egg White and Salmon Paste

2 egg whites, hard-boiled and chopped

1/2 cup of smoked or poached wild salmon

Large beef tomato

Cucumber, sliced

1 tsp parley, chopped

1 tsp dill, chopped

Mustard

Salt and pepper

Cut the top off the tomato, put the top aside and spoon out the inside of the tomato. Prepare the paste by placing the salmon, parsley, dill, mustard, salt and pepper in a blender. Mix the paste with the egg whites in a bowl. Stuff the mixture into the tomato and cover it with the tomato top. Serve with slices of cucumber.

Fact about egg whites:

Most people think of eggs as a perfect food. Although an egg white, which contains 16 calories, is almost pure protein, the yolk contains 56 calories and is mostly saturated fat. So if you eat eggs, you should only eat the white if you are trying to lose fat. For example, if you make an omelet out of six egg whites and a pound of vegetables, your omelet will be 200 calories. However, if you make it out of whole eggs it will be 550 calories.

The Paleo-style diet is not as concerned with fat intake, but everyone should intake saturated fat in moderation.

Posted by: Michele Deaton

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Ashleigh Fann commented on 25-Jan-2012 09:24 AM

A little online research...an egg actually only has 1.5g of saturated fat per 5g of total fat. This is 30% saturated fat which I would not consider "mostly" saturated fat. The remaining 70% are poly- and mono-unsaturated fats...the good fats. These will
help with satiety (as will protein) and have other useful functions in the body, to include fat metabolism. The information above is slightly misleading. If you eat a standard 2-whole egg omelet with said vegetables, you get around a 240 calorie item. Who
eats a 6-whole egg omelet? That would be HUGE...I know I couldn't finish it. Even a 3-whole egg omelet for the hearty eaters would only be around 300 calories. The egg white is pure albumin...high quality protein to be sure, but not much else. The yolk, while
yes, it contains a small amount of saturated fat, also contains all of the Choline, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, and Folate, to name a few, that an egg has to offer nutritionally. The cholesterol in eggs has also been shown to have minimal to no effect on total cholesterol
levels, but has been shown in some studies to increase the ratio of LDL: HDL (a good thing). My personal opinion is that the extra 40-100 calories is worth the nutrients that it includes. Skip the candy bar instead...working on that sweet tooth myself... :-)

Michele commented on 25-Jan-2012 05:49 PM

Thanks Ashley for reminding me to validate my sources! You are correct about the composition of the egg. And the fact that no one in their right mind would eat a 6 egg omelet! I personally have one or two eggs for breakfast almost every morning, although
some Paleo experts recommend no more than 4-6 eggs per week. As with anything, moderation is key. And for those on a "fat burn" diet, foods higher in fat should be limited. Thanks for your insight!

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Guilt-Free Holidays

It is possible to enjoy the abundance of celebratory feasting without becoming overwhelmed with guilt. Here is an excerpt from this month's issue of Paleo Magazine. The article is written by Melissa Hartwig of Whole9, a community focused on health, fitness, balance and sanity.

We'll be tempted all season long with breads and cheese, chips and dips, pies, cookies and cakes - and we haven't even mentioned the wine, brandy and eggnog. The stress of the season, the endless availability of sweet treats and social pressures at holiday gatherings create a recipe for overindulgence, a few extra pounds and a sleigh-full of guilt and remorse.

Here are some ways to stay happy, healthy and sane while still enjoying the special offerings of the season.

• Get your nutrition in line before the madness begins.
• Save your nutritional off-roading for things that are especially delicious or emotionally significant. Ask yourself, is this really worth it? If not, skip it.
• When you do indulge, be smart. Don't eat things you know will wreck you. (Gram will understand if you're allergic to nuts.)
• Eat only as much as you need to satisfy that craving or participate in your family's tradition. Eat slowly, savor it and share it with those you love.
• There is no guilt associated with a deliberately-made food choice. Don't add to your stress by  making a conscious choice, then beating yourself up.
• Plan and prepare. Identify situations where you may encounter peer pressure, stress or temptation, and come up with a (nutritional) plan to deal with them.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Posted by: Michele Deaton

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Paleo Cereal

Thanks for your questions about Paleo cereal, Troy. You are in luck! Shannon Kellum shared this recipe with me when she was on a strict 30 day Paleo diet, and it is yummy! I don't really measure much on this one.

Just throw together some sliced almonds, a few chopped pecans, a pinch of raisins (I like golden raisins) or dried cranberries, unsalted sunflower kernels, unsweetened coconut and a couple of sliced fresh strawberries, if you can find them. Pour coconut milk over and enjoy! It's just a tad bit sweet, crunchy and satisfying! Unsweetened dried fruits are best, but hard to find, so just use a small amount. This would also be tasty with chopped fresh apples. Use the coconut milk that comes in a carton, not a can.

Let me know what you think!

Posted by: Michele Deaton

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Shannon commented on 01-Dec-2011 04:42 PM

Awe, thank you for sharing that Missy! I LOVE that cereal. It is a tad more expensive than "real" cereal but you dont use as much so it lasts much longer! I am so glad you enjoyed it. I prefer the coconut milk in the carton with Jillian from Biggest Loser
on the side but I think its only because the kind in the can kind of grosses me out to drink. Its all mental- there is nothing wrong with it :) Enjoy!

Troy commented on 05-Dec-2011 11:15 PM

WOW....this paleo cereal is good. It is much better than I thought it would be. I substituted the raisins with blueberries and I found "unsweetened" coconut milk (in the carton) to use. Thanks Missy and Shannon.

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Caffeine: Good for you, or not?

Thanks, Corey for your question about caffeine. With our busy lifestyles we run out of steam fast and it's so easy to pick up an energy drink or shot of caffeine near the door at any store. But is it as good for us as marketing claims?

Here's what Marks Daily Apple has to say about caffeine:

As a stimulant, caffeine offers the temporary benefits of improved concentration, enhanced memory and an extra bit of energy. However, this “heightened” state has some unappealing physical effects as well. Obviously, there are the proverbial caffeine jitters and, for a few people who are either caffeine sensitive or who regularly overindulgence, even heart flutterings. But there’s more. Recent caffeine consumption can reduce blood flow to the heart during exercise.

And, apparently, some of us are “slow caffeine metabolizers” (who knew?). Being part of this crowd and partaking of caffeine, some research shows, puts us at increased risk for non-fatal heart attacks. Caffeine has been shown to also raise blood sugar levels in those with type 2 diabetes.

Additionally, caffeine induces heartburn in many people. Given that prescriptions targeting acid reflux are so common these days, we often wonder how much caffeine plays into many people’s symptoms. At a certain point for certain people, caffeine probably isn’t worth it just from that standpoint alone.

For some of us, in the end, a small amount of caffeine can be a true (and, arguably, truly needed) leg up. It's a compromise we make in the context of our real, harried modern lives: global business trips with inevitable jet lag, heavy workloads with last minute deadlines, teething toddlers we're up with half the night, etc. We make a commitment to truly take care of ourselves day to day, but the caffeine option is there to help get us over the hump. It's a moderate dose of concession int he midst of a busy and otherwise healthy lifestyle.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/coffee-tea-caffeine-talk

There has also been speculation that high caffeine consumption may be linked to some types of cancer. Here is a good article from the Mayo Clinic on that topic, as well as other benefits.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/coffee-and-health/AN01354

Posted by: Michele Deaton

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What do you want to know?

OK, I know this blog has been a plethora of useful information, but it's time to hear from my loyal followers! What burning nutrition questions do you have? I feel it's time for me to do research on the things that you want to know, instead of bore you with the latest scientific data. 

Post your questions to Comments. Even if it's a subject we have covered before, I will dig a little deeper and find the most reliable answers for everyone. I can't wait to hear from you!

Posted by: Michele Deaton

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Corey commented on 18-Nov-2011 02:00 PM

You may have already posted on this but how about benefits or downside of caffeine? And various energy drinks? The drinks are everywhere in all shapes and sizes. I dont drink coffee, cokes or Monster type drinks but do occassionally down a 5 hour energy
drink in late afternoon, maybe once a week, without a thought to what it really was other than a pick me up. They have a lot of vitamin B variations so it must be good for you, right?

Troy commented on 24-Nov-2011 08:54 AM

Since I started Crossfitting, I have given up my morning ritual of eating a bowl of cereal. Is there such a thing as "Paleo" friendly cereal? I still crave a good bowl of cereal and often give in to the temptation.....ugh!

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Healthy Tips for Surviving the Tricks of Halloween Treats

During the weeks before and after Halloween, aisles in the stores are filled with candy taunting us to purchase it. Remember: a treat isn’t really a treat if you have to backpedal too much with your dieting efforts! Take a minute to examine what the real treat is: isn’t it really more of a treat to lose weight, feel proud of your hard earned efforts, and feel comfortable in your own skin? Here are some tips on how to avoid being “haunted” with the temptation of all these treats around:

• Buy Halloween candy the day before Halloween so it’s not sitting around to tempt you.
• If you must buy it ahead of time at least store it in a place where you are not constantly exposed to it. Out of sight, out of mouth!
• Only purchase candy that you don’t like; that way you are not as tempted to indulge.
• Consider passing out non-food treats to the kids.
• If you absolutely must have Halloween candy, enjoy a moderate amount of it; but only if it doesn’t set you off on a binge. Fruit of course, would be a better choice.
• Emphasize the fun, non-food parts of Halloween: make a pumpkin carving contest, bob for apples, and set up some Halloween games for the kids.
• Halloween night is so hectic, sometimes a healthy meal is not even a consideration. This year plan on consuming leftovers, or have something you can just grab and eat or assemble quickly.
• Plan on eating dinner a bit earlier so you get that evening meal in. If you miss dinner entirely because you are so busy, you are going to be overly hungry and even more tempted to overeat later.
• Enlist your spouse or friend for support (but not to be the food police).
• Even though those mini candies are so little, they can add up real quick. See the link below for calorie and carb counts for most Halloween treats.
• Stay on track; remember that Halloween is the kick off season for weight gain. Don’t be tricked into eating that treat and gaining weight; and make sure you don’t miss your weekly appointments for accountability and support.

Listed below are the calorie and carb counts for a few of the most common Halloween candy treats:

• M&Ms, plain, Fun size (18 g) – 88 calories and 12 g carb

• Snickers Bars, Fun size (17 g) – 80 calories and 10 g carb

• Smarties Candy, Roll – 25 calories and 6 g carb

• Candy Corn, Brach’s – 11 pieces – 70 calories and 18 g carb

• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, Miniature (about 9 grams each) – 44 calories and 5 g carb per cup

• Tootsie Roll Mini-Midgees – 11 calories and 2 g carb

Taken from the 10-25-11 post at www.greenlitemedicine.com.

http://greenlitemedicine.com/healthy-tips-for-surviving-the-tricks-of-halloween-treats/

Posted by: Michele Deaton

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Common Mistakes and Misunderstandings

I have recently been reading The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss. Below are some common reasons that dieting/weight loss efforts tend to fail.

The first three mistakes cover 90%+ of stalling problems, but the rest are well worth reading. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and a few minutes of education is worth many pounds of extra fat-loss.

Mistake #1: Not eating within one hour of waking, preferably within 30 minutes. Skipping breakfast is also closely associated with overeating in the evening. Don't skip. Have no appetite in the morning? No problem. Keep it small and protein-rich, then: two to three hard-boiled eggs sprinkled with white truffle sea salt. Skip breakfast, forget to eat within one hour of waking, and you will fail.

Mistake #2: Not eating enough protein. Get at least 20 grams of protein per meal. This is absolutely most critical at breakfast. First choice: down two to three whole eggs at breakfast. Second choice: if that's impossible to stomach, add other protein-rich whole foods, such as turkey bacon, organic bacon, organic sausages, or cottage cheese. Third choice: have a 30-gram protein shake with ice and water. Get at least 20 grams of protein per meal, no matter what. Related problem: not eating enough food. Do NOT try to restrict portions or calories. Eat until you are full, and eat as much as you like of appropriate foods. If you don't, you will either downshift your metabolism or cheat between meals with banned-food snacks.

Mistake #3: Not drinking enough water. To ensure optimal liver function for fat-loss, increased hydration is a must. Make a special effort to drink more water on your cheat day, as the carbohydrate overload will pull water to your digestive tract and muscle glycogen. If you don't get enough water, headaches will be the result.

Mistake #4: Believing that you'll cook, especially if you're a bachelor. If you don't normally cook, get canned and frozen foods. Don't buy a bunch of food that requires cooking skills if you don't have them. Keep it simple. Use frozen and canned stuff for at least the first two weeks. Change one habit at a time: food selection first, food preparation second.

Mistake #5: Mistiming weighings with your menstrual cycle. Women tend to retain much more water just before their periods. Be sure to take this into account when you start your diet and take measurements. Ignore scale readings in the 10 days before menstruation. Don't let short-term water fluctuations discourage you.

Mistake #6: Overeating "domino foods": nuts, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), hummus, peanuts, macadamias. There are certain foods that, while technically fine to eat on a diet, are prone to portion abuse. I call these "domino foods", as eating one portion often creates a domino effect of oversnacking. Self-discipline is overrated and undependable. Don't eat anything that requires portion control. Get domino foods out of the house and out of reach.

Mistake #7: Overconsuming artificial (or "all-natural") sweeteners, including agave nectar. Even with no calories, most artificial and natural sugar substitutes provoke increased insulin release, though aspartame (Nutrasweet) shows surprisingly little effect on insulin. Not that this is a free license to overconsume Nutrasweet: it's often paired with acesulfame-K, which has a host of negative health effects. Both low-calorie and no-calorie sweeteners have been associated with weight gain. "All-natural" sweeteners are, based on the role of fructose in metabolic disorders, arguably worse for you than even high-fructose corn syrup. Skip the sweeteners whenever possible. If it's really sweet, it probably spikes insulin or screws up your metabolism. Experiment with spices and extracts like cinnamon and vanilla instead.

Mistake #8: Hitting the gym too often. Doing too much will not only not help, it will reverse your progress, as it also leads to overeating, sports drinks, and other assorted self-sabotage. Less is more.

The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss really is a fascinating book! I encourage you to pick up a copy if you haven't already. It will satisfy both the casual, curious reader and the more scientific minded, like Coach D. You can preview it here:http://www.fourhourbody.com/

Posted by: Michele Deaton

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