Could calorie labeling become part of health reform?

Included in the 1,990-page health care reform bill introduced by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was an outline for general nutrient-labeling requirements for restaurants and retail outlets with 20 or more outlets.

Affected restaurants would be required to prominently post calorie counts on menus and menu boards as well as calories per serving for items in salad bars and self-serve set-ups. They would also be required to post a reminder about the recommended daily caloric intake to help put all those numbers in context as well as let customers know that more nutritional information on their menu items is available upon request.

Vending machines would also be subject to calorie-posting rules.

Read more here.

Personally, I don't see much harm in informing the public—I think that this information can help people make good choices for themselves. Of course, it makes it easier for obsessors to obsess, but a lot of people in that boat look up calorie counts online anyway. I don't think it's necessarily the cure to all our country's diet-related health problems, but I usually am in favor of educating people.

For some, this could have a positive impact, and for others, it could have no impact. You wouldn't really be able to tell the overall effect for a while after substantial research, but I'm interested to find out if it works.

An article that's not about Childhood Obesity!

Sometimes I feel like everyone has been freaking out so much about the "childhood obesity crisis" that we overlook some other important issues—many of them concerning children of normal weight and the ways in which their attitude towards food is so impressionable at a young age.

I'm not saying that I have the magic ad campaign bullet, but I will say that I think there's a lot of room to mess up when the boldface message out there basically amounts to: OMG OUR KIDS ARE SO FAT! SOMEONE (ELSE) DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!

Imagine being, say, a nine-year-old girl and thinking, "Are they talking about me? I had a cupcake yesterday. Maybe I am fat..." Or even a kid who is somewhat overweight or has a borderline BMI could get their head all turned around by the mixed messages or internalize it too much, thinking that they need to be constantly exercising or avoiding all trans fats or whatever it is that spells "weight loss" to them. It sets up a mechanism for disordered eating.

An interesting article I came across yesterday has nothing to do with weight loss in kids or childhood obesity. It's actually about children with Type 1 Diabetes and how they handle Halloween, a traditionally sugar-laden holiday.

Because their bodies don't produce insulin, children with Type 1 Diabetes have to carefully monitor their blood sugar and insulin level as well as follow a modified diet, which helps make sure that carbohydrates are distributed evenly throughout the day.

For years, sweets were heavily restricted, but in recent years, some doctors have begun to allow candy in small amounts as long as it's balanced with the right amount of insulin. They do suggest having a plan before the trick-or-treating starts, though.

I found this a very interesting viewpoint, since I don't read much from this perspective. It's kind of a reminder that not all kids are gorging on candy all the time. It's too bad that kids with Type 1 have to learn moderation because of their disease, but in some ways, it probably does spare them some of the issues other children are dealing with.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes?

Last night, I set out to make sweet potato pie. As I was gathering ingredients, I realized I was short on a few things, so I ended up adapting the recipe to make a vegan version. It came out tasty, but the texture is fluffy—like vaguely sweet whipped sweet potato something-or-other. It's totally its own thing.

I used up most of the flour we had left while making the crust, and am thinking that maybe next time, I'll just buy whole wheat flour, since I'm usually cooking for myself and Chris and he doesn't mind whole wheat products. Of course, we'll make our Christmas cookies family-friendly (read: traditional) with regular flour, but for everyday stuff, it's, like, why not get the extra nutrients in whole grain products?

While procrastinating on a piece I'm writing for work, I came across this recipe for Cottage Cheese Pancakes. I'm not really into pancakes because they make me sleepy, but these sound really good. Plus, the combo of protein and complex carbs is a great way to ward off the yawns...

Ingredients

• 1 pound low-fat cottage cheese
• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup oatmeal
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 6 egg whites
• 
  
• (brush nonstick pan lightly with vegetable oil)

• 
  

Preparation

Mix cottage cheese, flour, oatmeal, egg yolks, honey, milk, vanilla and cardamom in large bowl. Beat whites in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into cottage cheese mixture in 2 additions.

Preheat oven to 200°F. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush with oil. Spoon batter onto skillet by 1/3 cupfuls, forming 4-inch-diameter pancakes. Cook pancakes until bottoms are brown and bubbles form on top, about 3 minutes. Turn; cook until bottoms are brown and pancakes are cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Transfer to plate and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.

McMona Lisa

I know it was announced a few weeks ago, but I'm still not over the fact that the Louvre is going to install a McDonald's in the basement food court of the famous Paris museum.

Even though there are already a few small food establishments and a shopping mall down there, I can't but help like this is just a bit much...

While this article does go into a few ways in which the French McDonald's is slightly more gourmet than the one we know and love (to hate) in the US, I don't know...Call me old-fashioned, but I feel like the Louvre should be one of those sacred McDonald's-free zones.

Image courtesy of Boggle

Smart Choices Program Suspended

On Friday, the group that runs the Smart Choices labeling program announced that it will be holding off on recruiting new products as well as refrain from promoting the use of their logo while the FDA continues with its examination of the front-of-package labeling issues.

Many nutrition experts are relieved that Smart Choices, which promotes food like "better than a donut" Froot Loops as a "smart" breakfast choice with a little green check-mark on the box, is being put on hold.

You can read more about Smart Choices on Marion Nestle's blog, Food Politics.

In a country where overnutrition and obesity are starting to seem like the norm, it's quite a wake-up call to remember that a billion people in the world still go hungry. It's pretty imbalanced that in the US, we produce more food than we need, yet in many developing countries, people are starving because of a shortage of food.

Here's an article from today's Times about what's being done to address the issue, including the challenges anticipated.

Moms Give Themselves a Gold Star for Nutrition

A lot of research shows that a mother's eating habits and attitude towards food has a big impact on children's food behavior as they grow. Mom's nutritional knowledge dictates what her child eats, so when she eats well, so do they.

A new report shows, however, that while healthy eating may be at the forefront of a lot of moms' minds, attitudes and intentions don't always align with what moms are actually eating and serving.

According to a report by the NPD, a marketing research group, while 75 percent of new moms and 65 percent of "experienced" mom say they actively seek out products with nutritional benefits, they are less likely to actually eat these foods.

And when it came to nutritional knowledge, most moms claimed to be "very of extremely knowledgeable" about nutrition and eating, but when asked to take a test, few actually scored in that category.

Since I haven't had kids yet, I don't know whether doctors give new (or experienced) mothers any info about nutrition for children or turns them on to easy-to-understand resources where they can learn about it, but I think that could be a big help.

Read more here.

Another Look at Calorie Labeling

In this Atlantic article from October 8, author Corby Kummer takes another look at the initial results of New York's calorie-labeling laws by calling into question some of the methods and timing of the study written about in the New York Times article, which offered up a pretty dim outlook.

He points out that the study was perhaps conducted too soon and on too small and specific a population to give a clear idea of whether the laws have had much of a positive impact. In discussing some of the pros and cons of the laws, he also brings up the fact that some companies, in addition to posting the calorie content of their foods, have also begun to reformulate some of their recipes in an attempt to lower calories.

"Public health," he said, "is about protecting the whole public, not any subset, even if underserved and strongly affected subsets are of course its frequent focus. It's about making society safer and healthier."

I tend to agree with that. I find it interesting, though not in a good way, that so much research focuses only on low-income populations. While data shows that these populations do show the highest incidences of obesity and related health conditions, it's just one piece of a much larger societal puzzle, the way that calorie labeling is just one corner of a very big picture.

Another Reason I Like Michelle Obama

When it comes to health and nutrition, the first lady seems to have a good head on her shoulders.

On a recent trip to the Health and Human Services Department, she stressed that even small changes in diet and exercise can have a big impact. Got that? "Not totally evaporating your way of being as you know it today."

"Imagine what we'll be facing in 20 or 30 years," she continued, "if we don't get on this issue. None of us wants a future like that for our children."

I really think that's an important message to put out there, especially now, when stress levels are high and health—especially diet and exercise—is one of the first things to fall by the wayside.

Putting an emphasis on the need for that healthy balance in your life is something I wish we saw more of—why can't our country make a bigger deal out of the fact that preventative care can help you in the long run?

Junk Food Habits—starting early

Last night, I was having a conversation with someone from Sweden about the differences she's noticed in the way people eat in the U.S. versus Sweden, and—surprise, surprise—she told me that whenever she goes home, even if she's still eating favorite treats, she loses weight.

"It's so hard for me to eat healthy here!" she said, griping about how hard unhealthy foods are pushed and how she feels like stores go out of their way to steer you away from the good stuff.

While I've never been to Sweden, I definitely agree that healthy foods are sort of marginalized here and made into these, like, luxury items, even though there are plenty of healthy foods like sweet potatoes and oatmeal and beans and lentils and such that are actually very inexpensive. The thing is, Americans have been programmed in recent years to think that eating healthy costs a lot of money.

This Times article looks at a study that was published in the journal Pediatrics of about 800 low-income Philadelphia school-children ages fourth grade to sixth grade who were able to buy about 400 calories worth of snacks with just the dollar and change in their pocket. Some of the most common snacks were candy (Sour Patch Kids, Peanut Chews) in the morning on the way to school, and chips after school—foods that are high in calories but almost totally lacking in nutritional value.

We start 'em young here, I guess. Maybe I was born an old lady, but my favorite after school snack used to be an apple with peanut butter. Cereal was another go-to. It still is. I guess I did like Fruit Roll-Ups and Fruit-by-the-Foot and Gushers when I was younger because "everybody else" was eating them and they were all over TV. At least those things were fortified with vitamin C, if just barely...

What's it going to take for people to stop equating "healthy" with "boring" and "expensive?" That's not the kind of attitude we should be passing down to our children.

NYC Dumpling Festival

I don't know if you're as obsessed as I am with dumplings, but if you are, don't miss the NYC Dumpling Festival on Saturday, October 24th.

True, they may not be the healthiest food on earth, but once in a while, they're a great (often cheap) treat.

The event will run from 12 -5 pm at Sara D. Roosevelt Park on East Houston Street. Go for the plethora of dumplings, and while you're there, witness the 6th Annual Chef One Dumpling Eating Contest. You can even register to participate in the contest until October 16th, if that's your kind of thing.

Americans Not Eating Their Fruits and Veggies

Recent CDC surveys show that only 33 percent of U.S. adults eat adequate amounts of fruit everyday and just 27 percent get the recommended amount of vegetables.

While this figure totally baffles me, I do have to remember that I'm in school to become a dietician and am therefore slightly more inclined to be mindful to eat my 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Seriously, though, it doesn't have to be hard to get what you need. Here are a few super-easy ways to incorporate these important foods into your day:

*Slice a banana onto some cereal or oatmeal

*Eat an apple for a snack

*Toss a generous handful of fresh berries onto yogurt

*Instead of soda, drink 4 ounces of 100% juice topped off with seltzer

*Try using banana or apple slices instead of jelly with peanut butter on a sandwich

*Carry some baby carrots with you to work or school to munch on

*Throw steamed broccoli into pasta dishes

*Go for marinara sauce over cream

*Pop a sweet potato in the microwave for five minutes and enjoy alongside a veggie burger or some salmon and spinach

*Pile dark leafy greens and tomatoes onto your sandwich

...and the list could go on and on.

Often, a piece of fresh fruit is cheaper than a bag of chips. Not only will it give you more nutritional bang for your buck, it will help you stay fuller, longer and feel better.

Michael Pollan's Rules

I know that posting about Michael Pollan on a nutrition blog is kind of like posting about jeans on a fashion blog, but the guy is popular for a reason...

This January, he has a new book coming out in which he offers 20 Rules to Eat By. Part of his research included posting a request on Tara Parker-Pope's Well blog on NYTimes.com, asking readers to submit their own rules. Within days he had over 2,500 responses.

"My premise," he says, "is that for all the authority we grant to science in matters of nutrition, culture still has a lot to teach us about how to choose, prepare and eat food, and that this popular wisdom is worth preserving — perhaps today more than ever, in this era of dazzling food science, supersize portions and widespread dietary confusion."

You can read more about these rules here.

Wanna see some of Pollan's favorite rules?

Eating a Mediterranean Diet May Stave Off Depression

As many of you know, I'm a big fan of the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fish and includes moderate amounts of olive oil, wine, and low-fat dairy.

I now have another reason to add to my list of why more people should adopt this eating style.

According to a recent Spanish study, people who followed a Mediterranean were less likely to develop depression. And I don't mean simply marginally less likely—we're talking a 42-51% decrease in risk. Dr. Miguel A. Martinez-Gonzaler, a co-author of the study, is calling this a "very strong association."

He goes on, though, to make the distinction that while the Mediterranean diet may be a great help in preventing depression, that patients currently dealing with depression seek the proper psychiatric care that they need.

While this diet regimen has long been prescribed to improve cardiovascular health, perhaps soon doctors could be recommending it to patients at risk for depression.

Read more here.

By now you've probably heard that Conde Nast is shutting down their magazines Gourmet and Cookie, along with three Bridal Magazines.

Gourmet has been around since 1941, enthralling readers with its articles about cooking and travel. As the New York Times puts it, "Gourmet poured money into sumptuous photography, test kitchens and exotic travel pieces, resulting in a beautifully produced magazine that lived, and sold, the high life."

In the current economic climate, I guess selling the high life isn't as profitable a business as it used to be. Fewer people can afford to be interested. Bon Appetit, however, which I've heard called the "younger, hipper sister" to Gourmet, has been doing better in both readership and ad sales, largely in part to the fact that it focuses more recipes than it does on the lifestyles of the rich and well-traveled.

I always think it's sad when a magazine folds. Having worked in publishing and seeing how people throw themselves into the creation of a product, I can imagine how sharp the sting must be, especially if you've been working on one of the most esteemed publications in its class.

On the flip side of that, I once had an interview at Cookie just as I was about to graduate from college, and boy, am I glad that didn't work out. Who knows, though? Perhaps even if it had worked out, I might have been laid off by now. I think what's happening in the publishing industry is really sad. The internet is great, but it's hardly a substitute for being able to bring a magazine on the bus to pass the time and relax.

Teaching Schools to Care

Today on her blog, Food Politics, Marion Nestle described a recent tour she took of a few schools in the New York area

Her conclusion: "School food can be really good, even in poor neighborhoods, if everyone involved cares about it. Can we teach schools to care? Of course we can."

She also references an article that ran in the Times on October 2nd about how local schools are banning bake sales as part of a new wellness policy that also limits what can be sold in vending machines.

I think that in some ways, children are the most susceptible to the intense marketing of unhealthy foods. I'm in favor of these restrictions. Doritos and Snickers bars are not going to give students the fuel they need to perform. Plus, eating a real meal makes it easier to stay awake during class. Schools are a really great place to begin reinforcing the importance—and benefits–of making positive choices.

Maybe if people stopped talking so much in terms of enforcing restrictions and instead using language that emphasizes the inclusion of more healthy foods it might foster a more upbeat attitude. Rather than focus on what you're giving up, focus on the good things you're embracing.

When An Unlucky Hamburger Changes Everything

On the front of today's New York Times is an article about a woman who was paralyzed from the waist down in 2007 after eating a hamburger tainted with E. coli. I'm not going to go on an anti-beef rant here, but it is worth taking into consideration that ground beef alone has been responsible for a reported 16 outbreaks in the past three years. And this past summer, according to this article, ground beef had to be recalled from over 3,000 grocery stores in 41 states. Un-f-ing-acceptable.

While vegetables are not immune to contamination (remember the E. coli in spinach incident or the Salmonella outbreak in peanut butter last winter?), stories like this one really do make a good case for limiting the amount of meat you consume. True, a consumer can take steps to prepare food in a safe manner, but if the store is selling you a tainted product, there's really nothing you can do. And yes, if your number is up, your number is up. However, you can potentially turn the odds in your favor by not playing the game as often.

And try to educate yourself because, clearly, the food companies really aren't looking out for you. They just want to sell their product, and sometimes maintaining clean and sanitary facilities is not a priority. Stories like this make me so mad because this young woman should not be in this position.

Ugh, sorry, that is a total rant. I just find this stuff so sad. I can only imagine how this girl's mother feels—she's the one who cooked the aforementioned unlucky hamburger. She was just trying to feed her family, and look what happened. Not fair.

Here's a little more info included with the article about how various companies handle their beef to help prevent outbreak.

Quinoa

Getting over the pronunciation is the hard part. Quinoa ("keen-wah") is the seed of a leafy plant grown for centuries in the Andes that cooks like a seed and tastes like a nut. That should totally be its slogan!

One of the best things about quinoa is that it is a complete protein, which means it contains all nine of the essential amino acids and can serve as a great substitute for eggs, meat and cheese in a vegetarian or vegan diet. It's also great for those with gluten intolerance and scores a 35 on the glycemic index, making it a good choice for diabetics. It's also high in iron, magnesium, and riboflavin and low in fat and calories.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently posted an article about the increase in quinoa sales and the slow path toward acceptance and mainstream-ness. Quinoa only recently (as in, within the past 40 years) became available in the U.S., and while many consumers have been both baffled by and curious about it, they have been hesitant to embrace it, mostly due to poor preparation.

This article both describes how many chefs and restaurant owners use and experiment with it, and it even includes a few great-looking recipes at the end!

I think I have a box hiding somewhere in the back of my cupboard. Maybe it's time to try this thing again...