Red Meat

I have always recommended limiting consumption of red meat. Red meat, ie beef and lamb, tends to be higher in saturated fat than its poultry counterpart. When foods high in saturated fat are cooked, the chemical bonds breakdown. Research with a large database (500, 000 participants) confirms my point. The study suggests that those who consumed about four ounces of red meat a day (the equivalent of about a small hamburger) were more than 30 percent more likely to die during the 10 years they were followed, mostly from heart disease and cancer.

As we consume these foods, are blood cholesterol levels are affected. LDL, or lousy cholesterol as I call it, rises, causing total cholesterol to rise as well. To keep our heart healthy, we want LDL levels low (at least below 100), HDL high (above 60 is best), and triglycerides low (under 150). HDL helps pull out the LDL from the bloodstream. Exercising is the best way to increase HDL but eating healthy, unsaturated fats such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, can actually help overall cholesterol levels as well. Mainly you want the ratio of LDL to HDL to be lower than 4. Triglycerides are mainly affected by sugar and carbohydrate consumption, as well as alcohol intake.

Although cholesterol medication may help lower cholesterol, these medications tend to have side effects that are also detrimental to health. For example, Lipitor causes rhabdomyolysis, which is severe muscle damage, including damage to the heart muscle. Co-Q10, or coenzyme Q10, helps prevent this damage. Co-Q10 is an important factor in the production of energy (ATP) in the mitochondria. If one is deficient in Co-Q10, energy levels may suffer. As we age we tend to produce less Co-Q10 and people with heart disease have been found to have less in their heart muscle cells.

Nutrition in the News

The media is doing my job this week - spreading the message about health and nutrition.

NPR did a spread this morning on trans fat labeling. Since 2006, manufacturers have been required to label their products that contain trans fat. Trans fats, or hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, are a made-up fat. Scientists added hydrogens to liquid fats to preserve the oil and make their shelf life longer. It worked, but in the meantime we have a fat that causes inflammation in the body, leading to high cholesterol, heart disease, arthritis, and poor immunity.

The FDA regulates the labeling and addition of trans fats. Labeling laws only require that food producers indicate trans fats in their products containing over 0.5 grams per serving. So labels read "0 grams trans fat" even if the food contains 0.49 grams per serving. The tricky part is, the manufacturer can easily change their serving size to make sure it does not reach the 0.5 barrier. Take Cheetos for example. The front of the package boast 0 grams trans fat, but the snack food in fact has hydrogenated oils, meaning it definitely has trans fat. So make sure to check the ingredients for key words like hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oils and avoid foods like margarine, certain baked goods, commercial peanut butter, and some snack foods like chips or crackers.

Read the whole story here.

Benefits of Butter

Now that I have cleared up the misconception that margarine is healthier than butter, let's discuss the benefits of butter. Butter is best in the raw, unprocessed form is the best because it hasn't been pasteurized and treated at high temperatures. The pasteurization kills the beneficial microflora generally present in butter. This is the good bacteria that helps protect the gut lining from the toxins getting out. Raw butter also provides...

1. Vitamin A, an antioxidant good for the skin and eyes
2. Lauric acid which boosts immunity, resists infection, and prevents Candida, an overgrowth of yeast in the gut and body
3. Vitamins E and K. Vitamin E helps keep skin smooth and moisturized while vitamin K is necessary for proper blood clotting.
   
4. Selenium, which is a powerful antioxidant, meaning it helps protect cells and organs from damage.
5. Saturated fat, necessary for immune function, cell membrane integrity, and strong bones, also has anti-tumor and anti-aging properties.
6. Vitamin D, necessary for the absorption of calcium.

To find out more about the benefits of raw butter, visit "The 20 Health Benefits of Real Butter."

Butter vs. Margarine

Margarine became popular in the United States during World War II when dairy products were extremely scarce. Today margarine is made from a variety of animal or vegetable oils and sometimes mixed with skim milk, emulsifiers, and salt. The vegetable oils have been chemical treated to last longer on the grocery shelf. The oils they are made from start off as unsaturated fats, which means they contain double bonds. During production, hydrogen atoms are added to these double bonds, making a hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil. Food producers have succeeded in making a shelf stable product, but in doing so, have created a "martian fat."

Hydrogenated fats, or trans fats as they are also known, are not broken down by the body well. The trans refers to the shape the carbon chain that makes up the fat is in. Normally fats are in a cis shape, so the awkward trans shape prevents a problem. The digestion is extremely stressful on the body and results in increased inflammation, which leads to problems such as arthritis, heart disease, poor immunity, and symptoms associated with asthma and allergies.

So is margarine healthier than butter? Absolutely not! Butter is indeed a saturated fat, but it contains no trans fats. Butter can be safely used as a condiment, ie spread on bread, in small amounts. Butter does contain dietary cholesterol, but this should not effect blood cholesterol levels unless the butter is used at a high temperature. It is at high temps that the bonds in butter breakdown creating free radicals and plaque buildup in the arteries.

Keep in mind that butter is still a fat, which means it has over twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates and protein. So make sure it is used strictly in moderation as a condiment and you will be in good shape!

Eat Right for Your Type

Eating for function is the best way to "diet." Since food effects every cell in the body, it is essential to consider which foods to put into our mouths and when. Each food has a purpose, whether it be for energy or immunity or anti-inflammation, and if each person keeps their individual biochemistry in mind, they can reach optimal health. One component of an individual's biochemistry is their blood type. Blood type is one component of our genetic code, dictating how our body functions and therefore how our body digests and reacts to food.

The four blood types, O, A, AB, and B have evolved in response to physiologic development to strengthen our immune and digestive systems. Distinct blood types have helped us ward off bacteria and viruses but has also made us more vulnerable to specific foods. Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo discusses the unique reactions of each blood type in Eat Right 4 Your Type and Cook Right 4 Your Type. Designing a nutrition plan around blood type, among other things, can help individuals lose weight or just feel great!

The basics..

O- Does well on animal proteins but cannot digest wheat well.
A- Functions best on vegetarian-based proteins (beans, legumes, soy) and unprocessed grains.
B- Handles a varied diet, including dairy. Has a hard to digesting chicken and gluten.
AB- Can tolerate a variety of most foods but gluten and dairy may prevent weight loss.

Join Melissa Bosslet, RD, LN, CPT, at Whole Foods, Rockville (located on Rockville Pike), at 6:30 on Tuesday, March 10, where she will be presenting the basic concepts behind eating for function and specifically for each blood type. Whole Foods will join Melissa and cook a well-rounded meal to demonstrate each specific blood type diet.

The Buzz on Allergies

By Melissa Bosslet, RD, LN, CPT

Time Magazine published an article last week on allergies, specifically food allergies. Many of you have probably noticed the increase in allergies over the last generation. We never worried about sending our kids to school with a good old PB & J before and we definitely expected a pack of peanuts during air travel. These days there are peanut free zones in planes and some school classrooms have outright banned peanuts.

The article discusses an increase in IgE antibody allergies. These are the allergies that create a histamine response, or pose a threat of anaphylactic shock. There has also been a rise in the harder to diagnose IgG antibodies, creating a delayed response. Symptoms such as headache, frequent infection, stomach pain, sinuses, and joint pain often do not surface for 24 to 48 hours later, making it hard to realize that a food was the culprit. These antibodies are a reaction of the digestive system compared to an immune reaction of the IgE antibodies. EB Nutrition tests for these antibodies through ImmunoLabs. The test panel checks for antibodies for 115 foods. Bercause 95% of the population is sensitive or intolerant to atleast one food or food family, Immunolabs will refund the test cost if the results are completetly negative. The most common allergens I've noticed with this panel are yeast, wheat, cow's milk, soy, nuts, and garlic.

Why the increase in allergies recently? There are a few speculative hypotheses. The most probable explanation is termed the hygiene hypothesis. We have become too clean. We treat conditions with antibiotics, prevent disease with immunization, kill germs with antmicrobial soap, etc. Our bodies end up producing antibodies for food instead because it has no foreign invaders to attack.

Another hypothesis points the finger at early exposure to certain foods, even in utero or through breast milk. On the other hand, one study showed that children who ate wheat, one of the most common allergens, before 6 months of age were less likely to develop an allergy. There is also argument for both sides of the birth process - C sections cause more allergies vs. vaginal births see an increase in allergies. Other researchers believe that an increase consumption of vegetable oils has led to more allergies.

Personally, I side with the hygeine hypothesis but think our food supply also has a lot to do with it. Our food is a lot more processed and chemically treated these days, so allergic reactions are the body's way of defending against those foreign substances. I also think that a lof of these allergies existed in previous generations and just went undiagnosed. We now have the technology to determine why our stomach might hurt after eating pasta or why we have chronic sinus infections. This hypothesis corresponds to the increase diagnosis of Celiac's disease in the last few years.

Vitamin Water Commercial

I have posted my dislike of Vitamin Water in the past, but this commercial was the real kicker. LeBron James is a lawyer, defending his client who apparently had nothing to do with a man falling down the elevator shaft. James is portrayed as an outstanding lawyer due to the benefits of Vitamin Water. The closing statement of the commercial boasts that Vitamin Water has vitamins, electrolytes, and no sodium.

Very interesting since sodium is an electrolyte...a very important electrolyte actually. Electrolytes are ions that will conduct electricity when present in a solution. Within the human body, they are necessary to maintain fluid balance. Sodium is present surrounding the cells and is needed to maintain the cell pressure. Sodium affects heart beat and the function of muscles. The sodium also transports electrical signals and helps with communication among organs.

Many athletes who have suffered from dehydration understand the importance of sodium. During high heats or extensive exercise, the body obviously produces more sweat. Sweat contains sodium, so the result is depleted sodium levels. Once sodium levels get too low, the body doesn't hold on to water, making levels of dehydration worse.

Vitamin Water should not be used to replace water because of its high amount of sugar. Vitamin Water should not be used as a sports drink because of its lack of sodium.