FitSugar

Fittingly Mad: "Functional" Junk Foods

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:00:39 -0700

Companies are always coming up with new ways to entice customers to buy their products. Recently, a whole line of functional foods has evolved - regular foods that are enhanced with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. These products sound really healthy, so the average consumer sees "Now With Added Fiber" or "Packed With Vitamin A" on the package and places it to the cart without even looking at the label. If they did peek, they would be appalled to see that these products are often just junk food disguised as healthy food. Many of these products contain loads sugar, corn syrup, sodium, and the dreaded trans fat.

Food companies are preying on lazy consumers who see buzz words like "antioxidants," "fiber," and "omega-3s," which make us think we're not getting enough, so we feel compelled to buy these products. The truth is, if you eat a healthy diet full of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins, you don't need all these enhanced foods. You get enough of what you need from your diet alone. If you're worried about making your quota of certain nutrients, then opt for eating a food that naturally contains what you're missing, instead of foods that are artificially enriched.

Maramor Dark Chocolate With Omega-3s: Try It or Pass It By?

FitSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Multifunctional foods are all the rage, like cholesterol-reducing milk, which is good for your heart and your bones. I just read about a new chocolate fortified with omega-3 fatty acids, the fat that is beneficial to your health but lacking in most American's daily diet. Maramor Dark Chocolate is high in antioxidants, but one square also supplies 105 milligrams blend of omega-3 fats with only 50 calories. Sold!

Then I read in Self that you should freeze the chocolate to diminish the fish taste. Mentally, I put this chocolate back on the shelf. I think I will stick with my fish-oil supplement and let my chocolate be just chocolate.

If you want to Maramor-fortified chocolate, you can find this multitasking food at GNC. A box of 30 squares will cost you about $15.

What about you . . .

One Shot That’s Worth Giving A Shot: Promise Activ SuperShot

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 11:45:00 -0700

Functional foods take on cholesterol...

Unilever has 150 clinical studies showing that two grams of plant sterols a day can lead to a 15% reduction in cholesterol backing up its new Promise Activ SuperShot Yogurt. Plant sterols are found in many fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and vegetable. These three-ounce yogurt-based drinks aim to give you a daily shot of 70 calories and omega-3s and 2 grams of plant sterols, which could lower your cholesterol by about 10% (if you have one per day).

The SuperShots should hit grocery stores this June (retailing for about $3.99 per four-pack), so keep an eye out. I can't wait to try them!

Are Functional Foods Worth the Extra Cash?

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 02:00:00 -0700

A lot of us (including me, guilty as charged) are shelling out extra cash for so called functional foods.

Functional food are foods that do more than just feed your hunger, they offer the promise of allowing you to be more regular, get full with extra antioxidants or drop your levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol. New studies are finding that these foods may not be worth the extra cash (about a third more per serving extra), if you're already getting a healthy diet rich in fiber.

From yogurt to water to margarine, we're seeing lots of foods labeled to have supposed benefits from things like probiotics to antioxidants. As a consumer it is hard to identify between what we need, what we think we need and what we want. The outcome is simple: If you want to spend the extra money on these functional foods, it certainly won't hurt anything but your wallet. However, if you are eating a diet full of fruits, veggies and dietary fibers (your basic healthy diet) you don't necessarily need to shell out the extra cash.

Food Review: Yo-Plus Digestive Health by Yoplait

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0700

I love yogurt and am fascinated by functional foods. Now I know probiotics might be trendy, but this healthy bacteria seems to benefit many people with digestive issues.

I was curious to try Yo-Plus by Yoplait ($3.50 / 4 pack). No only does it contain Yoplait's Optibalance bacteria mixture, this yogurt has added fiber in the form of inulin as well as vitamins A and D. Yoplait claims that the added fiber helps keep the good bacteria happy, and don't we all really want plentiful and happy bacteria living in our guts.

To see how this yogurt tastes and how it compares with Acitiva by Dannon, just read more.

Since I have a healthy fear of sweets, I was delighted that this vanilla yogurt didn't overwhelm my palate with sweetness. The texture was fine, too, nice and smooth even with the added fiber. I don't really suffer from excessive bloating or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), so I cannot speak to the health claims of "natural regulation." I do appreciate getting three grams of extra fiber in my diet, but am used to yogurt being made with milk and active cultures, aka bacteria. This yogurt contains among other ingredients: modified corn starch, whey protein concentrate, kosher gelatin, and tricalcium phosphate. Not that these ingredients are necessarily bad, but I think of yogurt as a simple, unprocessed food. But I guess to make a food multitask on such a high level you have to add a few things.

If you have the time, you can print a coupon to save $1 when you buy a four pack of the Yo-Plus. You have to load the "coupon printer" in order to print. If you use a Mac, I found it easier to print when using Safari as my browser.

Love Your Liver

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 10:45:00 -0800

There must be 50 ways to love your liver, but to truly love something you have to know what it is all about. Right?

Well, what impresses me most about the liver is not that it is the largest internal organ of the body, but that it performs over 5,000 functions. A small list includes balancing your cholesterol, storing vitamins, activating hormones, and metabolizing fat into glucose to give your body energy. It also acts as a filter to remove toxins (harmful substances) and waste products from the blood. Check this out - a healthy liver filters blood at a rate of about 1.5 quarts per minute. That's 540 gallons of blood a day and more than 13 million gallons over a lifetime! Wow.

The liver continues to function even with considerable damage, but that doesn't mean it is doing all of its jobs well. Signs of poor function include: tiredness, dark circles under the eyes, poor digestion and dull skin.

If your holiday season started out with a partying bang and lots of alcohol and fatty foods, you might want to do something nice for your largest organ. Want to know what foods help your liver out, then read more

Bitter food like broccoli, dandelion greens, cabbage and brussels sprouts have a cleansing effect on the liver.
In multiple studies, artichokes have been proven to promote liver health.
The spices turmeric, cinnamon and licorice are beneficial to the liver.

Of course it helps to avoid: saturated fats, refined sugar and alcohol (limit yourself to two drinks a day). Drinking plenty of water is always a good idea.

What's the Deal With Function Water?

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:00:00 -0700

It amazes me how many different variations there are on the water theme. There's tap water, filtered water, bottled water, sparkling water, Vitaminwater, Fruitwater, Fruit2O, and now Function Water. The bottle says it's "vapor distilled water + electrolytes." Vapor distilling removes all impurities, so supposedly it makes this water taste better than ordinary water (my mouth couldn't tell the difference). Then they add electrolytes to keep your cells operating well. Where have I heard this before? Oh, right. This is the exact same thing a bottle of Smartwater says. This Function Water even attempts a similar quirky sense of humor: They compare the impulses in your body's cells to impulse-buying that "sale-rack polyester jumpsuit you'll never wear but had to have." It makes it difficult for me to take this water seriously.

Fit's Tips: You should know that your body doesn't need to replenish lost electrolytes after a normal 30-minute workout, but it does need to hydrate. Regular water will do the trick after a half hour of exercise. If you're training for a race or sport and are exercising a ton, then this electrolyte-infused water may be worth the extra dough. At least it isn't infused with sugar.

Another Athlete's Weird Diet

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:00:29 -0800

I am fascinated by the extremes athletes in training put themselves through, especially when it comes to their diets. Swimmer Michael Phelps eats about 12,000 calories a day when training, and extreme marathoner Dean Karnazes eats 7,000 calories a day when running. It sounds a little crazy, but given how hard their bodies are working, it makes sense that they'd need more fuel than the rest of us.

On the other side of the spectrum is Dwight Freeney, defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts. Freeney is playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday and is also featured in the February issue of Sports Illustrated. Reading the article, Freeney sounds a bit compulsive, a bit geeky, and totally obsessive when it comes to his training and diet. He uses all sorts of gadgets to repair himself: laser beams that he shoots into sore muscles, a posture pump to even out his spine, and an ARP machine that sends electrical currents into his nervous system, which helps his body heal faster.

To see what Freeney isn't eating, read more.

Freeney's dietary habits are a bit of a marvel and not what you'd expect from a 6-foot-1, 268-lb. man.

"His diet makes supermodels look indulgent. From the Wednesday morning before the [AFC championship] game to kickoff that Sunday afternoon he ate beef and pinto beans and nothing else, not even for breakfast. He drinks only grape juice, water and occasionally tea as a treat. If he goes to a restaurant he brings his ingredients with him and instructs the chef on how he wants it prepared - no oil, no pepper, no garlic, no garnish, no powder and certainly no pan spray."

Freeney follows Sari Mellman's Progression Diet, a meal plan that is so exact it's based on blood analysis. Freeney's blood is looked at to determine what foods "maximize his inflammatory response and increase cellular function." The idea is that it's not so much a diet, as figuring out what food will make your body stronger, faster, and healthier. For Freeney, it's chicken over pork and Fuji apples over Granny Smiths. To keep it all in line, Freeney keeps an entire binder in his kitchen of what he can and cannot eat.

Crazy? A little bit. But I've read about many successful athletes who get there through drive, talent, and total rigidness. Keeping that in perspective, he doesn't seem too off-base. Now to see if his 21st-century approach can triumph over the Saints this Sunday . . .

A Meal Plan For Building Muscle

FitSugar — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:00:13 -0800

For this week's Get Fit For 2010 challenge, I'm asking you to keep a food journal. Tracking what you eat is a great way to lose or maintain weight, as well as make sure you're getting enough of all the good stuff you need to function through the day. I've decided to combine this week's challenge with my New Year's resolution to increase my strength and endurance by eating this meal plan of muscle-building foods.

Muscle mass keeps blood sugar levels even and since maintaining muscle protein requires more energy than fat, having more muscle means you burn more calories. When it comes down to feeding your muscles think protein, protein, and more protein.

View Slideshow ›

DrSugar Answers: Vitamin D Dosage?

DrSugar — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:00:28 -0800

DrSugar is in the house, and she's answering your health related questions.

Dear Doc Sugar,
I have heard from multiple sources (my kids’ pediatrician, an osteopath, an acupuncturist, etc.) about the importance of taking a vitamin D supplement. Coming from multiple sources has convinced me to start taking a supplement, but I am confused about how much to take. I just read from a Dr. Weil newsletter to take 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily, but other sources recommended 1,000 IU, and I have also read that the recommend amount is as little as 200 IU. So I am confused about how much to take. Can you tell me the proper daily dosage?
- Vitamin Popper

This is a fantastic question to discuss, as there is much debate even in the medical literature about what the adequate daily intake of vitamin D should be. Thus, you are not alone in your confusion regarding the proper daily requirement of vitamin D for adults! Read my answer when you read more.

First, some background information on vitamin D. The primary function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, which helps to form and maintain strong bones. Recently, research also suggests vitamin D may provide protection from osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases. Therefore, the advice given to you about the importance of vitamin D was correct!

Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. Fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel, is a good source of the vitamin and small amounts are found in eggs and fish liver oils. Fortified foods such as milk and some brands of orange juice and yogurt provide most of the vitamin D in the American diet. The sun also contributes significantly to the production of vitamin D. According to the National Institutes of Health, most people meet their vitamin D needs through exposure to sunlight. But they also advise that despite the importance of the sun to vitamin D synthesis, it is prudent to limit the exposure of skin to sunlight and UV radiation from tanning beds.

Adequate daily intake levels have been established by the US Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Recommendations for all adult individuals under the age of 50 including males, females, and pregnant women are 200 IU (International Units) daily. Some researchers have questioned whether the current recommended adequate levels are sufficient, particularly for individuals deprived of regular sun exposure.The upper limit of vitamin D has been recommended at 2,000 IU daily due to toxicities that can occur when taken in higher doses.

Obtaining sufficient vitamin D from natural food sources alone can be difficult. For most people, consuming vitamin D-fortified foods and being exposed to sunlight are essential for maintaining a healthy vitamin D status. Additionally, dietary supplements might be required to meet the daily need for vitamin D.

As detailed above, there is a range of acceptable daily intake of vitamin D, and adjusting your diet, sunlight exposure, and supplementation to fall within that range is the best idea. But, if you are at all concerned about vitamin D supplementation, talk to your primary care doctor regarding what dosage is right for you.

Have a question for DrSugar? You can send to me via private message here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.