Are you Souper Healthy?

Take a look at these two sets of soup. Could you tell me with 100% accuracy which one is better for you? Let's let our soup cool before we discuss the answer.

This week consumer research firm Nielsen released a new report indicating that 59% of consumers around the world have difficulty understanding nutritional labels on food packaging. That means that on average 59% of Market Street's store guests have dificulty understanding nutritional labels on food packaging.

The one discouragement I hear from guests regularly is: it takes too long to compare all the nutrition facts. After enough attempts, it's no wonder guests settle back into the routine of same brand, same product. It just takes too much time - a commodity spread thin.

I'd like to make a committment to you. I'd like to save you time AND improve your health. Lofty promise? What's the catch? Too good to be true? Not-uh...I really can save you time and help you pick the best for you and your family.

I'd like to reintroduce you to my friend NuVal. For my regular shoppers, you know NuVal; but for those of you who have resolved to focus on health or have just joined our family of shoppers let me explain the simplicity.

NuVal can best be explained by the game of basketball. At the end of the Mavericks game, how do you know which team has won? By the team with the highest score, correct? How do you know if you have good credit? By a higher credit score. Well the same thing applies to NuVal. At Market Street, you can see in one simple number the nutritional value of your food - the higher the score, the better the nutrition. This score is right on the price tag (see the 96 below).

You can see that Golden Delicious Apples are 1.29 per lb
and receive a NuVal score of 96 - easy nutrition!

So back to those soups. Have you decided yet which soup is better? Take a look below.

Progresso Light New England Clam Chowder wins over Campbell's Health Conscious Clam Chowder 98% Fat Free.

Dying to know which Healthy Choice Soup is better? Take the rest of the quiz on our January Featured article (if this link takes you to a different topic, check out the soup article in the archives).

If all this talk about soup has made you hungry, be sure to also try our Potato Leek Soup recipe. Cheers! (Let's pretend we clinked our soup spoons).

How can I curve my appetite?

Question: I seriously need something to help curve my appetite. What are some foods I can eat to help with that? or is there a supplement I can take?

Answer: My favorite part of your question is that you asked about foods first and supplements second. As I dietitian, that is one of my mottos. Let's see what food can do first.

Regarding your appetite, there are a few things that can make a huge difference.

First, make sure you are eating a good breakfast with high fiber, whole grains and protein. Many times people will have a little bowl of cereal or a banana and wonder why they are so hungry an hour later. Choosing foods with natural fiber and protein requires more time for the body to digest thereby keeping you full longer. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In fact did you know:

• Eating breakfast can prevent overeating later in the day. Skipping breakfast makes you feel ravenous later, and you may unintentionally overeat. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity.
• Eating breakfast starts a healthy day. People who eat breakfast regularly tend to overall eat a healthier diet that is higher in fiber and essential vitamins and minerals.
• Eating breakfast gives you energy. A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes the energy stores depleted while you sleep. Skipping breakfast is associated with decreased activity and sluggishness, both physically and mentally.

Our new Living Well Breakfast is a great way to start the day. We have a fantastic variety of foods with protein, vegetables, and fiber. View the selection and nutrition analysis here: http://www.marketstreetunited.com/livingwell/breakfast.asp

 

Second, make sure that your meals are not too heavy in carbohydrates. They break down easily in the body and leave us hungry soon after. Again, like breakfast, try to include natural fiber (fruits/vegetables/whole grains), lean protein (turkey, beans, chicken, tofu), and some healthy fats (olives, olive oil, nuts, nut butters, etc). You should eat enough that you are satisfied and not feel hungry for 3-5 hours. Ideally, you'd want to eat 5-6 small meals per day about every 3-5 hours.

Third, make sure you are drinking enough fluids. Many times, our bodies are merely thirsty but we interpret the cue as hunger. Drink so that your urine is pale yellow to clear all day long.

Lastly, make sure you are eating the right amount of calories. At the appropriate calorie level, you should feel good and not excessively hungry. I would encourage you to work one-on-one with a dietitian to determine the calories you need for your age, height, weight and health goals. You can find one based on your zip code and with the specialty you are interested in here: http://www.eatright.org/programs/rdfinder/

 

Are there foods that can lower my triglycerides?

Question: What type of diet can I follow too reduce my triglycerides? It is my understanding that triglycerides are a combination of fats and sugars.

Answer: Instead of re-inventing the wheel, I'd love to share with you a simple list the American Heart Association put together regarding what food to eat, what foods to limit and some quick cooking tips for improving blood lipids, including triglycerides (TG). Factors that affect other blood lipids, such as cholesterol, also affect TG. In addition, simple carbohydrate foods such as sweets, desserts, and sweet mixed drinks, also tend to elevate TG. This is because fat is stored in the body in the form of triglycerides. If you have extra weight in the form of stored fat in the body, this may also be a factor in elevation of TG. Weight reduction or management may be in order. Even 10-15% loss of total body weight can have a tremendous benefit on blood lipids, blood pressure, and other parameters of assessing health and wellness.

If you need specific help based on your lifestyle and personal preferences, you might want to consider seeing a Registered Dietitian in your area for specific recommendations in meal planning.



Fiber rich foods



What should I eat?

• Enjoy foods low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, including:
• Fruits and vegetables
• High-fiber foods
• Fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy products
• Omega-3 containing fish like salmon, trout and haddock
• Lean red meats and poultry without skin
• Beans and peas
• Nuts and seeds in limited amounts
• Unsaturated vegetable oils like canola, olive, safflower and sunflower oils in limited amounts

 

 

What should I limit? 

Foods to limit when lowering triglycerides



• Whole milk, cream and ice cream 
• Butter, egg yolks and cheese, and foods made with them
• Organ meats like liver, sweetbreads, kidney and brain
• Bakery goods made with egg yolks and saturated fats
• Saturated oils like coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil
• Foods with trans fats like fried foods, baked goods, stick margarines and shortenings
• High-fat processed meats like sausage, bologna, salami and hot dogs
• Fatty red meats that aren't trimmed
• Duck and goose meat
• Solid fats like shortening, soft margarine and lard
• Fried foods
• Foods high in sugar
• Excessive alcohol

 What are some cooking tips for me?

• Use a rack to drain off fat when you broil, roast or bake.
• Don't baste with drippings; use wine, fruit juice or marinade.
• Broil instead of pan-frying.
• Cut all the fat you can see off of any meat you cook, and take all the skin off chicken and turkey.
• Use a vegetable oil spray to brown or sauté foods.
• Serve smaller portions of dishes that have some fat, and serve bigger portions of no-fat dishes like pasta, rice, beans and vegetables.
• Make recipes or egg dishes with egg whites, not yolks.
• Instead of regular cheese, use low-fat cottage cheese, part fat-free milk mozzarella, and other low-fat and nonfat cheeses.
• Use low-fat cookbooks and recipes.

One of the most beneficial practices is getting regular aerobic exercise daily if possible, anywhere from 30-60 minutes per day. One recent study suggested that adults with lowest risk of chronic diseases get at least 3.5 hours of exercise per week. Even 10-15 minutes of exercise at a time can prove to be beneficial to promote health and wellness. It doesn't have to be done in long stretches of time necessarily.

Do you have a question for the Registered Dietitians?