Research on the “Electric Salt Spoon”

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Looking for a way to learn more about the sodium in your food?  The University of Kentucky is conducting a study on a device called the “electronic salt spoon”. The electronic salt spoon is being used to help families transition to low-sodium diets.  Place the spoon in the food item and it reads how much sodium is in your dish.

People with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, or renal disease need to lower their sodium intake. Sodium is hidden in all processed foods including frozen pizzas, canned vegetables, and soups. The University of Kentucky has conducted a three-month study that found families who used the salt spoon were successful in decreasing their sodium intake.

The University of Kentucky will recruit patients and their families to track long-term outcomes resulting from the use of the electric salt spoon.  They hope to use this spoon as part of their educational programs teaching families how to shop for and cook lower sodium foods.

The recommended dietary guidelines regarding sodium suggest consuming fewer than 2300mg per day. With further research, this electric salt spoon may be on the market soon to help families lower their sodium intakes. Is your sodium intake within the daily recommended amount? sy

Whole Grains: What are they and why do we need them?

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Whole grains are frequently talked about when it comes to nutrition. Why are whole grains important and what sets them apart from refined grains?

Including whole grains as part of a healthy diet has shown to help reduce cardiovascular disease, lower body weight, and reduce incidence of diabetes. Whole grains provide fiber, vitamins and minerals and they contain high levels of antioxidants.

Here are two grains that may not be your “typical” grains:

Amaranth

Gluten-free amaranth is considered a complete protein because it contains all essential amino acids. It’s a good source of minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc. Amaranth is similar to poppy seeds with their thin outer shells and they give a nice crunch. Adding whole amaranth to the batter of baked goods is a great way to create an interesting texture.

Quinoa

Like amaranth, quinoa is a complete gluten free protein. Quinoa is an excellent source of magnesium, zinc, iron, and folate. Before cooking quinoa, use a strainer to rinse the quinoa and remove the outer coating. Quinoa goes great in salads and casseroles, or even under grilled chicken and veggies. Check out eatingwell.com to find healthy quinoa recipes.

 

When trying to incorporate more whole grains, keep these tips in mind:

  1. Cook extra. Having the grain cooked can speed up any dinner. Consider freezing half of what you make.
  2. Check the label for fiber.
  3. Start with substituting half of your refined grains with whole grains.

Next time you go shopping, keep your family healthy by choosing whole grains! sy

 

The Coffee Connection

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Coffee has become one of the most popular drinks in the world.  What’s in coffee? Variations appear between different beans and preparation but overall, coffee is a good source of B vitamin riboflavin, caffeine, and antioxidant phytochemicals.

The American Institute for Cancer Research has found a link between coffee and lowered risk for liver cancer. Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The new report’s finding that coffee protects against liver cancer follows a report issued in 2013 that found coffee to be protective against endometrial cancer also.  It is believed coffee acts on liver enzymes that eliminate carcinogens. Because coffee is consumed in a variety of ways, they have yet to determine the amount or preparation that provides optimal protection.

Looking for a summertime coffee drink? Try this Banana-Vanilla Coffee Smoothie!

Banana-Vanilla Coffee Smoothie

  • 1/2 cup nonfat milk
  • 1/2 cup strong-brewed coffee (for brewing, use 2 Tbsp. ground coffee per 1/2 cup water)
  • 1 cup frozen non-fat coffee-flavored yogurt or low fat ice cream
  • 1 large, peeled frozen banana, cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pour milk and coffee into blender. Add frozen yogurt, banana and vanilla. Puree until thick and creamy. Pour into tall glasses and top each with a little crushed banana chips (optional).

Serves 3

Per serving: 120 calories, 0 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 26 g carbohydrates,
5 g protein, 1 g fiber, 60 mg sodium sy

The Growth of Organic Foods

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4colorsealJPGUntil recently, shopping for organic foods took a special trip to an upscale grocery store or local farmer’s market, and increased costs. As the American interest in organic foods has grown, so has availability for those foods in supermarkets. You can find a wide variety of organic products in 3 of 4 conventional grocers. Locally organic foods are plentiful in Sprouts, Whole Foods, Target, Uptown Market, Sam’s, and Walmart.

Most organic shoppers consider themselves health conscious and are convinced organic foods and beverages provide benefits. While true in most cases, it’s important not to misinterpret “organic”. Many consumers assume that “organic” means “nutritious”, which is not always the case. For example, organic chocolate cake is still going to contain the extra calories, fats, and sugars.

You may have seen labels say “USDA Organic” (pictured at a
local Target on right) which refers to unique sourcing, growing, harvesting, and processing methods. Unique in a sense that USDA organic operation’s main goal is to “demonstrate that products are protecting natural resources, conserving biodiversity, and using approved substances,” which is great as long as you keep in mind that “organic” does not always mean “healthier”. Organic, by definition, is a labeling term that indicates the food or other product has been produced through approved methods integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices. When conserving biodiversity; synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

Fruits and vegetables are the largest and fastest growing organic food category for sales (up 15% from 2012), followed by dairy. As consumer interest in organic foods continue to grow, so will the market for these options, which could result in more reasonable prices for those organic foods. sy

Gardening Fun With Kids

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I recently blogged about the importance of kids helping in the kitchen but why not take it back another step by letting them help in the garden? Letting kids help with gardening gives them a better insight on the importance of healthy, homegrown, fruits and vegetables and will make them more likely to garden when they’re older.

With the younger ages, start by letting them help with pulling weeds and/or planting with their own plastic tools. Just be prepared for them to be covered in dirt! As they get older, get them involved by letting them pick a couple things they want to have grown. If you have multiple kids this could be a great opportunity for a friendly competition. The same patient that informed us on how she includes all five of her kids in meal making, told us of a pumpkin growing contest her kids had. The largest pumpkins weighed in at 106 and 98 lbs!
If space is an issue, give terrarium gardening a try. To the left is a picture of how to set up a terrarium. For more tips on how to grow certain terrarium plants, visit climatekids.nasa.gov/mini-garden/. Younger ones, especially, will be excited to see their plant sprout and watch it grow daily. Helping them find their green-thumb now can help them make healthier choices in the future! sy

Let’s Talk Diabetes: The Diagnosis

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If you read my intro blog, you saw that fear was my most prevalent emotion upon being diagnosed with type meat131 diabetes at 13. Though I found a way to keep smiling (pictured right), I also felt anxiety, stress, confusion, sadness, and anger.

It was February and I was finishing up my 8th grade basketball season.  Within two weeks leading up to my diagnosis I began to have a number of symptoms. It started with an extreme thirst. I felt I could chug water all day and never quench my thirst. In response, I was going to the bathroom more, which later became uncontrollable. I wet the bed and peed my pants more than once and was mortified. I’m 13 years old, why am I wetting the bed? One day at school I found myself extremely exhausted. My mother being the school counselor, I went in her office to lie down. I fell asleep almost instantly and it took her physically shaking me to wake me after hours of sleeping. I stayed home the next day where I slept almost all day.  The biggest red flag was that I had lost 15 pounds in a week’s time. With symptoms accumulating, we knew a doctor’s visit was necessary.

Having no idea why I felt the way I did, I was anxious to hear the test results. When the doctor walked in and said, “You have type 1 diabetes,” all I could think was: diabetes? I don’t even know what that is! Fear is what drove me to learn what I know about the disease today. Just know if you have felt these emotions in response to a diagnosis; you aren’t alone and it’s the  normal response! sy

The Family Dinner

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image (4)Not only is eating together important, but so is preparing the meal together. Getting everyone involved can be fun and it’s important to teach kids the necessary life skills of cooking. What better way than to do it as a family! We asked a patient of ours to describe how she and her husband involve their five children to prepare dinner (Easter Dinner).

Husband Larry and 13 y/o Danielle are in charge of the mashed potatoes while the mom, Jill, figures the time to prepare the sides and ham. 14 y/o John is the “master of asparagus” so he washes, snips and drizzles it with olive oil and lightly sprinkles it with salt.

11 y/o Nichol helps mom with the green bean casserole. He easily reads the directions, opens the cans, and gets it oven-ready. The 9 y/o, Kiera, is in charge of setting the table while 8 y/o, Jane, is summoned as the retriever; he will fetch anything needed to make dinner a success. He also loves to set the timers!

Jill says, “At a young age we had little stable chairs they could pull up to the counter to see what we were doing, and
of course they wanted to help. We put child friendly dishes where they could reach so they could set the table, and they were happy to be involved.”

At Banister Nutrition, we encourage you to let children help in the kitchen and start teaching them to cook at a young age. Cooking is a great avenue to teach about food, nutrition, planning, organizational skills,image (1) math, creativity and follow-thru of clean up. When a child serves a dish to the family he/she has prepared it is a great self-esteem builder.

Cooking as a family is a very fun activity to share.  When starting at a young age children will start a routine of helping and learning how to cook new dishes. This will also help children not eat out as much as they grow older, but
instead use fresh ingredients to cook something at home.

Mom/dad — if you don’t teach your children to cook and eat healthy foods, who is going to? This is an essential life skill for your children and future generations. sy

Grilling Tips to Keep Your Family Safe

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Summer is around the corner and grilling season is upon us. It’s important to look at your grill as an extension of your kitchen.  Proper safety and sanitation is important when grilling outside.  Here are a few tips to keep your family safe from food-borne illnesses this summer:

Start Clean

  • Always scrub the grill with hot, soapy water before each use.
  • Wash your hands before, during and after food preparation. This is especially important when handling raw meat.

Safely Thaw and Marinate Meat

  • Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator or microwave, not on the counter.
  • Always marinate meat in the refrigerator.
  • Never use the same brush to baste raw and cooked meat.

Don’t Share Ware

  • Cross contamination can be avoided by using separate cutting boards, knives, grilling tongs, and forks for your raw meats and ready-to-eat foods.

Know Your Temperatures

  • Grilled foods can be harmful if not fully cooked. The only reliable way to ensure meat is safe and ready to eat is by using a meat thermometer.
  • Follow this temperature guide to ensure you are cooking to proper temperatures:
    • Steak: 145° F
    • Hamburgers: 160° F
    • Chicken: 165° F

Enjoy clean and safe grilling! sy

Oklahoma Food Cooperative: Organic, Locally-Grown Products

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The Oklahoma Food Cooperative is a statewide organization of local producers hoping to reach consumers in search of “home-grown” foods.  This cooperative allows consumers to purchase fruits, vegetables, meats, and dozens of other products without mystery ingredients or modifications. By visiting their website at www.oklahomafood.coop, consumers are presented with hundreds of products to shop for. Every item offered is from Oklahoma and must meet the national certification standards for organic, certified naturally grown and animal welfare products.

The cooperative opens on the first day of each month and accepts orders until the second Thursday. Producers receiving orders are given a week to deliver, where consumers can pick up their orders from any of the pickup locations which can also be found on their website.  The cooperative offers multiple locations throughout the metro as well as home and/or work delivery for an extra fee.

Purchasing local foods not only offers a sense of community, but it also provides Oklahomans with foods that are free of chemicals, vibrant in color, and rich in taste and nutrition.  This co-op has continually grown as more people begin to recognize the importance of supporting local agriculture. In 2006 the cooperative contained 723 members and today contains more than 5,000 statewide. If you are looking for products straight from the farm and wanting to support your local farmers, this organization is definitely for you! sy

Let’s Talk Diabetes: New Intern

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196Hi everyone! My name is Sabetha Young, the new intern at Banister Nutrition. I am a senior at the University of Central Oklahoma and I am majoring in Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Management while working on a Business Administration minor. I was thrilled to be selected as the new intern at Banister Nutrition for the next year. I will be learning many things I could never learn in a classroom.

You might be wondering why the title of this blog says, “Let’s Talk Diabetes”.  I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on February, 13th 2007 at the age of 13. I had all of the reactions you would expect a 13 year old to have. What is diabetes? Why is this happening to me? How will this affect my activities? The major feeling I experienced was fear. Fear of not understanding what was happening to my body.

Through doctor’s visits and my parents, we slowly learned. I say “we” because anyone who has diabetes knows the support of your family is helpful and they too, sometimes have to make adjustments. I was fortunate to have parents tell me that we weren’t going to let diabetes get in the way of pursuing my dreams.  They would say, “You control it, it does not control you.”

I will continue this blog by sharing my diabetes experiences. I am sure all of you with diabetes will be able to relate. More to come with “Let’s Talk Diabetes”! sy