Which Nut Butter is Spreadable, Eatable, and Forgettable?

Ever wonder which nut butter spread is best for your next sandwich, cracker, or veggie? Is it peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter, or cashew butter?

These days you have so many choices. Let me help you decide.

Aim for the following:

* No more than 3 grams of saturated fat per 2 TB serving.

* No added sugar. Don’t be fooled by Nutella, or other healthy sounding spreads that contain 17-19 grams of added sugar. This includes granola butter which has 4-5 grams of added sugar from maple syrup.

* Less than 100 mg. of salt is fine, but I prefer unsalted

* 6-8 grams of protein

* No partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Hydrogenated vegetable oil is okay.

My top choice is Teddie’s unsalted natural peanut butter, followed by natural sun butter. Almond and cashew butter don’t have as many polyunsaturated heart-healthy fats, so they are my third and fourth choices respectively.

There are also new nut butters with more protein like Skippy Protein. These are peanut butters blended with pea protein, and have 10 grams of protein per 2 TB serving. However, most of these cost about $1.50 more for only 3 more grams of protein. You decide if it is worth the extra $.

No matter how you spread it, there are some good choices out there, so savor your nut butter; just don’t overdo the 2 TB serving size. Enjoy! _Lisa

RED MEAT, CHICKEN, OR FISH, WHICH IS HEALTHIER?

It is time to pick your protein for dinner and you have already had beans, lentils, and veggie burgers this week, so what is the next best choice? You know that 12 ounces of seafood per week is recommended but what about a lean hamburger? Or steak? Or a chicken breast? Choices, choices. Don't you wish you could compare calories and saturated fat among these? Well wish no more. I have compiled the calories and saturated fat in a typical serving of lean hamburger, sirloin steak, chicken breast, and haddock fillet, so you have the facts. Now you decide what's for dinner. Still have questions? Send me an email: Lisa@MaineWeightlossCoach.com

93 % lean hamburger (4 oz.)

Calories:  170

Saturated fat: 3 grams

Sodium:  75 grams

Protein:  23 grams

Sirloin steak (4 oz.)

Calories:  307

Saturated fat:  9 grams

Sodium:  66 grams

Protein:  24 grams

Chicken breast (4 oz.)

Calories:  110

Saturated fat:  0 grams

Sodium:  55 grams

Protein:  26 grams

Haddock filet (4 oz.)

Calories:  167

Saturated fat:  .1 gram

Sodium:  64 grams

Protein:  17.9 grams

Still not sure what to have? Check out the healthy recipes on my website: https://lisaprincenutritionspecialist.com/ 

Eating Fish is Usually Good for You. But Some Fish, Healthwise, Just Stink

We are encouraged to eat 12 ounces of seafood a week for the healthy Omega-3s fish contain. However, not all fish are safe to eat. Some are harmful due to the dangerous neurotoxin, mercury. Mercury can disrupt brain function and harm the nervous system. It is especially dangerous for pregnant women and young children. Here's a brief guide for which seafood to eat and which to avoid.

As a rule, smaller fish like scallops, shrimp, and sardines contain less mercury than larger fish. It is best to buy fish from the United States because many foreign countries like China and Vietnam lack rigorous management laws. Buy from local fisherman whenever possible. Small-scale sustainable fishermen often employ lower-impact catch methods that are better for our oceans. Purchase your seafood from trusted retailers and restaurants. Check out https://fishchoice.com/ to see which businesses have pledged to create long-term sustainable seafood plans.

Least Mercury fish

Clams, haddock, herring, oysters, wild salmon, canned salmon, sardines, scallops and shrimp, tilapia and freshwater trout. There are others that are low in mercury, but these are the ones we are likely to eat here in New England. This month’s recipe is for grilled or baked haddock that is a family favorite! You can read more about low-mercury fish at https://www.nrdc.org/stories/smart-seafood-buying-guide?gclid=CjwKCAjw0N6hBhAUEiwAXab-TRcn4gOaaTTj3QE7ILMe2sFnTV0NWWb8wTiahN1a9gOfcwt7FsRpgBoC9qwQAvD_BwE

Moderate Mercury fish – eat up to 6 svgs./month

Alaskan cod, lobster, mahi mahi, freshwater perch, snapper, and canned light tuna. (I recommend no more than 9 oz a week of canned, light, low-in-sodium tuna.)

High Mercury fish – eat 3 or less svgs./month

Halibut, ocean perch, Chilean sea bass, albacore tuna.

Highest Mercury fish – avoid eating

Grouper, king mackerel, bigeye or ahi tuna, and swordfish.

Choosing seafood that is healthy and sustainable can be a challenge, so be sure to check out Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch at https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/act-for-the-ocean/our-programs/seafood-watch?gclid=CjwKCAjwyqWkBhBMEiwAp2yUFiJUf_BgFfJ-QZXBBwwR7ce-X2oxuHI8GrGOQGGWfmQSCuDUcQ3dTBoC5jAQAvD_BwE

Well, there you have it. Stay safe with happy and healthy eating, Lisa!

LOW CALORIE SWEETENERS - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

There are a variety of sweeteners that manufacturers put into their low-calorie products. Some of these sweeteners may be harmful, and therefore should be avoided. There are also low-calorie sweeteners that are considered safe. Here is a list of the most common low-calorie sweeteners, starting with those you should avoid.

                                                            AVOID

·       Erythritol – often added to Stevia in products like Truvia, can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, and is now considered unsafe.

·       Sucralose – found in Splenda, caused cancer in mice and may boost blood sugar.

·       Aspartame – is found in some low-calorie yogurts, soft drinks, and other products. Current evidence indicates that it is a carcinogen.

·       Acesulfame potassium – found in some low-calorie ice-cream products and low-calorie flavored waters, may increase cancer risk. You should skip this product especially if you are breast feeding.

 

Considered SAFE

·       Stevia – look for Stevia leaf extract, or Stevia in the raw

·       Monk fruit extract – appears to be safe, but more research is needed

·       Allulose – is safe but may cause GI problems in sensitive people

 

A few important points:

·       Don’t give low-calorie sweeteners to children because they haven’t been tested in kids.

·       Adults who switched from sugary to diet drinks lost more weight.

·       There is no good evidence that artificial sweeteners lead to more cravings for sugary foods.

·       We don’t know yet how artificial sweeteners may affect our gut microbiome.

I eat foods that have been sweetened with monk fruit extract and Stevia. If my oatmeal seems like it needs a little more sweetness, a packet of Stevia in the Raw will do the trick. You should always read product labels and skip anything with sucralose, aspartame, erythritol, or acesulfame potassium.

Here’s to your sweet health! _Lisa

HOW TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF CANCER

Experts say, roughly 40 percent of cancers are preventable. Here are what Heather Eliassen, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and other researchers suggest are ways to lower your risk.

1.     Stay away from tobacco.

2.     Limit alcohol to 2 servings a day for men, or 1 for women. The less you drink, the better. “Alcohol may increase susceptibility to DNA damage, contribute to oxidative stress, and increase levels of estrogen,” explains Eliassen. Carotenoid-rich green, orange, or red vegetables and fruit, on the other hand may protect against specifically breast cancer, even women at high risk. “Carotenoids are potent antioxidants,” says Eliassen, “but other bioactive compounds in those fruits and vegetables may also lower risk.”

3.     Lose or don’t gain excess weight.

4.     Limit red and processed meats. Amanda Cross’s research (professor of cancer epidemiology at Imperial College London) showed that feeding people red meat can create carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds in the gut. This was just one piece of evidence that led the International Agency for Research on Cancer to conclude that processed meat like bacon, ham, sausage, and lunch meats are a human carcinogen while unprocessed red meat is a “probable” human carcinogen. 

5.     Fill half your plate with vegetables or fruit.

6.     Shoot for 20-40 minutes a day of exercise that speeds up your heart rate. Even a brisk walk will do.

7.     Apply broad spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30+) every 2 hours that you are in the sun. Avoid tanning beds.

8.     Anyone aged 9-26 should get HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines to prevent cancers of the cervix, throat, vagina, penis, and more.

For more information, go to cancer.gov (the National Cancer Institute), or AICR.org (the American Institute for Cancer Research). (Some information found in this article is available on https://www.cspinet.org, Center For Science in the Public Interest.)

Food Packaging is Putting You, Your Family, and Our Planet at Risk

Cassie Huang, a consumer health project manager at the Environmental Defense Fund, stated, “The sad truth is that food packaging whether it is a soda bottle, pizza box, or a take-out container is made with toxic chemicals that are putting the planet and our health at risk.”

Another startling fact is that over 90% of plastic is not recycled. It ends up in landfills, as litter on land, or in the ocean. Plastic breaks down into microplastics which contaminate our oceans, water, soil, and food.

It’s up to each one of us to do what we can to help the environment. Here are a few examples of ways you can play a part in keeping your family and our planet healthy.

·        Avoid Styrofoam. Get your meat and seafood at the counter and not in the prepackaged Styrofoam trays. When you eat out, bring your own glass container for leftovers. (Having leftovers and not consuming everything on your plate will help save your waistline as well!)

·        Minimize plastic. Buy a fresh head of lettuce instead of greens that come in plastic.

·        Reuse glass. Glass likely contains the fewest chemicals and is recyclable forever!

·        Use only glass or ceramic in the microwave. Do not heat food in so-called “microwave safe” plastic containers.

·        Go package-free whenever possible. Bring your own “to-go” mug to the coffee shop instead of getting a disposable cup.

·        Buy milk and orange juice in cartons that are less expensive than plastic and require less fuel to transport. They may also be recyclable.

These are just a few of the ways you can help the environment. I am certain you can think of many more. Let’s all do our part for a safer, healthier, cleaner America. Lisa

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SODIUM, THE SILENT ENEMY

High sodium can lead to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. High blood pressure is one of the leading killers of our time. You might believe that you are fine because you are on blood pressure meds, but in addition to raising your blood pressure, your arteries literally stiffen after consuming only one salty meal.

Statistics show that cutting salt intake by about ½ tsp. per day, may prevent 22% of stroke deaths and 16% of fatal heart attacks.

You may be thinking I don’t salt my food and I don’t eat any processed food, so I don’t have to worry about my sodium intake. Right?

Wrong! If you are not salting your food or eating salty soup or canned vegetables then where is all this sodium coming from? Consider this, 2 TB of Hannaford brand ketchup has 160 mg. of sodium; 2 TBs of Hannaford Light Caesar dressing has 320 mg. of sodium; ½ cup of Rao’s spaghetti sauce has 310 mg. of sodium, and these are only a few of the many “salty foods” that are in refrigerators right now.

What are the alternatives to salting your food or cooking with salt? Here are a few tips:

·        Always read your labels, the lower the sodium the better

·        A simple rule of thumb is that the milligrams of sodium should not exceed the calories. For example, a 300-calorie veggie burger should have no more than 300 mg. of sodium

·        Buy no-salt added beans, diced tomatoes, chicken and vegetable broth

·        Use sodium free seasonings like Mrs. Dash

·        Make sure the frozen veggies you purchase have little or no salt, i.e., Hannaford frozen broccoli and corn

·        Avoid frozen veggies with creamy, salty sauces

·        If you want to salt foods like scrambled eggs or corn on the cob, use Morton’s light salt which has ½ the sodium

·        Look at your recipes; maybe there is added salt that you can skip.

Here are two web sites I recommend: www.hackingsalt.com, and https://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/18018/nutrient-focused-diets/low-sodium/

Do all you can to reduce your sodium intake and your arteries will thank you!