‘Tis the season for upping the quality of your diet

Nutrient Density. Do you know what this term means and if you do are your actively apply the principle? A nutrient dense diet is something akin to choosing high octane fuel for your car over the regular unleaded. Octane is a measure of anti-knock properties, i.e. performance and the higher the octane generally the higher the performance. The same goes with your diet: fuel up with nutrient dense choices and power your body through back to back workout sessions, speed recovery time and decrease your risk for a host of chronic diseases.

Make a commitment to add an extra serving of fruit and/or vegetable to each meal and snack:

· Eat the skins of your potatoes and leave them on when making mashed potatoes.

· Substitute spaghetti squash for pasta and top with your favorite sauce and diced vegetables.

· Choose whole fruits over juice the majority of the time.

· Buy whole carrots and eat the skin instead of buying baby carrots.

· Add dried apricots to your whole wheat couscous.

· Grill fruits like peaches and pears along with your vegetables.

· Add fruit to your salad – dried cranberries, fresh raspberries and mandarin oranges work well.

· Add spinach and peppers to your omelet.

· How about adding fruit to plain yogurt instead of buying the fruit yogurt?

· Snack on hummus and veggies.

· Make green smoothies for breakfast or snacks by adding a handful of kale or spinach to some yogurt or protein powder. Throw in a few dried dates to make it thick.

· Start your lunch and dinners with broth based low-sodium vegetable soup or try it as a snack.

· Add a layer of vegetables to your lasagna.

· Make a puree base of vegetables, fruits or beans and add to just about everything. The Sneaky Chef has some great free recipes http://www.thesneakychef.com/free_sneaky_chef_recipes.php

You can also make some targeted changes when it comes to upping the quality of your protein intake:

· Substitute a starch like a potato for a serving of beans.

· Ever try beans for breakfast? In many cultures this is the norm.

· Trade in the dark meat for white meat.

· Grill and broil your meats instead of frying them and use olive oil instead of butter.

· Include fatty fish twice a week.

· Include a vegetarian protein based meal once or twice a week.

Then there are the grains. Aim to make most of your choices whole and unprocessed:

· Choose whole grains for everything: pasta, couscous, rice, barley, pastry and regular baking flour, hot and cold breakfast cereals. You may have to look a bit harder but whole grain versions do exist!

· Mix up your grains and try quinoa, millet, amaranth and bulgur. They can all be substituted in place of rice.

As we embark on a new year, make a commitment to up the quality of your diet. If you have a tip to share I would love to hear it.

February is Heart Health Month!

As an athlete you may think that you are immune to heart disease since you incorporate physical activity on a regular basis. However, do you really know what an optimal heart-healthy diet should include? There is so much misinformation available that I thought a review of some dietary habits and facts pertinent to heart health were in order.

Let’s start with a quiz!

1. Is it more important to reduce total dietary saturated fat or avoid trans fats?
2. The fiber is which of these foods will lead to a reduction in blood cholesterol – bran cereal or oats?
3. Which of these foods is not high in potassium – green seedless grapes, oranges, potatoes, tomatoes, or bananas?
4. What is considered normal blood pressure?
5. What are desirable levels for total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides?
6. Why would a high intake of refined carbohydrates and simple sugars increase your risk for heart disease?

Now that I have you thinking, let me fill you in on what you need to know to keep your heart healthy. While it is important to keep your saturated fat in check (full fat dairy, fatty cuts of meat, fast food, etc), trans fat is more harmful to the heart. Read the ingredient list of foods you purchase and avoid those containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

We need both insoluble and soluble fiber in our diets in order to remain healthy. The insoluble fiber that is found in foods like whole-grain bread, vegetables, and bran cereal contribute to colon health. The soluble fiber in foods like oats and beans can decrease cholesterol by binding with it so that it is excreted.

Potassium is a very important mineral for athletes since it is one of the main ones lost in sweat (in addition to sodium). But it is also extremely important in terms of blood pressure regulation and most Americans don’t get enough. The recommended intake is 4700 mg for adults, which is actually harder to get than you might think. One banana has around 400 mg. Wow – that’s a lot of bananas! Seedless grapes are low in potassium but the others in the question are good sources.

Normal blood pressure is <120/<80 mm HG. Do you know yours? Go to your local pharmacy and use the self-check blood pressure machine. What about cholesterol numbers? Total cholesterol should be <200 mg/dl, LDL (lousy or bad cholesterol) < 100 mg/dl, HDL (good cholesterol) >40 mg/dl (the higher the better : 60 is considered high), and triglycerides <150 mg/dl.

The last question is a tricky one when it comes to athletes. Yes you should be fueling during exercise with those simple carbs like gels and gus and sports drinks, since they delay fatigue and provide a ready source of fuel. Simple sugars such as those found in low-fat chocolate milk are also ok for athletes when used as a recovery drink. However I think athletes sometimes overdo the gels, gus and other engineered foods and research has shown that a high intake of refined starches and sugars can depress HDL, raise triglycerides, and raise inflammatory factors. My suggestion is to go easy on these products when your training volume is lower and during the off season. Opt for “real foods” instead like an apple or banana since you will also get some fiber and complex carbohydrates with those foods.

A few other ways to eat for heart health include eating 2 servings of fatty fish a week, or if you are a vegan or don’t like fish, including flax oil or hemp oil. Make sure to load up on lots of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables, use olive oil when you can, and snack on heart healthy nuts a few times a week. Finally, let’s not forget those phytochemicals and heart protective flavonoids such as the ones found in green tea and dark chocolate. Just watch the portions of the chocolate and aim for a one ounce portion per day and a brand that contains 200 mg of cocoa flavanols per serving.

While not an exhaustive list, the suggestions here should put you in the right direction for heart health.

Pumpkin Muffins – Yum!

I have certainly been getting adequate vitamin A/ beta carotene this November since I have gotten back into baking. My mom sent me an easy pumpkin recipe a couple of weeks ago and I have already made 3 versions, each one turning out to be very tasty! Making muffins is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to cooking. But I can’t seem to make a recipe without modifying it to put my personal spin on it and then testing out several versions. So that is what I have been doing with this pumpkin recipe. All of the ingredients I have been using except for the baking soda, powder, and Splenda® are organic. I found organic canned pumpkin at Trader Joe’s for the reasonable price of just $1.99 for a 15 oz can which is just a few cents more than the cost of conventional canned pumpkin. The organic flour and fruit can also be found at any health food store. The version I am posting is made with the addition of a chopped Braeburn apple. The other versions I have made so far include substituting fresh organic cranberries for the apple and one where I added some organic tahini. I really think the sky is the limit in terms of making modifications as long as you keep the wet to dry ratio fairly similar. In general this recipe makes a lot of batter so I have gone back and forth between making mini muffins and making regular size muffins. I also always add a scoop of organic soy protein powder because I like eating the mini muffins as a post-run or post-gym snack but you can leave that out or use non-fat skim milk powder to boost the protein content.
Have fun with this recipe and enjoy eating them as they are super nutritious and super low calorie and of course super tasty!

Ingredients
2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup Splenda®
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
15 oz canned organic pumpkin
1 medium chopped organic Braeburn apple
28 gm vanilla soy protein powder (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix flour, Splenda, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add pumpkin, ½ cup of water and stir until just mixed. Spoon batter into oil-sprayed muffins cups filling to just below tops. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until tops bounce back lightly when pressed or when knife inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes to cool. Store in tightly sealed container or freeze.

This particular version made 11 good size muffins.
Calories: 90 (about 80 without the protein powder), carbs: 18 gm, fiber: 3 gm, protein: 5 gm

Pumpkins: A nutrition powerhouse

Pumpkins are here! I am most likely in the minority as I have never cared for pumpkin pie, but I do love a nice warm pumpkin muffin on a cool fall morning or a creamy pumpkin smoothie. Pumpkins are a nutritional powerhouse and are high in carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin, all of which are antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals. This fruit, yes it is technically a fruit, is also a very good source of beta carotene/vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, potassium, copper, manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. One cup of mashed pumpkin has just 50 calories, zero fat, 12g of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein. Wow!

Eating pumpkin pie is probably not the best way to include more pumpkin in your diet since it is traditionally made by combing pumpkin with heavy cream and whole eggs. When cooked in a “standard” pie crust, a slice gets ~50% of calories from fat. Healthier ways to add pumpkin into your diet are easy to do by utilizing canned pumpkin and it is actually one of the only canned foods that has no added salt or sugar. If you have the time to cook a whole pumpkin simply peel off the outer skin, cut it into pieces and boil. The seeds can be scooped out and roasted in the oven with a bit of oil for 30 minutes or even eaten raw.

Some easy ways to eat more pumpkin include: adding canned pumpkin to ready-to-eat butternut squash soup, stirring canned pumpkin into oatmeal, spreading pumpkin butter on bread and muffins, and snacking on pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds, also called pepitas, are high in copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc. Pumpkin seeds are also high in phytosterols which are thought to strengthen the immune system. The seeds can be added to salads, hot or cold cereals, cookies, even homemade veggie burgers.

Pumpkin also makes a great, creamy smoothie and nutritious breakfast or post-workout recovery shake. There are endless variations on this smoothie recipe so have fun experimenting with other ingredients like yogurt, frozen bananas, etc. Pair this shake with some whole grain toast with peanut butter and you have a perfectly balanced breakfast/recovery meal chock full of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fiber, and protein.

Pumpkin Recovery Smoothie
6 ice cubes
1 cup light vanilla Silk soymilk (or rice, hemp, almond, cow)
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or substitute nutmeg and cinnamon)
½-1 Tbsp honey (or substitute stevia or splenda)
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 scoop vanilla soy protein (or whey, rice)

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Makes 1 serving.
Nutrition analysis:
236 calories, 3 g fat, 24 g CHO, 3 g fiber, 30 g protein

The versatility of this fruit makes it a great addition to your diet, adding powerful antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber without a lot of calories.

Sorting out cereals

With the morning temperatures getting lower, you may be thinking about switching your cold breakfast foods for something warm. While it isn’t easy to figure out which cold cereals are 100% whole grain, with hot cereals whole grains are the norm not the exception. Even Cream of Wheat has a whole-grain version.

Do some whole grains beat others? It doesn’t appear so as studies have found a lower risk of diabetes and heart disease in people who eat any whole-grain cereal and especially those rich in insoluble fiber.

So what are some good choices? To avoid breakfast boredom you may want to stock your pantry with a variety of different grains. Most whole-grain hot cereals (with the exception of rice cereals) have 4-5 grams of fiber per serving (40 grams dry, which equals about 1 cup cooked). The instant hot cereals also count as whole grains but they may get some of their fiber from added isolated fibers like inulin instead of the natural bran. Inulin may supply extra fiber but research hasn’t found it to be beneficial for the heart or the colon as of yet.

Hold the sugar when choosing your cereal and choose unsweetened over the presweetened packets. It doesn’t matter if the sugar is cane, date, or brown sugar; to your body it’s all the same. You would be better off adding your own sugar as you will undoubtedly end up with less. Most non-instant hot cereals don’t have added sodium while most instant hot cereals do. So if you use instant look for levels close to 100 mg per serving.

Here are just a few good bets for breakfast that are 100% whole grain, contain no added sugar, and have no more than 100 mg of sodium per serving: Bob’s Red Mill – all varieties of hot cereal, McCann’s Irish Oat Bran, Mother’s Oat Bran, Quaker Old Fashioned or Quick Oats, Cream of Wheat Whole Grain, Steel Cut Oats and Erewhon brand. And if you are looking for something quick and wholesome try Trader Joe’s frozen Steelcut Oatmeal.

Finally, I want to share my news: I am finally officially “Doctor Koslo”!

Three Cheers for Cherries!

Cherries are one of those delectable fruits of summer that not only taste good, but have so many health benefits that they should be an essential part of any endurance athletes’ nutrition plan.
There is a significant body of research suggesting that cherries are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. Cherries contain anthocyanins 1 and 2 which are powerful antioxidants that not only give cherries their distinctive red color but also have an impact on relieving muscle and joint soreness similar to how non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs act. Cherries are the highest in these compounds compared to various other berries including strawberries and blueberries and they also contain a hefty dose of beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate. One cup of fresh cherries has just about 90 calories, no fat, 22 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber.
Additionally, cherries are one of the few food sources of melatonin, an antioxidant which helps to regulate the body’s natural sleep patterns. Eating cherries can be a natural way to increase melatonin levels in the blood acting to hasten sleep and ease jet lag. New evidence also links cherries to heart health and weight management.
So how many cherries do you need to eat to get the benefits? While there are no established guidelines as of yet, experts suggest that consuming 1-2 servings of cherries a day can provide some of the health benefits identified in the research. Examples of what constitutes a serving includes: ½ cup dried; 1 cup frozen; 1 cup 100% juice; 1 ounce concentrate.
Try these tips to help speed your recovery:
• Drink 10 oz of tart cherry juice pre-workout
• Make a post-workout smoothie with frozen cherries
• Add dried cherries to your post-workout oatmeal
• Have dried cherries as a good grab-and-go snack
• Add dried cherries to a spinach salad with walnuts
• Create a yogurt parfait with vanilla yogurt, granola and dried cherries
• Swap your soda for 100% cherry juice

Power up for spring training

Spring has sprung and if you are like most athletes you are planning your racing line up and putting your training plans in order. As you start ramping up your training you will also want to assess your current nutrition plan as it may be in need of a little “spring cleaning”. To help you jump start your fueling strategy I am including a recipe for a great breakfast full of muscle fueling carbohydrates, muscle repairing protein and antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and of course lots of good taste.

Boil water or milk/soy milk
Add: Rolled oats or instant oatmeal (1/2 cup dry or 1-2 packets instant)
Whey protein (1 svg)
Small scoop of dark chocolate baking cocoa ~1 Tbs
Ground flax ~1 Tbs
Blueberries ½ cup
Raisins – travel packet size or bananas

Enjoy before or after your workouts.

Eggs: Good nutrition bang for your buck

Eggs are a naturally nutrient-dense food and contain almost every essential vitamin and mineral needed by humans. A large egg has about 74 calories and more than 6 grams of high-quality protein that is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Eggs are also an excellent source of choline, a nutrient that helps prevent birth defects, and a good source of riboflavin. The egg white consists primarily of protein while the yolk contains protein, choline, folate, lutein, zeaxanthin, fat, and vitamin D.
Each egg is separately wrapped in its own shell requiring no weighing or measuring and can be prepared in thousands of ways. Eggs are also naturally low in sodium and the yolk has a favorable mix of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and just 1.5 grams of saturated fat. And while many Americans still avoid eggs for fear of dietary cholesterol, 30 years of research has never linked egg consumption to heart disease. Additionally, the American Heart Association no longer places a limit on the amount of eggs a person can consume per week.
In an effort to meet consumer demand a number of specialty eggs are currently on the market offering an array of nutritional choices. Omega-3 eggs are laid by hens fed a special diet containing omega-3 rich flaxseed or marine algae. Cage free, organic, free-range and certified humane eggs all have the same nutritional content but the conditions under which the chickens are kept meet specific USDA standards. Brown eggs are no different from white eggs and are just from a different breed of hen.
The high-quality protein in eggs can be part of a balanced sports diet by aiding in muscle tissue repair and growth. So next time you are wondering what to have with that bagel try an egg or two.
American Egg Board (2010) http://www.aeb.org/retailers/nutrition-facts
Egg Nutrition Center (2010) http://www.enc-online.org/