Daily Nutrition Hint

L

Lex411

Cathlete
As I read through an amazing book and learn about nutrition myself, I decided to post a daily (or near daily) "hint" derived from what I'm absorbing.

The book I'm using is "Staying Healthy With Nutrition" by Dr. Elson Haas. I thought it would be a nice thing to give back to the forum for all the support and help I get here. I know everyone seems interested in nutrition and we can all learn together.

Hint #1

Grains: Amaranth

This is a terrific substitute for wheat or other grains, and is commonly found in cereals, breads, pastas, etc. It's high in protein and iron, and can be cooked whole as a breakfast cereal (rinse and dry before cooking.) It contains calcium, most B vitmans and minerals and is a great source of fiber. (I buy Amaranth Flakes as a substitute for Wheaties and that kind of cereal, since I don't digest wheat well) Amaranth flour works very well as a substitute for wheat flour in recipes (for baking) and can be found, usually, at places like Whole Foods, sold in bulk or in bags.

It's a terrific addition to any diet, being a versatile and delicious alternative to wheat.
 
Hi Lex,
The daily nutrition hint is a great idea! I always enjoy reading your posts and I always learn something from you.
But I do have a question regarding amaranth flakes. Do you use this ONLY because you can't digest wheat, or is amaranth simply superior to wheat. For someone like me who can digest wheat (and likes it very well), should I stick with wheat or start using amaranth?

Another question (while I'm waiting on my copy of "Staying Healthy with Nutrition"), do you consider eggs to be a good source of protein? I need to add protein to my diet especially since I'm trying to become pregnant. I can't stomach fish or cottage cheese, so I'm looking for ways to add protein to my diet. Are eggs a good choice, or not?
Thanks,
Lisa
 
Hi,
I'm not Lex, but figured I'd butt in and give my 2 cents. Eggs are a great source of protien, however you sould limit the amount of egg yolks since that's where all the fat is (the plus side of the yolk is they are high in Vitaman K). I use egg beaters sometimes or my favorite is to have one full egg and one egg yolk cooked easy over. I think I heard something about limiting egg yolks to 3 per week. If that's the case you can alternate between egg beaters and real eggs. You can also try just eggs yolks (they're cheaper).
Again that's just my two cents.
Dawn W
 
I am wondering the same thing as Lisa. I have a friend who is allergic to wheat, but he also doesn't think it's the greatest for those not allergic to it. Can't remember why right now. So, can I stick with my Wheaties and still get great nutrition benefits?

Andrea
 
RE: Daily Nutrition Hint...today's topic...WHEAT!

Ok, I was going to do Millet today but since Wheat seems to be all the buzz below, let's cover that instead:

Hint #2

Grains: Wheat

There are 2 types of wheat; hard (aka durum) wheat and soft wheat. Durum wheat is what is primarily used in pastas, and it has a higher protein content. Soft wheat is what is commonly ground into flour and used for breads and baking. Wheat contains gluten protein, and it is this elastic gluten that makes wheat so prefect for things like bread, where a good, elastic dough is needed. The protein in wheat is good quality and easy for your body to use, but it does NOT contain all the essential amino acids. (It's low in lysine and isoleucine.) But it's also pretty high in B vitamins, except B12. Wheat has some vitamin E and high amounts of potassium magnesium, iron, zinc and phosphorous. It also has calcium and copper, but is very low in sodium.

("Staying Healthy With Nutrition," Dr. Elson Haas, pg. 328)

For people who do tolerate and digest wheat well, there is certainly no reason to avoid it. Other grains, like amaranth and millet, are just good alternatives to try for the variety in terms of nutrients and flavor. Each grain has its own unique consistency and flavor to enjoy and experiment with in recipes.

But for people like myself, who do not digest wheat very well, amaranth is a terrific substitute, as are things like quinoa and millet. They provide you with an alternative way to get the carbs and other nutrition you would normally get through wheat products, but tend to be easier to digest.

There's certainly no need to avoid wheat if you don't have any noticable problems eating it, but it's always a good idea to add variety to your diet. It exposes you to a better, wider spectrum of vitamins and minerals and can keep you from ultimately developing a food reaction or allergy to something you eat too often or too much of. All grains have loads of great nutrients to offer, it's just a matter of find the right ones for your body.
 
That's not a book....

That's a bible;-)

Lex, I consulted a Naturopathic Physician a few years back for nutritional counseling and that's one of the main books she used and recommended. She called it her bible. She was a wonderful person who had her life shortened by a plane crash. When I pick up that book, I think of her..fondly.

http://members.aol.com/naconfer/images/smfitnut2.jpg
 
RE: That's not a book....

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that, and what a horrible way to go. I am not really afraid to fly but I do have a weird feeling sometimes that I might have died in a plane crash in a former life or something. Weird huh?

It is a bible, it's so exhaustive and thorough but totally accessable for normal people as well as nutritionists and doctors. And despite being way behind on my daily posts, I will get the egg info up tonight, I promise!

Hope everyone had a safe, healthy and wonderful New Year!
 
I know I promised you guys your egg info, but I just got some bad family news and I'm not feeling quite up to it. We just lsot my granny (who was my best friend in the world) in October, out of the blue. And now I found out my stepdad's mom passed away, so I'm a little out of it.

I know you'll all understand, it's such a great group on here. But I already had this window open and I figured I could let you know why I might be quiet for a day or two.

Take care everyone and I'll be back in the swing soon.
 
Ok, here it is, the skinny on eggs, as promised...

Fact 1- Egg protein contains all the essential amino acids needed to be readily used by our system, and protein is about 50% of its makeup

Fact 2- The rest of an egg is fat, about 2/3 of which is unsaturated

Fact 3- two large eggs contain about 10 grams of fat and about 500 mg. of cholesterol, which is a bit more than our suggested daily intake.

Fact 4- Some recent research shows that it is more the total fat eaten than the use of eggs that influences our cholesterol levels in the body. So eating eggs as a replacement for fattier foods (meats, bacon, etc) can actually be a good choice as long as there is no pre-existing high cholesterol or heart condition. In that case, you have to consult your physician about guidelines for daily intakes of fat, cholesterol, etc and whether eating eggs is right for you.

Fact 5- Eggs have about 75 calories each

Fact 6- Egg whites contain about half of the protein, have no fat, no Vitamin A, 20% of calories and are light on other nutrients. They do, however, contain some sodium and potassium.

Fact 7- The yolk has, of course, the other 50% of protein and contains all the fat and cholesterol. They also have lots of Vitamin A and have smaller amounts of Vitamins B, D and E. The yolk also has most of the calcium.

(a note about Vitamin A: also known as beta-carotene or retinol, it's a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it can be stored in body tissues, so we can function for longer without needing more in the diet, as opposed to water-soluble vitamins which do not store in the body. Vitamin A helps you to resist infection and gives your body protection at a cellular level. It's absorbed mainly through the small intestine and stored mainly in the liver. Alcohol use will not only inhibit absorption but it also depletes liver stores. Other things that effect absorption are vitamin E deficiency, cortisones, and even exercise. But don't fret, there are plenty of good sources of beta-carotene such as; Asparagus, Broccoli, Spinach, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Sweet Taters, Winter Squash, Yams, Apricots, Peaches, Mango, Cantaloupe, Cherries, Watermelon and Papaya. More to come about Vitamin A and other fat-solubles later!)

So, what does it all mean? Should you eat eggs or not? Clearly, they are an excellent source of complete protein, though they do have high fat and cholesterol levels that make them less than ideal for frequent use. It's an individual decision that must be made based on your genetic disposition to high cholesterol, your lifestyle, your other nutritional intake, etc. I find that using them as an occassional protein source works fine for me, but if you have any doubts or are uncertain about whether eggs are appropriate for you, please do consult your doctor.
 
Lex....

Sorry to hear about both your grandmother and your stepdad's mom. Thanks for all the nutrition info. Take care!
Erica
 
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