So we asked you all to submit all the questions you had for our special guest speaker, Nutritionist Miss Dareen, and she gave us the answers to your questions. So here they are!
1. What is whole durum wheat flour? And is it good for you? A lot of noodles say they are made with that.
Durum wheat is a kind of wheat that is ground to make durum wheat flour. Yes, it is good for you because it is a "whole" grain, which has various nutrients plus fiber. Always choose 100% whole grains when possible. The reason why it is usually used to make pasta is because it is dense and strong enough to hold the noodle form (it is also high in protein).
2. I'm confused about different types of fats like saturated, trans, etc. Can you help clarify?
Saturated fat is mostly found in animal products (meats and dairy products including whole fat milk and butter). We need a little saturated fat, which we usually get from healthier fats that have a little bit of saturated fat. Too much of this fat ends up as plaque on our arteries, which is why it is linked to heart disease.
Trans fatty acids are man made as fats that are liquid at room temperature (oils) have hydrogen added to them to make them solid at room temperature (margarine, crisco, found in many processed snack foods). This hydrogenation prolongs the shelf life of foods and is cheaper as an ingredient but it has been linked to increased the bad cholesterol in the blood and therefore, increasing risk for heart disease.
Unsaturated fats (mono and poly)- liquid at room temperature so these will be found in oils, as well as nuts, seeds, fish and avocado. These are the healthier fats that do the reverse of saturated and trans (they lower bad cholesterol, which lowers your risk of heart disease).
The American Heart Association has great information if you would like to know more: www.heart.org
3. What is the best way to substitute carbs?
Carbohydrates are an essential macronutrient! You shouldn't necessarily be looking to replace it. Simply choose whole grains, vegetables and fruits to ensure you are consuming quality carbohydrates that provide a lot of nutrients and fiber.
Note: carbohydrates are the preferred fuel for your body (it is like putting gas in your car) and your brain runs solely on them! Without them, your body produces ketone bodies to give the brain the energy it requires and too much of those can lead to health problems.
4. What are the best low-glycemic fruits?
Glycemic Index is based on the consumption of 50 grams of a particular food. However, when choosing a small apple or a banana or a piece of watermelon, the portions vary and therefore the index is no longer a valuable tool. If you are a diabetic, consult with your doctor or diabetic educator about glycemic load, which provides better information.
That said, if you are not a diabetic and are just concerned with your blood sugar levels and fruit consumption, remember that fruit comes packaged with fiber and in a way that changes how a body absorbs the sugar (unlike a soda that is just pure sugar).
5. How much protein should I aim for in each meal? Ounces, etc.
Protein recommendations will depend on your gender and your body weight. Click on the following link:www.choosemyplate.gov
Put in your age, gender, height, weight and activity level and you will get a recommended caloric intake with recommended portions for each food group including protein. Once you have that info, you can divide the recommended ounces by the number of meals you typically consume and that will give you an estimated number of ounces per meal. Example: 6 ounces of protein divided by 3 meals would be about 2 ounces per meal. The website also provides info on what counts as an ounce.
A simpler recommendation would be to make 1/2 your plate vegetables and fruits, 1/4 protein and 1/4 whole grains. Balance and varitey is key.
Hope this helps!
6. Are the carbs in fruit as bad for you as carbs in bread/pasta/rice? Do they act the same nutritionally?
Carbs are not bad for you. See information in the answer to a similar question above.
Carbohydrates in various foods (grains, fruits, and vegetables) come packaged with different vitamins, minerals, fiber and even phytochemicals. That is how they differ. However, once consumed, a carbohydrate is a carbohydrate.
7. What is the difference between white sugar and brown sugar?
Mostly texture and flavor. One doesn't not offer nutrients over the other and they have the same calories per gram.
8. What are good carbs?
Whole grains (make sure the ingredient list states that it is 100% whole), vegetables, and fruits are the best sources of carbs that are nutritious.
9.What kind of bread should I eat?
One that is a whole grain (make sure the ingredient list states that it is 100% whole).
10. How much water should I drink?
A nice estimate I like to use is: Drink half your weight in ounces. If you are 140 pounds, aim for about 70 ounces.
11. Are the juices good for you in the stores?
Ideally, you want to eat the actual fruit so that you can consume the fiber and all the nutrients that are in the skin and structure of the fruit. If you do consume fruit juice, always choose 100% fruit juices and read the labels to make sure the ingredients in your orange juice, for example, is just oranges.
Go as natural as possible!
12. Is frozen food good if it is healthy choice?
Packaged foods are going to be higher in sodium and might have some preservatives. Read the label, if you can't pronounce the ingredients, do not eat it. If the ingredient list is super long, put it back!
