I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!

How many meals have you had at your desk, in front of your computer, on the phone? Did you even remember finishing your meal, let alone what it tasted like?

Somewhere along the way we have lost touch with our relationship with food. To others around the world, food is a central part of culture, something to cherish and communicate with, rather than shovel in as fuel. Now meals are coupled with watching television, working on your computer, playing with blackberry all while eating, even when sitting with other people! These behaviors lead to a culture of overeating without even realizing it. Research by one of my personal favorites, Brian Wansink, PhD, showed that people who watched TV while eating for 60 minutes ate 28% more than those watching for 30 minutes, but reported eating about the same amount as the 30-minute watchers.

Basically, the longer we sit in front of the TV, the more we mindlessly eat. When you add all other distractions to the mix, imagine how much these numbers increase!

The simple solution is to eat meals ate a table with other people sans media to keep the distractions away and prevent mindless eating. I’m a firm believer in bringing back that family dinner, savoring and truly tasting your food while talking about your day. In addition to this, here are more tips to prevent mindless eating:

• Eat from a salad plate – Switching to a 10″ salad plate results in 22% fewer calories consumed per meal, which leads to a weight loss of around 18 pounds per year for an average size adult.
• Use a smaller serving spoon – You can eat 30% less by switching to a smaller serving spoon.
• Drink from a tall skinny glass – People tend to pour 30% more into a wide glass than into a slender one
• Leave serving dishes in the kitchen - Place your serving dishes six feet away to give yourself a chance to ask if you’re really hungry before we grabbing for seconds.

For more mindless eating prevention tips, check more of Wansink’s research at http://mindlesseating.org/index.php or pick up his book Mindless Eating

–Amy Santo, MS RD CDN

Visualize Your Food

Managing your portions can be difficult, especially when on-the-go. You can’t carry tablespoons and measuring cups around! Here are some visual images to help you keep your portions in check.

Meat, poultry, & fatty fish such as salmon

1 serving: 3 oz portion

Think of a Deck of Cards

Fleshy white fish, such as snapper

1 serving: 3 oz portion

Think of a Checkbook

Peanut Butter

1 serving: 2 tablespoons

Think of a Ping-Pong Ball

Salad Dressing

1 serving: 2 tablespoons

Think of a Shot Glass

Olive oil

1 serving: 1 teaspoon

Think of a Bottle Cap

Butter

1 serving: 1 teaspoon

Think of a Standard US Postal Stamp

Cereal, Snack Foods and Popcorn, Pasta and Grains, 1 piece of Whole Fruit

1 serving: 1 cup

Think of a Baseball

Slice of Bread, Pancake, Waffle, Cheese Slice

1 serving: 1 oz or 1 slice

Think of a CD case

Hard Cheese

1 serving: 1 oz

Think of 4 dice

Baked Potato or Sweet Potato

1 serving: 1 potato

Think of a Computer Mouse

Nuts, Dried Fruit, Trail Mix

1 serving: ¼ cup

Think of a Golf-ball

Juice

1 serving: 6 fluid oz

Think of an individual yogurt container

 

–Amy Santo, MS RD CDN

The eggzalent egg

Despite recalls and outdated research giving eggs a bad wrap, eggs are one of the most nutritious foods we have. Decades of research have now shown that eggs have limited effect on your cholesterol. Guidelines indicate that heart healthy effects are maintained if you limit egg consumption to 3 whole eggs per week if cooked in healthy fats or without oils.

 

Eggs are also the most complete form of protein, helping to preserve muscle strength. One egg provides 5.5 g protein and only 74 calories. This is a healthy protein to include in your diet for weight management.

 

Eggs are also loaded with vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants that prevent macular degeneration and promote eye health. Eggs also have choline, a vitamin that is essential for brain health and reduces inflammation, reducing the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Choline is also essential in pregnant women for fetal brain development and prevention of birth defects. Unfortunately, choline deficiencies are amongst the most common nutrient deficiencies. Luckily, eggs yolks are the richest source of choline among foods, followed closely by soybeans. 2 large eggs provide 252 milligrams of choline, which is a little less than half your daily recommended intake (550 milligrams per day for men, 425 milligrams per day for women).

 

How can I eat eggs healthily?

 

To maintain a heart healthy diet, enjoy steamed, poached, hard-boiled, and baked egg dishes cooked in healthy oils or without any added fats.

 

Quiche is a perfect dish to incorporate this super food and vegetables into your diet. It’s easy to make ahead of time and store in the fridge for weekly breakfast, lunch or dinners. Although traditionally very caloric and heavy, here is my healthy twist on this French dish that still tastes delicious!

 

Potato-Crusted Quiche

Serves 8

 

½ pound of potatoes, peeled and shredded (suggest Yukon Gold)

3 ½ teaspoons olive oil

Pinch of pepper

1 onion, diced

1.5 cups of broccoli

4 large eggs

1 cup skim milk

1 ounce low-fat low sodium Cheddar cheese, shredded

 

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a pie pan with ½ teaspoon of olive oil. Toss the shredded potatoes with 1 teaspoon oil and a pinch of pepper. Press an even layer into the pie dish, up the sides like a crust. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool.

 

2) Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Sautee onions and broccoli in remaining 2 teaspoons of oil until softened. Let cool slightly.

 

3) Whisk together eggs and milk. Spread the vegetable mixture even into pie dish on crust. Top with cheese. Pour egg mixture on top.

 

4) Bake until firm around edges but wobbly in middle, around 20 minutes. Let cool and served warm or at room temperature.

 

**Suggest serving with a simple side salad of spinach and radishes with a light oil and vinegar dressing.

 

–Amy Santo, MS RD CDN

Dr. Gandelman Credentialed in Vascular Imaging

Dr. Glenn Gandelman is now credentialed as a Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) and a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI).

Greenwich Cardiology associates performs vascular ultrasound imaging to diagnose carotid artery blockage (can cause strokes), aortic aneurysms (dilation of the aorta can rupture), peripheral vessel abnormalities (such as blood clots and varicose veins), and renal artery stenosis (can cause high blood pressure).

If you, or your doctor, feel that any of the above mentioned studies are indicated, contact Greenwich Cardiology Associates.

Dining Out Guide: The Big Salad

Elaine Benes thought she had done a good thing by ordering the big salad. But had she? Build-your-own salad joints are a dime-a-dozen and are a great choice, most of the time…How do you build the healthiest salad?

 

Most of us reach for a salad for our weekly lunches or safe dining-out choice. Salads are a great way to get lots of veggies into your diet, especially if you don’t have time at dinner to do so. They are also a great way to try new veggies and keep your lunches well-portioned. Salads can be a balanced part of your diet, as long as you are making the right choices. Here is a dining out guide to help you navigate that salad bar in just 5 easy steps:

 

1. Choose dark greens. When picking the base for your salad, the richer the color the better. In general with fruits and veggies, the more colorful, the more phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. Choose baby spinach, mescaline, arugula, romaine lettuce or a combination of these leaves.

 

What to skip: Iceberg lettuce.

 

1. Add a lean protein. Grilled chicken, turkey, shrimp, salmon, 1-2 hardboiled eggs, or ½ cup of beans to make your salad a satisfying meal. Watch carefully when making your salad to keep portions of chicken and fish to be about the size of the palm of your hand.

 

What to consider: Just a scoop of tuna fish, egg or chicken salad can be really calorically dense due to lots of mayo, especially when made in restaurants. If you are trying to lose weight, this isn’t the best choice. If making your salad at home, limit mayo to 1-2 tsp and this can be a healthy protein choice.

 

What to skip: Fried chicken or fish as they are very high in fat and calories.

 

1. Create a colorful plate. Feel free to add lots of non-starchy veggies and fruits such as cucumbers, peppers, carrots, onions, tomatoes, celery, mushrooms, artichokes, broccoli, cabbage, radishes, beets, apples, pears.

 

What to consider: Starchy veggies and dried fruits including corn, peas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and raisins, as well as grain salads, are great to add to your salads you just have to keep the portions under control. Limit this to 1 scoop or about ½ cup serving. Choose whole grains as much as possible.

 

What to skip: Potato, pasta, or coleslaw salads have lots of mayo and oil, making them not the healthiest choices.

 

1. Don’t forget some healthy fat! Fat can make your salad very satisfying. Good sources include avocado, nuts such as walnuts or almonds, cheese, or seeds. The important thing here is portion control. 1 serving of avocado is 1-2 thin slices; nuts and seeds should be limited to ¼ cup; limit cheese intake to 1 tbsp and try to pick low-fat cheese if possible (Hint: it may be easier to choose fresh mozzarella balls and only add 1-2.

 

What to skip: Bacon bits, croutons, crispy noodles excessive amounts of cheese.

 

1. Dress it up well. The best salad dressing choices are oils and vinegars, rather than prepared dressings. Serving size is the most important thing here, limiting oil to 1-2 tbsp. Feel free to have as much vinegar as you want. Second choice options include balsamic vinegars, vinaigrettes, and Ginger dressings in Japanese settings.

 

What to consider: Processed dressings like Italian or fat free versions of creamy dressings are loaded with chemicals and sugars. Better to have a little of the real thing or pure oil and vinegar than processed foods!

 

What to skip: Creamy dressings like blue cheese, ranch, thousand island, Cesar, Russian, French

 

Feel confident that you making healthy choices the next time you go to the salad bar!

 

–Amy Santo, MS RD CDN

Be cheesy, low fat cheesy that is…

As delicious as cheese is, it is one of those foods that tends to be high in saturated fat. A high-fat cheese, like provolone cheese, is enriched with cream and therefore contains a higher proportion of fat. Most of the fat in high fat cheeses is saturated fat, which has been shown to increase the risk of heart diseases. The best choices to make are low-fat or medium fat cheeses in a 1-2 oz portion size (about the equivalent of 4 playing dice) for heart healthy eating. Low-fat cheeses are a great addition to a healthy diet, providing a great source of calcium and protein!

 

Which types of cheeses should I choose?

 

Next time you reach for cheese choose a low-fat or medium fat cheese and save high fat cheese for a special occasion!!

Low Fat   0-3 g fat/oz	Medium Fat   4-5 g fat/oz	High Fat   6-8.5 g fat/oz	Very High Fat   9-10 g fat/oz
Cottage Cheese-   0-2% milk   Sap Sago     Low fat versions of ricotta, cheddar, Monterey jack cheeses	Mozzarella, part skim     Ricotta, part skim   String Cheeses, part skim   Reduced fat cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, muenster, and Swiss cheeses	American Cheese   Blue Cheese Brick Brie Camembert Edam Feta Gjeotst Gouda Light Cream Cheese Limburger Mozzarella, whole milk Parmesan Port du Saiut Provolone Ricotta, whole milk Romano Swiss Tilsit, whole milk	Cheddar   Colby Cream Cheese Fontina Gruyere Longhorn Monterey Jack Muenster Roquefort

 

 

–Amy Santo, MS RD

The Skinny on Healthy Fats

Despite the bad reputation fat received in the 90’s, thanks to our Mediterranean friends we have learned that a diet that is based around healthy fats reduces the risk for heart disease and stroke. But what are these fats? There are 2 kinds of unsaturated fat:

 

Monounsaturated fats are found mainly from foods of plant origin, such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, avocado, and most nuts. When substituted for saturated fat, monounsaturated fat helps reduce total blood cholesterol without lowering HDL or “good” cholesterol levels.

 

There are two different types of polyunsaturated fats. Omega 6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that are found in oils from plants including corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean, and sunflower oils. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, bluefish, tuna, and mackerel, as well as soy beans, flaxseed/linseed, canola oil, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds. These fats are natural blood thinners and reduce the risk of blood clots, stroke, and heart disease.

 

Here are some ideas to get more healthy fats into your daily diet.

 

• Add avocado to your sandwiches instead of mayo and cheese. Avocadoes provide such a great flavor and creaminess to sandwiches that you won’t even miss the mayo.
• Add nuts and seeds to your daily diet. Add nuts and seeds, particularly walnuts and almonds, to your salads, breakfast cereals, yogurts, or grain dishes. Snack on homemade trail mix. Store nuts in the refrigerator for preservation of nutrients.
• Switch to using oils instead of butter. Make olive oil and canola oils your main cooking oils. Feel free to experiment with more exotic oils including peanut, sesame, safflower, etc.
• Substitute oil and vinegars for salad dressings. Skip the saturated fats and sodium from packaged salad dressings and instead toss your greens with oil and vinegar.
• Try flax ground seed. Add ground flaxseed to your breadcrumbs, baked goods, yogurts, and ground meat dishes. It provides a nutty flavor and is packed full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Find flax seed in the supplement aisle. Keep in the refrigerator in a dark container to prevent it from turning rancid.
• Experiment with nut butters. As great as peanut butter is, there are many nut butters to experiment with. Try almond, walnut, soy nut, hazelnut, cashew natural nut butters. Try eating with an apple, fresh veggies, or whole wheat crackers.
• Introduce fish into your weekly dinners. Two times per week, switch out your meat dishes and have a fish for dinner. Choose fatty fishes, such as salmon, for a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids.

 

–Amy Santo MS, RD