Food, Inc

Marci Anderson - Wednesday, July 01, 2009

I had the opportunity to go see Food, Inc. last night.  If you care at all about the food you feed yourself and/or your family please go see it!  It's essentially "Fast Food Nation" and "Omnivore's Dilemma" rolled into a well-research, eye-opening, and entertaining 90 minute film which traces our food supply from farm to plate.  In short, the American food system is extremely disfunctional.  It wreaks havoc on our environment, local economies, and heavily subsidizes the food that is making America sick.  While it's discouraging to see how far off the mark we are, the film ends with a host of simple ways we can start changing the system.  You are voting with every dollar you spend on food.  So starting spending wisely!  Buy less processed food, buy fewer animal products, eat more local produce and buy it locally if you can, join a CSA, buy organic if you can afford it, support organizations which promote sustainable living.  I'd encourage all of you to see the film, read through the website, and take a look at what you can do support a healthier food system here in America.  There is power in the almighty dollar!

Here's a link to the website which is a fantastic resource to learn about the issues, watch the film's trailer, sign petitions which support a healthy food system, and gather resources from reading lists and blogs.  I highly recommend it.

Here's a link to movie reviews

Here's the movie trailer


 

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Fruit2day

Marci Anderson - Friday, June 26, 2009

I was recently handed a free sample of a new product called Fruit2day.  According to the sales rep, it's 2 servings of fruit in a bottle for just 110 calories.  Here's what I have to say about the benefits listed on their website:

1.) Easy, on the go way to drink your fruit.
Fruit, by nature is great for eating on the go.  Apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, nectarines, and pears are a few pieces of transportable fruit that come to mind.  This product has to be kept refrigerated which pretty much makes it less convenient and easy to consume...

2.) Reap the benefits of 2 servings of fruit in a drink.
Hardly.  Just check out the ingredient list.  There are small chunks of whole fruit which are added to an "all natural fruit puree."  This is what I call glorified fruit juice which inherently lacks the benefits offered by whole fruit (i.e. the satiating and nutritional benefits of fiber, phytochemicals, and many antioxidants lost in processing). 

3.) Tastes delicious.
The flavor did taste good but the chunks made it totally awkward to drink.  If you don't mind chunks of fruit fowing into your mouth while trying to swallow juice at the same time, you might like it.

4.) Endorsed by a Dietitian.
Well, many people endorse products for money...

One thing the company didn't list was price.  I called a couple of grocery stores in the area that were listed on their website as carriers.  Unfortunately they didn't have it in so I don't know the cost.  But most grocery store fruit is less than 50 cents a serving.  I doubt a processed and packaged fruit drink can be that!

Don't be fooled with fancy advertising.  Stick with real, whole, non-processed food as much as possible and you'll be better off.
 

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Larabars

Marci Anderson - Monday, June 22, 2009

We are all looking for easy ways to eat well on the go. Hence, the creation of THE BAR. Yes, if you walk the aisles of any convenience store or supermarket you just may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of them! In fact, as a dietitian, one of the most common questions I get asked is "what (if any) bars do you recommend?" My response is always the same- Larabars!

The reason I love Larabars is simple: They are made out of nutritious, whole food ingredients that I can pronounce. Plus their calorie content and distribution of fat/carbohydrate/protein will actually keep you full for a couple of hours...rather than leaving you hungry and pekish one hour later like most granola bars do. I take issue with the fact that we rely so heavily on processed, packaged food ingredients in our diets but realize we are all pretty darn busy. So Larabars combine the convience factor with nutritious ingredients rather than manufactured "stuff".

Let's compare the Larabar with one of the most popular protein bars on the market, the Luna Bar. The Luna Bar website states that "We are proud of the ingredients we use. Everything is 100% natural, as organic as possible, and contains no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Use this ingredient glossary to find out more about what’s in our food." Yes, you'd certainly need an ingredient glossary to interpret what the heck they are feeding you!

Here's the ingredient list for their Caramel Nut Brownie Bar: LunaPro ® (Cocoa Soy Rice Crisp [Soy Protein Isolate, Organic Rice Flour, Alkalized Cocoa], Organic Toasted Oats, Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Flaxmeal), Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Caramel (Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Inulin, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Soy Protein Concentrate, Organic Tapioca Maltodextrin, Water, Salt, Natural Flavors, Organic Soy Lecithin), Organic Coating (Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Cocoa, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla), Walnuts, Inulin (Chicory Extract), Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Cocoa, Organic Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), Organic Chocolate Flavor, Sea Salt.

Now let's check out the ingredient list for the Cinammon Roll Larabar (my personal favorite): Dates, Walnuts, Almonds, Raisins, Cashews, Cinnamon.  Plus they are gluten, dairy, and soy-free.  A great option for food allergies.

So the next time you are searching for an alternative to all of the processed bars and snacks, check out some "real food options."  They may be just as convient and even tastier...your body will thank you for it. :)
 

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Taste of Cambridge

Marci Anderson - Wednesday, June 17, 2009

For those of you living in the Cambridge and are interested in eating good food while supporting a good cause, check out Taste of Cambridge.  Celebrate the diverse restaurant scene in Cambridge in good conscience.  All proceeds are donated to two charities: Youth on Fire and Club Passim's Culture For Kids/Music Speaks.  A huge vendor lists includes a few of my very favorite restaurants in Cambridge: Garden at the Cellar, Ole', Small Plates, and Veggie Planet (and many more fabulous restaurants).

Event Details
Location: The Charles Hotel
Date: Thursday, June 25th
Time: 5:30-8:00
 

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How much does Oprah weigh now? Who cares!

Marci Anderson - Tuesday, June 16, 2009

As a registered dietitian/nutritionist who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, a recent New York Times article caught my attention.  The title? "Bingeing on Celebrity Weight Battles."  While Ms. Oprah Winfrey seems to have ignited the public's interest of her own weight struggles back in the 80's, the need for celebrity self-disclosure on everything weight related seems to be on a expeditious rise. 

Quite frankly I'm annoyed and concerned about how this feeds our nation's (and my clients') very disordered view of body shape and size, diet, and exercise.  Celebrities bounce from one extreme to another, while many Americans drink it in with increased fascination and a belief that they ought to model such behavior.  So I've been thinking of the pros and cons of celebrities posting their weight loss stats, strategies, caloric intake, and exercise routines. 

While I haven't come up with many pros, I have developed a strong list of cons:

1.) Leads to unrealistic expectations in terms of appearance, which feeds disordered eating and exercise behaviors
2.) Increases the likelihood of depression associated with body dissatisfaction
3.) Sets forth a model of comparison based on unhealthy behaviors. "If Melissa Joan Hart eats 1400 calories, I should too."
4.) Feeds cycles of weight loss and and weight gain as a result of following a diet/exercise regimen that cannot be maintained long-term
5.) Suggests that your value as a person is extrinsic (i.e. weight) rather than intrinsic

My list of pros:
1.) Great examples of how overly restrictive diets and eating patterns don't work....Can you seriously eat pre-packaged Jenny Craig for the rest of your life?  I think not.
2.) Proves that having a personal chef, personal trainer, and nutritionist at your beckon call cannot fix it all!  Good nutrition and a health body image are an inside job!

Please feel free to add to my lists!  I'd love to hear your feedback.
 

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Cooking Light's Guide to Organics

Marci Anderson - Sunday, June 07, 2009

I live in Cambridge, where a lot of people have already bought into the world of organics and buying food locally.  But as a nutritionist, I still get a lot of questions about whether or not it's worth it to buy organic.  So I thought it'd be fun to share with you a great video from Cooking Light, one of very favorite magazines and websites.  The video echoes many of my thoughts and feelings about going organic.  Enjoy!

Editor's Guide to Organics from Cooking Light
 

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Nutritional Gatekeepers

Marci Anderson - Sunday, May 31, 2009

In an attempt to save money, more and more people are cooking at home. And while this may be cheaper, are you certain that your food is more nutritious? Brian Wansink, author of “Mindless Eating” suggests that the nutrition gatekeeper of your house (the person who buys and prepares most of the food) influences more than 70% of the foods you eat. Wanksink queried 770 family cooks and was able to classify them into 5 distinct types. Take the quiz and determine what type of nutrition gatekeeper you make.

1) When I prepare a meal, I typically:
a) Rely on classic dishes my family has always enjoyed.
b) Follow a recipe step-by-step.
c) Substitute more healthful ingredients.
d) Go all out and try to impress my guests.
e) Rarely use recipes and like to experiment.

2) Some of my favorite ingredients are:
a) Lots of bread, starches and red meat.
b) Beef and chicken.
c) Fish and vegetables.
d) A trendy ingredient I saw on the Food Network.
e) Vegetables, spices and unusual ingredients.

3) In my free time I like to:
a) Visit with friends and family.
b) Organize the house.
c) Exercise or take a fitness class.
d) Be spontaneous and seek adventure.
e) Take part in creative or artistic pursuits.

4) My favorite things to cook are:
a) Home-baked goodies.
b) Casseroles.
c) Foods with fresh ingredients and herbs.
d) Anything that lets me fire up the grill.
e) Ethnic foods and wok dishes.
 
5) Other people describe me as:
a) Really friendly.
b) Diligent and methodical.
c) Health conscious.
d) Intense.
e) Curious.

There may be overlap in the answers you give, but is there one letter that you picked most often? Here’s what your answers say about your cooking style:

a) Giving: Friendly, well-liked and enthusiastic, giving cooks seldom experiment, love baking and like to serve tried-and-true family favorites, although that sometimes means serving less healthful foods.
b) Methodical: Talented cooks who rely heavily on recipes. The methodical cook has refined tastes and manners. Their creations always look exactly like the picture in the cookbook.
c) Healthy: Optimistic, book-loving, nature enthusiasts, healthy cooks experiment with fish, fresh produce and herbs. Health comes first, even if it means sometimes sacrificing taste.
d) Competitive: The Iron Chef of the neighborhood, competitive cooks have dominant personalities and are intense perfectionists who love to impress their guests.
e) Innovative: Creative and trend-setting, innovative cooks seldom use recipes and like to experiment with ingredients, cuisine styles and cooking methods.

 

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Popping Pills is No Health Guarantee

Marci Anderson - Sunday, May 24, 2009

I suppose I’ll start this blog post with a little self-disclosure. I don’t take a daily multi-vitamin. What can I say, I’m a registered dietitian and a huge proponent of getting nutrients from food. Plus, I can’t stand pills and can never seem to remember to take them. But during my relatively short career as an RD, I’m still taken aback when a client comes to see me and has a laundry list of daily supplements they take...only to be followed by an equally long list of problems which ail them.

Boy did I feel validated by a relatively recent article published in the New York Times. The first line states that “the best efforts of the scientific community to prove the health benefits of vitamins keeps falling short.” The rest of the article lists multiple supplement studies which failed to show benefits of supplement intake on the rates/treatment of various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and bone health.

And the crazy thing is that despite these pathetic results, consumers are still willing to spend billions of dollars every year in hopes of a miracle! Yes, popping a pill is much easier than exercising and eating properly. Yes, the pills are relatively cheap. And yes, they are likely not doing you any harm.

Here’s what I have to say about supplements:
• The magical properties of nutritious food just cannot be replicated by a pill.
• For chronic disease prevention and optimal health, health behaviors such as walking 30 minutes a day and eating lots of fruits and vegetables is proven to be much more effective.
• There are some instances where a supplement may do you some good: 
    o 1,000 IU of Vitamin D per day for those living in areas of little sunlight (i.e. Boston) 
    o Calcium and Vitamin D for women 
    o Prenatal vitamins for women of child bearing age 
    o Omega-3s if you don’t eat them in your diet

So the next time you are looking to boost your health, consider peeling an orange rather than popping a pill.

 

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BMI Screening in Mass Schools

Marci Anderson - Sunday, May 17, 2009

So it’s been over a month since The Boston Globe published an article“BMI screening will begin this fall in Mass. schools.” This topic has weighed heavily on my mind (yikes, no pun intended) but I still seem to be combing through all of my thoughts on the topic.

The article states that starting this fall public schools will begin weighing and measuring 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th graders (parents can opt out) as a means to screen for overweight and obesity. The results, along with a report on how to deal with a child’s weight problem will be sent home to the parents. As I type, my blood is beginning to boil.

Here are a couple of thoughts:
1.) America has a pretty poor track record. As we’ve become more weight obsessed over the past several decades, the number of people that are overweight and obese has continued to climb.
2.) Research has shown that obesity prevention programs targeted to elementary and middle school children increased disordered eating behaviors.
3.) There is no utility in sending home a report card to a parent that says “your child is fat and at increased risk for Type II diabetes.” The article states that one of the recommendations for parents with overweight kids is to take them to their pediatrician. No offense to any pediatricians out there but I cannot help but laugh. I’d love to meet a physician that has the skills and more than 10 minutes solve their patient’s “weight problem.”

So rather than sending our children home with a report card, why don’t we start taking action that focuses on behaviors, not numbers. There is plenty of research to show that this is effective. Here are some ideas:
1.) Have students track the number of minutes they spend per day engaging in physical activity. And by all means, let’s stop cutting out recess and gym classes.
2.) Create a school garden. It will teach our children where food comes from, how to take stewardship over the earth, and supplement the pathetic meals they are served at school with more fruits and vegetables.
3.) Partner with local farms to facilitate work in exchange for reduced or free crops for low-income families.
There are a myriad of ways to promote healthy living. Sending report cards home is not one of them. With a Department of Health staffed with intelligent and capable people, I’d like to think we can do better than that. (Sorry for the rant, I do try to keep them to a minimum.)


 

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When Economy Sours...What Soothes Your Soul?

Marci Anderson - Sunday, May 10, 2009

A couple of weeks ago I received a phone call from a Harvard journalism student looking to interview me for a nutrition-related article. He sent me a series of questions to answer via email along with a link to an article from the New York Times entitled “When Economy Sours, Tootsie Rolls Soothe Souls.” The content of the article was by no means shocking. The gist of the article stated that people seem to be eating more processed/cheap food like candy as a pick-me-up and pat on the back during these economic times. Sure, an 80 cent bag of skittles is a much more affordable reward than a trip to the spa when you are feeling run down or scored an “A” on a final exam. And a bag of skittles certainly won’t make or break your health…

BUT, I’d like to use this article as a platform to address a larger issue. In America we have become totally weight obsessed. And this obsession with weight has led to a wide variety of totally disordered eating patterns. One of the habits most of us have developed is eating for non-physical reasons. Food is a useful tool for procrastination, celebration, a cure for boredom, and even a sleep aid. But the consequences (weight gain) are often less than desirable.

So you may want to reflect on the role food is playing in your own life. Yes, food is absolutely meant to be enjoyed. I believe that full-heartedly. But food is meant to be fuel for our bodies. It is meant to solve a physical need for energy rather than satisfy our many emotional needs. Many people find an “80:20 rule” to be useful. Eat for physical reasons (i.e. hunger) 80% of the time and you should be just fine. So the next time you purchase a bag of skittles as a cheap pick-me-up, consider the “80:20 rule.” Your health just might thank you for it.

 

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