Nutrition in the HeadlinesFacts, Claims & Controversies

Jenny Provo & Cassandra ReynoldsKeene State College Dietetic Interns

Today you will..

•Objectives:Learn the importance of making informed decisions based on science.

Know the benefit of choosing whole foods over supplements

Identify why a certain population needs to avoid gluten

Ice breaker Diets throughout History

Please place the diets in order from Earliest to Present

Have fun!

Answers

1820- Vinegar & Water1925 -Cigarette Diet

1963 -Weight Watchers1972 -Atkins Diet

1975 -Cookie Diet1979- Dexatrim

2002 -South Beach Diet2011 -Paleo Diet

Nutrition Recommendations

•Where do they come from

•Why do they change

•Why controversies arise

http://www.choosingraw.com/quality-quantity-my-thoughts-on-the-2010-dietary-guidelines/

Protein: the building blocks

What is it?

What have you heard?

High Protein Diets

Diets: Paleo,Medifast, Dukan,

Zone

What are some pros and cons?

Protein Claims & Controversies

Lets look at one…. Paleo Diet

Claim: “You’ll lead a healthier, fitter, disease-free life.” “If the cavemen didn't eat it, either should you.”

Controversy: Paleo may include weight loss and maintenance, and prevention or control of many “diseases of civilization,” such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Why do you think this diet makes you lose weight?

Paleo Diet: the reality

-No scientific studies

-Dietary Recommendations 10-35% of proteinPaleo= 40%+ (Fat 39%!)

-Diet also says to eliminate processed foods, sugar & alcohol! **

The Facts: Protein

An average healthy adult needs 46-56 grams of protein per day. + add more for high activity level and body size

Americans already consume 1-2x the recommended

Higher protein? =Weight loss?

BUT Is it the protein thats doing all the work?

High Protein Diets: the hidden risk

-restrict carbohydrate intake so much that they can result in nutritional deficiencies or insufficient fiber, which can result in health problems such as constipation and diverticulitis.

-promote foods such as red meat and full-fat dairy products, which may increase your risk of heart disease.

-may worsen kidney function in people with kidney disease because your body may have trouble eliminating all the waste products of protein metabolism.

According to the research, high protein diets only provide weight loss short term (less than 6 months). Long term research is inconclusive and recommended not to follow a for more than 6 months.

Take home message Protein

Protein is important to maintain a healthy body, but more is not always better.

Quality not Quantity

Spread your protein throughout the day,focusing on lean sources like beans, turkey, chicken, fish and nuts.

Functional Foods

Functional Foods

● What are functional foods?→ “Any food that provides additional health benefits that may reduce disease risk and/or promote good health”-Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

● How many claims do you read that seem too good to be true?

V8 Protein

The Claims• “V8 Protein blends

milk, soy, quinoa, brown rice, and pea proteins with rich cocoa and honey to give you satisfying delicious energy”

Reality• More sugar than

honey (25 grams)• More artificial

flavor than pea protein or brown rice

• More salt than quinoa flour

Cheerios Protein

The Claims• “11 grams of

protein with ½ cup serving of milk.”

Reality• In one serving of Cheerios

protein without the milk you get 7 grams of protein, 220 kcals and 4 tsp sugar

• 220 calories worth of Original Cheerios also provides you with 7 grams of protein and less than 1 tsp sugar

Almond Plus

The Claim• “5X the protein”

Reality• Most regular almond milk has

only 1 gram of protein per cup, this product has 5 g per cup

• So delicious adds 4 grams of protein from pea and rice protein

• Cows milk and most soy milks have 8 grams of protein per cup

Cheerios and heart health?Claims Reality

● Cheerios have 1 gram of soluble fiber per serving

● You would need to consume 3 bowls of cheerios to see the cholesterol lowering benefits

● Carbohydrate intake can drive up LDL cholesterol which raises the risk for heart disease

● 3 bowls of cheerios with milk would increase daily carb intake

Plant Sterols/Stanols

Benecol Spread● “Contains plant stanol

esters an ingredient proven to lower cholesterol levels”

● Plant sterols decrease absorption of LDL cholesterol

The controversy…● Cholesterol and

Coronary Heart Disease● Plant sterols and

Coronary Heart Disease● Choose natural sources

What to watch

• Claims that seem too good to be true

• Fortified products vs natural sources

Gluten

What is Gluten?

Why might someone choose to be gluten free?

Gluten: Claims & Controversy

Claim: Gluten is at the root cause of Alzheimer’s Disease, anxiety, depression and ADHD.

Controversy: I don't have celiac disease but cutting it out from my diet cured by migraines and stomach upset.

> Is it the absence of gluten making you feel better?

The Facts: gluten

Gluten is only considered harmful for those who have a diagnosis ofCeliac Disease

1 in 133 people have diagnosed Celiac Disease

Non- celiac gluten sensitivity, which is undiagnosable, but gain relief from symptoms if adhering to a GF diet.

Vitamin deficiencies are common amongst those who follow a Gluten Free Diet, regardless of diagnosis.

> Low in fiber, B12, iron, calcium

Gluten: the take home message

Gluten can be apart of a healthy diet!

Focus on making half of your daily grains from whole grains.

This can include gluten free grains if you interested like quinoa, brown rice and millet.

The Sodium and Potassium relationship

• Fluid balance• An increase in one results in excretion of the

other• Potassium relaxes blood vessel walls

What are the claims?

Too many!• Sodium is and isn’t related to hypertension• Too little salt can cause problems?• Potassium decreases hypertension?

Controversies

● Many studies find that elevated sodium is associated with hypertensiono Some studies find conflicting resultso Studies can be done in many different ways

● Increased salt intake is also associated with an overall poor dieto Potassium deficiencies

Fact: Americans consume excess salt• Sodium needs: 1500-2300 mg per day , 1500 if older than

51

• Average consumption: sodium: 3436 mg/day

• 77% of sodium in the American diet is from processed foods

• Highest sources: Frozen Meals, Tomato Sauce, Soups, Condiments, Canned Foods, Prepared Mixes

Fact: Americans don’t consume enough potassium• Your body doesn’t store

potassium so intake is essential • Potassium needs: 4,700 mg/day• Average consumption of

potassium: 2,640 mg/day

Potassium has many functions in the body● Builds proteins/muscles● Used to break down and use

carbohydrates● Controls electrical activity of the

heart

Take away message

• Cutting sodium is important but it is also important to REPLACE high sodium foods with NUTRITIOUS foods

• Your body needs both sodium and potassium to function properly

Its all about the safety…http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/good-poor-hand-washing-graphic-demo-correct-hand-17731160

Then its tasting time……>>

Conclusion

1. Be an informed consumer.

2.Don’t eliminate whole food groups● Out smart marketing tactics

3. Consume a diet rich in a variety of whole foods for overall good health