What’s really in the Fiber One bar? Redux…Ingredient by Ingredient

Ingredients NOT found in an Oats & Chocolate Fiber One bar

Fiber is my number one favorite geeky dietitian topic, and having recently been diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, perhaps now more than ever it is important to me.

Looking back at the blog, it seems like my post on the Fiber One bars has been one of the most popular posts on my blog since I started it. I can’t believe that was 2009, but I thought it was worth a revisit and see if anything had changed.

For the record, I still have never tried the bar, but I can say it seems like patients and clients are definitely bringing it up less than they did 10 years ago, so perhaps popularity is waning? I’m sure the Kind bar has taken some of it’s market share and perhaps with good reason…

So anyway, here goes again. This time I plan to break it down into a few posts based on ingredient since there’s really a lot to say about each and every one, why not take our time?

1 serving of a Fiber One “Oats and Chocolate” bar is 40 g

140 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 90 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 9 g total sugar (a little more than 2 teaspoons), 2 g protein

(Only changes here are an increase in saturated fat by .5 gram, an increase in sodium by 10mg, and a decrease of sugar by 1 grams)

So, it still does seem to have  a good bit of fiber. But, where is the fiber coming from? The first ingredient is chicory root extract. Since, ingredients are required to be listed in the order of their predominance in a product, this means that there is more chicory root extract by weight, than anything else in the product.

So what is chicory root extract? Chicory root extract is also known as inulin. Inulin is known as a prebiotic, meaning it’s good for your digestive system.

There is still some question though as to whether inulin offers the same benefits as dietary fiber.

Dietary fiber is the kind we get naturally from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes etc. The health benefits of dietary fiber are promoting satiety, reducing cholesterol, improving bowel regularity and even promoting stable blood sugar levels.

The Center for Science in Public Interest (CSPI) has requested that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans be updated to advise consumers to differentiate between the different types of fibers when choosing foods. This would mean on the food label you might see “X grams of processed fiber per serving.” You can access CSPI’s most recent commentary here: Can fiber help keep you regular?.

Additionally, the FDA recently released  The Declaration of Certain Isolated or Synthetic Non-Digestible Carbohydrates as Dietary Fiber on Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels: Guidance for Industry.

There was a very recent journal article “Effect of chicory inulin-type fructan–containing snack bars on the human gut microbiota in low dietary fiber consumers in a randomized crossover trial” that concluded in healthy adults, adding 3 or 7 g inulin-type fructans (ITF) to snack bars increased Bifidobacterium, a beneficial member of the gut microbial community. While that seems promising, you have to look at the source of the info, two of the authors actually work for General Mills, which is a bit of a red flag.

Stay tuned for the next ingredient, which is NOW called whole grain oats (formerly referred to as “rolled oats,” and ten years later takes the second spot on the ingredients list away from chocolate chips with confectioners shellac.)

How do you feel about inulin? Does it help or hurt your digestive system or have you not noticed an effect either way? Let me know in the comments section.

 

When Hummus Just Ain’t Enough…

Crunchy, a little salty and excellent

I LOVE hummus. It’s a staple in my house. I also love chickpeas in general, so when I came across these roasted chick peas in various flavors, I had to give it a go. Such a great idea to roast a chickpea and then add flavoring! I wish I had though of it. The nutrition stats are awesome, 5 grams of protein and fiber!!!

I have used them on top of salads, as part of a crunchy trail mix and as a late night snack.

Definitely check out the Thai Coconut Lemongrass, Sweet Cinnamon and Smoky Chili and Lime flavors. You won’t be disappointed!

 

The Enduring Promise of a Thinner You

I’m not surprised that a segment about how to lose fat quickly and effortlessly would be featured on Rachel Ray, given the fact she offers up recipes that will also quickly and effortlessly add significant fat to your body.

This article on the New York Times illuminates all the purported medical ways to lose inches quickly and they don’t seem to be liposuction. I did get a kick out of the pictures of the vibrating belt machines because I remember as a child in the 70s my neighbor had one and it looked like the most fun torture device ever. Needless to say it never helped her lose any weight, but, it was super-exciting to go visit.

I guess my point to all this is that if you want to lose fat, the real guaranteed way to do it would be to lift heavy weights. Probably a lot cheaper than any of these devices and results would be obvious quickly. Maybe not in 8 minutes, but surely within a few weeks.

Here are a couple of sites to check out to get you started:

Girls Gone Strong

Bret Contreras – What Women Want

Thrive with Jen Sinkler

Amy Rubin Yunger, trainer & powerlifter says, “Squat deep to burn fat!”

 

Brussels Sprouts are the New “Kale”

Feeling kinda uneasy after watching a lot of food porn at work today (don’t ask), so thought I would post my own version of food porn and also declare the hot new food trend of 2014 to be:

BRUSSELS SPROUTS!

Okay, so maybe I’m not he first person to declare this, but, I’ve seen this one coming for awhile now. Brussels Sprouts ARE THE NEW/OLD “IT” vegetable. (mark my flippin words)

Ingredients:

1 turn of peanut oil

Butter (optional)

1-2 crushed cloves of garlic

1 package of Brussels sprouts (ends cut off and cut in half)

Low sodium broth (< 300 mg per serving minimum!)

Himalayan Sea Salt (to taste)

Method:

1. Preheat pan to medium high heat
2. Pour one turn of peanut oil in the pan and allow to heat up to medium high heat (throw some H2O molecules in the pan to test for “hotness”),  simultaneously throw garlic smashed into pan (remove within a minute of cooking to prevent  spread of “bitter” flavor)
3. Place Brussels sprouts cut-side down onto heated pan
4. After halves are placed face down, pour a small amount of low sodium broth into pan, wait for “SIZZLE” and then lower heat and cover for 17 minutes over medium low heat.
5. Sprinkle some Himalayan sea salt to taste over sprouts
6. Enjoy!

Here’s the nutritional information for Brussels sprouts in case you are doubting the serious nutritional benefits from these MOFOs:

 

Short Fasts for Weight Loss vs. Traditional Diets

I’ve ALWAYS dreaded the idea of fasting. It’s only every really come up for me in terms of religious holidays and the occasional surgery or blood work. Lately, I’ve started to warm to idea of fasting, after trying some different cleanses. I’ve noticed that after the dread wears off, and you start to get in the right mindset, they can actually be energizing. So, it only makes sense the next step is exploring the intermittent fasts/intermittent caloric restriction diet programs I keep hearing more and more positive things about.

This most recent write up in the Wall Street Journal, “Short Fasts for Weight Loss vs. Traditional Diets” posits that following a strict diet for just two days a week, instead of constantly calorie counting, is a far more effective way of losing weight. There also seem to be some other health benefits, such as better brain functioning and retention of muscle mass. There’s also growing research on how this type of diet can potentially prevent breast cancer.

A fast is considered 500-650 calories per day, a couple of times per week. The other days you eat as you normally would. Once you get past the “crankies”, you fall into a rhythm (?) and it becomes more or less effortless.

I’m thinking I will give this fasting a try, a la Dr. Gregory House, who was known for using himself as a guinea pig. Incidentally, the show “House” featured a nutritionist on Season 3, but, I digress…

I will post updates when I finally settle into trying this new diet plan. One caveat though, if this is indeed the way to lasting weight loss and improved health, then I will be forced to re-examine my “traditional” clinical nutrition education.

Have you every tried one of these intermittent fasts? Thumbs up or down? Let me know…

 

The Other “UPS”

Cartoon representation of ubiquitin protein

A recent article in the FASEB Journal, “Short-term energy deficits increase factors related to muscle degradation,“ confirms what those in the know have been saying for a long time…

…just cutting calories to lose weight isn’t ideal for your body aesthetically OR biologically. A certain percentage of both fat and muscle are lost during the weight loss process.

The good news is that it is possible to offset this effect by consuming a sufficient amount of dietary protein to replenish protein stores during weight loss. According to the article,

Protein consumption slows the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS), which is primarily responsible for degrading skeletal muscle.

UPS may also be involved in the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome. cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. UPS specifically degrades proteins tagged with an ubiquitin chain.

The study proposes that at least 2-3 times the IOM’s RDA for protein may be the sweet spot for offsetting this catabolic response. More research is needed though before any definitive recommendations can be determined.

 

Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake

Trader Joe’s Protein Powder + Just Great Stuff’s Powdered Peanut Butter

Two great tastes that taste great together!

If you are like me and have the more than occasional craving  for a peanut butter cup, try this quick protein shake. Way more vitamins and minerals than a peanut butte cup, it fills you up, and also quenches your thirst. Powdered Peanut Butter is just 45 calories for 2 tablespoons, so all the taste with none of the guilt.

Tip: Use coffee instead of water if this is a pre-workout snack, and throw in any vitamins you would normally take that are dissolvable. The ultimate in multitasking!

 

Wholly Mackerel

Every so often I feel like channeling Jose Andres of “Made in Spain” for he has always had the ability (at least on television) to make me feel transported to another land, a land where they are more relaxed and even take “siestas.” From what I read though, the siesta has pretty much died out, but, a girl can dream, no?

That being said, I have been super-tired of the boring old tuna salad. I’ve branched out into other fish salad options, most recently using mackerel (which in this case is from Portugal, not Spain, but, they are close to each other, and that’s how my mind work)

One can of this mackeral is 266 calories, 19 grams of protein and 31% of your daily iron needs (that’s quite a lot if you ever check out food labels, tuna is usually around 2% of your daily iron for a much larger serving.) Lots of the good omega 3 fatty acids as well.

For this salad, I used Cole’s Wild Mackerel in Olive Oil. I have also used their trout and and even sardines on several occasions and they always taste great. If you have a food processor, this can be done very quickly with just a few pulses, but, chopping and mixing it up manually won’t take any time at all either.

Ingredients

1 can Cole’s Wild Mackerel in Olive Oil

1/2 vidalia onion

1 plum tomato

Handful of fresh basil, oregano (whatever herbs you have on hand are fine)

Splash of red wine vinegar

Himalayan sea salt to taste

1 slice Hummlinger Whole Spelt Bread (110 kcals slice, 4 grams fiber, 4 grams protein)

Method

1- Throw all ingredients (except for bread) in food processor, pulse on rough chop a few times (if you like a smoother consistency, go a few more)

2- Toast the spelt bread, cutting into four pieces

3- Enjoy!

Tip:

Lemon juice would be an excellent addition (I just didn’t have any so I had to use red wine vinegar) as would some red pepper flakes and even sriracha if you like it hot. And if you want to keep it super low carb, you can always swap out the bread for some endive, celery or romaine and wrap it up!

 

 

Menu Nutritional Information Ignored By More Than Half Of Americans, Survey Shows

Come on, really? A recent article in the Huffington post, Menu Nutritional Information Ignored By More Than Half Of Americans, says that half the country is ignoring this information on menus!

If I see nutrition information on a menu, there’s no way I can ignore it. I immediately start a convoluted equation in my head of how unusual/coveted the menu item is and then I divide that by the amount of exercise/deprivation it would take to justify it and then it all boils down to the sodium. Ultimately, for me,  it is really the sodium that is going to cause me to get bloated, which is a slippery slope to feeling uncomfortable in my clothes and then impairing my cardio. It always takes a few days to get rid of that bloat.

If I am being totally honest, i sometimes compare the amount of calories to the price, because that does play into it in these tough financial times. If I make chicken at home all the time, I don’t see this as worth spending a lot of money or calories on, but, fish I might be inclined to pay more for and pay more attention to the nutritional profile

The nice thing about menu labeling is that you can make informed decisions about your meal. If it is in excess of 1,000 calories and you didn’t just run a marathon, you should probably bring half home for another meal.

Ideally, make most of your food at home an you don’t have to worry about any of this. But, if you can’t and the restaurants has gone to the trouble to give you an FYI, please pay attention 🙂

 

 

Veggie Ceviche

Unintentional “cooking” of my salad planned for the beach

Super motivated on a Sunday morning to go to the beach and bring some healthy vittles to avoid a trip to the snack shack at the beach. The shack at the beach is lacking when it comes to food offerings. Overpriced frozen foods that you wait to have heated up and served to you in a paper box. The worst offender is the “pizza.”

I’m reasonably sure it is a knock off of Ellio’s pizza. No offense to Ellio’s, but, I think my parents may have served us that Ellio’s pizza a few too many times. I can barely look at it and I always thought it didn’t really taste anything like real pizza. But, I digress…

So, I got out my mandoline, “french fry cut” the yellow zucchini, orange pepper, etc. I threw all the ingredients together in Tupperware, drizzled some oil, vinegar and lemon juice and set it on ice. I was super excited to eat it while kicking back in the salt air.

After putting in my time at the shore watching three energetic boogie boarders, I finally sat down to have my salad. Took it off the ice, it was nice and cold. And then it dawned on me…I DIDN’T BRING A FORK!

Oh yeah, and the (now maligned) snack shack didn’t have any forks either! Criminy!

So, I brought the salad back with me and finally got a chance to eat it this evening. The veggies were nicely “cooked” by the citrus and vinegar, a ceviche if you will. Super crunchy and refreshing. Big on Vitamins A, C, Potassium and loads of other vitamins and antioxidants. Oh yeah, and of course low calorie.

Ingredients

1 yellow zucchini (sliced on the mandoline to look like noodles)

1 orange pepper (also sliced on the mandoline)

1/2 vidalia onion

Handful of grape tomatoes, sliced in half

4-5 broccoli florets (only threw these in because I grew them in the garden)

1/2 cup of hearts of palm, salad cut

Herbs (Basil, Oregano, savory, thyme)

Red wine vinegar

Toasted sesame oil

Juice of half a lemon

Method

Throw all vegetables together, drizzle oil and vinegar and lemon juice over them in a tupperware. Add a few pinches of salt. Shake up the tupperware. Enjoy immediately or let stand overnight for a more crunchy/pickled version.