McKinley Grapevine

I’m sure most of you have read a food label or two before.  The first thing I look for on the food label is the carbohydrate grams and then the protein grams.  From there I am able to assess whether or not it’s an item I would like to eat.  Some of you may only pay attention to the number of calories but it’s important to pay attention to the whole label, especially the serving size :).  Click the link below to find out how much you know about reading a nutrition label.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/quizzes_questions.asp?quizid=64

Whether you’re counting calories or are just being calorie conscience, your focus will tend to be on the number of calories consumed.  While this is important, so are the types of calories being consumed.  Carbbohydrates are our main source of energy but our diet should only consist of 25-30% carbs.  The average American consumes at least 300g of carbs which in most cases makes up 50-60% of the diet.  In my opinion this is WAY TOO MUCH!  Granted, in some cases 300g of carbs is needed.  For example, a triathlete or marathon runner would need those carbs because of their intense training regimen.  However, for someone who sits at a desk for most of the day…not so much 🙂

Of that 25-30% you should focus on consuming whole grains and vegetables.  Click the link below to view a list with several examples of what a serving size of 15g of carbs looks like.  Have a great afternoon!!

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/articles_print.asp?id=882

The Superbowl is just around the corner and parties are being planned.  I wanted to help prepare you with some recipes and show you a list foods being compared so you can make the best choice!  For more of an analysis on these Superbowl party foods, click the link below to view the whole article.

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/weight_loss_diet_plans/what_is_the_healthiest_super_bowl_food

Chicken Wings vs.
3 = 150cal
2g sat fat
Baby Back Ribs
1 = 170cal
4g sat fat
Choose the Chicken Wings

Tortilla Chips vs.
14 chips = 140cal
Potato Chips
14 chips = 150cal
Choose the tortilla chips and even better, go for baked if their available

Guacamole vs.
1/4 cup = 85cal (healthy fat)
Black Bean Dip
1/4 cup = 60cal (fiber and protein)
Both are a good choice, but if you want lower in cal go for the Bean Dip

Mixed Nuts vs.
1oz = 168 cal (healthy fat and protein)
Pretzels
1oz = 110 cal
Choose the nuts even though they have more calories

Beer vs.
16oz = 140-160 cal
Cola
16oz = 142 cal (way too much SUGAR)
Choose the Beer.  If you don’t want the alcohol but still enjoy beer, try Erdinger Weissbier or Kaliber by Guiness

Have you tried coconut water?  I read this great article on www.homeremediesweb.com describing in detail the many benefits of coconut water.  Below I’ve summarized some of the benefits I feel are most important.  Coconut water is the clear liquid found inside the coconut fruit and is usually taken from younger coconuts because there is more of it.  As the coconut matures the clear liquid turns into the white flesh.  If you haven’t tried some yet, I would encourage you to after reading about some of the amazing benefits :).

1. It’s used to regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol
2. Effective treatment for:
stomach flu, indigestion, constipation, intestinal worms, cholera, malfunctioning kidneys, dry itchy skin, age spots and wrinkles
3. Great source of energy because of it’s abundance in vitamins, minerals and nutrients
4. Good source of potassium (helps with muscle cramps and spasms), calcium and chloride which makes it a great source to rehydrate with especially during strenuous exercise
5. Some studies show an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol which helps to maintain great cardiovascular health
6. Coconut water, milk and oil all contain lauric acid which our body converts into monolaurin.  Monolaurin has great antiviral and antibacterial activity which helps fight digestive problems
7. Naturally contains electrolytes which helps increase our body’s metabolism
8. It’s Alkaline!!  With much of America’s diet consisting of acidic foods we need more alkaline rich foods to balance our PH.  It’s biochemical composition is the closest to human blood.  (For more info about how our body reacts to acidic and alkaline food search “How diet soda causes weight gain..” on the grapevine)